1986 Buick Century: MPG and fuel economy
The 1986 Buick Century is rated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency at 23 combined MPG, with 19 MPG in the city and 29 MPG on the highway. That puts it well above the average for cars in the Midsize Cars class in the same model year.
This page collects every fuel-economy figure the EPA publishes for the 1986 Buick Century. Below you will find the headline combined, city, and highway MPG, the estimated annual fuel cost at three different driving levels, the tailpipe CO₂ emissions, and a full breakdown of the engine and drivetrain. The EPA rates 4 separate variants of this car (different engine, transmission, or drivetrain combinations), and you can compare them side by side in the trims table. If you want to know whether this generation got more or less efficient over the years, the year-over-year table further down covers every model year the EPA has rated.
Key takeaways
- Returns 25% better combined MPG than the average car in the Midsize Cars class for the 1986 model year (18.4 MPG class average).
- The 1986 Buick Century is the most efficient car in the Midsize Cars class for the 1986 model year, with its 23 MPG rating leading the segment.
- EPA estimates this car costs around $2,250 more in fuel over five years than an average new vehicle of the same model year.
Fuel economy at a glance
These are the EPA's official ratings for the 1986 Buick Century. The numbers come from a standardised laboratory test cycle and are the same figures that appear on the window sticker of every new car. Real-world mileage varies with driving style, weather, fuel quality, and how heavily loaded the car is.
When the EPA tests several variants of the same nameplate (for example, a front-wheel-drive version and an all-wheel-drive version), each gets its own rating. The figures shown here are the headline variant, taken as the configuration with the best combined MPG. The trims table further down covers all 4 variants side by side.
Combined MPG is a 55/45 weighted blend of the city and highway test cycles. The EPA uses it as the single number you can compare across the entire dataset, including hybrids and EVs (which use the equivalent MPGe figure).
| Combined MPG | 23 MPG |
| City MPG | 19 MPG |
| Highway MPG | 29 MPG |
| Annual fuel cost | $2,600 |
| Tailpipe CO₂ | 386 g/mi |
| Fuel type | Regular |
How the 1986 Buick Century compares
The 1986 Buick Century returns 23 combined MPG. Cars in the Midsize Cars class for the same model year average 18.4 MPG, which puts this car ahead of the class average by about 25%.
Within the Midsize Cars class for the 1986 model year, the Buick Century is the leader. No other car in the same class beat its 23 MPG rating. The bar chart below shows it alongside the class average and the average new car for some additional context.
For broader context, the average new car of the 1986 model year (across all classes) returns 19.8 MPG. Larger vehicles pull the all-cars average down, so do not use that figure on its own to judge a small car or a hybrid. The full list of the most efficient cars of the 1986 model year is on its own page.
Trim variants rated for 1986
The EPA rates 4 separate variants of the 1986 Buick Century. The differences come from the engine size, transmission type, and drivetrain (front-wheel drive, all-wheel drive, and so on). The same nameplate can land several MPG apart depending on the configuration you actually buy.
The most efficient configuration on this page returns 23 MPG, while the least efficient returns 19 MPG. That is a spread of 4 MPG between trims of the same nameplate.
| Engine and transmission | Drive | Combined | City | Highway | Annual cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.5L, 4-cyl, Automatic 3-spd | Front-Wheel Drive | 23 MPG | 19 MPG | 29 MPG | $2,600 |
| 2.8L, 6-cyl, Automatic 4-spd | Front-Wheel Drive | 20 MPG | 18 MPG | 26 MPG | $3,000 |
| 3.8L, 6-cyl, Automatic 4-spd | Front-Wheel Drive | 20 MPG | 17 MPG | 26 MPG | $3,000 |
| 2.8L, 6-cyl, Automatic 3-spd | Front-Wheel Drive | 19 MPG | 17 MPG | 24 MPG | $3,150 |
Annual fuel cost across driving patterns
The headline annual fuel cost the EPA publishes assumes 15,000 miles of driving per year and a fuel mix of 55% city and 45% highway. The dollar figure is calculated using the EPA's current reference price for regular gasoline, which is $3.99/gallon. EPA updates that reference periodically rather than tracking live pump prices, so treat it as a window-sticker estimate rather than today's pump number.
The table below scales the EPA's number to three common driving patterns. The combined MPG and the reference fuel price stay constant, only the annual mileage changes. To get a current-prices estimate, take your local gas price and multiply by 652.2 gallons (the car's annual consumption at the rated MPG).
| Driving pattern | Estimated annual fuel cost |
|---|---|
| Light driver, 7,500 miles per year | $1,300 |
| Average driver, 15,000 miles per year | $2,600 |
| Heavy driver, 25,000 miles per year | $4,333 |
Year-over-year MPG for the Buick Century
The EPA has rated the Buick Century across 21 model years, from 1984 Buick Century through 2005 Buick Century. The numbers below are the best combined MPG figure the EPA published for each year, which lets you see when the car was at its most efficient and how recent generations stack up.
