Does Coasting Save Fuel?

Excessive coasting is usually a driving test fail in the UK yet some drivers choose to coast as they believe it saves fuel. In this video I put the fuel saving abilities of coasting to the test.

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This video is a guide intended to help people who are learning to drive with a driving instructor in Great Britain, it is by no means a replacement for driving lessons with an appropriately qualified driving instructor.

Laws and driving rules may be different in your country. The makers of this video cannot be held liable for any consequences caused by any information that is in any way inaccurate, misleading or missing. The makers of this video are not liable for any person's driving other than their own, it is the responsibility of the person driving a vehicle to ensure they drive safely and within the law. The makers of this video are also not liable for any person failing a driving test as a result of the information provided in the video.

00:00 What is coasting?
01:25 First coasting test
03:20 Second coasting test
04:51 Result explained
05:57 Mazda MX5 test
07:30 Third coasting test
10:04 The answer
10:22 Is coasting safe?
11:39 Outro

[teaandmedals]

The international space station has been coasting for years and doesn't use much petrol at all so it must work.

[adamlenham]

Passed my driving test yesterday with 0 minors. Yes Thank you so much for all your videos of which I watched all. Helped me so much. Thank you

[sahalhasvad]

I learned driving by watching this channel. I cleared all my doubt. Then my driving was perfect. My driving teacher said you improve so fast. Thanku so much for the videos ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

[averyalexander]

Thank you for making this video! As a hypermiler, I coast all the time and it works for me. People seem to think that coasting always uses more fuel since the engine is idling instead of in decel fuel cutoff, but they ignore the fact that engine braking also slows the car down just like riding the brakes does which isn't usually wanted when hypermiling. Coasting a long distance getting several hundred MPG can add more to your average than engine braking for a short distance using no fuel. But of course stay in gear and take advantage of decel fuel cutoff if you need to slow down or not pick up too much speed, no reason to coast if you are going to be braking. When people say I'm wrong and don't believe my test results, now I have an excellent video to point them to :)

[adzib]

Engineering Explained did a really good video on this as well, definitely worth checking out if anyone wants a slightly more technical breakdown of what's happening in both cases. This was a good video nonetheless :)

[madbadseagulls]

I know coasting is necessary at very low speeds but I personally would rather sacrifice a bit of mpg for more control of the car. Great channel and Videos btw 😀.

[BLK]

This reminds me of your lockdown challenge! (and you smashed your target!) Both amazing videos. :)

[ajayscott]

Failed my first driving test but i literally watched all your videos up until my test yesterday and i passed with only one minor!! 💪💪

[bobspizzeria]

Passed my driving test thanks to your vids!

Much love from your mate down under

[bordersw]

I regularly do a route across mid Wales, about 100 miles. Tried several times to coast down the long down hills in neutral - when it was safe. Fuel consumption was always worse than if I drove normally, modern engines detect load and acceleration and hold back on fuel delivery more than if your car is just at idle.

[mariusreiter]

8:40 You only went there for the meme did you 😂 Anyway, thanks for your videos, as someone who's had a driving licence (but not much experience) for a while now but only recently moved to the UK they're super helpful for me. Greetings from a fellow MX-5 driver!

[neuideas]

I use a mixed approach. If clutch-coasting serves my purpose better, I do that. If engine-braking serves my purpose better, I do that. I only use the brakes when necessary, and almost never ride my brakes.

[Clarityinlife]

That simply means on hills no coating and on flat roads coasting is better so you doesnt get a jerk when you release the accelerator to slow down. You can use braking for stoping or slowing down and yes dont worry brakes cool down as soon as your braking is done.

[BLK]

We used to do this type of run, when poor, trying to coast to the petrol station :)

[spiritualdeath]

I've been trying this with my automatic over the last two weeks. Using my bmw's mpg gauge - I saved 2-3mpg more but my attention was no longer on the road so I am stopping this test.
Just go easy on the throttle & I'll be OK. Coasting is only justified when you are just about to run out of fuel !

[alexthomas]

I feel like teaching learners to drive economically would actually benefit them a lot, especially financial. Like I have a 1.4 TDI VW Polo. If I do my route to work and I make an effort to be efficient. I can achieve 90-100 mpg over a 14 mile trip. Meaning the whole journey uses under a litre of fuel. If you drive carefully all the time. The savings really so add up, especially in the current fuel situation. But admittedly, not everyone has the patience or time to hypermile consistently

[bclover]

I live in the US so I usually only coast in neutral coming off freeway or highway exits, and sometimes when I know I'm coming up to a full stop like a stop sign or long red light for example. It's extremely flat in the state I live but even for other US drivers I think this is helpful because many of them will throw it in neutral on almost any decline and could end up being dangerous.

[ksrele]

For me (I'm from Serbia) is much logical to measure fuel consumption in l/100km so lower number is better, and my car (VW Tiguan) can measure consumption even when is stationary, the unit is l/h then. And when I left car in gear and let off the gas pedal it is showing me 0 l/100km.
One more thing: coasting with car in neutral is not safe for breaking. If you lose your breaks for any reason (break fluid leek for example) if car is in gear engine will help you break, but if car is in neutral it will be very hard to put it in gear again if the car starts to speed up on downhill.

[salam]

neutral while idle take around 0, 7Liter/1hour 750rpm cca . So if we move 50kmh in neutral our fuel consumption is around 1, 8Liter/100 km (when you coastin and NOT idling it take your engine to like 1000 rpm) . so 1, 8liter / 100 km in € is around 2, 88€ per 100 km . You know who is driving 2, 80€ per 100km ?, electric cars . So when u r coasting u basicly have electric car fuel consumption . BUT! cheaper is not coasting, but left gear there and u might safe around 15-30% .Imagine yearly gas will cost you not 1000€ but 700€ .

[GovanBassonTotalkaosMotion]

Thanks... I coast ALOT... For all tje above reasons and was honestly curious to know the truth... Now i know ive been doing it correctly all along 👌