Have fun checking out our tips!

Practical hints
for saving fuel

Eco-conscious driving has two components. The first is what you drive; the second is how you drive. Check out our fuel-saving tips to see how easy it is to improve your car’s mileage.

  • Saving’s easy when you take it easy.
    Fuel-saving potential
    In urban traffic
    On the motorway
  • Switch gears earlier, fill up later.
    Fuel-saving potential
    In urban traffic
    On the motorway
  • Let it roll.
    Fuel-saving potential
    In urban traffic
    On the motorway
  • Comfort high, fuel consumption low.
    Fuel-saving potential
    In urban traffic
    On the motorway
  • Savings are in the air.
    Fuel-saving potential
    In urban traffic
    On the motorway
  • A warm engine – <br />a cool way to save
    Fuel-saving potential
    In urban traffic
    On the motorway
  • Low-viscosity, high-grade oil leads to low-cost, high-efficiency driving.
    Fuel-saving potential
    In urban traffic
    On the motorway
  • Don’t be a drag.
    Fuel-saving potential
    In urban traffic
    On the motorway
  • Less weight, more savings.
    Fuel-saving potential
    In urban traffic
    On the motorway
  • 1

    Saving’s easy when you take it easy.

    Think ahead to save now.

    Half as stressful, twice as economical.
    Aggressive driving - stomping on the gas, changing lanes, constantly braking and accelerating - is hard on the nerves, and it increases fuel consumption. However, if you drive calmly and smoothly, use your brakes less and let your vehicle coast roll with its own momentum, you’ll consume much less fuel and enjoy a safe, more relaxing journey. This is referred to as “predictive driving,” and it’s a great way to save fuel and funds.

    Predictive driving also helps prevent traffic jams, so you’ll be helping your wallet, the environment and your fellow drivers, especially if they join in.
  • 2

    Switch gears earlier, fill up later.

    Drive in the highest gear possible.

    Shift into 3rd gear at 18 MPH: early shifting saves fuel.
    You may have heard that driving at low RPMs is bad for your engine. That’s a very popular myth. TDI and TSI engines love running in third gear at 18 MPH. In fact, they deliver astonishing pulling power from as low as 2,000 RPM.

    When you start out, shift into second gear once you’ve gone one car length. Always select the highest gear possible when cruising along in traffic, and feel free to skip a gear when shifting up. As long as your car runs smoothly and the engine noise is not too loud, the engine speed is not too low.

    Drivers of automatics can avoid the shift-down feature by briefly taking their foot off the accelerator. The automatic transmission will then shift to the next higher gear. By the way, the DSG automatic transmission from Volkswagen does this all by itself and lowers consumption by up to 20%.
  • 3

    Let it roll.

    Use overrun fuel cutoff.

    0 gallons used: coast for free
    With the right driving techniques, you can really save big. For example: did you know that you can go 60 miles on precisely 0 gallons of gas? You can - by coasting with the car in gear!

    The overrun fuel cutoff feature interrupts fuel supply to the engine so that not a single drop of fuel is used. The best time to apply this clever little method is when you’re going downhill or approaching a red light, which is when you can also benefit from the engine’s braking effect.

    You’ll also save fuel by disengaging the clutch. This is particularly effective when combined with predictive driving to coast on a long stretch of road. Coasting downhill is effective, too, but only if the gradient is not too steep.
  • 4

    Comfort high, fuel consumption low.

    Use auxiliary equipment in moderation.

    Control your temperature - it could save you up to half a gallon of gas.
    Auxiliary equipment makes driving more comfortable, but if used excessively, can also make driving more expensive. An air conditioning system, for example, consumes more than a little fuel. In order to lower and maintain the interior temperature at the peak of summer, air conditioning uses up to half a gallon per 60 miles, even at low speeds. One solution: run the air conditioning before your journey, then drive with the windows down for a while.

    Heated seats and heated rear windows also increase fuel consumption. Turn off the heating systems as soon as the seats are warm and the rear window is clear.

    It’s always a good idea to continuously check which auxiliary equipment you’re using - and which items you actually need.
  • 5

    Savings are in the air.

    Inflate your tires to the proper pressure.

    A little more air can save you up to 15%
    You can start saving fuel before you even get in your car simply by checking your tire pressure. Rolling resistance can account for up to 15% of overall fuel consumption. If you’ve inflated your tires to the recommended air pressure for a full load, rolling resistance - and fuel consumption - will be lower. (Recommended air pressure figures can be found inside the fuel tank door.)

    When buying tires, look for tires with the lowest possible rolling resistance. Besides being quieter, they can save you up to an extra 3% of fuel.

    New car buyers don’t have to give this a moment’s thought: minimum rolling resistance is one of the criteria used by Volkswagen when selecting the standard tires.
  • 6

    A warm engine –
    a cool way to save

    Avoid short trips.

    Journeys combined, fuel saved.
    Your engine uses the most fuel when it’s cold. What that means is that making lots of short trips can increase your fuel consumption. In fact, it can quickly reach almost 8 gallons per 60 miles!

    However, if you take care of everything in one trip, you’ll save fuel. By consolidating trips, your engine is more likely to reach its standard operating temperature and will consume far less fuel.

