If you’re one of those “I’ll get gas in the morning” types of people, pay close attention. MarketWatch Guides recently released a study outlining the vehicles that offer the shortest driving distances after the fuel light comes on, so don’t ignore the warnings if you own one of the vehicles on the list.
The Hyundai Kona 2.0 Essential was the vehicle offering the shortest low-fuel driving distance, at 36.97 miles. Other vehicles on the list include:
MarketWatch calculated those numbers by looking at each vehicle’s maximum fuel tank capacity. It divided the total by ten to determine a ten percent low-fuel marker and then used each model’s fuel economy ratings to calculate a driving range. It’s worth noting that a number of factors can impact gas mileage, including the weather, driving style and road conditions.
On the other end of the spectrum, the Toyota RAV4 offers more than 73 miles of driving range, followed closely by the Ford F-150. Some of the models MarketWatch listed aren’t sold here, such as the RAV4 Icon FWD, but the vehicles are close enough to U.S. configurations to give a decent approximation of low-fuel driving distances.
Most experts recommend against regular driving with a low fuel light on. Doing so can damage the fuel pump, filter and other engine components. If the tank is almost empty, the fuel pump can pick up debris and sediment off the bottom of the tank, which may clog the fuel filter or overheat the pump.