Tank Ledger

Kia Sephia MPG by year — every rating on record

The Kia Sephia has a combined EPA fuel economy rating for 7 model years, from 1993 to 1999. Across those years its best rated version returned 28 mpg (1995) and its thirstiest returned 21 mpg (1996). The EPA record holds 22 configurations for this nameplate, most recently a Compact Cars.

28best combined mpg (1995)
21worst combined mpg (1996)
24latest year best (1999)
22configurations on record

Year-by-year EPA ratings

Model yearConfigurationsBest combinedWorst combinedClass rank that yearDrivetrainsFuelEPA class
1993227 mpg24 mpg#9 of 55 (85th pct)Front-Wheel DriveRegularCompact Cars
1994226 mpg24 mpg#8 of 53 (87th pct)Front-Wheel DriveRegularCompact Cars
1995628 mpg22 mpg#6 of 60 (92th pct)Front-Wheel DriveRegularCompact Cars
1996427 mpg21 mpg#13 of 52 (76th pct)Front-Wheel DriveRegularCompact Cars
1997427 mpg23 mpg#11 of 46 (78th pct)Front-Wheel DriveRegularCompact Cars
1998224 mpg23 mpg#18 of 47 (63th pct)Front-Wheel DriveRegularCompact Cars
1999224 mpg23 mpg#20 of 50 (61th pct)Front-Wheel DriveRegularCompact Cars

Where it has stood in its class

Ranked against every other nameplate the EPA filed under the same class that year. The Kia Sephia placed highest in 1995 at #6 of 60, and lowest in 1999 at #20 of 50. It spent 7 of its 7 ranked years in the top half of its class.

Every configuration on record

All 22 configurations EPA lists for this nameplate, newest first.

YearConfigurationEngine detailCityHighwayCombinedGallons/yrBarrels/yrEPA fuel cost/yrCO2 g/miGHG
19991.8L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic 4-spd Regular1.8L 4-cyl202923500.012.9$2,700386.39130434782606n/a
19991.8L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Manual 5-spd Regular1.8L 4-cyl212824479.212.4$2,600370.2916666666667n/a
19981.8L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic 4-spd Regular1.8L 4-cyl202923500.012.9$2,700386.39130434782606n/a
19981.8L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Manual 5-spd Regular1.8L 4-cyl212824479.212.4$2,600370.2916666666667n/a
19971.8L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic 4-spd Regular(FFS)212723500.012.9$2,700386.39130434782606n/a
19971.6L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic 4-spd Regular(FFS)212824479.212.4$2,600370.2916666666667n/a
19971.8L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Manual 5-spd Regular(FFS)212924479.212.4$2,600370.2916666666667n/a
19971.6L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Manual 5-spd Regular(FFS)243127425.911.0$2,300329.14814814814815n/a
19961.8L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic 4-spd Regular(FFS)182621547.614.2$2,950423.1904761904762n/a
19961.6L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic 4-spd Regular(FFS)212824479.212.4$2,600370.2916666666667n/a
19961.8L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Manual 5-spd Regular(FFS)222724479.212.4$2,600370.2916666666667n/a
19961.6L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Manual 5-spd Regular(FFS)243127425.911.0$2,300329.14814814814815n/a
19951.8L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic 4-spd Regular(FFS)202622522.713.5$2,850403.95454545454544n/a
19951.8L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Manual 5-spd Regular(FFS)212623500.012.9$2,700386.39130434782606n/a
19951.6L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Manual 5-spd Regular(FFS)213024479.212.4$2,600370.2916666666667n/a
19951.6L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic 4-spd Regular(FFS)223125460.011.9$2,500355.48n/a
19951.6L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Manual 5-spd Regular(FFS)223025460.011.9$2,500355.48n/a
19951.6L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Manual 5-spd Regular(FFS)253228410.710.6$2,250317.39285714285717n/a
19941.6L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic 4-spd Regular(FFS)222724479.212.4$2,600370.2916666666667n/a
19941.6L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Manual 5-spd Regular(FFS)233026442.311.4$2,400341.8076923076923n/a
19931.6L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic 4-spd Regular(FFS)222824479.212.4$2,600370.2916666666667n/a
19931.6L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Manual 5-spd Regular(FFS)243027425.911.0$2,300329.14814814814815n/a

How the rating has moved between model years

Comparing the best-rated configuration of each year. 1 of 4 year-over-year steps improved the top rating.

ChangeBest combinedDeltaGallons a year at the newer rating
1993 → 199427 → 26 mpg-1 mpg442 gal
1994 → 199526 → 28 mpg+2 mpg411 gal
1995 → 199628 → 27 mpg-1 mpg426 gal
1997 → 199827 → 24 mpg-3 mpg479 gal

What Sephia fuel costs over a year

At the EPA's 11,500 miles a year, the 1999 Kia Sephia burns 479 to 500 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$1,438$1,500$63
$3.50/gal$1,677$1,750$73
$4.00/gal$1,917$2,000$83

EPA’s own estimate for the 1999 model year is $2,600 to $2,700 a year in fuel, or $2,250 more than the average new vehicle over five years.

How it compares with other Compact Cars

Across the 498 nameplates EPA classifies as Compact Cars, the median best combined rating is 26 mpg. At 24 mpg the Kia Sephia is 2 mpg below the median, which is worth about $129 a year at $3.50 a gallon.

Other Kia nameplates

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