    While we’re on the subject, let's clear up another myth: leaving the engine running to warm it up does not reduce consumption; it increases it. It’s technically unnecessary, so save fuel by thinking twice before making that trip.
  • 7

    Low-viscosity, high-grade oil leads to low-cost, high-efficiency driving.

    The right oil will save you money and reduce emissions.

    Save up to 5% with high-quality oil
    The sooner your engine is lubricated, the sooner it will lower emissions. This is especially important on short journeys and when your engine is cold. For oil to do its job, it has to circulate - and circulate quickly.

    Low-viscosity oils do this better than any other type of oil. They can cut fuel consumption by up to 5% compared to conventional oils. That’s why almost every Volkswagen leaves the factory filled with low-viscosity oils.

    All that you have to do is make sure your engine always has enough oil, change your oil regularly and, when topping off, use Volkswagen-approved oils. Then nothing will stand between you and eco-friendly driving.
  • 8

    Don’t be a drag.

    Maintain your car’s aerodynamic profile.

    Efficient driving thanks to low drag
    A proper aerodynamic shape is the key to low fuel consumption, particularly at high speeds. The body of your Volkswagen is designed to minimize the surface area exposed to the wind. However, add-ons like bike racks, ski racks and roof boxes increase drag and have a negative effect on your car’s aerodynamics.

    Don’t get the wrong idea: we’re not against these add-ons in principle. We’re just against using them when they’re not needed. Increasing aerodynamic drag by 33% can increase fuel consumption by up to half a gallon every 60 miles!

    Ask yourself this: does it really make sense to leave your ski rack on if you’re not headed to the slopes? Try it and see for yourself - you’ll find that it’s worth it!
  • 9

    Less weight, more savings.

    Lose the dead weight.

    Drop the weight and save up to .13 gallons per 100 miles
    Every pound of cargo costs you fuel. For example: a weight of 220 pounds can increase fuel consumption by up to .13 gallons per 100 miles, so be sure to inspect the contents of your car on a regular basis.

    With gas stations every few miles, there’s no need to a full spare gas can in your car. The same goes for antifreeze in the summer and golf clubs in the winter. And who needs more than one road atlas?

    Lose the weight, save fuel and - most importantly—save money.

*) Die angegebenen Werte wurden nach den vorgeschriebenen Messverfahren (§ 2 Nrn. 5, 6, 6 a Pkw-EnVKV in der jeweils geltenden Fassung) ermittelt. CO2-Emissionen, die durch die Produktion und Bereitstellung des Kraftstoffes bzw. anderer Energieträger entstehen, werden bei der Ermittlung der CO2-Emissionen gemäß der Richtlinie 1999/94/EG nicht berücksichtigt. Die Angaben beziehen sich nicht auf ein einzelnes Fahrzeug und sind nicht Bestandteil des Angebotes, sondern dienen allein Vergleichszwecken zwischen den verschiedenen Fahrzeugtypen. Der Kraftstoffverbrauch und die CO2-Emissionen eines Fahrzeugs hängen nicht nur von der effizienten Ausnutzung des Kraftstoffs durch das Fahrzeug ab, sondern werden auch vom Fahrverhalten und anderen nichttechnischen Faktoren beeinflusst. CO2 ist das für die Erderwärmung hauptsächlich verantwortliche Treibhausgas. Hinweis nach Richtlinie 1999/94/EG in der jeweils gegenwärtig geltenden Fassung: Weitere Informationen zum offiziellen Kraftstoffverbrauch und den offiziellen spezifischen CO2-Emissionen neuer Personenkraftwagen können dem "Leitfaden über den Kraftstoffverbrauch, die CO2-Emissionen und den Stromverbrauch neuer Personenkraftwagen" entnommen werden, der an allen Verkaufsstellen und bei der DAT Deutsche Automobil Treuhand GmbH, Hellmuth-Hirth-Straße 1, D-73760 Ostfildern oder unter www.dat.de unentgeltlich erhältlich ist.
Effizienzklassen bewerten Fahrzeuge anhand der CO2-Emissionen unter Berücksichtigung des Fahrzeugleergewichts. Fahrzeuge, die dem Durchschnitt entsprechen, werden mit D eingestuft. Fahrzeuge, die besser sind als der heutige Durchschnitt, werden mit A+, A, B oder C eingestuft. Fahrzeuge, die schlechter als der Durchschnitt sind, werden mit E, F oder G beschrieben.

1) Polo BlueMotion
Kraftstoffverbrauch l/100 km: innerorts 4,0 / außerorts 2,9 / kombiniert 3,3
CO2-Emission kombiniert: 87 g/km
Effizienzklasse: A+

2) Golf BlueMotion
Kraftstoffverbrauch l/100 km: innerorts 4,7 / außerorts 3,4 / kombiniert 3,8
CO2-Emission kombiniert: 99 g/km.
Effizienzklasse: A

3) Passat BlueMotion
Kraftstoffverbrauch l/100 km: innerorts 5,2 / außerorts 3,8 / kombiniert 4,3
CO2-Emission kombiniert: 113 g/km
Effizienzklasse: A

4) Touareg Hybrid
Kraftstoffverbrauch l/100 km: innerorts 8,7 / außerorts 7,9 / kombiniert 8,2
CO2 -Emission kombiniert: 193 g/km
Effizienzklasse: B

5) Das hier gezeigte Fahrzeug ist so nur in Australien erhältlich.