Do you know how far can you drive your car with the 'low fuel' warning light illuminated on the dashboard to tell you you're soon going to run out of petrol or diesel?
Often referred to as fuel light roulette, it's a game most drivers would have played - the petrol gauge drops into the red and the yellow pump icon glows to remind you to visit a filling station. But do you know how far you can go, in general, when the warning that light comes on? New research claims to reveal all, including which models have the longest and shortest fuel reserve ranges.
More than a third of motorists think they will only be able to drive another 30km from when the 'fuel low' light illuminates before running out of juice, according to a fresh UK-based survey of 1,000 Britons by comparison site Compare the Market.
However, the reality is that in most cases you can drive more than double that distance - and in some vehicles almost four times as far. And the study highlighted which popular models can travel the longest - and shortest - ranges when the fuel situation hits the reserve.
The comparison website compared the stats for 96 volume-selling cars from 29 different manufacturers to identify which could get you to a fuel station that's miles away and the ones that will leave you stranded at the roadside not long after the warning light coming on.
And the study highlighted which popular models can travel the longest - and shortest - ranges when the fuel situation hits the reserve.
The comparison website compared the stats for 96 volume-selling cars from 29 different manufacturers to identify which could get you to a fuel station that's miles away and the ones that will leave you stranded at the roadside not long after the warning light coming on.
Using miles per gallon and fuel tank capacities, Compare the Market estimated how far these model can keep going with the fuel warning light on before chugging to a standstill. There is - of course - no guarantee for how long the range will be, especially as you need to factor in traffic, driving style and how much weight is in the vehicle.
The model with the longest reserve range - based on the figures - is the Volkswagen Passat. Compare the Market calculated that it can go for a staggering 120km with the fuel warning light glowing.
Volvo's V40 hatchback and Ford's Mondeo family car can also - just - exceed 110km before they conk out. At the opposite end of the spectrum, BMW's high-performance M3 has the shortest reserve range, guzzling through the remaining fuel capacity 51km after the warning light flashed up.
Many small cars feature in the list of 10 cars with the shortest low-fuel ranges.
Despite being frugal, the small tanks in models including the Kia Picanto, Fiat 500, Mini hatchback, Citroen C1, Peugeot 108, Nissan Juke and Ford Fiesta limit their mileage when the fuel gauge hits the reserve.
Popular models with the shortest reserve ranges
1. BMW M3: 51.48km
2. Kia Picanto: 51.72km
3. Fiat 500: 59.77km
4. Mini Cooper: 60.39km
5. Mitsubishi Shogun: 61.52km
6. Jaguar XK: 61.76km
7. Citroen C1: 62.37km
8. Peugeot 108: 62.98km
9. Nissan Juke: 65.72km
10. Ford Fiesta: 66.09km
- Daily Mail