Save money on fuel

Slowing down will save money on fuel bills, according to a new What Car? survey.

What Car? tested fuel consumption at different speeds in five cars from five different manufacturers - a Toyota Aygo, Nissan Qashqai, Volkswagen Passat, Citroën C4 Picasso and a Land Rover Freelander - and found that slowing down will save hundreds of pounds each year in fuel bills.

Survey results revealed that there is no optimum cruising speed as it is all down to wind resistance.

Driving at 100mph, as opposed to 50mph, uses five times more fuel on average and, even though you would reach your destination quicker, you will have used about twice the amount of petrol at 100mph.

Nissan Qashqais, for example, will use 39mpg at 60mph, and half that at 90mph, which costs an extra 11p each mile. That equals £10 on a 90-mile journey, which, if done twice a week, works out at an exra £1000 a year.

HOW TO SAVE MONEY AND FUEL

-Stay at 40mph and keep your car in as high a gear as possible. This will save around a quarter in fuel bills.

-If you do a lot of motorway travelling, choose a car with a higher top gear.

-Pull away slowly and smoothly, changing up early.

-Keep an eye out for traffic conditions ahead; mantain momentum wherever possible and safe to do so.

-Slowing down will save money on fuel bills, according to the new What Car? survey.

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