MPG Buddy Fuel economy and gas mileage for every car, 1984 to today

The 100 most fuel-efficient cars in 1986

The 100 most fuel-efficient cars of the 1986 model year, ranked by combined MPG and MPGe. The data comes straight from the EPA fuel economy dataset and includes both gasoline cars and electric vehicles.

Combined MPG (or MPGe for electric vehicles) is the EPA's headline efficiency figure. It blends a city test cycle and a highway test cycle, weighted 55% city and 45% highway, into a single number that lets you compare cars across the entire dataset.

Electric vehicles dominate the very top of the ranking because moving electrons through a motor is several times more efficient than burning gasoline. If you are shopping for a regular gasoline car, scroll down to the second table, which excludes battery-electric vehicles.

All 1986 vehicles, including electric

Every 1986 model year vehicle the EPA rated, sorted by combined MPG from highest to lowest. Battery electric vehicles use MPGe, which converts their electricity use into a gasoline-equivalent figure so the ranking remains on a single scale.

# Make and model Combined MPG(e) Annual fuel cost
1 Chevrolet Sprint ER 48 MPG $1,250
2 Honda Civic CRX HF 46 MPG $1,300
3 Ford Escort FS 38 MPG $2,150
4 Chevrolet Sprint Plus 36 MPG $1,650
5 Pontiac Firefly 36 MPG $1,650
6 Chevrolet Sprint 35 MPG $1,700
7 Pontiac Firefly FE 35 MPG $1,700
8 Volkswagen Golf 35 MPG $2,300
9 Ford Tempo 34 MPG $2,400
10 Honda Civic 34 MPG $1,750
11 Mercury Topaz 34 MPG $2,400
12 Volkswagen Jetta 34 MPG $2,400
13 Dodge Charger 30 MPG $2,000
14 Dodge Omni 30 MPG $2,000
15 Plymouth Horizon 30 MPG $2,000
16 Plymouth Turismo 30 MPG $2,000
17 Chevrolet Spectrum 29 MPG $2,050
18 Isuzu I-Mark 29 MPG $2,050
19 Pontiac Sunburst 29 MPG $2,050
20 Subaru Hatchback 29 MPG $2,050
21 Toyota Camry 29 MPG $2,800
22 Honda Civic CRX 28 MPG $2,150
23 Dodge Colt 27 MPG $2,200
24 Mitsubishi Mirage 27 MPG $2,200
25 Plymouth Colt 27 MPG $2,200
26 Toyota Tercel 27 MPG $2,200
27 Chevrolet Nova 26 MPG $2,300
28 Honda Civic Wagon 26 MPG $2,300
29 Jeep Cherokee/Wagoneer 2WD 26 MPG $3,100
30 Jeep Comanche 2WD 26 MPG $3,100
31 Toyota Corolla 26 MPG $2,300
32 Toyota Corolla Sport 26 MPG $2,300
33 Toyota Tercel Wagon 2WD 26 MPG $2,300
34 Isuzu Trooper 25 MPG $3,250
