Lotus Esprit Turbo MPG by year — every rating on record
The Lotus Esprit Turbo has a combined EPA fuel economy rating for 9 model years, from 1985 to 1995. Across those years its best rated version returned 19 mpg (1989) and its thirstiest returned 14 mpg (1985). The EPA record holds 11 configurations for this nameplate, most recently a Two Seaters.
Year-by-year EPA ratings
| Model year | Configurations | Best combined | Worst combined | Class rank that year | Drivetrains | Fuel | EPA class |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 1 | 14 mpg | 14 mpg | #16 of 19 (17th pct) | Rear-Wheel Drive | Regular | Two Seaters |
| 1988 | 1 | 18 mpg | 18 mpg | #17 of 26 (36th pct) | Rear-Wheel Drive | Premium | Two Seaters |
| 1989 | 3 | 19 mpg | 17 mpg | #10 of 24 (61th pct) | Rear-Wheel Drive | Premium | Two Seaters |
| 1990 | 1 | 19 mpg | 19 mpg | #9 of 25 (67th pct) | Rear-Wheel Drive | Premium | Two Seaters |
| 1991 | 1 | 19 mpg | 19 mpg | #11 of 33 (69th pct) | Rear-Wheel Drive | Premium | Two Seaters |
| 1992 | 1 | 19 mpg | 19 mpg | #9 of 30 (72th pct) | Rear-Wheel Drive | Premium | Two Seaters |
| 1993 | 1 | 19 mpg | 19 mpg | #8 of 29 (75th pct) | Rear-Wheel Drive | Premium | Two Seaters |
| 1994 | 1 | 19 mpg | 19 mpg | #6 of 19 (72th pct) | Rear-Wheel Drive | Premium | Two Seaters |
| 1995 | 1 | 19 mpg | 19 mpg | #5 of 19 (78th pct) | Rear-Wheel Drive | Premium | Two Seaters |
Where it has stood in its class
Ranked against every other nameplate the EPA filed under the same class that year. The Lotus Esprit Turbo placed highest in 1995 at #5 of 19, and lowest in 1988 at #17 of 26. It spent 7 of its 9 ranked years in the top half of its class.
Every configuration on record
All 11 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 2.2L 4-cyl Rear-Wheel Drive Manual 5-spd Premium | ESPRIT (FFS,TRBO) (MPFI), turbocharged | 15 | 25 | 19 | 605.3 | 15.7 | $4,100 | 467.7368421052632 | n/a |
| 1994 | 2.2L 4-cyl Rear-Wheel Drive Manual 5-spd Premium | ESPRIT (FFS,TRBO) (MPFI), turbocharged | 15 | 25 | 19 | 605.3 | 15.7 | $4,100 | 467.7368421052632 | n/a |
| 1993 | 2.2L 4-cyl Rear-Wheel Drive Manual 5-spd Premium | GMP4 ANDIC (FFS,TRBO) (MPFI), turbocharged | 15 | 25 | 19 | 605.3 | 15.7 | $4,100 | 467.7368421052632 | n/a |
| 1992 | 2.2L 4-cyl Rear-Wheel Drive Manual 5-spd Premium | GMP4 ANDIC (FFS,TRBO) (MPFI), turbocharged | 15 | 25 | 19 | 605.3 | 15.7 | $4,100 | 467.7368421052632 | n/a |
| 1991 | 2.2L 4-cyl Rear-Wheel Drive Manual 5-spd Premium | GMP4 ANDIC (FFS,TRBO) (MPFI), turbocharged | 15 | 25 | 19 | 605.3 | 15.7 | $4,100 | 467.7368421052632 | n/a |
| 1990 | 2.2L 4-cyl Rear-Wheel Drive Manual 5-spd Premium | GMP4 ANDIC (FFS,TRBO) (MPFI), turbocharged | 15 | 25 | 19 | 605.3 | 15.7 | $4,100 | 467.7368421052632 | n/a |
| 1989 | 2.2L 4-cyl Rear-Wheel Drive Manual 5-spd Premium | GMP4 (FFS,TRBO) (MPFI), turbocharged | 16 | 19 | 17 | 676.5 | 17.5 | $4,550 | 522.7647058823529 | n/a |
| 1989 | 2.2L 4-cyl Rear-Wheel Drive Manual 5-spd Premium | (GMP4+IC) (FFS,TRBO) (MPFI), turbocharged | 15 | 25 | 19 | 605.3 | 15.7 | $4,100 | 467.7368421052632 | n/a |
| 1989 | 2.2L 4-cyl Rear-Wheel Drive Manual 5-spd Premium | (GMP4) (FFS,TRBO) (MPFI), turbocharged | 15 | 26 | 19 | 605.3 | 15.7 | $4,100 | 467.7368421052632 | n/a |
| 1988 | 2.2L 4-cyl Rear-Wheel Drive Manual 5-spd Premium | (FFS,TRBO), turbocharged | 15 | 25 | 18 | 638.9 | 16.5 | $4,300 | 493.72222222222223 | n/a |
| 1985 | 2.2L 4-cyl Rear-Wheel Drive Manual 5-spd Regular | (GUZZLER) (TURBO), turbocharged | 11 | 18 | 14 | 821.4 | 21.3 | $4,450 | 634.7857142857143 | n/a |
How the rating has moved between model years
Comparing the best-rated configuration of each year. 2 of 2 year-over-year steps improved the top rating.
| Change | Best combined | Delta | Gallons a year at the newer rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 → 1988 | 14 → 18 mpg | +4 mpg | 639 gal |
| 1988 → 1989 | 18 → 19 mpg | +1 mpg | 605 gal |
What Esprit Turbo fuel costs over a year
At the EPA's 11,500 miles a year, the 1995 Lotus Esprit Turbo burns 605 to 605 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 | $1,816 | $1,816 | $0 |
| $3.50/gal | $2,118 | $2,118 | $0 |
| $4.00/gal | $2,421 | $2,421 | $0 |
EPA’s own estimate for the 1995 model year is $4,100 to $4,100 a year in fuel, or $9,250 more than the average new vehicle over five years.
How it compares with other Two Seaters
Across the 263 nameplates EPA classifies as Two Seaters, the median best combined rating is 18 mpg. At 19 mpg the Lotus Esprit Turbo is 1 mpg better the median, which is worth about $118 a year at $3.50 a gallon.
- All Two Seaters rankings — every nameplate in the class, best to worst.
Other Lotus nameplates
Every Lotus model compared → — all nameplates ranked by best combined rating, with what each one costs a year.