1987 Volkswagen Fox: MPG and fuel economy
The 1987 Volkswagen Fox is rated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency at 25 combined MPG, with 23 MPG in the city and 27 MPG on the highway. That sits a little above the average car in the Subcompact Cars class for the same model year.
This page collects every fuel-economy figure the EPA publishes for the 1987 Volkswagen Fox. 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 Subcompact Cars class for the 1987 model year is the Chevrolet Sprint at 34 MPG.
Fuel economy at a glance
These are the EPA's official ratings for the 1987 Volkswagen Fox. 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 | 25 MPG |
| City MPG | 23 MPG |
| Highway MPG | 27 MPG |
| Annual fuel cost | $2,400 |
| Tailpipe CO₂ | 355 g/mi |
| Fuel type | Regular |
How the 1987 Volkswagen Fox compares
The 1987 Volkswagen Fox returns 25 combined MPG. Cars in the Subcompact Cars class for the same model year average 22 MPG, which puts this car ahead of the class average by about 14%.
The most efficient car in the Subcompact Cars class for the 1987 model year is the Chevrolet Sprint at 34 MPG. The bar chart below puts the Volkswagen Fox alongside the class best and the class average so you can see the full picture.
For broader context, the average new car of the 1987 model year (across all classes) returns 19.5 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 1987 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 600 gallons (the car's annual consumption at the rated MPG).
| Driving pattern | Estimated annual fuel cost |
|---|---|
| Light driver, 7,500 miles per year | $1,200 |
| Average driver, 15,000 miles per year | $2,400 |
| Heavy driver, 25,000 miles per year | $4,000 |
Year-over-year MPG for the Volkswagen Fox
The EPA has rated the Volkswagen Fox across 7 model years, from 1987 Volkswagen Fox through 1993 Volkswagen Fox. 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 25 MPG.
| Year | Combined MPG | Open year page |
|---|---|---|
| 1993 | 25 MPG | 1993 Volkswagen Fox |
| 1992 | 25 MPG | 1992 Volkswagen Fox |
| 1991 | 25 MPG | 1991 Volkswagen Fox |
| 1990 | 24 MPG | 1990 Volkswagen Fox |
| 1989 | 24 MPG | 1989 Volkswagen Fox |
| 1988 | 24 MPG | 1988 Volkswagen Fox |
| 1987 | 25 MPG | this page |
Compare against other Subcompact Cars for 1987
If you are cross-shopping the 1987 Volkswagen Fox, the most useful comparison is against the other cars in the Subcompact 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 Chevrolet Sprint leads this group at 39 MPG, 14 MPG ahead of the 1987 Volkswagen Fox.
Specifications
The 1987 Volkswagen Fox runs a 1.8-liter 4-cylinder engine paired with a manual 4-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
- Subcompact Cars
- Engine
- 1.8L 4-cylinder
- Transmission
- Manual 4-spd
- Drivetrain
- Front-Wheel Drive
- Fuel type
- Regular
- Annual petroleum use
- 11.9 barrels per year
Common questions about the 1987 Volkswagen Fox
Quick answers to the questions people most often search for when looking up the 1987 Volkswagen Fox.
-
Is the 1987 Volkswagen Fox fuel efficient?
Yes. The 1987 Volkswagen Fox returns 25 combined MPG, which beats the average car in the Subcompact Cars class for the same model year by about 14%. -
What MPG does the 1987 Volkswagen Fox get?
The EPA rates the 1987 Volkswagen Fox at 25 combined MPG, 23 MPG in city driving, and 27 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 1987 Volkswagen Fox per year?
The EPA estimates an annual fuel cost of $2,400 for the 1987 Volkswagen Fox. 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 1987 Volkswagen Fox use?
The EPA lists the 1987 Volkswagen Fox as running on regular gasoline. Using a different grade than the manufacturer specifies can affect fuel economy and engine longevity. -
Has the Volkswagen Fox become more fuel efficient over time?
Combined MPG has stayed close to flat across the run. Both the earliest (1987 Volkswagen Fox, 25 MPG) and most recent (1993 Volkswagen Fox, 25 MPG) versions sit in the same range. -
How much CO₂ does the 1987 Volkswagen Fox emit?
Tailpipe CO₂ emissions are 355 g/mi. Multiplied across a typical year of driving (15,000 miles) that works out to about 5,332 kilograms of CO₂. -
What is the difference between the city and highway MPG of the 1987 Volkswagen Fox?
City driving returns 23 MPG and highway driving returns 27 MPG, a gap of 4 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 1987 Volkswagen Fox?
The 1987 Volkswagen Fox has a 1.8-liter 4-cylinder engine (EPA description: (FFS)). -
What transmission and drivetrain does the 1987 Volkswagen Fox have?
The 1987 Volkswagen Fox comes with a manual 4-spd transmission and front-wheel drive. -
How does the 1987 Volkswagen Fox compare to the best car in its class?
The most efficient car in the Subcompact Cars class for the 1987 model year is the Chevrolet Sprint at 34 combined MPG. The Volkswagen Fox returns 25 MPG, a gap of 9 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.