Buick Roadmaster MPG by year — every rating on record
The Buick Roadmaster has a combined EPA fuel economy rating for 5 model years, from 1992 to 1996. Across those years its best rated version returned 18 mpg (1992) and its thirstiest returned 17 mpg (1993). The EPA record holds 5 configurations for this nameplate, most recently a Large Cars.
Year-by-year EPA ratings
| Model year | Configurations | Best combined | Worst combined | Class rank that year | Drivetrains | Fuel | EPA class |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | 1 | 18 mpg | 18 mpg | #15 of 24 (39th pct) | Rear-Wheel Drive | Regular | Large Cars |
| 1993 | 1 | 17 mpg | 17 mpg | #17 of 25 (33th pct) | Rear-Wheel Drive | Regular | Large Cars |
| 1994 | 1 | 18 mpg | 18 mpg | #14 of 25 (46th pct) | Rear-Wheel Drive | Premium | Large Cars |
| 1995 | 1 | 18 mpg | 18 mpg | #14 of 32 (58th pct) | Rear-Wheel Drive | Regular | Large Cars |
| 1996 | 1 | 18 mpg | 18 mpg | #13 of 30 (59th pct) | Rear-Wheel Drive | Regular | Large Cars |
Where it has stood in its class
Ranked against every other nameplate the EPA filed under the same class that year. The Buick Roadmaster placed highest in 1996 at #13 of 30, and lowest in 1993 at #17 of 25. It spent 2 of its 5 ranked years in the top half of its class.
Every configuration on record
All 5 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 5.7L 8-cyl Rear-Wheel Drive Automatic 4-spd Regular | (350 V8) (FFS) (MPFI) | 15 | 24 | 18 | 638.9 | 16.5 | $3,450 | 493.72222222222223 | n/a |
| 1995 | 5.7L 8-cyl Rear-Wheel Drive Automatic 4-spd Regular | (350 V8) (FFS) (MPFI) | 15 | 23 | 18 | 638.9 | 16.5 | $3,450 | 493.72222222222223 | n/a |
| 1994 | 5.7L 8-cyl Rear-Wheel Drive Automatic 4-spd Premium | (350 V8) (FFS) (MPFI) | 15 | 23 | 18 | 638.9 | 16.5 | $4,300 | 493.72222222222223 | n/a |
| 1993 | 5.7L 8-cyl Rear-Wheel Drive Automatic 4-spd Regular | (350 V8) (FFS) | 15 | 23 | 17 | 676.5 | 17.5 | $3,650 | 522.7647058823529 | n/a |
| 1992 | 5.7L 8-cyl Rear-Wheel Drive Automatic 4-spd Regular | (350 V8) (FFS) | 15 | 23 | 18 | 638.9 | 16.5 | $3,450 | 493.72222222222223 | n/a |
How the rating has moved between model years
Comparing the best-rated configuration of each year. 1 of 2 year-over-year steps improved the top rating.
| Change | Best combined | Delta | Gallons a year at the newer rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 → 1993 | 18 → 17 mpg | -1 mpg | 676 gal |
| 1993 → 1994 | 17 → 18 mpg | +1 mpg | 639 gal |
What Roadmaster fuel costs over a year
At the EPA's 11,500 miles a year, the 1996 Buick Roadmaster burns 639 to 639 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 | $1,917 | $1,917 | $0 |
| $3.50/gal | $2,236 | $2,236 | $0 |
| $4.00/gal | $2,556 | $2,556 | $0 |
EPA’s own estimate for the 1996 model year is $3,450 to $3,450 a year in fuel, or $6,000 more than the average new vehicle over five years.
How it compares with other Large Cars
Across the 305 nameplates EPA classifies as Large Cars, the median best combined rating is 21 mpg. At 18 mpg the Buick Roadmaster is 3 mpg below the median, which is worth about $319 a year at $3.50 a gallon.
- All Large Cars 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.