Super Cheap High MPG Cars: 1978-1981

119 thoughts on “Super Cheap High MPG Cars: 1978-1981”

1. This is absolutely amazing information. I would love to find out where I could get detailed MPG information for the past 50 years. Any suggestions?

2. What? The Pinto isn’t listed… Well, at least car manufacturers have improved MPG over the last quarter century?!

3. Ah yes, the late 70’s and early 80’s… when the Big-3 could lie through their teeth with impunity.

   40 – 50 MPG hahahahaha…

4. I admit to having owned a Pinto at one point. Thank heavens that thing was light, because I had to push it home more than once. Luckily, I was just around the corner. 🙂

   The highest-MPG Pintos of that timeframe didn’t quite make it to 40 MPG on the highway. There were two 1980s that claimed 38 MPG highway.

   Fear not … I’ll be adding a Pinto page sooner or later.

5. I had a ’77 Accord that was just a super car – drove the wheels off if it before I sold it to my brother-in-law who drove the wheels off again! The one thing to remember about many of these cars…they ran on LEADED gas! You would have to buy additives today to make them run properly. 🙂 A great list

6. Good luck with Renault’s Le Car. You couldn’t keep that thing on the road when it was new, let alone in used condition!

7. My Pinto with a C3 transmission got only 13 mpg. My folks had an Olds 98 which got 16. Go figure…

8. Thanks, Larry … that was a fine vintage! Today’s Civics sure seem like they’ve grown larger than those early Accords.

   Bob – The Le Car was quite frightening. The B&B Department Store in Beach Haven, NJ has a Le Car hanging upside down from the ceiling as a decoration. Or something of the like … 🙂

9. We need to go back a bit further to the 1953 IZETA (by BMW). Top speed was about 50 and MPG was 55. It had a 275cc motor cycle engine. Personally I don’t travel on major highways where I need speed above 50. 90% of my driving would work perfectly with a small 2 seater like the IZETA.

10. Currently I’m in the process of considering buying an electric gulf cart with a hi-speed kit (22-25 MPH) and use it for many of my trips. In AZ they have very liberal laws about NEV (neighborhood Electric vehicles) and you can pick up a used one for $2,500 to $4,500. Costs about $.40 to completely charge (120VAC). Personally I think these carts can go faster i.e. 30 to 35MPH, which would be perfect. No GAS, NO OIL CHANGES, ZERO emissions. Plug them into your solar panels — NO FUEL COSTS.

11. Wow these are some fantasy numbers. I’ve owned several of the vehicles listed and their actual mpg wasn’t anything near some of the claims when the vehicles were new, let alone if you tried to find one now.

12. I bought an ’89 Honda Civic CRX two weeks ago. It isn’t much to look at but it’s basically sound even at 254k miles. I get 42 mpg on the highway and 39 in town. Every 1000 miles I drive it instead of my 10mpg V10 truck I save over $200. It will have paid for itself by March 08! It’s all gravy after that.

13. Wishing you the best with your new (old) CRX, Mr. Incredible! I was lucky enough to own a brand new CRX si, back in the day … I slapped a header and exhaust system on that ride way before so many of today’s Honda hot rodding kids were even born.

    The good news is that Honda has a CR-Z waiting in the wings … and it’s a *hybrid* sports car, no less. It’s on display at the Tokyo Auto Show … check it out …

14. this is great information, even if these ratings are off a few miles, it’s still good. these cars would be perfect candidates also to convert into electric cars.i am sick to death of catering to the big oil companys, so these cars that had been ignored in the past , are looking pretty good now.-Ron

15. This is interesting, but I couldn’t find the 3 cyc. Chev. Sprint or Metro’s. I had a Sprint that got nearly 50 mpg. on the highway. Wish I had it back now.

