What Does MPG Mean?

What is MPG? What does MPG mean? What is good MPG? Take a moment to learn about everything there is to know about MPG, from what it means to how to calculate MPG for your vehicle in Wesley Chapel. Then, if you’re shopping for a fuel-efficient vehicle with strong MPG ratings, apply for financing and contact Subaru South Tampa to arrange some test drives of our fuel-efficient vehicles! 

What is MPG?

So, what does MPG mean, exactly? MPG stands for “miles per gallon,” or the number of miles a vehicle can drive on one gallon of gasoline. The higher the MPG, the more fuel-efficient the vehicle. MPG ratings are determined by the Environmental Protection Agency, otherwise known as the EPA. They release three different MPG ratings for vehicles when they’re released, which include: 

• City MPG: This refers to the number of miles your car can drive on one gallon of gas in dense urban traffic. The stop-and-go driving of the city burns fuel much more quickly than the often uninterrupted driving on highways.
• Highway MPG: Although you’ll typically drive at higher speeds on the highway, you’ll use your accelerator much less, because you’ll be driving at a more even, continuous pace with far less braking involved. 
• Combined MPG: This rating is average that accounts for city MPG and highway MPG. 

How to Calculate MPG

EPA MPG ratings are good estimates, but there are far too many variables when driving for MPG ratings to perfectly describe your vehicle’s fuel efficiency. Get a sense of what your vehicle’s fuel economy numbers are, given your commute, the topography you drive on, driving conditions, and other factors. All you have to do is: 

1. Fill up your tank and reset your trip odometer. 
2. Next time you need to fill up again, take your current odometer reading, which features the number of miles you’ve driven since the last time you filled up. Then, divide that number by the number of gallons it takes to fully refill your tank. 

Once you have an answer, you may be wondering what a good MPG is. This is relative to the type of vehicle you drive. For instance, a truck that gets 27 MPG on the highway would qualify as being fuel efficient, whereas a sedan with 27 MPG on the highway would be remarkably inefficient. To keep things simple, however, a vehicle with 30 MPG on the highway or more features solid fuel economy numbers. 

Test Drive Fuel Efficient Vehicles at Subaru South Tampa 

Now that you’ve read about what MPG is and how to calculate MPG, explore the inventory at Subaru South Tampa and call us at 813-820-4121 to schedule some test drives of vehicles with excellent gas mileage. Most Subaru vehicles tend to be exceptionally efficient, so it won’t be hard to find a model that is sure to save you some money on your commute!