Speeding Can Cut Fuel Efficiency by 30 Percent
We all know that speeding can reduce the fuel economy of your vehicle, but just how much of a difference does it make?
Saving time doesn’t always mean saving money, and in the case of getting to your destination quicker, it could cost you at the pump. Consumer Reports recently conducted a study to see how speeding affected fuel efficiency on various popular vehicle models and its findings may have you thinking twice before you speed.
Take the Honda Accord LX for example. According to Consumer Reports, driving at a steady 55 mph returned 49 mpg, but increasing that to 65 mph saw a return of 42 mpg. While averaging 75 mph, the Accord LX only got 35 mpg – a 29-percent difference between 55 mph and 77 mph.
Mathematically speaking, driving 200 miles at 75 mph instead of 55 mph will save you an hour of time, but will burn an extra 1.5 to two gallons of gas. For some people however, saving an hour of time is worth spending an extra five to seven dollars.
The findings were consistent across the other models that Consumer Reports tested, which included the Toyota RAV4, Ford Fusion Hybrid, Ford Fusion, and Ford Fusion Titanium.
[Source: Consumer Reports]
Jason Siu began his career in automotive journalism in 2003 with Modified Magazine, a property previously held by VerticalScope. As the West Coast Editor, he played a pivotal role while also extending his expertise to Modified Luxury & Exotics and Modified Mustangs. Beyond his editorial work, Jason authored two notable Cartech books. His tenure at AutoGuide.com saw him immersed in the daily news cycle, yet his passion for hands-on evaluation led him to focus on testing and product reviews, offering well-rounded recommendations to AutoGuide readers. Currently, as the Content Director for VerticalScope, Jason spearheads the content strategy for an array of online publications, a role that has him at the helm of ensuring quality and consistency across the board.
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it wasn't a pointless test it gave u a idea of what u r going to spend if u drive over the speed limit for 200 miles. I thought it was a excellent test and gave good information. yea 5 buck's is well worth my time, iam going to try and do some math and figure out what 85 mph does to my money clip....
I've never understood these claims. Sure your MPG rating will go down if you go faster, but if you save an hour getting there, well that's a whole hour that you aren't using any gas at all. Unless you have your foot mashed to the floor everywhere you go, you're gas mileage will pretty much stay the same no matter how fast you're going.