35 Jeep Cherokee/Wagoneer 4WD 25 MPG $3,250
36 Jeep Comanche 4WD 25 MPG $3,250
37 Nissan Pulsar NX 25 MPG $2,400
38 Nissan Sentra 25 MPG $2,400
39 Nissan Sentra Wagon 25 MPG $2,400
40 Nissan Truck 2WD 25 MPG $2,400
41 Pontiac Fiero 25 MPG $2,400
42 Renault Alliance/Encore 25 MPG $2,400
43 Subaru Sedan/3 Door 25 MPG $2,400
44 Subaru Wagon 25 MPG $2,400
45 Subaru XT-DL 25 MPG $2,400
46 Suzuki Samurai 25 MPG $2,400
47 Suzuki Samurai Convertible 25 MPG $2,400
48 Toyota MR2 25 MPG $2,400
49 Volkswagen GTI 25 MPG $2,400
50 Yugo Gy/yugo GVX 25 MPG $2,400
51 Acura Integra 24 MPG $2,500
52 Buick Skyhawk Wagon 24 MPG $2,500
53 Chevrolet Camaro 24 MPG $2,500
54 Chevrolet Chevette CS 24 MPG $2,500
55 Ford Laser 24 MPG $2,500
56 Honda Civic Wagon 4WD 24 MPG $2,500
57 Hyundai Pony Excel 24 MPG $2,500
58 Isuzu Pickup 4WD 24 MPG $3,400
59 Mazda 323 24 MPG $2,500
60 Mercury Lynx Wagon 24 MPG $2,500
61 Oldsmobile Firenza 24 MPG $2,500
62 Oldsmobile Firenza Cruiser 24 MPG $2,500
63 Pontiac 1000 24 MPG $2,500
64 Pontiac Firebird 24 MPG $2,500
65 Pontiac Sunbird 24 MPG $2,500
66 Pontiac Sunbird Wagon 24 MPG $2,500
67 BMW 5 Series 23 MPG $3,500
68 Buick Century 23 MPG $2,600
69 Buick Somerset/Skylark 23 MPG $2,600
70 Chevrolet Celebrity 23 MPG $2,600
71 Chevrolet Celebrity Wagon 23 MPG $2,600
72 Dodge Aries 23 MPG $2,600
73 Ford Escort 23 MPG $2,600
74 Ford Escort Wagon 23 MPG $2,600
75 Ford EXP 23 MPG $2,600
76 Ford Ranger Pickup 4WD 23 MPG $2,600
77 Honda Accord 23 MPG $2,600
78 Honda Prelude 23 MPG $2,600
79 Isuzu Pickup 2WD 23 MPG $2,600
80 Mazda 626 23 MPG $2,600
81 Mercury Lynx 23 MPG $2,600
82 Oldsmobile Calais 23 MPG $2,600
83 Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera 23 MPG $2,600
84 Plymouth Reliant 23 MPG $2,600
85 Pontiac 6000 23 MPG $2,600
86 Pontiac Grand Am 23 MPG $2,600
87 Subaru 3 Door 4WD Turbo 23 MPG $2,600
88 Subaru Brat 4WD 23 MPG $2,600
89 Subaru Hatchback 4WD 23 MPG $2,600
90 Volkswagen Scirocco 16v 23 MPG $2,600
91 Audi 4000 S 22 MPG $2,700
92 Bertone X1/9 22 MPG $2,700
93 Chevrolet Cavalier 22 MPG $2,700
94 Chevrolet Cavalier Convertible 22 MPG $2,700
95 Chevrolet Cavalier Wagon 22 MPG $2,700
96 Chrysler Laser/Daytona 22 MPG $2,700
97 Chrysler LeBaron Convertible 22 MPG $2,700
98 Chrysler LeBaron GTS 22 MPG $2,700
99 Dodge 600 22 MPG $2,700
100 Dodge 600 Convertible 22 MPG $2,700

