Buying a Fuel Efficient Vehicle
There are different things to consider when buying with fuel efficiency in mind. Everything from engine size to manual or automatic transmission to luxury items such as power locks and heated seats all affect a vehicle’s fuel efficiency.
Here are a few popular options that decrease fuel efficiency:
| Feature | Reason for decreased efficiency |
| 4-wheel drive | Increases drain on the engine. Also adds 100 to 200 pounds in weight. |
| Air Conditioning | Increases drain on the engine also adds 100 pounds more weight. |
| Heated seats/steering wheel/mirrors | These features require additional power from the battery which gets recharged by using the gas engine. |
| Sunroof | This increases drag on the car which forces the engine to use more power. It also adds weight and lets more sunlight through which increases heat in the cabin. This may increase the need to use air conditioning. |
| Power windows/seats | A motor is needed for power windows/seats which adds weight and uses more energy. |
Here are few popular options that increase fuel efficiency (and help save fuel):
| Feature | Reason for increased fuel efficiency |
| Manual transmission | This allows you to shifts gears yourself. You can shift at lower revolutions per minute (rpm) which saves fuel. Also manual transmissions are lighter than automatics. |
| Continuous Variable Transmission (CVT) | If you don't know how to drive a manual transmission then CVT is another option. It is a type of automatic transmission that keeps the car in its optimum fuel range regardless of how fast the car is travelling. |
| Trip computer | This monitors your fuel efficiency and can help encourage efficient driving. If a trip computer is not an option on a particular vehicle, you can purchase one that will fit most vehicles. |
| Tachometer | Allows constant monitoring of engine speed (RPM). Driver can monitor when the engine is working harder (consuming more fuel) than is required, and can adjust fuel or gears. |
| Fuel injection | Fuel injection systems provide more accurate fuel metering and quicker response time. They eliminate the need for a carburetor (which removes weight from car). It also uses less fuel for ignition, and the engine starts easily even when cold, so gas is not wasted "warming up" the car |
| Cruise control | For highway use only. It keeps the speed and rpms constant, so the engine does not need to work as hard, which saves more fuel. |
| Smaller engine size | Smaller engines weigh less than bigger more powerful engines and save more fuel. |
| Tinted glass | Reduces cooling load: blocks sunlight from the vehicle, reducing need for air conditioning. |
| Block heater | Warms up engine fluids prior to starting your vehicle, reducing the need for idling which wastes fuel and causes long term damage on the engine. Excellent for cold climates. |
| Alloy wheels | Alloys wheels weigh less than steel wheels, which cuts down fuel consumption. |
| Overdrive gear | This is a feature on automatic transmissions where the overdrive gear is the top and most efficient gear at typical road speeds. This feature should only be turned off in extreme driving conditions. |
| Aerodynamic design | Helps cut down drag. |
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