Tank Ledger

Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight MPG by year — every rating on record

The Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight has a combined EPA fuel economy rating for 6 model years, from 1984 to 1996. Across those years its best rated version returned 21 mpg (1984) and its thirstiest returned 16 mpg (1984). The EPA record holds 11 configurations for this nameplate, most recently a Large Cars.

21best combined mpg (1984)
16worst combined mpg (1984)
21latest year best (1996)
11configurations on record

Year-by-year EPA ratings

Model yearConfigurationsBest combinedWorst combinedClass rank that yearDrivetrainsFuelEPA class
1984321 mpg16 mpg#8 of 14 (46th pct)n/aRegular, DieselLarge Cars
1992219 mpg18 mpg#13 of 24 (48th pct)Front-Wheel DrivePremium, RegularLarge Cars
1993220 mpg18 mpg#9 of 25 (67th pct)Front-Wheel DriveRegular, PremiumLarge Cars
1994220 mpg18 mpg#9 of 25 (67th pct)Front-Wheel DriveRegularLarge Cars
1995120 mpg20 mpg#10 of 32 (71th pct)Front-Wheel DriveRegularLarge Cars
1996121 mpg21 mpg#3 of 30 (93th pct)Front-Wheel DriveRegularLarge Cars

Where it has stood in its class

Ranked against every other nameplate the EPA filed under the same class that year. The Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight placed highest in 1996 at #3 of 30, and lowest in 1992 at #13 of 24. It spent 4 of its 6 ranked years in the top half of its class.

Every configuration on record

All 11 configurations EPA lists for this nameplate, newest first.

YearConfigurationEngine detailCityHighwayCombinedGallons/yrBarrels/yrEPA fuel cost/yrCO2 g/miGHG
19963.8L 6-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic 4-spd Regular(FFS) (MPFI)172721547.614.2$2,950423.1904761904762n/a
19953.8L 6-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic 4-spd Regular(FFS) (MPFI)172620575.014.9$3,100444.35n/a
19943.8L 6-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic 4-spd Regular(FFS) (MPFI) (S-CHARGE)152418638.916.5$3,450493.72222222222223n/a
19943.8L 6-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic 4-spd Regular(FFS) (MPFI)172520575.014.9$3,100444.35n/a
19933.8L 6-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic 4-spd Premium(FFS) (S-CHARGE), supercharged152518638.916.5$4,300493.72222222222223n/a
19933.8L 6-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic 4-spd Regular(FFS)172520575.014.9$3,100444.35n/a
19923.8L 6-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic 4-spd Premium(FFS) (S-CHARGE), supercharged152418638.916.5$4,300493.72222222222223n/a
19923.8L 6-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic 4-spd Regular(FFS)162419605.315.7$3,300467.7368421052632n/a
19845.0L 8-cyl Automatic 4-spd Regular(GM-OLDS)142116718.818.6$3,900555.4375n/a
19845.0L 8-cyl Automatic 4-spd Regular(GM-OLDS) CA model142016718.818.6$3,900555.4375n/a
19845.7L 8-cyl Automatic 4-spd Diesel(350 V8) (DIESEL), Diesel182621547.617.0$4,250484.76190476190476n/a

How the rating has moved between model years

Comparing the best-rated configuration of each year. 2 of 3 year-over-year steps improved the top rating.

ChangeBest combinedDeltaGallons a year at the newer rating
1984 → 199221 → 19 mpg-2 mpg605 gal
1992 → 199319 → 20 mpg+1 mpg575 gal
1995 → 199620 → 21 mpg+1 mpg548 gal

What Ninety-Eight fuel costs over a year

At the EPA's 11,500 miles a year, the 1996 Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight burns 548 to 548 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$1,643$1,643$0
$3.50/gal$1,917$1,917$0
$4.00/gal$2,190$2,190$0

EPA’s own estimate for the 1996 model year is $2,950 to $2,950 a year in fuel, or $3,500 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 21 mpg the Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight is exactly at the median.

Other Oldsmobile nameplates

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