Fuel Consumption Calculator

This fuel consumption calculator works out your vehicle's real-world fuel economy from a simple measurement, and shows what your driving is costing in fuel. Manufacturers quote an official economy figure, but the number you actually get depends on your driving, your load, the terrain and the traffic, so measuring it yourself is the only way to know. The method is easy: fill the tank, drive normally for a while, then fill up again, noting the litres it took and the distance you covered since the last fill. You enter that distance in kilometres and the fuel used in litres, and the calculator returns your consumption in litres per 100 kilometres, the standard New Zealand measure where lower is better, along with kilometres per litre. Add the fuel price per litre and it also gives the cost of that fuel and the cost per 100 kilometres, which is handy for budgeting and for comparing the running cost of different vehicles or routes. As a rough guide, a small efficient car sits around 6 litres per 100km, a typical car 7 to 9, and a large SUV or ute often above 10. Tracking this over time also flags problems, since a sudden jump in consumption can signal a mechanical issue. Enter your distance and fuel used to see your real economy straight away.

Measure by filling the tank, driving, then refilling and noting the litres and distance. Estimate only.