Car dashboard and odometer representing looking up official fuel economy and cost data online

How to Use FuelEconomy.gov to Compare Cars (MPG, Cost, and Labels)

February 23, 2026 9 min read

Quick Summary FuelEconomy.gov is the U.S. Department of Energy’s official consumer site for fuel economy information, including MPG ratings, estimated fuel costs, and printable fuel economy labels for many vehicles. If you want to compare two cars accurately, FuelEconomy.gov helps you start with standardized EPA label data—then you can personalize the numbers with your own miles and fuel prices.

Use it to find official label MPG (City/Highway/Combined).
Use label gallons/100 miles and annual fuel cost to compare spending.
Then personalize with your commute distance and local prices using calculators.

Why Use FuelEconomy.gov?

FuelEconomy.gov is useful because it’s built around standardized label data rather than informal estimates. EPA’s label documentation explains what the label shows and how to interpret the numbers, and FuelEconomy.gov helps you access that information for specific vehicles.

If you’re new to label basics, start with: Understanding the EPA fuel economy label.

How to Find a Vehicle’s Official MPG

At a high level, your goal is to get the vehicle’s City MPG, Highway MPG, and Combined MPG values from the official label dataset.

Go to FuelEconomy.gov: fueleconomy.gov.
Search by model year / make / model to locate the vehicle.
Record the label MPG numbers (City/Highway/Combined) for your comparison.

Tip: If your driving is mostly one type, don’t rely on Combined MPG alone. City and Highway numbers can differ a lot. See: Highway vs City MPG.

How to Compare Two Vehicles

Once you have label values for two vehicles, compare:

Combined MPG for a quick scan (see: Combined MPG weighting).
Fuel consumption (gallons per 100 miles), which EPA explains is directly related to fuel expenditures (see: Gallons per 100 miles).
Estimated annual fuel cost (see: EPA label annual fuel cost assumptions).

Printable Labels and Used Cars

EPA describes used-vehicle label tools and printable label options as part of its label overview. The “Learn about the Fuel Economy Label” page explains that you can print a used-vehicle label and links to FuelEconomy.gov for those lookups: EPA — Learn about the Fuel Economy Label.

Personalize the Results With Your Own Driving

Label data is a starting point. To turn it into your budget, personalize with:

Your typical commute distance (and how many days per week you drive)
Your typical city vs highway mix
Your local fuel price

Then use calculators built for the job:

Turn Label MPG Into a Commute Budget

Use your commute distance, MPG, and gas price to estimate weekly and monthly fuel spending.

Use the Commute Gas Cost Calculator

Frequently Asked Questions

Is FuelEconomy.gov the same as EPA?

FuelEconomy.gov is operated by the U.S. Department of Energy as a consumer-facing resource. EPA provides the label explanations and testing information that underpin official label values and how they should be interpreted.

Why does my real MPG not match FuelEconomy.gov?

EPA’s label materials note that real-world results vary with driving style, speed, weather, road conditions, vehicle loading, and maintenance. Label values are best used for comparison.

What’s the fastest way to compare fuel spending between cars?

Use gallons per 100 miles (fuel consumption) and your local gas price. EPA explains in its interactive label that consumption relates directly to fuel expenditures. See: Gallons per 100 miles.

Can I print a label for a used car?

Yes. EPA describes printable used-vehicle label tools and links to FuelEconomy.gov on its label overview page: Learn about the Fuel Economy Label.