    John

16. I am interested in which of these good mpg cars had a seat that would lay back flat for sleeping? Also the best longevity mechanically…anybody know?
    Thanks

17. I have a friend who owned a Toyota Starlet and it would get 50mpg back in 1982. He’s trying to find one of these now. Anyway if they could get that kind of milage then, dont you think the car companies with all the computer controls we have now and technologies we should be getting 100 mpg’s. Some one is paying someone to hold back. Think about it.

18. To Greg,
    Your last statement is why you are wasting your breath. Americans don’t think anymore.
    Perhaps “emissions” was just an excuse for an overall decline in mpg in passenger cars, despite advanced plastics, carbon fiber, more reliable aluminum parts and of course, precisely computer-controlled engine management systems. We could and should be getting 100 mpg from a four cylinder today.
    A relative who drove very conservatively owned one of those 1981 Isuzu I-mark diesels back in the day. Waiting for the glow plugs to warm (about twenty seconds) was something new. Those numbers aren’t fantasy!

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20. I think you should include the Citroen 2cv, 3cv (ami 6) and Mehari. I had an ami 6 and definitely got at least 40 to 50 miles per gallon. I used it to commute from San Bernardino to West La on a daily basis in 1970-71 and never put more than 50 cents worth of gas on a 3 day basis.

21. Ted – many thanks for the heads up! I went looking for mileage specs on Citroens, but couldn’t find anything in the Fed data … it only goes as far back as 1979 …

22. In Aug. 06 I bought a Mazda 323 for $325 with 206,000 + miles on it. I put another $700 + into it. New studded snows, cvc joints, battery, front wheel bearings and a set of used bucket seats from a wrecking yard. I don’t check milage city and highway just at every fillup. Worst was 37.8 mpg, best was 42.6. I now has 218.663 miles on it. My wallet loves that ugly little thing. My wife hates it. I just bought a 1991 323 with a blown head gasket for $350. Wish me luck.

23. In the late ’70’s I drove Datsuns. Our carborated ’78 B210 ran on regular leaded gas and got consistently over 45 mpg on long trips, high 30’s in town. Other than tires and oil changes I got several good years with that vehicle. We traded it in for a straight six 810, that got nearly 30 mpg when we started our family. We drove that for 10 years and got over 225,000 miles on her before selling it to a family member.

    My new 07 Camry gets mid 30’s, but you need to be light on the gas pedal.

24. Ok i have a question…
    i just got a 1980 vw jetta with automatic trans, one owner, yes sir, one owner, bought actually at the same dealership that i work for, in 1980 when it was zero miles,
    anyways, i just got it from the p/o and i would like to know how many miles are estimated for this car?….
    it is a really nice looking 2door…and smells like old lady tho….hahaha

25. Hans –

    Best of luck with your new vintage veedub! I just posted the Jetta mileage ratings … looks like it should pull down 22 city, 31 or 32 highway. Not sure what I’d recommend for the odorific situation other than a good carpet cleaning and airing out …

26. Re; Larry’s comment. Leaded gas is not required. All cars built from 1971 on will run on unleaded gas. In fact all cars with catalytic converters require it. My ’75 Honda Civic was one of the last cars built without a catalytic converter. It met US specs without one. I ran it on leaded or unleaded, whichever was cheaper. It was a 4 speed and avereged 32 MPG, mostly city driving.

27. Hello, I have a 1984 buick century wagon with the 2.5 L engine and a 3spd automatic trans, what kind of gas mileage can I expect when I get this car on the road again, and would putting on a high flow cat increase my mileage a little more? I also have a 1990 pontiac grand am with the 2.3 L quad 4,with automatic trans, which car would be best to hold onto? Thanks.

