1986 Ford Thunderbird MPG and Fuel Economy
On this page, you will find a complete guide to the miles per gallon and fuel efficiency data for the 1986 Ford Thunderbird.
The 1986 Ford Thunderbird has 5 model options: Automatic 3-spd 4-cyl, 2.3 L, Manual 5-spd 4-cyl, 2.3 L, Automatic 3-spd 6-cyl, 3.8 L, Automatic 4-spd 6-cyl, 3.8 L and Automatic 4-spd 8-cyl, 5.0 L.
The 1986 Ford Thunderbird Automatic 3-spd 4-cyl, 2.3 L runs on regular gasoline and is in the Compact Cars car class.
The 1986 Ford Thunderbird Manual 5-spd 4-cyl, 2.3 L runs on regular gasoline and is in the Compact Cars car class.
The 1986 Ford Thunderbird Automatic 3-spd 6-cyl, 3.8 L runs on regular gasoline and is in the Compact Cars car class.
The 1986 Ford Thunderbird Automatic 4-spd 6-cyl, 3.8 L runs on regular gasoline and is in the Compact Cars car class.
The 1986 Ford Thunderbird Automatic 4-spd 8-cyl, 5.0 L runs on regular gasoline and is in the Compact Cars car class.
🛣 How Many Miles per Gallon (MPG) Does a 1986 Ford Thunderbird Get?
Across all models, the combined average MPG for the 1986 Ford Thunderbird is 19 miles per gallon.
The table below breaks down the MPG for each model option:
| Model Option | Combined MPG | City MPG | Highway MPG |
|---|---|---|---|
| Automatic 3-spd 4-cyl, 2.3 L | 18 | 16 | 20 |
| Manual 5-spd 4-cyl, 2.3 L | 20 | 18 | 24 |
| Automatic 3-spd 6-cyl, 3.8 L | 18 | 17 | 21 |
| Automatic 4-spd 6-cyl, 3.8 L | 19 | 17 | 24 |
| Automatic 4-spd 8-cyl, 5.0 L | 19 | 16 | 24 |
💵 What is the Average Yearly Fuel Cost for a 1986 Ford Thunderbird?
The average fuel costs for all models of the 1986 Ford Thunderbird is $3,350.
The average fuel costs have been estimated by government regulators based on 15,000 miles driven per year, using regular gasoline, and a split of 55% city driving and 45% highway driving.
Comparing a 1986 Ford Thunderbird to an average vehicle over 5 years, you will spend $5,250 more on fuel.
The table below shows the fuel costs and 5-year save/spend for each model option:
| Model Option | Fuel Cost | 5-Year Save/Spend |
|---|---|---|
| Automatic 3-spd 4-cyl, 2.3 L | $3,500 | spend $6,000 more |
| Manual 5-spd 4-cyl, 2.3 L | $3,150 | spend $4,250 more |
| Automatic 3-spd 6-cyl, 3.8 L | $3,500 | spend $6,000 more |
| Automatic 4-spd 6-cyl, 3.8 L | $3,300 | spend $5,000 more |
| Automatic 4-spd 8-cyl, 5.0 L | $3,300 | spend $5,000 more |
🛢 How Many Barrels of Petroleum Does a 1986 Ford Thunderbird Consume?
Across all models, the average number barrels of petroleum that the 1986 Ford Thunderbird will consume in one year is 16 barrels.
The majority of the world's petroleum is sourced from countries like Saudi Arabia, Russia, Iraq, and the United States.
| Model Option | Barrels |
|---|---|
| Automatic 3-spd 4-cyl, 2.3 L | 17 |
| Manual 5-spd 4-cyl, 2.3 L | 15 |
| Automatic 3-spd 6-cyl, 3.8 L | 17 |
| Automatic 4-spd 6-cyl, 3.8 L | 16 |
| Automatic 4-spd 8-cyl, 5.0 L | 16 |
💨 How Many Grams of CO2 Does a 1986 Ford Thunderbird Emit?
The 1986 Ford Thunderbird will emit an average of about -15,000 grams of CO2 per year.
🌳 To help you understand the impact of this, a normal tree will absorb around 21,000 grams of CO2 per year. This means that roughly 1 tree would be needed to offset emissions from the 1986 Ford Thunderbird.
Overview
The tables below cover all of the miles per gallon, engine specifications, and emission details we have for the 5 1986 Ford Thunderbird model options.
