Buick Rainier MPG by year — every rating on record
The Buick Rainier has a combined EPA fuel economy rating for 4 model years, from 2004 to 2007. Across those years its best rated version returned 17 mpg (2006) and its thirstiest returned 15 mpg (2004). The EPA record holds 16 configurations for this nameplate, most recently a Sport Utility Vehicle - 4WD / Sport Utility Vehicle - 2WD.
Year-by-year EPA ratings
| Model year | Configurations | Best combined | Worst combined | Class rank that year | Drivetrains | Fuel | EPA class |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 4 | 16 mpg | 15 mpg | #33 of 60 (46th pct) | Rear-Wheel Drive, 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive | Regular | Sport Utility Vehicle - 2WD, Sport Utility Vehicle - 4WD |
| 2005 | 4 | 16 mpg | 15 mpg | #36 of 59 (40th pct) | Rear-Wheel Drive, 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive | Regular | Sport Utility Vehicle - 2WD, Sport Utility Vehicle - 4WD |
| 2006 | 4 | 17 mpg | 16 mpg | #34 of 62 (46th pct) | Rear-Wheel Drive, 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive | Regular | Sport Utility Vehicle - 2WD, Sport Utility Vehicle - 4WD |
| 2007 | 4 | 17 mpg | 16 mpg | #64 of 106 (40th pct) | 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive, Rear-Wheel Drive | Regular | Sport Utility Vehicle - 4WD, Sport Utility Vehicle - 2WD |
Where it has stood in its class
Ranked against every other nameplate the EPA filed under the same class that year. The Buick Rainier placed highest in 2004 at #33 of 60, and lowest in 2007 at #64 of 106. It spent 0 of its 4 ranked years in the top half of its class.
Every configuration on record
All 16 configurations EPA lists for this nameplate, newest first.
| Year | Configuration | Engine detail | City | Highway | Combined | Gallons/yr | Barrels/yr | EPA fuel cost/yr | CO2 g/mi | GHG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | 4.2L 6-cyl 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive Automatic 4-spd Regular | 4.2L 6-cyl | 14 | 20 | 16 | 718.8 | 18.6 | $3,900 | 555.4375 | n/a |
| 2007 | 4.2L 6-cyl Rear-Wheel Drive Automatic 4-spd Regular | 4.2L 6-cyl | 14 | 20 | 16 | 718.8 | 18.6 | $3,900 | 555.4375 | n/a |
| 2007 | 5.3L 8-cyl 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive Automatic 4-spd Regular | 5.3L 8-cyl | 13 | 19 | 16 | 718.8 | 18.6 | $3,900 | 555.4375 | n/a |
| 2007 | 5.3L 8-cyl Rear-Wheel Drive Automatic 4-spd Regular | 5.3L 8-cyl | 14 | 20 | 17 | 676.5 | 17.5 | $3,650 | 522.7647058823529 | n/a |
| 2006 | 4.2L 6-cyl Rear-Wheel Drive Automatic 4-spd Regular | 4.2L 6-cyl | 14 | 20 | 16 | 718.8 | 18.6 | $3,900 | 555.4375 | n/a |
| 2006 | 4.2L 6-cyl 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive Automatic 4-spd Regular | 4.2L 6-cyl | 14 | 20 | 16 | 718.8 | 18.6 | $3,900 | 555.4375 | n/a |
| 2006 | 5.3L 8-cyl 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive Automatic 4-spd Regular | 5.3L 8-cyl | 14 | 20 | 16 | 718.8 | 18.6 | $3,900 | 555.4375 | n/a |
| 2006 | 5.3L 8-cyl Rear-Wheel Drive Automatic 4-spd Regular | 5.3L 8-cyl | 14 | 20 | 17 | 676.5 | 17.5 | $3,650 | 522.7647058823529 | n/a |
| 2005 | 5.3L 8-cyl 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive Automatic 4-spd Regular | 5.3L 8-cyl | 14 | 17 | 15 | 766.7 | 19.8 | $4,150 | 592.4666666666667 | n/a |
| 2005 | 4.2L 6-cyl Rear-Wheel Drive Automatic 4-spd Regular | 4.2L 6-cyl | 14 | 20 | 16 | 718.8 | 18.6 | $3,900 | 555.4375 | n/a |
| 2005 | 5.3L 8-cyl Rear-Wheel Drive Automatic 4-spd Regular | 5.3L 8-cyl | 14 | 19 | 16 | 718.8 | 18.6 | $3,900 | 555.4375 | n/a |
| 2005 | 4.2L 6-cyl 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive Automatic 4-spd Regular | 4.2L 6-cyl | 14 | 19 | 16 | 718.8 | 18.6 | $3,900 | 555.4375 | n/a |
| 2004 | 5.3L 8-cyl 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive Automatic 4-spd Regular | 5.3L 8-cyl | 13 | 17 | 15 | 766.7 | 19.8 | $4,150 | 592.4666666666667 | n/a |
| 2004 | 4.2L 6-cyl Rear-Wheel Drive Automatic 4-spd Regular | 4.2L 6-cyl | 14 | 19 | 16 | 718.8 | 18.6 | $3,900 | 555.4375 | n/a |
| 2004 | 5.3L 8-cyl Rear-Wheel Drive Automatic 4-spd Regular | 5.3L 8-cyl | 14 | 18 | 16 | 718.8 | 18.6 | $3,900 | 555.4375 | n/a |
| 2004 | 4.2L 6-cyl 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive Automatic 4-spd Regular | 4.2L 6-cyl | 14 | 19 | 16 | 718.8 | 18.6 | $3,900 | 555.4375 | n/a |
How the rating has moved between model years
Comparing the best-rated configuration of each year. 1 of 1 year-over-year steps improved the top rating.
| Change | Best combined | Delta | Gallons a year at the newer rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 → 2006 | 16 → 17 mpg | +1 mpg | 676 gal |
What Rainier fuel costs over a year
At the EPA's 11,500 miles a year, the 2007 Buick Rainier burns 676 to 719 gallons depending on configuration. Below is what that costs at three pump prices, and how much more the thirstiest configuration costs than the most efficient one.
| Pump price | Most efficient | Thirstiest | Spread |
|---|---|---|---|
| $3.00/gal | $2,029 | $2,156 | $127 |
| $3.50/gal | $2,368 | $2,516 | $148 |
| $4.00/gal | $2,706 | $2,875 | $169 |
EPA’s own estimate for the 2007 model year is $3,650 to $3,900 a year in fuel, or $8,250 more than the average new vehicle over five years.
How it compares with other Sport Utility Vehicle - 2WD
Across the 140 nameplates EPA classifies as Sport Utility Vehicle - 2WD, the median best combined rating is 22 mpg. At 17 mpg the Buick Rainier is 5 mpg below the median, which is worth about $538 a year at $3.50 a gallon.
- All Sport Utility Vehicle - 2WD rankings — every nameplate in the class, best to worst.
Other Buick nameplates
Every Buick model compared → — all nameplates ranked by best combined rating, with what each one costs a year.