How to Calculate Gas Mileage

If you’ve been browsing inventories of new and used cars, you’ve likely noticed gas mileage ratings made by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). While these numbers provide a good idea of a car’s efficiency, as the disclaimers note, actual mileage may vary. If you’re interested in how to calculate gas mileage for your specific vehicle, keep reading with Wolfchase Nissan! 

What is Good Gas Mileage?

Drivers often want to know was constitutes “good” gas mileage, and there’s no set standard. For instance, if you’re shopping for an SUV, it may have “good” gas mileage that can still be lower than the gas mileage you’d get in a compact car. This is also true when comparing the gas mileage between compact gas-powered cars and gasoline-electric hybrids, the latter will always be more efficient. Nevertheless, when you’re buying or leasing a vehicle, you’ll want to keep in mind what you expect your gas mileage to be, then find a vehicle that offers that mileage. 

Step-by-Step Guide to Calculating Your Car’s Gas Mileage

It’s quite easy to figure out how to calculate gas mileage in your vehicle. Here’s how: 

1. Fill your gas tank and either reset the odometer or record the exact mileage after refilling. 
2. Drive your car around Arlington as you normally would. Keep in mind that if you accelerate more briskly or slowly or drive differently, your actual gas mileage may be different than what you record. 
3. Refill your tank and record your mileage. If you wait longer to refill, your gas mileage calculation will be more accurate since it will be based on different driving conditions. 
4. The easiest way to calculate your gas mileage is to divide the number of miles traveled by the number of gallons of gas your vehicle took to refill.
5. If you forget to check how many gallons of gas you filled up your car with, you can go by where your tank was when you refilled (i.e. ¼, ½, or ¾), and divide out your total tank capacity accordingly to come to the number of gallons refilled. Then, divide miles driven by that number. This won’t be as accurate, as the gas gauge in some cars isn’t always 100% accurate.

Learn More About How to Maximize Your Fuel Economy with Wolfchase Nissan

Now that you know how to calculate your car’s mileage, we invite you to learn more about how to maximize gas mileage while you’re traveling around Cordova and Memphis. Then, take some time to explore the mpg ratings of the Nissan Sentra, the Nissan Versa, and the Maxima. 

If you’d like any more service tips and tricks, Wolfchase Nissan has you covered! Explore our guides on what TPMS means, how to check your oil, and more!