Theory Hub UK Theory Test

How much more fuel will you use by driving at 70 mph, compared with driving at 50 mph?

Why this is the answer

Your vehicle will use less fuel if you avoid heavy acceleration. The higher the engine revs, the more fuel you'll use. Using the same gear, and covering the same distance, a vehicle travelling at 70 mph will use about 15% more fuel than it would at 50 mph. However, do not travel so slowly that you inconvenience or endanger other road users.

Why the other answers don't fit

A
About 5% — Too small. The difference is greater than that.
C
About 75% — Far more than the real figure.
D
About 100% — Double would mean twice the fuel, which is well beyond the truth.

Where this comes from

  • Driving: the essential skills — section 17

Rule numbers link to The Highway Code on gov.uk.

Where this question comes from

The question, its options and the explanation are reproduced word for word from the DVSA revision question bank under licence. The licence requires them to appear unaltered, so we cannot reword them and neither can anyone else — that is why you will meet the same wording on other sites. Everything else on this page is written by Theory Hub: the explanation of why each wrong answer is wrong, the topic guide and the revision notes.

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Asked in: Car

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