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Mileage for kilometers

Can you help me find the best word that covers the same concept as ‘mileage’ but for kilometers:

mileage (mileages) 1. Mileage refers to the distance that you have traveled, measured in miles. Most of their mileage is in and around town. N-UNCOUNT: also N in pl

Are such neologisms as ‘kilometerage’ or ‘kilometrage’ used in English?

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We use kilometres here in NZ, but people still talk about mileage, just like mara said they do in Canada.
"What's the mileage on that car?"
"Eighty thousand kays."

People also say things like "it's done a lot of kays" but I've never heard (or seen) kilometrage. It's just not a pleasant word to say. For all the advantages of the metric system, I'd say its biggest shortcoming is linguistic: the imperial measurements are nicer and more convenient to talk or write about.

As for fuel economy, the metric equivalent of "miles per gallon" tends to be "litres per 100 km", in NZ at least. That feels weird because it's the inverse, i.e. a low number is good.

chrisbolton20 June 8, 2013, 6:19pm

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Except kilometrage doesn't seem to be in most dictionaries. Europcar, one of the biggest car rental companies serving European and international markets, uses mileage (71 references on their site). There is one for kilométrage, but it's in a French-language page.

On the other hand, there is a reference on the website of the government of Nova Scotia to "Kilometrage Rates, Monthly Allowances and Transportation Allowances Regulations", so maybe Canada is an exception.

Warsaw Will June 6, 2013, 4:27pm

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Rosana June 6, 2013, 3:47pm

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Well I need "mileage" for a rental contract meaning the mileage on the car when it is received, and I don't think any of the above suggestions cater for this eventuality... Does anyone have any suggestions? Also, I found the word "odometer" to use instead of milometer (the device that counts kilometers/miles driven), but I've never heard this word before, has anyone else?
Thank you in advance for any help...

Lyn June 6, 2013, 8:06am

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Try "distance."

Dave September 25, 2005, 1:01pm

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Yes, I think GP is right in several regards. First, he is always a Canadian. Second, you only need to know the distance involved. If you were getting a rental car, for example, you could ask, "How many kilometers are included in the contract?" There is no term like kilometerage that I know of.

Also, if you wanted an alternative to mileage in the sense of miles per gallon, you could use the term fuel economy, or fuel economy rating, etc.

John August 9, 2005, 3:48am

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That post was supposed to start with "Well". I am, in fact, always Canadian.

GP August 3, 2005, 9:56pm

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When, I'm Canadian, and the only time I'd use the word mileage are the two ways already mentioned, although to mean "kilometres per litre" no "miles per gallon".

You already know the word you want. It's "distance". Or, more colloquially, something like "How far is it to Sudbury?" or "How many kilometres to the nearest Tim Hortons?"

GP August 3, 2005, 9:44pm

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Just FYI Mileage can also mean how far the car can go on a certain amount of fuel. e.g. What kind of (gas) mileage does your car get? 30mpg(miles per gallon).

And no I've never heard a similar word used for kilometers, but maybe that's because I'm from the states.

Kyle Glasser August 1, 2005, 2:42pm

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I want to refer to the distance (measured in km) travelled by any means of transport.

ivaylotivanov July 22, 2005, 10:27am

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My Canadian friends assure me they would indeed use the word mileage, at least in terms of cars. "The mileage on the car is 110,000 km." Were you thinking of non-car uses? If so, give me a specific sentence and I can ask them.

mara July 21, 2005, 10:47am

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Yes     No