Economical Driving

Your vehicle's fuel economy depends mainly on your driving habits, including how you drive and when you drive.

Each of these factors affects how many kilometers (miles) you can drive per liter (gallon) of fuel. To operate your vehicle as economically as possible, follow the driving recommendations below, which will help you save money on both fuel and repairs:

• Drive smoothly. Accelerate at a moderate pace. Do not race the engine when starting or shifting, and do not maintain a constant cruising speed at full throttle. Do not race between traffic lights. Try to match your speed to traffic flow so that you do not have to accelerate or brake unnecessarily. Avoid heavy traffic whenever possible. Always maintain a safe distance from other vehicles to avoid unnecessary braking. This also reduces brake wear.
• Drive at a moderate speed. The faster you drive, the more fuel your vehicle uses. Driving at a moderate speed, especially on highways, is one of the most effective ways to reduce fuel consumption.
• Do not ride the brake pedal. This can increase fuel consumption and increase wear on these components. In addition, resting your foot on the brake pedal while driving can cause the brakes to overheat, reducing their effectiveness and possibly leading to more serious consequences.
• Take care of your tires. Keep them inflated to the recommended pressure. Incorrect inflation, either too high or too low, causes unnecessary tire wear. Check tire pressure at least once a month.
• Make sure the wheels are aligned correctly. Incorrect alignment can result from hitting curbs or driving too fast over rough surfaces. Poor alignment causes faster tire wear and may lead to other problems as well as increased fuel consumption.
• Keep your vehicle in good condition. For better fuel economy and reduced maintenance costs, maintain your vehicle according to the schedule in Chapter 7. If you drive your vehicle under severe conditions, refer to the section requiring more frequent maintenance (see Chapter 7 for details).
• Keep your vehicle clean. To maintain your vehicle at its best, keep it clean and free of corrosive materials. It is especially important that dirt, mud, ice, etc. do not accumulate on the underbody of the vehicle. This additional weight can increase fuel consumption and also contribute to corrosion.
• Travel light. Do not carry unnecessary weight in the vehicle. Weight reduces fuel economy.
• Do not let the engine idle longer than necessary. If you are waiting (and not in a traffic jam), turn off the engine and restart it only when you are ready to go.
• Note that your vehicle does not require a long warm-up. After the engine starts, let it run for 10–20 seconds before putting the vehicle in gear. In very cold weather, allow the engine a somewhat longer warm-up period.
• Do not "lug" the engine or "over-rev" it. Lugging means driving too slowly in too high a gear, causing the engine to vibrate. If this happens, shift to a lower gear. Over-revving forces the engine beyond its safe limit. This can be avoided by shifting to the recommended gear.
• Use the air conditioner sparingly. The air conditioning system runs on engine power, so using it reduces fuel economy.
• Open windows at high speed can reduce fuel economy.
• Fuel economy is lower in crosswinds and headwinds. To help offset some of this loss, reduce your speed when driving in these conditions.

Maintaining the vehicle in good operating condition is important for both economy and safety. Therefore, have an authorized Kia dealer perform scheduled inspections and maintenance.

WARNING - Engine off while driving

Never turn off the engine when going downhill or at any time while the vehicle is in motion. The power steering and brakes will not operate properly without the engine running. In addition, turning off the ignition while driving may cause the steering wheel to lock, resulting in loss of vehicle control. Keep the engine running and shift into an appropriate gear to use engine braking.