Miles driven, divided by gallons burned
The gallons figure is the fuel it took to refill after a trip, not the tank size. To make it accurate, brim the tank at the start, drive as you normally do, and brim it again — the pump reading is your gallons used. Higher MPG means the car goes further on the same fuel and costs less to run.
What "good" looks like by vehicle type
| Vehicle | Good (gas) | Good (hybrid) |
|---|---|---|
| Sedan / hatchback | 28+ MPG | 40+ MPG |
| Compact SUV | 25+ MPG | 35+ MPG |
| Full-size SUV | 20+ MPG | 30+ MPG |
| Pickup truck | 20+ MPG | 30+ MPG |
| Full-size 4WD | 18+ MPG | — |
EPA Combined is a weighted mix, 55% city and 45% highway. City figures run lower because of stop-and-go; highway runs higher at steady speed.
What moves the number, and the MPGe note
- Driving style dominates. Hard acceleration and speeds above 50 mph cost the most; every 5 mph over 50 trims roughly 5 percent.
- Basics add up. Under-inflated tyres, cold weather and hilly routes each shave a few percent off. One good tank is not enough — average several.
- MPGe for electric. Electric and plug-in cars are rated in MPGe, "miles per gallon equivalent," where 33.7 kWh of electricity is treated as one gallon of gas. It lets you compare an EV's efficiency against a fuel car on one scale, but it measures energy, not gasoline burned.
Common questions
How do I calculate my MPG?
Fill the tank and note the odometer, drive normally, then at the next fill-up divide the miles driven by the gallons it took to refill. For 250 miles on 10 gallons, that is 25 MPG. Average a few tanks for a reliable figure.
What counts as good gas mileage?
For a regular sedan, roughly 28 MPG or higher is good and 40-plus marks a strong hybrid. SUVs and pickups sit lower, around 20 to 25 MPG, so "good" depends on the vehicle class.
Why is my real MPG lower than the window sticker?
EPA figures come from controlled tests with steady speeds and a new engine. Real driving adds cold starts, traffic, hills and worn parts, which typically pulls actual MPG 10 to 30 percent below the label.
