MANY motorists find it hard to achieve the fuel economy figures stated in their car's sales brochure. The truth of the matter is, how you drive and where you drive affect your car's efficiency more than you think.

Take the case of Mr Chiam Yak Seng, owner of a Toyota Corolla 1.5 manual - the last of the made-in-Japan Corollas brought in by authorised agent Borneo Motors.

He squeezes 18km out of every litre of petrol - not far from what a hybrid Toyota Prius accomplishes.

How does he do it? Firstly, he spends 80 per cent of the time on expressways, often during offpeak hours. So his car experiences little efficiency-sapping stop- start conditions.

Mr Chiam Yak Seng (top picture) and Mr Ng Tzong Sheng (above) get good mileage out of their cars by practising prudent driving habits.

Secondly, Mr Chiam, 48, drives with the single-mindedness of an economy rally champ.

'When I am alone in the car, I drive without the air-con, and with the windows wound down slightly, to reduce the parachute effect,' he reveals.

The stay-home parent of two teenagers also stresses the importance of driving in the correct gear - a golden tip all economy drivers share.

And when he cold-starts the car in the morning, he does not waste time idling in neutral. 'I let the idling propel the car forward, without stepping on the accelerator,' he says.

By the time the car gets out of the carpark, it is suitably warmed up.

At the lights, he actually turns off the engine (when he is alone). This is another fuel-saving tip, as idling for a merely a minute uses up as much energy as starting the car.

Some new models actually come with an automatic engine cut-off function that kicks in when the car stops for more than 30 seconds or so.

'I use the brakes very little. Instead, I shift down and use engine braking to slow down,' he adds.

Another pointer: When entering a multi-level carpark, go for the basement instead of the floors above. It is usually a shorter drive down than up.

Once a month, he pumps up his tyres 'to the recommended pressure'.

Being an economy-minded driver does not mean being slow. He takes merely 20 minutes to get from his home in Tampines to his son's school in the Thomson area.

The joy of frugal motoring is not the exclusive purview of Japanese car owners. Aircraft sales engineer Ng Tzong Sheng, 30, gets between 13.5km and 14.2km per litre from his Skoda Octavia 1.6, also a manual.

The consumption figure is a mite better than what the manufacturer declares.

Mr Ng has a few simple rules he lives by on the road. 'Travel a longer route with less stop-and-goes as opposed to a shorter route with a higher probability of jams,' he says.

Like Mr Chiam, he picks the right gear ratio for the job. This, he says, 'contributes significantly to fuel consumption'.

'The owner's manual provides information on the recommended speed range for a particular gear ratio,' he notes.

Next, a practice common to all drivers who enjoy extra mileage per litre: Apply pressure as lightly as possible on the accelerator.

Mr Ng says this is more crucial than maintaining a low engine speed in an incorrect gear ratio. If, for instance, you use the fifth gear at speeds of 50 to 60kmh, 'you will have to step harder on the accelerator to get the vehicle moving''.

A heavy-footed driver can see a three-fold rise in consumption. So the key is to be light on the gas pedal, and in the right gear. He says coasting in neutral may not save fuel (it can, in fact, be unsafe). Instead, just lift your foot off the pedal and let the car glide in gear.

Medical doctor Au Kah Kay, 45, is also able to achieve more than decent economy with his Peugeot 407. 'I believe that the way you drive is the most important determinant of fuel consumption. For me, I find that the most fuel efficient way of driving on the expressway is to set the cruise control to a constant speed of 80 to 85kmh and drive in the middle lane,'' he says.

This mode improves his car's fuel consumption to about 16km per litre, from the 10km per litre that he normally gets in city driving.

This article was first published in The Straits Times on Mar 15, 2008.