Top tips to save money on gas during road trips this summer
Gas prices have been climbing in Canada this spring, and there’s been a lot of chatter around whether Canadians will cancel their summer road trip plans as a result. For one thing, fuel prices are also driving flight costs up, so road trips remain a more economical and eco-friendly way to travel. But more importantly, you have a lot more control over how much you spend on fuel than you might think.
I’ve drawn on nearly 15 years of experience as an award-winning professional automotive journalist to create this guide to how to save money on gas during road trips this summer. By using these tips, you’ll be able to keep your fuel costs under control while you continue exploring Canada along the open road.
Have more questions about how to save fuel on road trips? Ask the automotive experts in our Road Trips in Canada Facebook community!
To save money on gas, make changes your driving style
Many of us have been driving in the same ways for so long that we don’t consider how much our habits might be costing us. Just a few small changes to your driving style can add up to big savings at the pumps.
Reduce your speed
The faster you go, the more fuel you burn. According to Natural Resources Canada, you’ll use 20% more fuel by driving at 120 km/h on the highway versus 100 km/h — and you’ll add just eight minutes per 100 kilometres of driving.
If you have even more time to spare, get off the highways and take side roads. Not only will you see more, but you’ll save more fuel. Vehicles are typically at their most efficient between 50 and 80 kilometres per hour. There’s never been a better time to slow down and enjoy the journey.
Be gentler with acceleration and braking
Hard acceleration uses more fuel than any other action you take in a vehicle. And when you’re hard on the brakes, you may slow down more than you would if you coasted from further away, which means you’ll be harder on the gas when you need to get back up to speed.
When accelerating, act as though there’s a coffee in your cupholder without a lid, and try not to spill it. While you’re driving along, maintain a steady speed as much as possible. And look well down the road ahead of you to anticipate red lights, stop signs, or slowdowns in traffic so you can coast to a stop instead of slamming on the brakes. These small changes can all add up to huge fuel savings.
Avoid idling
Those minutes spent waiting in a busy drive-through or while a family member is using the restroom can add up fast. An engine burns 0.6 litres per hour for each litre of engine displacement. This means that if your car has a 3.5-litre V6, it uses 350 millilitres of fuel to idle for 10 minutes, or roughly a litre per half hour. Over time, small decisions — like parking your car and going inside to place your Tim’s order — can make a difference.
Consider the most efficient ways to keep cool
You may have heard that using your car’s air conditioning uses a lot of fuel. While that’s true, there’s no clear consensus on exactly how much. Natural Resources Canada says running the AC can reduce a vehicle’s fuel efficiency by as much as 20%, but that’s dependent on a lot of different factors.
What we do know definitively is this: driving with the windows down is more efficient at slower speeds than running the air conditioning. However, by the time you’re up to highway speeds, having the windows down adds so much aerodynamic drag that it’s actually more efficient to run the AC. Your comfort while driving is most important, so make your decisions based on these factors and the weather conditions.
Understand how tires affect fuel economy
Your tires are the only contact point between your vehicle and the road. They’re more important than most people give them credit for in so many ways, and that includes in fuel economy. Some factors are under your control right now, while others may need to wait until your next tire purchase.
Check your tire pressures
Running the tire pressures recommended by your vehicle’s manufacturer is key to getting optimal fuel efficiency. According to Transport Canada, operating a car with just one tire underinflated by 8 PSI can increase fuel consumption by 4% — and also reduce that tire’s life by 15,000 kilometres.
You can easily check and monitor your vehicle’s tire pressures yourself. The manufacturer’s recommended tire pressures are published on a sticker you’ll find on the driver’s side door jamb. Every gas station air compressor has a tire pressure gauge built in, so you can release air or add it using the air gun until the optimal pressure is reached. Be sure to check this monthly and before departing on any long-distance road trip.
Use seasonally appropriate tires
It’s important to use winter tires during the colder months because their rubber compound provides better grip at lower temperatures. By the same token, switching back to tires appropriate for warmer weather is just as important because summer and all-season tires are more efficient. Unless you’re using all-weather tires specifically designed for year-round use, don’t skip your seasonal tires changes thinking you’ll save money. It will cost you in both efficiency and safety.
When buying new tires, choose wisely
You’ll find a wide variety of tires on the market today, and their rubber compounds and tread patterns give them different characteristics. Some are designed for better performance, while others deliver better fuel economy. When it’s time to buy a new set of tires, consider how you drive and which type of tires you’ll benefit from most.
Keep your vehicle well maintained
A well-maintained vehicle is an efficient vehicle. Be sure to keep up with scheduled maintenance such as oil changes, filter replacements, and everything else the manufacturer recommends, which you can find in the owner’s manual. For road trips in particular, if your drive will be long enough that you’d hit an oil change interval during your journey, it’s a good idea to take care of this before you depart.
Check out our checklist for how to get your vehicle ready for summer road trips >
Reduce weight and remove accessories
If you’ve got a family member who tends to overpack, you finally have a legitimate reason to ask them to pare back! Any weight you add to your vehicle for your road trip will cost you more in fuel. The difference isn’t extreme, though — NRCan estimates an extra 25 kilograms will cost an extra $13 over 10,000 kilometres — so don’t be too ruthless about it.
Along the same lines, if you have accessories mounted on your vehicle that you don’t need for your trip such as a roof box or bike rack, take the time to remove these before you depart. Taking off any extra parts you won’t use will reduce weight and aerodynamic drag, which improves fuel efficiency.
