1986 Saab 9000: MPG and fuel economy
The 1986 Saab 9000 is rated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency at 21 combined MPG, with 19 MPG in the city and 26 MPG on the highway. That puts it well above the average for cars in the Large Cars class in the same model year.
This page collects every fuel-economy figure the EPA publishes for the 1986 Saab 9000. 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 1986 Saab 9000 is the most efficient car in the Large Cars class for the 1986 model year, with its 21 MPG rating leading the segment.
- EPA estimates this car costs around $3,500 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 Saab 9000. 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 | 21 MPG |
| City MPG | 19 MPG |
| Highway MPG | 26 MPG |
| Annual fuel cost | $2,850 |
| Tailpipe CO₂ | 423 g/mi |
| Fuel type | Regular |
How the 1986 Saab 9000 compares
The 1986 Saab 9000 returns 21 combined MPG. Cars in the Large Cars class for the same model year average 18.1 MPG, which puts this car ahead of the class average by about 16%.
Within the Large Cars class for the 1986 model year, the Saab 9000 is the leader. No other car in the same class beat its 21 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.
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 714.3 gallons (the car's annual consumption at the rated MPG).
| Driving pattern | Estimated annual fuel cost |
|---|---|
| Light driver, 7,500 miles per year | $1,425 |
| Average driver, 15,000 miles per year | $2,850 |
| Heavy driver, 25,000 miles per year | $4,750 |
Year-over-year MPG for the Saab 9000
The EPA has rated the Saab 9000 across 13 model years, from 1986 Saab 9000 through 1998 Saab 9000. 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 1989 Saab 9000 at 22 MPG.
| Year | Combined MPG | Open year page |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 21 MPG | 1998 Saab 9000 |
| 1997 | 21 MPG | 1997 Saab 9000 |
| 1996 | 21 MPG | 1996 Saab 9000 |
| 1995 | 21 MPG | 1995 Saab 9000 |
| 1994 | 21 MPG | 1994 Saab 9000 |
| 1993 | 21 MPG | 1993 Saab 9000 |
| 1992 | 20 MPG | 1992 Saab 9000 |
| 1991 | 20 MPG | 1991 Saab 9000 |
| 1990 | 21 MPG | 1990 Saab 9000 |
| 1989 | 22 MPG | 1989 Saab 9000 |
| 1988 | 21 MPG | 1988 Saab 9000 |
| 1987 | 21 MPG | 1987 Saab 9000 |
| 1986 | 21 MPG | this page |
Compare against other Large Cars for 1986
If you are cross-shopping the 1986 Saab 9000, the most useful comparison is against the other cars in the Large 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.
Specifications
The 1986 Saab 9000 runs a 2-liter 4-cylinder turbocharged engine paired with a manual 5-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
- Large Cars
- Engine
- 2L 4-cylinder turbocharged
- Transmission
- Manual 5-spd
- Drivetrain
- Front-Wheel Drive
- Fuel type
- Regular
- Annual petroleum use
- 14.2 barrels per year
Common questions about the 1986 Saab 9000
Quick answers to the questions people most often search for when looking up the 1986 Saab 9000.
-
Is the 1986 Saab 9000 fuel efficient?
Yes. The 1986 Saab 9000 returns 21 combined MPG, which beats the average car in the Large Cars class for the same model year by about 16%. -
What MPG does the 1986 Saab 9000 get?
The EPA rates the 1986 Saab 9000 at 21 combined MPG, 19 MPG in city driving, and 26 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 Saab 9000 per year?
The EPA estimates an annual fuel cost of $2,850 for the 1986 Saab 9000. 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 Saab 9000 use?
The EPA lists the 1986 Saab 9000 as running on regular gasoline. Using a different grade than the manufacturer specifies can affect fuel economy and engine longevity. -
Has the Saab 9000 become more fuel efficient over time?
Combined MPG has stayed close to flat across the run. Both the earliest (1986 Saab 9000, 21 MPG) and most recent (1998 Saab 9000, 21 MPG) versions sit in the same range. -
How much CO₂ does the 1986 Saab 9000 emit?
Tailpipe CO₂ emissions are 423 g/mi. Multiplied across a typical year of driving (15,000 miles) that works out to about 6,348 kilograms of CO₂. -
What is the difference between the city and highway MPG of the 1986 Saab 9000?
City driving returns 19 MPG and highway driving returns 26 MPG, a gap of 7 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 Saab 9000?
The 1986 Saab 9000 has a 2-liter 4-cylinder turbocharged engine (EPA description: (16-VALVE) (FFS,TRBO)). Smaller turbocharged engines like this one tend to deliver bigger-engine power on demand while keeping fuel economy closer to a non-turbo version of the same displacement. -
What transmission and drivetrain does the 1986 Saab 9000 have?
The 1986 Saab 9000 comes with a manual 5-spd transmission and front-wheel drive. -
Is the 1986 Saab 9000 the most efficient car in its class?
Yes. Among cars in the Large Cars class for the 1986 model year, the Saab 9000 returns the highest combined MPG at 21 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.