What Is Good Gas Mileage?

The current situation in the automotive market is pretty difficult. With the Ukraine war and Covid, gas prices have increased drastically. Right now, it costs $4 per gallon or more on average to fuel your ride, and no one knows when this will go back to normal. 

Because of that, many car owners have started to pay attention to gas mileage. Various models and vehicle types consume differing amounts of fuel, and it’s essential to know the distinction between good and bad mileage. 

In this article, we will talk about precisely that. We will discuss the term mpg in-depth, vehicle types and their mileages, explain how to calculate mpg, and advise which mpg is the best. 

MPG: What Does It Mean?

Car manufacturers conduct a series of tests on freshly-made vehicles. They differ in terms of complexity and parameters, but one of these tests is conducted with a single indicator in mind: mpg. Mpg or miles per gallon denotes the number of miles a car travels on one gallon of gas. For instance, a rating of 25 mpg means a vehicle can go 25 miles per gallon of fuel.

EPA or Environmental Protection Agency receives these results and all relevant information and conducts tests of its design. After that, they confirm the final mpg rating and make a list divided by manufacturers and models. 

If you were to check out the list, you would notice that mpg is subdivided into three categories: city, highway, and overall. The city rating refers to driving a vehicle around town in stop-and-go traffic. It tends to be lower because testers accelerate frequently, and the car consumes more gas. Next comes the highway rating conducted on a smooth surface, where the results and fuel efficiency are generally better. Overall rating averages the two previous ones and serves as a good reference point to understand how your car consumes gas in various conditions. 

Vehicle Types And Mileage

Vehicle types play a significant role in determining your MPG. Electric and hybrid cars have the lowest mpg or gas equivalent (mpge) and are the go-to option for some. SUVs can meet you in the middle and provide excellent horsepower and average mpg. Heavy-duty and light-duty pickups are designed for power, not fuel economy, and will never save you money on gas. 

Electricity is a much more widespread commodity and can be pretty cheap in some states. And while not everyone will want to own an electric car, settling for a hybrid vehicle can be a great idea. The latter combines aerodynamics, electric motors, batteries, and start-stop engines and gives you the best of two worlds. They will also have a 40-50 mpg rating overall. 

How Do You Calculate Mpg?

Even though the results given by EPA should suffice, they may not correspond with the type of driver you are. Most cars feature advanced computers that calculate mpg, but you can go the old-fashioned way. 

Generally, you should calculate your mpg as follows:

• Fill up your gas tank and drive 100 miles. 
• Once you’ve crossed the set mark, go back to the gas station and fill up again. Take note of how many gallons it takes.
• Divide the 100 miles by that number, and here’s your fuel economy. 

Now that you know everything about mpg, you can choose your vehicle. 

Summary

The answer to the question in the title is rather dubious: it depends. More often than not, on what kind of driver you are and what mpg rating is acceptable to you. 

If you want the maximum fuel economy, pick hybrids or electric vehicles. Hybrids combine specific components to make for excellent gas mileage. EVs are run on electricity, which can be pretty cheap. However, you would have to charge them at home to benefit from that. Using designated stations tends to be quicker but costs a fortune and takes a toll on your car. 

Other than that, going with full-on gas vehicles will give you varying results. Everything that uses petrol is pretty expensive and will bite into your wallet one way or the other. It directly depends on what you prefer personally. Choose wisely!

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