1990 GMC Safari AWD (cargo): MPG and fuel economy
The 1990 GMC Safari AWD (cargo) is rated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency at 17 combined MPG, with 15 MPG in the city and 20 MPG on the highway. That sits a little above the average car in the Vans class for the same model year.
This page collects every fuel-economy figure the EPA publishes for the 1990 GMC Safari AWD (cargo). 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. 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
- The most efficient car in the Vans class for the 1990 model year is the Chevrolet Astro 2WD (cargo) at 19 MPG.
- EPA estimates this car costs around $6,750 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 1990 GMC Safari AWD (cargo). 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.
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 | 17 MPG |
| City MPG | 15 MPG |
| Highway MPG | 20 MPG |
| Annual fuel cost | $3,500 |
| Tailpipe CO₂ | 523 g/mi |
| Fuel type | Regular |
How the 1990 GMC Safari AWD (cargo) compares
The 1990 GMC Safari AWD (cargo) returns 17 combined MPG. Cars in the Vans class for the same model year average 15.5 MPG, which puts this car ahead of the class average by about 10%.
The most efficient car in the Vans class for the 1990 model year is the Chevrolet Astro 2WD (cargo) at 19 MPG. The bar chart below puts the GMC Safari AWD (cargo) alongside the class best and the class average so you can see the full picture.
For broader context, the average new car of the 1990 model year (across all classes) returns 19.1 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 1990 model year is on its own page.
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 882.4 gallons (the car's annual consumption at the rated MPG).
| Driving pattern | Estimated annual fuel cost |
|---|---|
| Light driver, 7,500 miles per year | $1,750 |
| Average driver, 15,000 miles per year | $3,500 |
| Heavy driver, 25,000 miles per year | $5,833 |
Year-over-year MPG for the GMC Safari AWD (cargo)
The EPA has rated the GMC Safari AWD (cargo) across 16 model years, from 1990 GMC Safari AWD (cargo) through 2005 GMC Safari AWD (cargo). 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, hovering close to 15 MPG.
| Year | Combined MPG | Open year page |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 15 MPG | 2005 GMC Safari AWD (cargo) |
| 2004 | 15 MPG | 2004 GMC Safari AWD (cargo) |
| 2003 | 15 MPG | 2003 GMC Safari AWD (cargo) |
| 2002 | 15 MPG | 2002 GMC Safari AWD (cargo) |
| 2001 | 15 MPG | 2001 GMC Safari AWD (cargo) |
| 2000 | 16 MPG | 2000 GMC Safari AWD (cargo) |
| 1999 | 16 MPG | 1999 GMC Safari AWD (cargo) |
| 1998 | 16 MPG | 1998 GMC Safari AWD (cargo) |
| 1997 | 16 MPG | 1997 GMC Safari AWD (cargo) |
| 1996 | 16 MPG | 1996 GMC Safari AWD (cargo) |
| 1995 | 16 MPG | 1995 GMC Safari AWD (cargo) |
| 1994 | 16 MPG | 1994 GMC Safari AWD (cargo) |
| 1993 | 16 MPG | 1993 GMC Safari AWD (cargo) |
| 1992 | 16 MPG | 1992 GMC Safari AWD (cargo) |
| 1991 | 17 MPG | 1991 GMC Safari AWD (cargo) |
| 1990 | 17 MPG | this page |
Compare against other Vans for 1990
If you are cross-shopping the 1990 GMC Safari AWD (cargo), the most useful comparison is against the other cars in the Vans 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 Chevrolet Astro 2WD (cargo) leads this group at 20 MPG, 3 MPG ahead of the 1990 GMC Safari AWD (cargo).
Specifications
The 1990 GMC Safari AWD (cargo) runs a 4.3-liter 6-cylinder engine paired with a automatic 4-spd, sending power through 4-wheel or all-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
- Vans
- Engine
- 4.3L 6-cylinder
- Transmission
- Automatic 4-spd
- Drivetrain
- 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive
- Fuel type
- Regular
- Annual petroleum use
- 17.5 barrels per year
Common questions about the 1990 GMC Safari AWD (cargo)
Quick answers to the questions people most often search for when looking up the 1990 GMC Safari AWD (cargo).
-
Is the 1990 GMC Safari AWD (cargo) fuel efficient?
Yes. The 1990 GMC Safari AWD (cargo) returns 17 combined MPG, which beats the average car in the Vans class for the same model year by about 10%. -
What MPG does the 1990 GMC Safari AWD (cargo) get?
The EPA rates the 1990 GMC Safari AWD (cargo) at 17 combined MPG, 15 MPG in city driving, and 20 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 1990 GMC Safari AWD (cargo) per year?
The EPA estimates an annual fuel cost of $3,500 for the 1990 GMC Safari AWD (cargo). 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 1990 GMC Safari AWD (cargo) use?
The EPA lists the 1990 GMC Safari AWD (cargo) as running on regular gasoline. Using a different grade than the manufacturer specifies can affect fuel economy and engine longevity. -
Has the GMC Safari AWD (cargo) become more fuel efficient over time?
Combined MPG has stayed close to flat across the run. Both the earliest (1990 GMC Safari AWD (cargo), 17 MPG) and most recent (2005 GMC Safari AWD (cargo), 15 MPG) versions sit in the same range. -
How much CO₂ does the 1990 GMC Safari AWD (cargo) emit?
Tailpipe CO₂ emissions are 523 g/mi. Multiplied across a typical year of driving (15,000 miles) that works out to about 7,841 kilograms of CO₂. -
What is the difference between the city and highway MPG of the 1990 GMC Safari AWD (cargo)?
City driving returns 15 MPG and highway driving returns 20 MPG, a gap of 5 MPG. The two figures are close enough that the car will hold its rated efficiency well across most driving patterns. -
What engine is in the 1990 GMC Safari AWD (cargo)?
The 1990 GMC Safari AWD (cargo) has a 4.3-liter 6-cylinder engine (EPA description: (FFS)). -
What transmission and drivetrain does the 1990 GMC Safari AWD (cargo) have?
The 1990 GMC Safari AWD (cargo) comes with a automatic 4-spd transmission and 4-wheel or all-wheel drive. All-wheel-drive variants typically read 1 to 3 MPG lower than the front-wheel-drive equivalent of the same engine, since the extra hardware adds weight and parasitic loss. -
How does the 1990 GMC Safari AWD (cargo) compare to the best car in its class?
The most efficient car in the Vans class for the 1990 model year is the Chevrolet Astro 2WD (cargo) at 19 combined MPG. The GMC Safari AWD (cargo) returns 17 MPG, a gap of 2 MPG. If you are comparing on fuel economy alone, the class leader is worth a look.
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.