28. Where did these figures come from? I had a new 79 Scirocco and it never got these numbers listed.

29. Justin –

    These are the official Fed figures. There are two things to keep in mind … first, the numbers varied in those early years … second, there were six models of the Scirocco listed, with the least fuel-efficient coming in at 22 city/31 highway. As always, YMMV. 🙂

30. My Parents had a 84 Ford Escort Diesel, and that thing always did better than 45mpg in fact it would get 52 hwy when it had 250k when I started driving it in ’94 the only downfall is the rear suspension rusted out in ’98 with 325k on it. I was SO dissapointed with the NEW Taurus I bought the first time i filled up, I swore I’d never own a gasser again, had the Taurus 1 month and traded for a Jetta TurboDiesel. Which got slightly less than the escort but had WAY more power.
    My 2 pennies

31. had ford escort and tempo diesel. Very accurately measured and averaged, 37 mpg. really never much better, but never much worse. Included hwy at 75, and city driving mainly.

    They have small pickups in other countries that get 40 mpg. The Lupo in Europe get 80 mpg or thereabouts. There is a car coming out in germany that get 155 mpg, nothing fancy, no hybrid crap and other auxilary stupid buzzword technology, just a “keep it simple stupid”.

    If anything, get pissed at the politicians / beaurucrats who won’t let these safe, environmentally friendly and efficient vehicles be sold in the US. And they talk about giving us a few hundred dollars back this summer, a tax break.. How about thousands $$ by letting us buy something fuel efficient! At least they haven’t banned bicycles and walking yet, giving us the freedom to not have to drive and spend if we dont want to, although in many places its defacto since if you not in a car, youre going to get run over by soccer mom with cell phone in ear and “sun was in my eyes” excuse .. “it was just an accident”. Yeah right. 40,000 killed by and in vehicles per year in the US. “Just accidents” Where is the war on this terror ?

32. My 93 Geo metro got 51.5 MPG high way and I believe it was rated at 58 high way. I absolutely loved that car. I bought it new for $5,800 with out floor mats or radio. I wish I had bought a bunch of them back then and stacked them in my garage. It paid for itself in about 7 years compared to driving junkers at about 12 MPG.

33. Had a ’72 Datsun 1200 that would give 40+ on hwy and later a rebuilt ’85 Rabbit diesel with 50+ on hwy. Both were driven somewhat above posted speed limits (75 – 80) on open road. Good little cars, but growing family made lager car necessary. Now considering new ’08 Jetta diesel when they come on the market.

34. In 1976 a man from Huntsville, Al invented a Honeycomb carburator and was getting 120 M.P.G on a 500 Caddy Engine. He was on local news and in papers and he was going to sell them but suddenly faded from any promotion. I figure they either bought him off or killed him. Does anyone remember this?

35. If I was to consider searching for an older car that got better gas mileage than today’s cars, what are some things that I should consider? I read that some or most ran on leaded gas should this be a concern?

36. @Billy – I wouldn’t worry so much about the leaded gas as I would about good old RUST. Keep an eye out for bad rust in the undercarriage and the front strut mounts (a common problem, it seems, for the vintage VW Rabbit diesels).

    I’ve been considering a number of other vintage fuel-sippers as candidates for a pseudo-restoration. The Honda CRX HF turned in some remarkable numbers, but most of those have been snapped up by the new generation of hot rodders …

37. Thank you to whoever put this list and the website together. While I understand the claimed mpg figures may be off, at least it gives me a starting point for research.

    I am considering getting a “collector vehicle” and here in WA they have to be 30 years old or older. Many years ago when my wife and I first met, she had a 76 pinto and I had a 78ish Datsun B210. I know people like to rank on the old pinto, but I must admit it never let us down, was super easy to work on, and since I am tall, it actually had some leg and headroom in it. Of course there is that whole exploding deal, but every car has drawbacks…. 😉

    The B210 was also easy to work on and reliable. I rebuilt the engine on the tailgate of my dad’s pickup using hand-tools and a manual. I think I also painted it red from that awful bumble bee yellow factory job. The big drawback to the B210 was I did not fit in it very well. I had to put one of those small aftermarket steering wheels on it so my legs would clear and I could actually steer the thing.

    So, did any of these cars on the list have a little more leg/head room than the others?