Most efficient 1986 gasoline cars

The same 1986 ranking with battery electric vehicles removed. Hybrids and plug-in hybrids appear because they run primarily on gasoline. This is the table to use when shopping for a conventional car, since comparing a pure EV to a regular gas car on a per-gallon basis tends to mislead more than it informs.

# Make and model Combined MPG Annual fuel cost
1 Chevrolet Sprint ER 48 MPG $1,250
2 Honda Civic CRX HF 46 MPG $1,300
3 Ford Escort FS 38 MPG $2,150
4 Chevrolet Sprint Plus 36 MPG $1,650
5 Pontiac Firefly 36 MPG $1,650
6 Chevrolet Sprint 35 MPG $1,700
7 Pontiac Firefly FE 35 MPG $1,700
8 Volkswagen Golf 35 MPG $2,300
9 Ford Tempo 34 MPG $2,400
10 Honda Civic 34 MPG $1,750
11 Mercury Topaz 34 MPG $2,400
12 Volkswagen Jetta 34 MPG $2,400
13 Dodge Charger 30 MPG $2,000
14 Dodge Omni 30 MPG $2,000
15 Plymouth Horizon 30 MPG $2,000
16 Plymouth Turismo 30 MPG $2,000
17 Chevrolet Spectrum 29 MPG $2,050
18 Isuzu I-Mark 29 MPG $2,050
19 Pontiac Sunburst 29 MPG $2,050
20 Subaru Hatchback 29 MPG $2,050
21 Toyota Camry 29 MPG $2,800
22 Honda Civic CRX 28 MPG $2,150
23 Dodge Colt 27 MPG $2,200
24 Mitsubishi Mirage 27 MPG $2,200
25 Plymouth Colt 27 MPG $2,200
26 Toyota Tercel 27 MPG $2,200
27 Chevrolet Nova 26 MPG $2,300
28 Honda Civic Wagon 26 MPG $2,300
29 Jeep Cherokee/Wagoneer 2WD 26 MPG $3,100
30 Jeep Comanche 2WD 26 MPG $3,100
31 Toyota Corolla 26 MPG $2,300
32 Toyota Corolla Sport 26 MPG $2,300
33 Toyota Tercel Wagon 2WD 26 MPG $2,300
34 Isuzu Trooper 25 MPG $3,250
35 Jeep Cherokee/Wagoneer 4WD 25 MPG $3,250
36 Jeep Comanche 4WD 25 MPG $3,250
37 Nissan Pulsar NX 25 MPG $2,400
38 Nissan Sentra 25 MPG $2,400
39 Nissan Sentra Wagon 25 MPG $2,400
40 Nissan Truck 2WD 25 MPG $2,400
41 Pontiac Fiero 25 MPG $2,400
42 Renault Alliance/Encore 25 MPG $2,400
43 Subaru Sedan/3 Door 25 MPG $2,400
44 Subaru Wagon 25 MPG $2,400
45 Subaru XT-DL 25 MPG $2,400
46 Suzuki Samurai 25 MPG $2,400
47 Suzuki Samurai Convertible 25 MPG $2,400
48 Toyota MR2 25 MPG $2,400
49 Volkswagen GTI 25 MPG $2,400
50 Yugo Gy/yugo GVX 25 MPG $2,400
51 Acura Integra 24 MPG $2,500
52 Buick Skyhawk Wagon 24 MPG $2,500
53 Chevrolet Camaro 24 MPG $2,500
54 Chevrolet Chevette CS 24 MPG $2,500
55 Ford Laser 24 MPG $2,500
56 Honda Civic Wagon 4WD 24 MPG $2,500
57 Hyundai Pony Excel 24 MPG $2,500
58 Isuzu Pickup 4WD 24 MPG $3,400
59 Mazda 323 24 MPG $2,500
60 Mercury Lynx Wagon 24 MPG $2,500
61 Oldsmobile Firenza 24 MPG $2,500
62 Oldsmobile Firenza Cruiser 24 MPG $2,500
63 Pontiac 1000 24 MPG $2,500
64 Pontiac Firebird 24 MPG $2,500
65 Pontiac Sunbird 24 MPG $2,500
66 Pontiac Sunbird Wagon 24 MPG $2,500
67 BMW 5 Series 23 MPG $3,500
68 Buick Century 23 MPG $2,600
69 Buick Somerset/Skylark 23 MPG $2,600
70 Chevrolet Celebrity 23 MPG $2,600
71 Chevrolet Celebrity Wagon 23 MPG $2,600
72 Dodge Aries 23 MPG $2,600
73 Ford Escort 23 MPG $2,600
74 Ford Escort Wagon 23 MPG $2,600
75 Ford EXP 23 MPG $2,600
76 Ford Ranger Pickup 4WD 23 MPG $2,600
77 Honda Accord 23 MPG $2,600
78 Honda Prelude 23 MPG $2,600
79 Isuzu Pickup 2WD 23 MPG $2,600
80 Mazda 626 23 MPG $2,600
81 Mercury Lynx 23 MPG $2,600
82 Oldsmobile Calais 23 MPG $2,600
83 Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera 23 MPG $2,600
84 Plymouth Reliant 23 MPG $2,600
85 Pontiac 6000 23 MPG $2,600
86 Pontiac Grand Am 23 MPG $2,600
87 Subaru 3 Door 4WD Turbo 23 MPG $2,600
88 Subaru Brat 4WD 23 MPG $2,600
89 Subaru Hatchback 4WD 23 MPG $2,600
90 Volkswagen Scirocco 16v 23 MPG $2,600
91 Audi 4000 S 22 MPG $2,700
92 Bertone X1/9 22 MPG $2,700
93 Chevrolet Cavalier 22 MPG $2,700
94 Chevrolet Cavalier Convertible 22 MPG $2,700
95 Chevrolet Cavalier Wagon 22 MPG $2,700
96 Chrysler Laser/Daytona 22 MPG $2,700
97 Chrysler LeBaron Convertible 22 MPG $2,700
98 Chrysler LeBaron GTS 22 MPG $2,700
99 Dodge 600 22 MPG $2,700
100 Dodge 600 Convertible 22 MPG $2,700

Source: U.S. EPA fuel economy dataset.