If you’re camping, reconsider your camping method
If you already own a camper and you plan to use it, you can skip this section. But if you’re exploring camping on your summer road trip but haven’t made up your mind on how to do it, your decisions can have a huge impact on how much you spend on fuel.
The size, weight, and aerodynamics of your RV or trailer make a huge difference in fuel economy. If you’re planning to rent an RV or trailer, consider giving up some space or amenities and getting the smallest and lightest camper that will meet your group’s needs. Or if you’re a couple and you don’t mind roughing it, choose a tent or try camping in your vehicle.
Learn how to turn your SUV into a comfortable camper >
To save on fuel during a road trip, don’t fuel up at highway rest stops
When you stop to fuel up at a rest stop just off the highway — or even directly attached to the highway such as Ontario’s ONRoute rest stops — you’ll find that gas is more expensive. Here, you’re paying for the convenience, and it can be a hefty price. Some road trippers have reported seeing premiums of up to 14 cents per litre!
Instead, choose to visit gas station in the smaller towns along your route. Driving just a couple of blocks off a highway exit can save significant money. To help with this, consider checking local prices using a gas price tracker such as GasBuddy, or search for gas stations to find real time gas price data in Google Maps.
Fuel up in the evenings when you can
Predicting gas prices changes is an imperfect science, and you don’t always get to choose when you fill up while on a road trip. But whenever you do have a choice, choose to fill up in the evenings. Experts say you’ll typically see the best gas prices between 6 pm and midnight. As for days of the week, Tuesdays are often the cheapest day as prices tend to rise going into the weekend.
Take advantage of fuel discounts
There are plenty of fuel discounts available to just about every Canadian. For example, most gas station chains have reward programs that can either save you money up front or let you collect points to redeem for gas cards. Plus, CAA members can save 3 cents per litre when fueling up at Shell. (Disclosure: I write for CAA Magazine but am not otherwise affiliated with CAA. I’m a happily paying member sharing a benefit I use myself all the time!)
Certain credit cards can be linked with reward programs to lower fuel costs. Linking a CIBC credit card with Journie Rewards saves you 3 cents per litre at Pioneer stations (and up to 10 cents per litre at certain points thresholds), and linking an RBC Avion card with a Petro-Canada Petro-Points account saves 3 cents per litre and earns bonus points with both programs.
Costco operates gas stations with lower prices that are available to Costco members only. And gas stations on First Nations reserves are typically exempt from provincial taxes, which can mean they offer lower prices in some areas. In Ontario, the difference can be as much as 30 to 40 cents per litre.
Choose a more fuel-efficient vehicle to begin with
Granted, changing vehicles isn’t something most people can do on a moment’s notice. But when the time does comes to buy a new vehicle, there are several factors to consider that can make an enormous difference in how much you spend on fuel.
Larger and heavier vehicles are less fuel efficient
Are you considering a three-row SUV because you’ll use seven seats every day, or do you just want it so you’ll have more space once or twice a year for longer road trips? That decision can have a big consequence when it comes to fuel economy as three-row SUVs commonly use an extra 3 to 5 litres per 100 kilometres or more than their compact SUV counterparts.
For example, Natural Resources Canada’s Fuel Consumption Guide says an all-wheel drive Nissan Rogue will cost nearly $1,000 less per year in fuel to run than a Nissan Pathfinder based on an average driving distance of 20,000 kilometres. (And those price estimates are based on gas prices at $1.50/litre, which is much lower than average as of this writing.)
As a rule, sedans are more efficient than SUVs, which are more efficient than trucks. However, it’s also important to own a vehicle that does what you need it to do. Start by deciding exactly what capabilities you need and then make some fuel economy comparisons once you’re working with a short list of potential vehicles. And if there are certain functions you only need once or twice per year (e.g., towing capacity for a boat, more space for cargo), consider whether it would be more cost-effective in the long run to rent for those circumstances and buy a smaller vehicle for your everyday driving.
Consider whether premium fuel is worth it
In general, luxury and high-performance vehicles either require premium fuel or it’s strongly recommended, while mainstream vehicles often operate fine on regular fuel. The price difference between fuel grades can be enormous. If you’re considering a luxury vehicle or a sports car, be sure to factor those higher fuel prices when calculating your ownership costs before you make a decision.
Take a look at alternate powertrains
Electric vehicles cost less to operate than other types, but many Canadians don’t yet feel ready to make the switch to 100% electric. There are alternative powertrains available that offer varying levels of efficiency.
If you do a lot of commuting but also enjoy longer road trips, a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) can give you a shorter electric range for your daily errands while keeping a gas-powered engine in reserve for longer drives. For those who would prefer not to plug in a vehicle, a conventional hybrid uses a smaller battery and electric motors to provide fuel economy improvements while still otherwise operating just like any gas-powered vehicle. If you need a truck and do lots of highway driving, a diesel engine might be the right choice for you.
Putting some time and research into these factors before you choose a new vehicle can save you hundreds or even thousands of dollars on fuel each year.
Whether you decide to purchase an entirely new vehicle or implement just a few of these tips, I’m sure you’ll find something on this list that will help you save money at the pumps this summer. What tips have worked for you when it comes to lowering fuel costs on road trips? Let us know by sharing them in the comments section below.
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