Is 7 litres per 100km good?
In many contexts, yes — 7 L/100 km is a solid efficiency figure for numerous petrol-powered cars, translating to about 33.6 miles per gallon in the United States or roughly 40 miles per gallon in the United Kingdom. Whether it’s “good” depends on the vehicle class, age, and how you drive.
To understand what that number means, you’re looking at how much fuel your vehicle uses to cover a given distance. The meaning of 7 L/100 km and whether it’s good varies with whether the vehicle is a small city car, a family sedan, an SUV, or a hybrid, and it changes with highway versus city driving, weather, load, and maintenance.
What the figure means in practice
The following benchmarks help place 7 L/100 km into a practical context across common vehicle classes.
- Small cars and hatchbacks (petrol): typically about 4–6 L/100 km on a mixed cycle; 7 L/100 km is common for many urban-to-suburban use cases.
- Compact sedans: roughly 5.5–7.5 L/100 km; 7 L/100 km is achievable and often representative of real-world driving.
- Compact SUVs: commonly around 6–7.5 L/100 km; 7 L/100 km sits in the middle of typical range for gasoline models.
- Mid-size sedans: about 6–8 L/100 km; 7 L/100 km is a realistic target for many day-to-day drivers.
- Large SUVs and pickups: often 9–12 L/100 km or more; 7 L/100 km would be unusually efficient for these classes unless equipped with efficient powertrains or favorable highway driving.
- Hybrid and plug-in hybrid variants: about 3–5 L/100 km; 7 L/100 km is relatively high for hybrids but quite normal for non-hybrid petrols in similar body styles.
- Diesel-powered alternatives: frequently 4–6 L/100 km; 7 L/100 km is plausible for some diesel petrol-dominant crossovers or older diesels under heavy load.
In short, 7 L/100 km sits within the typical range for many non-hybrid petrol vehicles, especially mid-size cars and some crossovers. It is on the efficient side for larger SUVs and a comfortable target for smaller city cars, depending on how they’re driven and maintained.
Driving conditions and other factors that affect your real-world result
Several real-world factors can push your actual fuel economy above or below the 7 L/100 km mark. Understanding these can help you gauge whether your current figure reflects the car’s potential or your driving habits.
- Driving style: smooth acceleration and steady speeds improve efficiency; aggressive driving increases consumption.
- Traffic and terrain: heavy city traffic and hilly routes raise fuel use, while long highway cruises often lower it.
- Vehicle load and aerodynamics: extra weight and roof racks can significantly raise consumption.
- Tire condition and pressure: underinflated tires waste power and reduce efficiency.
- Maintenance: spark plugs, filters, oil quality, and engine tune affect economy.
- Climate and accessories: air conditioning, heating, and electrical load can impact fuel use, especially in extreme temperatures.
For most drivers, these factors mean your real-world figure may wander around 6–9 L/100 km depending on circumstances. Regular maintenance and eco-friendly driving can help you pull closer to the lower end of that range.
How to check and improve your fuel economy
To assess whether 7 L/100 km is good for your situation and to improve it, consider these practical steps and verification methods:
- Use your car’s trip computer or an app to track fuel consumption over a few tankfuls for a representative sample.
- Compare to official ratings for your exact model and drivetrain (engine, transmission, AWD/2WD, etc.), which can differ by market and test cycle (EPA, WLTP, etc.).
- Adopt eco-driving habits: gradual acceleration, maintaining steady speeds, and minimizing unnecessary idling.
- Keep tires inflated to the recommended pressure and remove unnecessary roof load when not needed.
- Schedule regular maintenance, including air filters, spark plugs, and oil changes, to keep the engine running efficiently.
By measuring accurately and applying fuel-saving practices, you can determine whether 7 L/100 km is satisfactory for your vehicle and circumstances, or if there’s room for improvement.
Summary
Seven litres per 100 kilometres is generally a solid, achievable efficiency for many petrol-powered cars, especially mid-size sedans and crossovers. It translates to roughly 34 mpg (US) or about 40 mpg (UK), though actual numbers vary with vehicle type, driving conditions, and maintenance. Use official ratings for your specific model as a benchmark, and focus on driving habits and basic maintenance to optimize real-world fuel economy.
What is a good Litre per 100km?
A good fuel economy is generally considered to be below 6 L/100km for a passenger car, while 8 L/100km or less is excellent for SUVs and trucks. Lower numbers indicate better fuel efficiency, meaning the vehicle uses less fuel to travel the same distance. For example, a small car might get 5-6 L/100km, while a medium SUV could be considered good at 7-9 L/100km.
What is considered good fuel economy
| Vehicle Type | Good Fuel Economy (L/100km) |
|---|---|
| Small Car / Hybrid | Below 6 L/100km |
| Medium SUV | Around 8 L/100km or less |
| Truck | Below 12 L/100km |
| Plug-in Hybrid | 0-5 L/100km |
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What is considered average or poor
- Average passenger car: 8-10 L/100km
- Average larger SUV/truck: 12-14 L/100km
- Poor fuel economy: Anything over 12 L/100km is generally considered poor.
Factors that influence fuel economy
- Vehicle size and type: Smaller, lighter vehicles and hybrids are more efficient.
- Driving style: Aggressive acceleration, hard braking, and high speeds decrease fuel efficiency.
- Driving conditions: City driving with lots of stops and starts is less efficient than consistent highway driving.
- Vehicle maintenance: A well-maintained engine will be more efficient.
What's the average L/100km for sedans?
An average North American mid-size car averages 21 mpg‑US (11 L/100 km; 25 mpg‑imp)) city, 27 mpg‑US (8.7 L/100 km; 32 mpg‑imp)) highway; a full-size SUV usually averages 13 mpg‑US (18 L/100 km; 16 mpg‑imp) city and 16 mpg‑US (15 L/100 km; 19 mpg‑imp) highway.
What is considered bad fuel economy?
For example, suppose your vehicle used to average 20 miles per gallon, but over time its mileage drops below this or falls short of the manufacturer's rating. In that case, it's considered poor fuel efficiency.
Is 7.7 l per 100km good?
Anything under eight L/100km is excellent. If a car uses eight to 12 litres of gas for every 100 kilometres, that's pretty good. This usually fits most medium-sized SUVs and some lighter trucks. Cars that use 12 to 14 litres for every 100 kilometres are average—not too bad, not too great.
