How Is Highway Driving Different From City Driving?
Highways are all over the place, including in and around cities. So, what exactly is highway driving? Highway driving typically involves traveling at higher speeds for long distances without frequent stops and starts. On the other hand, city driving usually involves driving short, slower distances with a lot of stop-and-start scenarios like traffic lights, pedestrians, and heavy traffic.
City Miles vs. Highway Miles
The shorter travel and more frequent stops of city driving may have a different effect on your INFINITI than highway driving. One way you might notice this difference is in your gas mileage. You’ll likely get fewer miles out of your fuel when driving on city streets compared to consistent, high-speed driving on a highway. Other ways you might notice the difference in how your INFINITI handles city driving vs. highway driving is in engine and tire wear.
Engine Wear Highway vs. City
When you’re on a highway, your car stays at a consistent speed in the same gear for miles and miles, so the engine doesn’t have to put in much work. However, the constant stopping and starting of city driving places more load on your engine. It has to work harder to keep accelerating and slowing back down to another stop. This not only can lead to poorer gas mileage in the city, but it can also cause faster wear on your engine, transmission, and brakes.
Tire Wear Highway vs. City
Just like city driving can be rougher on your engine, it can also be rougher on your tires. Repeated acceleration and braking can cause your tires to wear faster when driving through a city. You also have other factors to consider, such as driving over potholes too fast, accidentally hitting a curb during a turn, and slamming on your brakes. All these scenarios are more likely to happen in the city, and they can all cause more wear to your tires.
You tend to have a straight shot while driving on the highway, which means fewer turns. You also have to stop less and have fewer obstacles to worry about. So, if you often drive on highways, you can generally expect your tires to last longer than if you often drive on city streets.
Is City Driving Bad for Your Car?
Your INFINITI is made to withstand the strain of driving, no matter if you are driving in the city or on the highway. While city driving can cause faster wear on certain parts of your vehicle, that doesn’t mean it’s necessarily bad for your car. If you know you mainly drive city streets, you just want to make sure you stay on top of important maintenance tasks like regular oil changes and tire rotations.
Whether you mostly drive in a city or on a highway, you want to keep your INFINITI in top shape. Visit your local INFINITI authorized service center for maintenance and inspections, and shop INFINITI Parts & Accessories for any replacement parts you may need.