    Thanks

38. I own a 1989 Honda Civic DX. I bought it 3 years ago for $800 plus some yard work. It had only 87,000 miles on it. Today it has over 156,000 miles and still gets 35+ mpg in the city, and 40+ mpg highway. With a light right foot and a decent tailwind I’ve seen 53 mpg on the Interstate, accurately measured. Unlike some of the older cars listed here (i.e. B210), my little Civic is quick and nimble.

    I see nothing in the car dealerships that I would consider buying. Everything is overpowered and gets crappy gas mileage, or it’s an expensive hybrid.

39. Your list missed the one I own: a 93 Honda Civic VX rated at 55 highway/48 city. I have 206K on it, doesn’t use oil, original clutch, only standard maintenance and I regularly get in 52 to 53 MPG on the highway. There is a January 1993 Motor Trend article that is very informative and tells you how Honda did it – very interesting. In the article they drove the car conservatively (55 to 60 MPG tops and slowing on hills) and averaged just under 65 MPG!)

    Unfortunately, even these cars are hard to find now. I still cannot find many in the boneyard for parts and kids do snatch up these cars and hot road them all the time.

    As far as the rumors about getting 120 MPG out of a 500 Caddy engine (Dave’s comment, #34), it’s just impossible – an urban legend. These stories persist and they defy the laws of physics (my field) , mostly because we all want to believe there is an easy solution.

    If any of you wants to look at the mess we are headed for, do a google search on Peak Oil and you will have lots of information to contemplate.

    Dave

    ps. oh yeah, I also tow a small sailboat and a utility trailer with that 50+ MPG Civic. I plan to keep it for many years to come.

40. Folks say “I had a car that didn’t get x miles per gallon”
    It may be about driving habits…

    My sister had a Suburu Justy (1988?) – that was a 3-cyl, 5-speed. She upgraded to mom’s 88 Accord, and I got the Justy. I got 30-32 mpg with the vehicle, until I got a different vehicle. I was always impressed with its low-speed torque and acceleration.

    We sold the car to a guy who drove to work nights, and didn’t use the AC. His better driving habits and his choice to not use the AC got him 45+ miles per gallon on this vehicle. Clearly, he didn’t experiment with the acceleration the vehicle was capable of.

    There was an article in Readers Digest recently, about a guy who got high mileage, planned his routes around right-hand turns (right on red, etc), and did a variety of other things – he was getting 50-80% more on a GAS vehicle. In a testing scenario, he got over 150 mpg on a prius.

    If someone claims to get good milage with their vehicle, and someone claims “no such thing” – it may be driving habits.

41. Years ago I had a 1989 Pontiac Sunbird 2dr 5 speed.
    I got 36mpg highway during every long trip I measured.
    The car had adequate performance, though it really needed the 5spd…had to drop down a gear or two to pass on the highway. GM was capable of producing this kind of fuel economy 20 years ago, so why is it that today almost no cars they make can achieve these numbers, and those that do resemble tiny aluminum cans with wheels?

42. Just a quick comment on getting more speed out of a Golf Cart…. Yes, their engines can be tweaked to get more speed, but….
    At ‘higher speeds’, a Golf Cart rapidly becomes hazardous to your health. They are too easy to lose control of, flip, or just topple over.
    I’ve got one, a Club Car, & love it. It’s my ‘Farm Cart’, never to see pristine Golf Greens again, it has a Lift Kit, & a Flip Kit in the back which serves me like a tiny Flat Bed on a truck.
    After driving it for over a year now, I can see the Manufacturers reason for cautioning folks to slow down on ’em.
    It *does* get pretty good fuel mileage per hours driven. Yes, mine is gas powered.
    If it were legal to take these things out on the road where I live, I’d have no qualms ’bout putzin’ into town in one, taking my time, enjoying the scenery.

