December 10, 2025
98From a practical driving perspective, 'trip' and 'odo' serve distinct purposes. The odometer (odo) is your car’s lifetime mileage log—essential for servicing intervals and resale checks. The trip meter lets you track shorter distances, like daily commutes or holiday drives. Reset it manually to monitor fuel consumption or measure specific routes.
49'Odo' is the abbreviation of the English word 'odograph', representing the total mileage; 'trip' refers to the short-distance mileage in English, also known as the subtotal mileage, which allows users to calculate the kilometres travelled per journey and can be reset to zero by long-pressing the clear button.
The subtotal mileage can also be used to calculate fuel consumption. To calculate the fuel consumption per 100 kilometres, follow these steps: after filling up the tank, reset TRIP A or TRIP B to zero, then after driving 100 kilometres, fill up the tank again. The amount of fuel added is your fuel consumption per 100 kilometres.
The odometer records and displays the vehicle's total mileage, which is the distance travelled since the vehicle was put into use. The trip odometer shows the distance travelled since the last reset. Briefly press the dashboard button to switch between the two odometer displays. When the ignition is in the ON position, the trip odometer can be reset at any time.
The process to reset the trip odometer is as follows:
21The terms 'trip' and 'odo' on a car dashboard refer to different mileage counters. 'Odo' stands for odometer, which displays the total distance the car has travelled since it was manufactured. This figure is permanent and cannot be reset. 'Trip' refers to a trip meter, a resettable counter that tracks the distance covered during a specific journey or time period, such as between fuel fills or a road trip.
Most modern cars have at least one trip meter (often labelled 'Trip A' or 'Trip B'), allowing drivers to monitor shorter distances. For example, resetting the trip meter after refuelling helps estimate fuel efficiency by dividing miles driven by litres used. The odometer, however, is crucial for assessing a car’s overall wear and resale value—higher mileage typically means more depreciation.
Some vehicles also feature an automatic trip reset function, which clears the data after a set period of inactivity. Understanding these functions is useful for maintenance scheduling, fuel economy tracking, and verifying used car mileage claims. Always ensure the odometer reading matches service records when buying a used vehicle.
