Fuel Efficiency and the Yaris

[Loren]

Sounds insignificant when you put it that way. And for someone who puts a lot of miles on their car every day, it probably is.

My typical trip is 3-5 miles. At 40 mpg, that's an average of about .10 gallons per trip.

If I let the car sit and warm up before every trip, I'd use 30% more fuel!!!

(even if you only count the .03 gallons on the initial start-up, it still adds up to 15% of my total fuel usage on a typical day)

Needless to say, I'm in the "drive it easy until it warms up" contingent. I get in the car, buckle my seatbelt, put the transmission in gear (manual trans), release the handbrake and check my mirrors all before turning the key. As soon as the engine is started I'm letting the clutch out and backing out of my driveway!

Unless the air temp is fairly cool (below 60-65 degrees), the "cool" light is usually off after the 3rd stop sign in my neighborhood, just before I turn onto the main road.