How to Be a Fuel-Efficient Driver

There’s a lot of buzz about how to be fuel efficient these days, what with so many electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrids on Jackson streets. But what if you’re not ready to invest in a new EV like the Kia EV6? You can work to develop fuel-efficient driving habits. If you’re looking for how to improve fuel economy, the first place to look is at your own driving. You might be burning more gasoline than necessary! Learn how you can save fuel while driving on hills and how to be fuel-efficient on Flowood streets with the team at Wilson KIA. 

How to Improve Fuel Economy with Five Easy Habits 

These tips are easy, proven fuel-efficient driving habits that will help you cut down on how much gasoline you use when you’re driving in Ridgeland and beyond:

1. Accelerate Softly: Press the gas pedal gently. Even though many Kia vehicles have impressive engine specs, it should take you five seconds to bring your vehicle from a stop to 10 mph. 
2. Plan Ahead for Traffic: Sitting and stop-and-go traffic is not how you improve fuel economy. These situations also put extra stress on your vehicle. To avoid rush hour, let your GPS and preferred traffic app be your guide. Always check before it’s time to leave so you can plan ahead if you need to leave early to avoid the stop-and-go.
3. Avoid High Speeds: Not only do speed limits keep drivers safe, but they can also help you to be fuel-efficient. Lower speeds use less fuel, so keep your speed at the speed limit, tops. 
4. Coast to a Stop: This is one of the best ways you can save fuel while driving on hills: Rather than applying your brakes constantly, look at the road ahead. If there’s no one ahead of you and you need to come to a stop, take your foot off the gas pedal and let your car coast to a stop. How can you save fuel while driving on hills with this technique? Reduce your speed as you venture uphill, and again, use your car’s forward momentum to coast downhill. 
5. Use AC at Highway Speeds: Did you know that your air conditioner increases gasoline usage? Using your A/C sparingly can help your fuel economy but, if you plan on driving at highway speeds, the A/C will actually be more fuel efficient than rolling down the window. Rolling down your windows actually increases your drag coefficient, making you burn more gas to maintain speed. 

Find a Fuel-Efficient Kia at Wilson KIA

If it’s time for a new vehicle and you’re looking for a fuel-efficient model that doesn’t force you to give up engine power, take a look at the new Kia inventory at Wilson KIA after you pay a visit to the Kia information hub. We have plenty of information to get you started on making the choice for the right fuel-efficient vehicle for you.