MPG Ratings Explained: City, Highway, and Combined
What MPG tells you
MPG means miles per gallon. It expresses how far a vehicle travels for each gallon of fuel. EPA’s gasoline-vehicle labels display city, highway, and combined MPG estimates.
Use the ratings as a reference when comparing vehicles. EPA says its ratings are a useful tool for comparing the fuel economy of different vehicles but may not accurately predict the average MPG you will get.
On Car Recall Facts, fuel economy information comes from EPA’s fueleconomy.gov. Keep the vehicle description alongside the rating when taking notes, so you can return to the entry you actually reviewed.
City and highway describe different test conditions
EPA tests are run in a lab on a dynamometer, using standardized driving routines that simulate typical city and highway trips. The city routine has frequent stops and a cold engine start; the highway routine has no stops. These are controlled tests, not measurements of your own route.
Look at both ratings instead of choosing whichever number seems most appealing. If your usual trips involve frequent stops, make the city estimate part of your comparison. If you spend more time on highways, examine the highway estimate too.
Neither number is a promise for a particular commute. Think of the labels as a consistent starting point for asking how closely your use resembles the conditions behind the estimate.
Combined MPG brings the two together
Combined MPG reflects a mix weighted toward city driving: EPA uses 55% city and 45% highway. It is not a simple halfway average of the two displayed MPG figures.
The combined rating is useful for a quick comparison when you want one common measure. Compare combined with combined, city with city, and highway with highway. Mixing those categories can leave you comparing different things without realizing it.
If two entries interest you, write all three values next to their vehicle descriptions. That keeps the comparison clear without trying to turn a label into a personalized forecast.
Why your actual mileage differs
EPA lists several factors that can affect MPG significantly: how and where you drive, vehicle condition and maintenance, fuel variations, vehicle variations and engine break-in.
fueleconomy.gov has separate pages on fuel economy in cold and hot weather and on driving more efficiently.
Before judging a rating against your own experience, note the conditions surrounding that experience. Ask whether the trips, weather, load, and use of accessories were similar from one period to another. Use those notes to frame a question rather than assuming that a difference proves a particular mechanical problem.
Match the vehicle entry carefully
Use fueleconomy.gov’s vehicle comparison tool to review the listed vehicle configurations. Check the model year and the available engine, transmission, drive, and fuel details before recording a rating.
When using our VIN-based recall results, remember their separate purpose: they show recalls listed for the decoded model and model year, not an individual car’s repair status. Do not use a recall result as confirmation that you have selected the correct EPA fuel economy configuration.
Keep MPG, MPGe, and cost separate
MPGe means miles per gallon of gasoline-equivalent. It compares energy use on the basis of energy equivalent to a gallon of gasoline; it does not mean an electric vehicle burns gasoline. On this site, MPGe figures for electric versions are listed separately from MPG figures for gasoline versions.
EPA’s annual fuel cost figure, which we show on model pages, assumes 15,000 miles a year and a projected fuel price. They are estimates, rather than your personal fuel bill.
For verification, read EPA’s gasoline label explanation, test information, and reasons mileage varies. Use the ratings consistently, then consider your own driving conditions separately.