Automatic 3-spd 4-cyl, 2.3 L
The table below contains all of the details we have for the 1986 Ford Thunderbird Automatic 3-spd 4-cyl, 2.3 L:
| City MPG | 16 |
|---|---|
| Highway MPG | 20 |
| Combined MPG | 18 |
| Save/Spend vs Average Car | Spend $6,000 |
| Fuel Cost | $3,500 |
| Fuel Type 1 | Regular |
| Barrels of Petroleum | 17 |
| Grams of CO2 | -15,000 |
| Trees Needed to Offset | -1 |
| Drive | Rear-Wheel Drive |
| Cylinders | 4 |
| Displacement | 2.3 |
| Transmission | Automatic 3-spd |
| Vehicle Class | Compact Cars |
| Start/Stop? | No |
| Supercharged? | No |
| Turbocharged? | Yes |
Manual 5-spd 4-cyl, 2.3 L
The table below contains all of the details we have for the 1986 Ford Thunderbird Manual 5-spd 4-cyl, 2.3 L:
| City MPG | 18 |
|---|---|
| Highway MPG | 24 |
| Combined MPG | 20 |
| Save/Spend vs Average Car | Spend $4,250 |
| Fuel Cost | $3,150 |
| Fuel Type 1 | Regular |
| Barrels of Petroleum | 15 |
| Grams of CO2 | -15,000 |
| Trees Needed to Offset | -1 |
| Drive | Rear-Wheel Drive |
| Cylinders | 4 |
| Displacement | 2.3 |
| Transmission | Manual 5-spd |
| Vehicle Class | Compact Cars |
| Start/Stop? | No |
| Supercharged? | No |
| Turbocharged? | Yes |
Automatic 3-spd 6-cyl, 3.8 L
The table below contains all of the details we have for the 1986 Ford Thunderbird Automatic 3-spd 6-cyl, 3.8 L:
| City MPG | 17 |
|---|---|
| Highway MPG | 21 |
| Combined MPG | 18 |
| Save/Spend vs Average Car | Spend $6,000 |
| Fuel Cost | $3,500 |
| Fuel Type 1 | Regular |
| Barrels of Petroleum | 17 |
| Grams of CO2 | -15,000 |
| Trees Needed to Offset | -1 |
| Drive | Rear-Wheel Drive |
| Cylinders | 6 |
| Displacement | 3.8 |
| Transmission | Automatic 3-spd |
| Vehicle Class | Compact Cars |
| Start/Stop? | No |
| Supercharged? | No |
| Turbocharged? | No |
Automatic 4-spd 6-cyl, 3.8 L
The table below contains all of the details we have for the 1986 Ford Thunderbird Automatic 4-spd 6-cyl, 3.8 L:
| City MPG | 17 |
|---|---|
| Highway MPG | 24 |
| Combined MPG | 19 |
| Save/Spend vs Average Car | Spend $5,000 |
| Fuel Cost | $3,300 |
| Fuel Type 1 | Regular |
| Barrels of Petroleum | 16 |
| Grams of CO2 | -15,000 |
| Trees Needed to Offset | -1 |
| Drive | Rear-Wheel Drive |
| Cylinders | 6 |
| Displacement | 3.8 |
| Transmission | Automatic 4-spd |
| Vehicle Class | Compact Cars |
| Start/Stop? | No |
| Supercharged? | No |
| Turbocharged? | No |
Automatic 4-spd 8-cyl, 5.0 L
The table below contains all of the details we have for the 1986 Ford Thunderbird Automatic 4-spd 8-cyl, 5.0 L:
| City MPG | 16 |
|---|---|
| Highway MPG | 24 |
| Combined MPG | 19 |
| Save/Spend vs Average Car | Spend $5,000 |
| Fuel Cost | $3,300 |
| Fuel Type 1 | Regular |
| Barrels of Petroleum | 16 |
| Grams of CO2 | -15,000 |
| Trees Needed to Offset | -1 |
| Drive | Rear-Wheel Drive |
| Cylinders | 8 |
| Displacement | 5 |
| Transmission | Automatic 4-spd |
| Vehicle Class | Compact Cars |
| Start/Stop? | No |
| Supercharged? | No |
| Turbocharged? | No |
Link To or Reference This Page
If you use this page in your research, please reference MPG Buddy as the source.
<a href="https://mpgbuddy.com/cars/ford/thunderbird/1986">1986 Ford Thunderbird MPG and Fuel Economy</a>
"1986 Ford Thunderbird MPG and Fuel Economy." MPG Buddy. Accessed on January 3, 2026. https://mpgbuddy.com/cars/ford/thunderbird/1986.
"1986 Ford Thunderbird MPG and Fuel Economy." MPG Buddy, https://mpgbuddy.com/cars/ford/thunderbird/1986. Accessed January 3, 2026.
1986 Ford Thunderbird MPG and Fuel Economy. MPG Buddy. Retrieved from https://mpgbuddy.com/cars/ford/thunderbird/1986.