Guide · Updated 2026-09-27
40 Years of Fuel Economy: How MPG Changed Since 1984
44 model years of EPA ratings show a long slide, a quick climb and then an electric turn. Here's what the data says.
Median and best MPG, 1984–2027
- Median model line
- Most efficient gas or hybrid
Each model line counts once per year, in its most efficient gas or hybrid configuration. This is not weighted by sales.
Show data table
| Year | Median MPG | Best MPG | Gas & other % | Hybrid % | Plug-in hybrid % | Electric % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2027 | 23 | 55 | 50.0 | 22.6 | 2.2 | 25.3 |
| 2026 | 24 | 57 | 50.5 | 23.8 | 7.8 | 17.8 |
| 2025 | 24 | 57 | 49.0 | 22.5 | 11.2 | 17.2 |
| 2024 | 24 | 57 | 57.0 | 22.4 | 5.4 | 15.2 |
| 2023 | 24 | 57 | 61.5 | 19.0 | 9.0 | 10.5 |
| 2022 | 24 | 59 | 67.0 | 16.6 | 8.4 | 7.9 |
| 2021 | 24 | 59 | 70.8 | 15.4 | 8.9 | 4.9 |
| 2020 | 24 | 58 | 75.9 | 12.1 | 8.0 | 4.0 |
| 2019 | 24 | 58 | 79.5 | 9.6 | 6.7 | 4.1 |
| 2018 | 24 | 58 | 81.0 | 8.2 | 7.1 | 3.7 |
| 2017 | 24 | 58 | 82.2 | 8.4 | 5.1 | 4.3 |
| 2016 | 24 | 56 | 83.2 | 9.0 | 4.3 | 3.5 |
| 2015 | 24 | 50 | 84.7 | 9.3 | 3.3 | 2.7 |
| 2014 | 23 | 50 | 83.1 | 10.9 | 2.7 | 3.3 |
| 2013 | 23 | 50 | 83.9 | 11.6 | 1.2 | 3.3 |
| 2012 | 22 | 50 | 87.0 | 9.6 | 0.9 | 2.5 |
| 2011 | 21 | 48 | 89.5 | 9.3 | 0.3 | 0.9 |
| 2010 | 21 | 50 | 92.2 | 7.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| 2009 | 20 | 46 | 94.1 | 5.9 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| 2008 | 19 | 46 | 95.0 | 4.7 | 0.0 | 0.3 |
| 2007 | 19 | 46 | 95.6 | 4.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| 2006 | 19 | 52 | 96.4 | 3.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| 2005 | 19 | 52 | 97.8 | 2.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| 2004 | 19 | 52 | 98.4 | 1.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| 2003 | 19 | 53 | 98.6 | 1.1 | 0.0 | 0.4 |
| 2002 | 20 | 53 | 98.5 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 0.8 |
| 2001 | 20 | 53 | 97.3 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 1.9 |
| 2000 | 20 | 53 | 98.3 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 1.2 |
| 1999 | 20 | 38 | 97.9 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.1 |
| 1998 | 20 | 40 | 99.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.8 |
| 1997 | 19 | 40 | 100.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| 1996 | 19.5 | 40 | 100.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| 1995 | 19 | 43 | 100.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| 1994 | 19 | 47 | 100.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| 1993 | 19 | 47 | 100.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| 1992 | 19 | 47 | 97.4 | 2.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| 1991 | 18 | 47 | 97.7 | 2.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| 1990 | 19 | 47 | 98.9 | 1.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| 1989 | 19 | 47 | 99.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| 1988 | 20 | 47 | 99.6 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| 1987 | 20 | 47 | 99.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| 1986 | 20 | 48 | 100.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| 1985 | 21 | 43 | 93.2 | 6.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| 1984 | 21 | 41 | 93.5 | 6.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Three eras of fuel economy
The slide (1980s to 2008). The median model line was rated 21 MPG in 1984, slipped to 18 MPG by 1991 and was still at 19 MPG in 2008. Engines did get more efficient, but the gains went into power and weight rather than mileage, and trucks and SUVs took a growing share of the lineup.
The climb (2009 to 2015). Tighter federal standards pushed turbocharged small engines, 8- to 10-speed and CVT transmissions, start-stop systems and hybrid drive. In just seven model years the median jumped to 24 MPG.
The electric turn (since 2015). The gas-and-hybrid median has held at about 24 MPG since then, while the real change happened off this chart: battery-electric model lines went from a handful to 18% of the 2026 lineup, with plug-in hybrids growing alongside them. Their efficiency is measured in MPGe, so they appear in the powertrain chart below instead.
Powertrain mix by model year
- Gas & other
- Hybrid
- Plug-in hybrid
- Electric
Share of EPA-rated model lines, not of sales. Full values are in the data table above.
Most efficient gas or hybrid model line by decade
| Decade | Model | Combined | km/L |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 1986 Chevrolet Sprint | 48 MPG | 20.4 |
| 1990s | 1990 Geo Metro | 47 MPG | 20.0 |
| 2000s | 2000 Honda Insight | 53 MPG | 22.5 |
| 2010s | 2017 Hyundai Ioniq | 58 MPG | 24.7 |
| 2020s | 2021 Hyundai Ioniq | 59 MPG | 25.1 |
A note on the numbers
All ratings use the EPA's current test method, which the agency applied retroactively to older vehicles, so a 1985 and a 2025 rating are directly comparable. Medians count each model line once per year regardless of how many were sold. Explore any year on the model year pages, or see the rankings.