Woman Fills Up At Costco For The First Time. Then Her Toyota Gets The Best Fuel Economy It's Ever Had

A Toyota Camry Hybrid driver was stunned to see her car’s estimated range increase after filling up at Costco.

C. Relle (@c.relle4) published a video detailing her pleasant surprise upon seeing the miles per gallon spike. Folks who responded to the clip shared tips and tricks to get the most out of her fuel-ups. But did the type of fuel she purchased have something to do with the sudden change?

Toyota Camry Hybrid Driver's First Time Getting Costco Gas 

“Come with me to fill up my 2026 Toyota Camry at Costco,” Relle writes in a text overlay of the post. As she begins her video, she exclaims how excited she is to see that gas dropped down to $5.09. She says this is the lowest she’s seen it going for in her area for quite some time.

Next, she fills up her tank, which amounted to around 9.24 gallons for a grand total of $47.11. After she headed back inside of her vehicle, she noticed a pleasant surprise on its dashboard.

According to the car’s range approximation estimates, she’s projected to get 490 miles worth of driving on a single tank. She says this is the highest figure her Camry Hybrid’s ever clocked.

“OK, so 490 [miles]. I wanna say I think that’s the most I’ve ever gotten. So, you know they say you’re supposed to get like 500 miles, and I’ve never gotten close to it,” Relle tells her viewers.

Following this, she says she’s unsure as to what she did differently to have her car read off a higher range estimate.

“All I know is that I was at 66. I’m at Costco; gas is $5.09, and I’m up to 490; not bad. So now my goal is to try to get 500. I want to actually get my 500 miles. How do I do that? Does anybody know?” she asks before her clip comes to a close.

'Adaptive Cruise Control Has Helped A Lot'

Folks who replied to her video shared some ways to extend the per-tank range of her hybrid vehicle. Some recommended turning off the air conditioning and keeping city speeds to 35 mph and highway speeds to 55 mph.

However, Relle’s response indicated that foregoing A/C wasn’t a measure she was willing to take.

Another person suggested that when she drives on the highway, utilizing Toyota’s Dynamic Radar Cruise Control could help squeeze out more MPGs.

“Adaptive cruise control has helped a lot with increasing my mpg," they wrote. "I drive in eco mode all the time and use EV mode in stop and go traffic. Basically I’m never in a rush to get anywhere anymore as well … I get about 510 per gallon in my XLE and mpg is 43.5."

In the earlier days of hybrid vehicles, NPR issued a report highlighting how air conditioning could reduce a car’s fuel economy by as much as 27%. The U.S. Department of Energy also found similar figures in 2026. However, it did specify that up to 25% of fuel economy is lost during short trips.

Gallery: 2026 Toyota Camry

9

Source: Toyota

More Fuel-Smart Air Conditioning Practices

Some may argue that the entire point of driving a car is to be able to get from point A to point B both quickly and comfortably, meaning that the few extra dollars you spend at the pump at each fill-up are worth it. 

However, Capital One banking also provided some helpful tips for folks to save their fuel economy whilst driving. If you’re driving alone and are riding in a car with a “driver only” A/C option, keep that enabled. This way, only a fraction of resources are being used by the car’s A/C compressor, which is connected to your ride’s engine.

And cruising around with your windows down is probably not a good idea, especially at higher speeds. This increase in drag on a vehicle can actually worsen fuel economy.

If it’s a hot day, venting out your vehicle before stepping inside is a good idea. This way, your air conditioner doesn’t have to run as high for as long to replace the heat trapped inside.

And in that same vein: try to get your car’s A/C to a comfortable temperature as soon as possible, then crank it down and keep it at that level. Constantly blasting cold air, then turning it off when it gets too cool, and repeating that process over and over is inefficient.

Recirculation mode, which is an icon that shows an arrow circling around itself and the driver in most cars, can improve fuel economy. This mode keeps cooled air inside of the car for longer and is easier on the A/C’s compressor. This means the engine’s working less to power it, which, in turns, improves gas mileage. Capital One also suggests always looking for a shady place to park your car when you’re out and about. This can greatly reduce the heat that’s getting absorbed into your vehicle.

How Is Range Calculated On A Car?

The Engineer Skill blog writes that these range estimates are not necessarily accurate down to the mile. Rather, they are projections based on the available energy capacity of a vehicle and recent driving estimates.

“This figure provides drivers with a real-time projection of their remaining travel potential based on historical driving data and environmental conditions,” the site indicates.

It’s this snippet about “historical driving data” that was also referenced by Carxplorer. It stated the above-mentioned fact with different verbiage.

“The car’s computer uses two main pieces of information: the amount of fuel currently in the tank … and the vehicle’s recent average fuel consumption rate,” it says.

So, it could be that Relle’s uptick in 490 miles doesn’t have to do with the fact she purchased gas at Costco. Instead, it could be tied to her driving habits after her previous fill-up.

Motor1 has reached out to Relle via TikTok direct message and Toyota via email for further comment. We will update this story if they respond.

 

 

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