If your car has a recommended gear indicator, this is the best way to reduce fuel consumption

The recommended gear indicators are now very common in any modern car with a manual gearbox. They are designed as an aid for the driver, indicating the theoretical optimal moment to change gear. The question many users face is: is it worth following them? Are they really a reliable indication of when I should change gear? If we follow them, can they save fuel?

On most manufacturers’ cars these systems work with a small number or an arrow on the instrument cluster, although it is common for it to be too discreet to actually get your attention without taking your eyes off the road. If that is the case in your car, be careful. It is better to learn to “feel” the engine and shift when the car asks you to, as the saying goes, than to keep watching the little light or the gear number the car recommends at every moment, and lose sight of the traffic.

Is it worth following the gear-change assistant’s recommendations to consume less fuel?

You have probably asked yourself this question at some point, and the answer is yes. You can always check it for yourself. If your car has this assistant, reset the trip computer to zero and make your usual journeys trying to follow the recommended gear indications; there is no need to obsess over it, but it is worth trying to change gear when the assistant “asks you to”. It is quite possible that at times the system will surprise you by asking you to move into a higher gear when it may seem too early; but if you “obey”, you will see that the engine can handle it.

After a day -or several, it’s up to you- note the average consumption, reset… and now forget about the gear-change indicator. Try not to look at it, you can even cover it with a little adhesive tape. Try to drive efficiently but carefree, changing gears “by ear”. As early as possible when accelerating, seeking the longest gears, and trying to gain revs smoothly, without pressing the right foot more than necessary; but without giving up accelerating to change lanes nimbly or to avoid being overtaken by everyone when pulling away from a traffic light. Note the result… and compare. You will not find it hard to see differences of up to one extra litre of consumption per 100 km if you ignore the indicator, depending on the car and your driving style.

But you are surely also asking yourself the following question: can you be more efficient by driving without following the indicator? The answer is: yes, you can. Or at least match it; but do not expect to lower it much beyond one or two tenths of a litre per 100 km. Moreover, it will require a driving style that can become stressful, applying every possible “trick to drive efficiently”, whereas if you follow the gear indicator’s recommendations, low consumption will come more naturally.

Tips for changing gear efficiently

Whether your car does not have a recommended gear indicator, or it does and you do not want to follow it, there are a few tips that are always worth keeping in mind. And it is not just a matter of consumption: efficient driving also extends the life of the engine.

The main rule to follow is that the engine consumes less when driven in the longest gear possible depending on traffic… and on how the engine itself operates. Running it too low in revs means it is working under strain, which compromises not only consumption, but also safety (you have no capacity to respond) and mechanical reliability.

In general terms, the ideal is always to use first gear only for setting off, changing to second as soon as possible, after barely two seconds of moving off. From here on, it is worth getting to know your car’s engine and paying attention to the rev counter, which will be your best ally. As a general rule it was established that in diesel engines you should change to a higher gear between 2,000 and 2,500 rpm, and between 1,500 and 2,000 rpm in petrol engines, although this may vary depending on each engine (displacement, turbo operation, etc.). If you see that the car responds without “stalling”, another reference can be speed: from second to third from about 30-35 km/h, from third to fourth from 40 km/h, and from fourth to fifth above about 55 km/h.

And remember, it is preferable to drive in long gears pressing the accelerator between 50 and 70 percent of its travel –to give a reference– rather than doing so in short gears with the accelerator less pressed but the engine revving higher.

Related information of interest

• It is possible to lower the official consumption of your electric car: we tell you how
• Instantaneous consumption: what is it and why should you not pay attention to it?