Does Cruise Control Really Save You Gas and Money?

Do you like to use your cruise control feature on your car? Obviously in stop-and-go traffic and around-town driving it’s not something we gravitate but on those longer drives on the highway it’s definitely a go-to.

I love using cruise control on road trips or drives that have you on traffic-free highway driving for at least 30 minutes because it keeps my lead-foot in check saving me from a possible speeding ticket. Also I love the feeling of saving gas which means saving money as well, right?

And if cruise control does save gas, thus money, is it a measurable difference?

Well, it’s not really surprising that yes, using your cruise control absolutely helps you prolong the gas in your tank. According to the Motor Trend cruising along on highways means avoiding the inconsistency on the gas pedal. The inevitable speed-up/slow-down momentum is absent and that’s where we waste the most fuel.

However, if you’re driving on rolling hills, it’s best not to use your cruise control because that’s hard work on your car trying to stay the pace by slowing down and then having to speed up back and forth during the ups and downs of the hilly drive.  It’s better for you to do it manually according to Motor Trend.

So how much does using cruise control really save you? Well, first of all it depends if you even get to use it. For many it’s just not part of your driving lifestyle, but for those that do hit the highways where it’s useful, you can save between $25 and $75 annually according to the Net Pay Advance website. This coincides with the ever fluctuating price of gas.

If you’re an “ever little bit of savings helps” kind of person, then the savings is worth it, especially if your driving lifestyle is conducive to using cruise control.