Our Audi A3 Sportback has given me a firm reminder of why it is important to keep tyres correctly inflated.

Due to one reason or another, I've been remiss in regularly checking them over the past few weeks, and when I finally got around to it at the weekend I found all four tyres were significantly down on the recommended pressures.

This was quickly rectified and, judging by the fuel economy from my first three commutes since, it was a situation I shouldn't have allowed myself to get into.

Previously, the trip computer was indicating I'd achieved 56-60mpg at the end of my 35-mile journeys, but this has risen to 63-66mpg.

Is this a coincidence? Possibly, as there are many other factors which influence fuel consumption such as temperature, traffic and speed, so I won't know what effect my correctly-inflated tyres will have for a few more journeys yet.

Hopefully this will increase my average test economy of 58.4mpg (calculated real-word economy, not as indicated on the trip computer), which has given a near-600-mile range on a tankful.

Running the car low on fuel has highlighted a useful feature of the A3: when it detects the diesel has fallen below a certain level, a warning appears on the media system's screen asking if you want to be directed to a nearby filling station.

This hasn't yet proved useful for me yet, but for anyone who needs fuel while in an unfamiliar area, this should be a very welcome offer.