Tank Ledger

Hyundai Excel MPG by year — every rating on record

The Hyundai Excel has a combined EPA fuel economy rating for 8 model years, from 1987 to 1994. Across those years its best rated version returned 28 mpg (1988) and its thirstiest returned 24 mpg (1987). The EPA record holds 27 configurations for this nameplate, most recently a Subcompact Cars.

28best combined mpg (1988)
24worst combined mpg (1987)
27latest year best (1994)
27configurations on record

Year-by-year EPA ratings

Model yearConfigurationsBest combinedWorst combinedClass rank that yearDrivetrainsFuelEPA class
1987327 mpg24 mpg#18 of 72 (76th pct)Front-Wheel DriveRegularSubcompact Cars
1988328 mpg26 mpg#17 of 60 (73th pct)Front-Wheel DriveRegularSubcompact Cars
1989328 mpg26 mpg#21 of 71 (71th pct)Front-Wheel DriveRegularSubcompact Cars
1990328 mpg26 mpg#18 of 65 (73th pct)Front-Wheel DriveRegularSubcompact Cars
1991528 mpg26 mpg#17 of 73 (78th pct)Front-Wheel DriveRegularSubcompact Cars
1992528 mpg26 mpg#19 of 69 (74th pct)Front-Wheel DriveRegularSubcompact Cars
1993328 mpg26 mpg#18 of 64 (73th pct)Front-Wheel DriveRegularSubcompact Cars
1994227 mpg27 mpg#18 of 56 (69th pct)Front-Wheel DriveRegularSubcompact Cars

Where it has stood in its class

Ranked against every other nameplate the EPA filed under the same class that year. The Hyundai Excel placed highest in 1988 at #17 of 60, and lowest in 1989 at #21 of 71. It spent 8 of its 8 ranked years in the top half of its class.

Every configuration on record

All 27 configurations EPA lists for this nameplate, newest first.

YearConfigurationEngine detailCityHighwayCombinedGallons/yrBarrels/yrEPA fuel cost/yrCO2 g/miGHG
19941.5L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic 4-spd Regular(FFS) (MPFI)233227425.911.0$2,300329.14814814814815n/a
19941.5L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Manual 5-spd Regular(FFS) (MPFI)243327425.911.0$2,300329.14814814814815n/a
19931.5L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic 4-spd Regular(FFS) (MPFI)243026442.311.4$2,400341.8076923076923n/a
19931.5L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Manual 4-spd Regular(FFS) (MPFI)253027425.911.0$2,300329.14814814814815n/a
19931.5L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Manual 5-spd Regular(FFS) (MPFI)253328410.710.6$2,250317.39285714285717n/a
19921.5L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic 3-spd Regular(FFS)232926442.311.4$2,400341.8076923076923n/a
19921.5L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic 4-spd Regular(FFS) (MPFI)242926442.311.4$2,400341.8076923076923n/a
19921.5L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Manual 4-spd Regular(FFS) (MPFI)253027425.911.0$2,300329.14814814814815n/a
19921.5L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Manual 4-spd Regular(FFS)263328410.710.6$2,250317.39285714285717n/a
19921.5L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Manual 5-spd Regular(FFS) (MPFI)253328410.710.6$2,250317.39285714285717n/a
19911.5L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic 3-spd Regular(FFS)232926442.311.4$2,400341.8076923076923n/a
19911.5L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic 4-spd Regular(FFS) (MPFI)242926442.311.4$2,400341.8076923076923n/a
19911.5L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Manual 4-spd Regular(FFS) (MPFI)253027425.911.0$2,300329.14814814814815n/a
19911.5L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Manual 4-spd Regular(FFS)263328410.710.6$2,250317.39285714285717n/a
19911.5L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Manual 5-spd Regular(FFS) (MPFI)253328410.710.6$2,250317.39285714285717n/a
19901.5L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic 4-spd Regular(FFS) (MPFI)242926442.311.4$2,400341.8076923076923n/a
19901.5L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Manual 4-spd Regular(FFS) (MPFI)253027425.911.0$2,300329.14814814814815n/a
19901.5L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Manual 5-spd Regular(FFS) (MPFI)253328410.710.6$2,250317.39285714285717n/a
19891.5L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic 3-spd Regular(FFS)232926442.311.4$2,400341.8076923076923n/a
19891.5L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Manual 4-spd Regular(FFS)233026442.311.4$2,400341.8076923076923n/a
19891.5L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Manual 5-spd Regular(FFS)243328410.710.6$2,250317.39285714285717n/a
19881.5L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic 3-spd Regular(FFS)232926442.311.4$2,400341.8076923076923n/a
19881.5L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Manual 4-spd Regular(FFS)233026442.311.4$2,400341.8076923076923n/a
19881.5L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Manual 5-spd Regular(FFS)243328410.710.6$2,250317.39285714285717n/a
19871.5L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic 3-spd Regular(FFS)232624479.212.4$2,600370.2916666666667n/a
19871.5L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Manual 4-spd Regular(FFS)242826442.311.4$2,400341.8076923076923n/a
19871.5L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Manual 5-spd Regular(FFS)253127425.911.0$2,300329.14814814814815n/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.

ChangeBest combinedDeltaGallons a year at the newer rating
1987 → 198827 → 28 mpg+1 mpg411 gal
1993 → 199428 → 27 mpg-1 mpg426 gal

What Excel fuel costs over a year

At the EPA's 11,500 miles a year, the 1994 Hyundai Excel burns 426 to 426 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 priceMost efficientThirstiestSpread
$3.00/gal$1,278$1,278$0
$3.50/gal$1,491$1,491$0
$4.00/gal$1,704$1,704$0

EPA’s own estimate for the 1994 model year is $2,300 to $2,300 a year in fuel, or $250 more than the average new vehicle over five years.

How it compares with other Subcompact Cars

Across the 461 nameplates EPA classifies as Subcompact Cars, the median best combined rating is 24 mpg. At 27 mpg the Hyundai Excel is 3 mpg better the median, which is worth about $186 a year at $3.50 a gallon.

Other Hyundai nameplates

Every Hyundai model compared → — all nameplates ranked by best combined rating, with what each one costs a year.