Pontiac Trans Sport MPG by year — every rating on record
The Pontiac Trans Sport has a combined EPA fuel economy rating for 9 model years, from 1990 to 1998. Across those years its best rated version returned 19 mpg (1996) and its thirstiest returned 17 mpg (1992). The EPA record holds 13 configurations for this nameplate, most recently a Special Purpose Vehicle 2WD.
Year-by-year EPA ratings
| Model year | Configurations | Best combined | Worst combined | Class rank that year | Drivetrains | Fuel | EPA class |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 1 | 18 mpg | 18 mpg | #15 of 25 (42th pct) | Front-Wheel Drive | Regular | Special Purpose Vehicle 2WD |
| 1991 | 1 | 18 mpg | 18 mpg | #21 of 50 (59th pct) | Front-Wheel Drive | Regular | Special Purpose Vehicles |
| 1992 | 2 | 18 mpg | 17 mpg | #23 of 50 (55th pct) | Front-Wheel Drive | Regular | Special Purpose Vehicles |
| 1993 | 2 | 18 mpg | 18 mpg | #26 of 54 (53th pct) | Front-Wheel Drive | Regular | Special Purpose Vehicles |
| 1994 | 2 | 18 mpg | 18 mpg | #21 of 48 (57th pct) | Front-Wheel Drive | Regular | Special Purpose Vehicles |
| 1995 | 2 | 18 mpg | 18 mpg | #21 of 44 (53th pct) | Front-Wheel Drive | Regular | Special Purpose Vehicles |
| 1996 | 1 | 19 mpg | 19 mpg | #16 of 46 (67th pct) | Front-Wheel Drive | Regular | Special Purpose Vehicles |
| 1997 | 1 | 19 mpg | 19 mpg | #17 of 48 (66th pct) | Front-Wheel Drive | Regular | Special Purpose Vehicles |
| 1998 | 1 | 19 mpg | 19 mpg | #21 of 41 (50th pct) | Front-Wheel Drive | Regular | Special Purpose Vehicle 2WD |
Where it has stood in its class
Ranked against every other nameplate the EPA filed under the same class that year. The Pontiac Trans Sport placed highest in 1990 at #15 of 25, and lowest in 1993 at #26 of 54. It spent 8 of its 9 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 3.4L 6-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic 4-spd Regular | 3.4L 6-cyl | 16 | 23 | 19 | 605.3 | 15.7 | $3,300 | 467.7368421052632 | n/a |
| 1997 | 3.4L 6-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic 4-spd Regular | (FFS) (MPFI) | 16 | 23 | 19 | 605.3 | 15.7 | $3,300 | 467.7368421052632 | n/a |
| 1996 | 3.4L 6-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic 4-spd Regular | (FFS) (MPFI) | 17 | 23 | 19 | 605.3 | 15.7 | $3,300 | 467.7368421052632 | n/a |
| 1995 | 3.1L 6-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic 3-spd Regular | (FFS) | 17 | 21 | 18 | 638.9 | 16.5 | $3,450 | 493.72222222222223 | n/a |
| 1995 | 3.8L 6-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic 4-spd Regular | (FFS) (MPFI) | 15 | 23 | 18 | 638.9 | 16.5 | $3,450 | 493.72222222222223 | n/a |
| 1994 | 3.1L 6-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic 3-spd Regular | (FFS) | 17 | 21 | 18 | 638.9 | 16.5 | $3,450 | 493.72222222222223 | n/a |
| 1994 | 3.8L 6-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic 4-spd Regular | (FFS) (MPFI) | 15 | 23 | 18 | 638.9 | 16.5 | $3,450 | 493.72222222222223 | n/a |
| 1993 | 3.1L 6-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic 3-spd Regular | (FFS) | 16 | 21 | 18 | 638.9 | 16.5 | $3,450 | 493.72222222222223 | n/a |
| 1993 | 3.8L 6-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic 4-spd Regular | (FFS) | 15 | 23 | 18 | 638.9 | 16.5 | $3,450 | 493.72222222222223 | n/a |
| 1992 | 3.8L 6-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic 4-spd Regular | (FFS) | 15 | 22 | 17 | 676.5 | 17.5 | $3,650 | 522.7647058823529 | n/a |
| 1992 | 3.1L 6-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic 3-spd Regular | (FFS) | 16 | 21 | 18 | 638.9 | 16.5 | $3,450 | 493.72222222222223 | n/a |
| 1991 | 3.1L 6-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic 3-spd Regular | (FFS) | 16 | 21 | 18 | 638.9 | 16.5 | $3,450 | 493.72222222222223 | n/a |
| 1990 | 3.1L 6-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic 3-spd Regular | (FFS) | 16 | 21 | 18 | 638.9 | 16.5 | $3,450 | 493.72222222222223 | n/a |
How the rating has moved between model years
Comparing the best-rated configuration of each year. 1 of 1 year-over-year steps improved the top rating.
| Change | Best combined | Delta | Gallons a year at the newer rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 → 1996 | 18 → 19 mpg | +1 mpg | 605 gal |
What Trans Sport fuel costs over a year
At the EPA's 11,500 miles a year, the 1998 Pontiac Trans Sport 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 1998 model year is $3,300 to $3,300 a year in fuel, or $5,250 more than the average new vehicle over five years.
How it compares with other Special Purpose Vehicles
Across the 113 nameplates EPA classifies as Special Purpose Vehicles, the median best combined rating is 21 mpg. At 19 mpg the Pontiac Trans Sport is 2 mpg below the median, which is worth about $202 a year at $3.50 a gallon.
- All Special Purpose Vehicles rankings — every nameplate in the class, best to worst.
Other Pontiac nameplates
Every Pontiac model compared → — all nameplates ranked by best combined rating, with what each one costs a year.