Ford Taurus SHO MPG by year — every rating on record
The Ford Taurus SHO has a combined EPA fuel economy rating for 10 model years, from 1990 to 1999. Across those years its best rated version returned 19 mpg (1990) and its thirstiest returned 18 mpg (1993). The EPA record holds 13 configurations for this nameplate, most recently a Midsize Cars.
Year-by-year EPA ratings
| Model year | Configurations | Best combined | Worst combined | Class rank that year | Drivetrains | Fuel | EPA class |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 1 | 19 mpg | 19 mpg | #25 of 51 (52th pct) | Front-Wheel Drive | Premium | Midsize Cars |
| 1991 | 1 | 19 mpg | 19 mpg | #24 of 57 (59th pct) | Front-Wheel Drive | Premium | Midsize Cars |
| 1992 | 1 | 19 mpg | 19 mpg | #24 of 50 (53th pct) | Front-Wheel Drive | Premium | Midsize Cars |
| 1993 | 2 | 19 mpg | 18 mpg | #24 of 48 (51th pct) | Front-Wheel Drive | Premium | Midsize Cars |
| 1994 | 2 | 19 mpg | 19 mpg | #19 of 36 (49th pct) | Front-Wheel Drive | Premium | Midsize Cars |
| 1995 | 2 | 19 mpg | 19 mpg | #22 of 39 (45th pct) | Front-Wheel Drive | Premium | Midsize Cars |
| 1996 | 1 | 18 mpg | 18 mpg | #28 of 36 (23th pct) | Front-Wheel Drive | Premium | Midsize Cars |
| 1997 | 1 | 18 mpg | 18 mpg | #33 of 43 (24th pct) | Front-Wheel Drive | Premium | Midsize Cars |
| 1998 | 1 | 18 mpg | 18 mpg | #37 of 47 (22th pct) | Front-Wheel Drive | Premium | Midsize Cars |
| 1999 | 1 | 18 mpg | 18 mpg | #44 of 56 (22th pct) | Front-Wheel Drive | Premium | Midsize Cars |
Where it has stood in its class
Ranked against every other nameplate the EPA filed under the same class that year. The Ford Taurus SHO placed highest in 1994 at #19 of 36, and lowest in 1999 at #44 of 56. It spent 4 of its 10 ranked years in the top half of its class.
Every configuration on record
All 13 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 3.4L 8-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic 4-spd Premium | 4V | 15 | 23 | 18 | 638.9 | 16.5 | $4,300 | 493.72222222222223 | n/a |
| 1998 | 3.4L 8-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic 4-spd Premium | 4V | 15 | 23 | 18 | 638.9 | 16.5 | $4,300 | 493.72222222222223 | n/a |
| 1997 | 3.4L 8-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic 4-spd Premium | (FFS) | 15 | 24 | 18 | 638.9 | 16.5 | $4,300 | 493.72222222222223 | n/a |
| 1996 | 3.4L 8-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic 4-spd Premium | (FFS) | 15 | 24 | 18 | 638.9 | 16.5 | $4,300 | 493.72222222222223 | n/a |
| 1995 | 3.0L 6-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Manual 5-spd Premium | (FFS) | 16 | 24 | 19 | 605.3 | 15.7 | $4,100 | 467.7368421052632 | n/a |
| 1995 | 3.2L 6-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic 4-spd Premium | (FFS) | 16 | 24 | 19 | 605.3 | 15.7 | $4,100 | 467.7368421052632 | n/a |
| 1994 | 3.0L 6-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Manual 5-spd Premium | (FFS) | 16 | 24 | 19 | 605.3 | 15.7 | $4,100 | 467.7368421052632 | n/a |
| 1994 | 3.2L 6-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic 4-spd Premium | (FFS) | 16 | 24 | 19 | 605.3 | 15.7 | $4,100 | 467.7368421052632 | n/a |
| 1993 | 3.2L 6-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic 4-spd Premium | (FFS) | 16 | 24 | 18 | 638.9 | 16.5 | $4,300 | 493.72222222222223 | n/a |
| 1993 | 3.0L 6-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Manual 5-spd Premium | (FFS) | 16 | 24 | 19 | 605.3 | 15.7 | $4,100 | 467.7368421052632 | n/a |
| 1992 | 3.0L 6-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Manual 5-spd Premium | (FFS) | 16 | 24 | 19 | 605.3 | 15.7 | $4,100 | 467.7368421052632 | n/a |
| 1991 | 3.0L 6-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Manual 5-spd Premium | (FFS) | 16 | 24 | 19 | 605.3 | 15.7 | $4,100 | 467.7368421052632 | n/a |
| 1990 | 3.0L 6-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Manual 5-spd Premium | (FFS) | 16 | 24 | 19 | 605.3 | 15.7 | $4,100 | 467.7368421052632 | n/a |
How the rating has moved between model years
Comparing the best-rated configuration of each year. 0 of 1 year-over-year steps improved the top rating.
| Change | Best combined | Delta | Gallons a year at the newer rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 → 1996 | 19 → 18 mpg | -1 mpg | 639 gal |
What Taurus SHO fuel costs over a year
At the EPA's 11,500 miles a year, the 1999 Ford Taurus SHO 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 1999 model year is $4,300 to $4,300 a year in fuel, or $10,250 more than the average new vehicle over five years.
How it compares with other Midsize Cars
Across the 483 nameplates EPA classifies as Midsize Cars, the median best combined rating is 25 mpg. At 18 mpg the Ford Taurus SHO is 7 mpg below the median, which is worth about $626 a year at $3.50 a gallon.
- All Midsize Cars rankings — every nameplate in the class, best to worst.
Other Ford nameplates
Every Ford model compared → — all nameplates ranked by best combined rating, with what each one costs a year.