Top Tips for Buying A Fuel-Efficient Car

Whether you purchase a new or used vehicle, fuel efficiency--great gas mileage--is high on the list of most buyers' concerns. The difference between picking a secondhand car or one that guzzles gas, will either save or cost you money over the life span of the car, which may be significant. Fuel efficiency varies widely from one car to another. Clearly you can check the EPA rating for city/highway MPG on the window sticker, though most people know the normal car never reaches those amounts.

You can also check consumer guides, car magazines and Web sites, Web site forums or ask friends, relatives and co-workers which vehicles that they advocate as fuel-efficient cars. Do not buy more car than you need, as larger vehicles generally have larger engines which are less fuel-efficient. Locate the most fuel-efficient vehicle in the size group you are interested in, if it's the two-seater, compact, midsize, SUV or pickup truck. There are numerous online sites where you can compare fuel consumption ratings of any vehicle.

Your pick of transmission may also affect the fuel efficiency of the car. Normally, a car with manual transmission is a more fuel-efficient automobile than one with automatic-assuming you change correctly. Along with a manual with overdrive, tachometer or change indicator is the largest gas saver, saving up to 10 percent on fuel costs. Should you purchase an automatic, which makes more sense for larger cars, the more gears the better.

Under normal driving conditions, smaller engines offer better fuel efficiency and economy than larger ones. All other things being equal, the bigger engine and the more electrons it has, the more fuel it consumes. Furthermore, cars with smaller engines generally cost less and gasoline prices are reduced because you don't need higher octane gasoline. That does not mean a bigger engine is never a great choice. Sometimes, a bigger, stronger engine may offer the increased fuel efficiency. Should you use your vehicle for work or frequently tow heavy loads, a smaller engine may burn more fuel when it has to work too hard and work beyond its fuel-efficient variety.

Based on the type and size of motor vehicle you buy, you might have the alternative of front-wheel, rear-wheel, four-wheel or all-wheel drive. The vast majority of passenger cars and minivans have front-wheel driveway, a layout that provides better grip and more interior room than rear-wheel drive. Although front-wheel drive was initially adopted to enhance fuel economy over rear-wheel drive by reducing the size and weight of automobiles without giving up driving performance or interior space, there is not much difference in fuel efficiency between the two.

And although four-wheel and all-wheel drive provide better traction and braking in certain driving conditions, the weight and friction of the additional drivetrain parts may increase fuel consumption by around 10 percent on a two-wheel drive automobile. Most frequently in SUVs and pickup trucks, four-wheel driveway is permitted at will by the driver when extra traction is essential. All-wheel drive is an option on some SUVs and a minority of passenger automobiles. Full-time all-wheel drive, however, makes for the least fuel-efficient automobile, because all four wheels are constantly being pushed, drawing power from the engine and so using more gas.

Another way to become a gas saver, is by restricting the options you select for your vehicle. You might not have realized that lots of amenities from power windows, mirrors and seats to air conditioning and seat warmers reduce fuel efficiency and cost you more in fuel consumption. They include either weight, increase aerodynamic drag or pull additional power from the engine or via the alternator.

Aluminium wheels are among the few options that really reduce weight and thus increase fuel efficiency.