43. this may sound silly but i have a ’98 Neon and on road trips it actually got 39 mpg- it averaged 35 mpg rural and city driving combined. when i decided to move and go to college i left the car with my parents because i didnt need it.
    my mom drives kind of ‘crazy.’ fast acceleration from stop lights/signs, quick braking, and constantly speeding. i was considerably confused when my parents told me they were only getting 29-30 mpg with the car and was worried there was something wrong with it. after graduation i took the car back gave it a tune up and am back to getting 35 mpg and it has 160,000+ miles.
    i really do think driving habits help gas mileage!

44. @Sarah – not silly at all! I know some crazy drivers …

    Driving habits have a HUGE effect on gas mileage. What’s silly is that some folks just don’t (or don’t want to) get that. 🙂 Driving thoughtfully saves gas.

    Life isn’t a NASCAR race, but that having been said, you don’t have to drive like a slowpoke to benefit from a smart right foot …

45. I recently GAVE AWAY two Ford Fiesta’s (one was still running when it left the yard!) Can you say STOOPID! I can try to blame my angry wife but it was my decision. I bought four over time and drove one for 14 years (thank you Castrol) by swapping parts (even raced it at local SCCA events for a time). I am sooo kicking myself now! As per milage, no accurate figures but you could pull up to the gas station and laugh ! I know I drove it once over 20 miles with nothing showing on the gauge. Also had a Datsun B-110 that you go to the pump, check the gas and fill it up with oil.

46. i bought a 1981 Honda Accord 5spd in april, for $200. it needed some work to get running (Carb.,timing belt) so i got it done and i pleased to say that even driving a lil crazy i got 27 mpg delivering pizza in the city! and highway was 30 going 65 before the engine was timed correctly. now that im getting the carb readjusted for the engine timing im expecting 40 mpg out of “Ol’ Sparky” sure people stare and wonder y i have duct tape covering the rusted body panels but the fact that i can drive 100 miles and use just 3 gallons is pretty awsome. i’ll take that honda over a SUV any day!

47. I’m 100% with Ted up there. I owned a couple of Citroen 2CV6’s for years, drove the arse off them all over Europe and never got less than 50 m.p.g. (You tend to give up keeping an eye on consumption when you’re getting above 50 m.p.g. so couldn’t be more specific, sorry, lol.)
    Also both mine had basic points ignition; there’s a bolt-on electronic ignition unit available which could surely only improve on those figures.
    The only problem is that over the last 10 years or so they’ve graduated to “cherished/collectable vehicle” status, meaning I’m no longer prepared to buy one at the silly money for which they are advertised, a sad state of affairs!

48. Just got a 1998 Suzuki Swift (aka Geo Metro) with 60K miles for $3400. It has the 1.3 liter 4 cylinder and TWO airbags.

    Spent most of its life in Fla and Arizona so the body is in great shape. Averaging 35 mpg in city driving before any tune ups, new air or oil filters etc.

    Sure beats my Chrysler Pacifica for in town driving, and I must admit the Swift is doing more time on the highway too…

49. I just bought a 1984 Honda Accord 5 Speed, It’s very light, no power locks, windows, doors, steering. It has air conditioning though, When i first got it i drove it very hard (6000-7500 RPM) in every gear (the red line is around 6800) on the city and highway, and it got an average of 36mpg,(i was actually surprised it would take the abuse i gave it) After that i started driving it nicely (revving to around 3000) and now it gets an average of 39 city, and 44 highway, not bad for a car that cost me $400, She Just has body rust (I’m replacing the front quarter panels, and sanding all the rust and paint off, then i am going to patch and fill the few small rust holes, sand the body, prime, then paint it. Estimated cost is around $200 CAD. Also fluid changes coming soon (switching to synthetic for all fluids) and a tune up.

50. I use to have a 1981 VW Rabbit Diesel that got about 45 MPG on the highway. Drove it from Washington DC to Boston MA on one tank (10 gal). The only problem was that 18 Wheeler would pass me going up hills, but if you only have about 50 HP under the hood that’s normal.
    Ahh the good ol’ 80’s.