How to Calculate Gas Mileage

What are gas mileage ratings? The EPA rates vehicles based on how fuel-efficient they are, but mileage can vary based on a number of factors while you’re driving around Livonia. Learn how to calculate gas mileage below with these easy steps to have a better, general understanding of your gas mileage. And while you’re here, check out our service and part tips for your Chevrolet vehicle.

What is Good Gas Mileage For Your Car?

Good gas mileage for a sedan will differ from good gas mileage for a truck or SUV. Larger vehicles generally have lower gas mileage ratings because they require more energy to function. Hybrids are also generally more fuel-efficient by design. If you have a hybrid SUV, you can generally expect better gas mileage ratings compared to a regular gas-powered SUV– but configurations can vary.

We recommend taking a look at what kind of vehicle you drive and comparing it to others in its class. If you drive a sedan, compare your model year sedan to other sedans that share that same model year. You can also compare your make’s model year to other model years from that same make. What’s really important to focus on for your current vehicle is if you’re getting the gas mileage promised by official EPA-estimated ratings. If not, you may require maintenance on your Chevrolet vehicle, like a tire or oil change.

Gas Mileage Calculator

Here’s how to calculate gas mileage with a straightforward gas mileage calculator:

1. Fully fill your gas tank and reset your trip odometer or record the exact mileage after refilling. Find out how much gas your tank holds by checking your owner’s manual.
2. Drive your car normally and note if you accelerate more briskly or slowly or drive any differently than usual. Your mileage may vary based on how your drive, including if there are any changes to how you drive normally.
3. Drive until your tank is low but not too low to trigger a low tank notification and refill your tank completely and make note of how many gallons you added. Waiting to refill until your tank is lower will give you a more accurate reading thanks to a probable mix of different driving conditions.
4. Divide the number of miles traveled by the number of gallons of gas your vehicle took to refill; that’s miles driven divided by gallons of gas used. You should now have your calculated gas mileage.

If you forget to check how many gallons you filled up your car at the pump on your gas receipt, you can go by where your tank was when you refilled (i.e. ¼, ½, or ¾). Divide out your total tank capacity accordingly to come to the number of gallons refilled. Then, divide the miles driven by that approximation. This will be less accurate since the gas gauge in some cars isn’t always completely accurate. A digital gas gauge that shows you exactly how many gallons of gas are in the tank is more likely to give a more accurate reading, though.

Learn More About Gas Mileage Factors at Gordon Chevrolet, Inc.

Contact us online to learn more about your gas mileage for your Chevrolet vehicle. Curious about tire rotations? Due for an alignment? We can handle plenty of your Plymouth vehicle needs!