1986 Jeep J-20 Pickup Truck: MPG and fuel economy
The 1986 Jeep J-20 Pickup Truck is rated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency at 11 combined MPG, with 10 MPG in the city and 12 MPG on the highway. That lands well below the average for cars in the Standard Pickup Trucks class in the same model year.
This page collects every fuel-economy figure the EPA publishes for the 1986 Jeep J-20 Pickup Truck. 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
- Returns 33% worse combined MPG than the average car in the Standard Pickup Trucks class for the 1986 model year (16.4 MPG class average).
- The most efficient car in the Standard Pickup Trucks class for the 1986 model year is the Jeep Comanche 2WD at 26 MPG.
- EPA estimates this car costs around $16,500 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 Jeep J-20 Pickup Truck. 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 | 11 MPG |
| City MPG | 10 MPG |
| Highway MPG | 12 MPG |
| Annual fuel cost | $5,450 |
| Tailpipe CO₂ | 808 g/mi |
| Fuel type | Regular |
How the 1986 Jeep J-20 Pickup Truck compares
The 1986 Jeep J-20 Pickup Truck returns 11 combined MPG. Cars in the Standard Pickup Trucks class for the same model year average 16.4 MPG, which puts this car behind the class average by about 33%.
The most efficient car in the Standard Pickup Trucks class for the 1986 model year is the Jeep Comanche 2WD at 26 MPG. The bar chart below puts the Jeep J-20 Pickup Truck alongside the class best and the class average so you can see the full picture.
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.
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 1363.6 gallons (the car's annual consumption at the rated MPG).
| Driving pattern | Estimated annual fuel cost |
|---|---|
| Light driver, 7,500 miles per year | $2,725 |
| Average driver, 15,000 miles per year | $5,450 |
| Heavy driver, 25,000 miles per year | $9,083 |
Year-over-year MPG for the Jeep J-20 Pickup Truck
The EPA has rated the Jeep J-20 Pickup Truck across 2 model years, from 1985 Jeep J-20 Pickup Truck through 1986 Jeep J-20 Pickup Truck. 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 11 MPG.
| Year | Combined MPG | Open year page |
|---|---|---|
| 1986 | 11 MPG | this page |
| 1985 | 11 MPG | 1985 Jeep J-20 Pickup Truck |
Compare against other Standard Pickup Trucks for 1986
If you are cross-shopping the 1986 Jeep J-20 Pickup Truck, the most useful comparison is against the other cars in the Standard Pickup Trucks 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 Jeep Comanche 2WD leads this group at 26 MPG, 15 MPG ahead of the 1986 Jeep J-20 Pickup Truck.
Specifications
The 1986 Jeep J-20 Pickup Truck runs a 5.9-liter 8-cylinder engine paired with a automatic 3-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
- Standard Pickup Trucks
- Engine
- 5.9L 8-cylinder
- Transmission
- Automatic 3-spd
- Drivetrain
- 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive
- Fuel type
- Regular
- Annual petroleum use
- 27 barrels per year
Common questions about the 1986 Jeep J-20 Pickup Truck
Quick answers to the questions people most often search for when looking up the 1986 Jeep J-20 Pickup Truck.
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Is the 1986 Jeep J-20 Pickup Truck fuel efficient?
Not particularly. The 1986 Jeep J-20 Pickup Truck returns 11 combined MPG, which trails the average car in the Standard Pickup Trucks class for the same model year by about 33%. -
What MPG does the 1986 Jeep J-20 Pickup Truck get?
The EPA rates the 1986 Jeep J-20 Pickup Truck at 11 combined MPG, 10 MPG in city driving, and 12 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 Jeep J-20 Pickup Truck per year?
The EPA estimates an annual fuel cost of $5,450 for the 1986 Jeep J-20 Pickup Truck. 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 Jeep J-20 Pickup Truck use?
The EPA lists the 1986 Jeep J-20 Pickup Truck as running on regular gasoline. Using a different grade than the manufacturer specifies can affect fuel economy and engine longevity. -
How much CO₂ does the 1986 Jeep J-20 Pickup Truck emit?
Tailpipe CO₂ emissions are 808 g/mi. Multiplied across a typical year of driving (15,000 miles) that works out to about 12,119 kilograms of CO₂. -
What is the difference between the city and highway MPG of the 1986 Jeep J-20 Pickup Truck?
City driving returns 10 MPG and highway driving returns 12 MPG, a gap of 2 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 1986 Jeep J-20 Pickup Truck?
The 1986 Jeep J-20 Pickup Truck has a 5.9-liter 8-cylinder engine. -
What transmission and drivetrain does the 1986 Jeep J-20 Pickup Truck have?
The 1986 Jeep J-20 Pickup Truck comes with a automatic 3-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 1986 Jeep J-20 Pickup Truck compare to the best car in its class?
The most efficient car in the Standard Pickup Trucks class for the 1986 model year is the Jeep Comanche 2WD at 26 combined MPG. The Jeep J-20 Pickup Truck returns 11 MPG, a gap of 15 MPG. If you are comparing on fuel economy alone, the class leader is worth a look. -
How much more does the 1986 Jeep J-20 Pickup Truck cost in fuel compared to an average car?
The EPA estimates that over five years, the 1986 Jeep J-20 Pickup Truck will cost about $16,500 more in fuel than an average new vehicle of the same model year. The difference accumulates because the car uses more fuel per mile, not because of any one-off charge at the dealership.
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.