Petrol prices have surged to a four-year high, hitting 158p per litre for petrol and more than 192p for diesel. Motoring experts say there are ways of driving the cost back down.
A typical family diesel car now costs more than £100 to fill up, said Mark Trimbee, chief executive officer of private number plate specialists Regtransfers. “When prices spike like this, everyone starts to think of ways to stretch a tank further. There are effective ways to cut what you spend, and most don’t cost a penny.”
The new Fuel Finder scheme, launched in February 2026, requires fuel retailers to submit prices to a central system within 30 minutes of any change.
This follows a Competition and Markets Authority finding prices can vary by as much as 20p per litre between nearby forecourts. Trimbee said: “Apps including PetrolPrices, the RAC’s myRAC app and the AA app now use this near-real-time data, meaning drivers can check exactly what fuel costs at every local forecourt before they leave home.”
He added: “There’s really no excuse for not using one of these apps now. The data is live, it’s accurate and free.”
Supermarket forecourts are often cheapest, while motorway services remain the most expensive. Trimbee added: “The trick is to layer these things. Find the cheapest forecourt, then use your loyalty card.”
Tesco Clubcard, Sainsbury’s Nectar and Morrisons More all offer fuel points that can be redeemed for savings.
Driving style also makes a major difference, Trimbee said. “The faster a car travels, the more drag and resistance the engine has to overcome. Reducing motorway speed by just 5 to 10mph can improve fuel economy by up to 14%.”
Idling wastes fuel unnecessarily, and stop-start systems should be left on where possible. Air conditioning can also increase fuel use by up to 10%, depending on conditions.
Simple maintenance can help too. Under-inflated tyres, heavy loads and unused roof racks all reduce efficiency, Trimbee said. “Small considerations can compound to a fair saving on fuel costs.”