If you're shopping for a car near Lake Mary, FL, you'll need to familiarize yourself with some jargon. For one, what does mpg mean? And what is a good mpg on a vehicle these days? Take a moment to learn everything you need to know about mpg. Then, fill out a pre-approval and contact Subaru North Orlando to test drive some fuel-efficient vehicles for sale in Sanford, FL at our showroom! 

What Does MPG Mean? 

If you're wondering what mpg is, it simply stands for miles per gallon, or the number of miles your vehicle can travel down the streets of Deltona on one gallon of gas. The higher a vehicle's mpg, the less money you'll be spending on gas, the less time you'll be spending at the gas station, and the less harmful emissions you'll produce by driving. 

Every year, the Environmental Protection Agency tests the latest vehicles to be produced to determine what their mpg is. This isn't always easy as mpg can vary, depending upon driving habits, the kind of terrain driven on, and levels of traffic. That said, the EPA's official estimates can give you a fairly accurate estimate of how efficient your vehicle is when you're driving in the city or on the highway. Here are the three primary categories of mpg that they measure: 

  • City mpg: City mpg tends to be lower than highway mpg in gas models. This is because when you drive in the traffic of Orlando or Altamonte Springs, you'll be braking and accelerating far more often due to traffic. It also takes more gas to drive at lower speeds, because your vehicle is relying less on the momentum generated by high speeds and more on the gas pedal. 
  • Highway mpg: Driving on the highway is far more efficient for a number of reasons. You brake far less on the highway, so you don't need to use the accelerator as much to get going. Also, at high speeds, your vehicle has generated much more momentum, so you can coast more often, only tapping the accelerator now and then when your vehicle begins to slow down.
  • Combined mpg: The metric simply refers to the mean between your city and highway fuel economy numbers.

What is a Good MPG for a Gas Model? 

We've answered the question, "What does mpg mean?". Now, let's take a look at what counts for good mpg numbers these days on gas models. Good mpg numbers are relative to the type of vehicle you drive. Take a moment to review this list of "good" combined mpg ratings per vehicle segment: 

  • Compacts: 34 combined mpg
  • Mid-sized Sedans: 32 combined mpg 
  • Full-sized Sedans: 30 combined mpg 
  • Compact SUVs: 30 combined mpg 
  • Mid-size SUVs: 25 combined mpg 
  • Full-Size SUVs: 23 combined mpg 
  • Mid-size Trucks: 26 combined mpg 
  • Full-size Trucks: 24 combined mpg 

Test Drive Fuel Efficient Vehicles at Subaru North Orlando

Now that you know what mpg is, and what a good mpg is for the major types of vehicles, call our showroom in Sanford, FL at 877-488-2397 to test drive some models with strong fuel economy numbers. While you're here, don't forget to explore our new vehicle specials to see how much you can save! And don't forget to check out our guide on how to calculate mpg while you're here!Â