Combined MPG has stayed in roughly the same range across the run. The peak rating came with the 1985 Buick Century at 27 MPG.
| Year | Combined MPG | Open year page |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 21 MPG | 2005 Buick Century |
| 2004 | 21 MPG | 2004 Buick Century |
| 2003 | 21 MPG | 2003 Buick Century |
| 2002 | 21 MPG | 2002 Buick Century |
| 2001 | 21 MPG | 2001 Buick Century |
| 2000 | 21 MPG | 2000 Buick Century |
| 1999 | 21 MPG | 1999 Buick Century |
| 1998 | 21 MPG | 1998 Buick Century |
| 1996 | 24 MPG | 1996 Buick Century |
| 1995 | 20 MPG | 1995 Buick Century |
| 1994 | 24 MPG | 1994 Buick Century |
| 1993 | 23 MPG | 1993 Buick Century |
| 1992 | 22 MPG | 1992 Buick Century |
| 1991 | 22 MPG | 1991 Buick Century |
| 1990 | 23 MPG | 1990 Buick Century |
| 1989 | 23 MPG | 1989 Buick Century |
| 1988 | 24 MPG | 1988 Buick Century |
| 1987 | 23 MPG | 1987 Buick Century |
| 1986 | 23 MPG | this page |
| 1985 | 27 MPG | 1985 Buick Century |
| 1984 | 25 MPG | 1984 Buick Century |
Compare against other Midsize Cars for 1986
If you are cross-shopping the 1986 Buick Century, the most useful comparison is against the other cars in the Midsize Cars class for the same model year. The list below shows the highest-MPG peers, ranked from most to least efficient. Click any of them to open its full page.
The Chrysler LeBaron GTS leads this group at 26 MPG, 3 MPG ahead of the 1986 Buick Century.
Specifications
The 1986 Buick Century runs a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine paired with a automatic 3-spd, sending power through front-wheel drive.
Engine, transmission, and drivetrain together drive most of the variation in fuel economy across trims. A larger engine moves the car with less effort but burns more fuel. A turbo lets a small engine punch above its weight, often without much MPG penalty. All-wheel drive adds traction and weight, and usually costs a couple of MPG compared with two-wheel drive of the same engine.
- Vehicle class
- Midsize Cars
- Engine
- 2.5L 4-cylinder
- Transmission
- Automatic 3-spd
- Drivetrain
- Front-Wheel Drive
- Fuel type
- Regular
- Annual petroleum use
- 12.9 barrels per year
Common questions about the 1986 Buick Century
Quick answers to the questions people most often search for when looking up the 1986 Buick Century.
-
Is the 1986 Buick Century fuel efficient?
Yes. The 1986 Buick Century returns 23 combined MPG, which beats the average car in the Midsize Cars class for the same model year by about 25%. -
What MPG does the 1986 Buick Century get?
The EPA rates the 1986 Buick Century at 23 combined MPG, 19 MPG in city driving, and 29 MPG on the highway. Real-world numbers depend on your driving style, the weather, and how loaded the car is. -
How much does it cost to fuel a 1986 Buick Century per year?
The EPA estimates an annual fuel cost of $2,600 for the 1986 Buick Century. That figure assumes 15,000 miles of driving per year, a 55% city and 45% highway split, and the EPA's published average fuel price for the rated fuel grade. -
What fuel does the 1986 Buick Century use?
The EPA lists the 1986 Buick Century as running on regular gasoline. Using a different grade than the manufacturer specifies can affect fuel economy and engine longevity. -
Has the Buick Century become more fuel efficient over time?
Combined MPG has stayed close to flat across the run. Both the earliest (1984 Buick Century, 25 MPG) and most recent (2005 Buick Century, 21 MPG) versions sit in the same range. -
How much CO₂ does the 1986 Buick Century emit?
Tailpipe CO₂ emissions are 386 g/mi. Multiplied across a typical year of driving (15,000 miles) that works out to about 5,796 kilograms of CO₂. -
What is the difference between the city and highway MPG of the 1986 Buick Century?
City driving returns 19 MPG and highway driving returns 29 MPG, a gap of 10 MPG. A spread that wide is typical of cars with conventional automatic or manual transmissions, where stop-start city traffic eats more fuel than a steady highway cruise. -
What engine is in the 1986 Buick Century?
The 1986 Buick Century has a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine (EPA description: (FFS)). -
What transmission and drivetrain does the 1986 Buick Century have?
The 1986 Buick Century comes with a automatic 3-spd transmission and front-wheel drive. -
Is the 1986 Buick Century the most efficient car in its class?
Yes. Among cars in the Midsize Cars class for the 1986 model year, the Buick Century returns the highest combined MPG at 23 MPG. No other car in the same class beats that figure.
Source: U.S. EPA fuel economy dataset. Annual fuel cost figures assume 15,000 miles of driving per year and a 55% city, 45% highway split. Real-world mileage varies with driving conditions, vehicle maintenance, fuel quality, and driver behaviour.