Tank Ledger

Volkswagen Fox MPG by year — every rating on record

The Volkswagen Fox has a combined EPA fuel economy rating for 7 model years, from 1987 to 1993. Across those years its best rated version returned 25 mpg (1987) and its thirstiest returned 23 mpg (1988). The EPA record holds 12 configurations for this nameplate, most recently a Subcompact Cars.

25best combined mpg (1987)
23worst combined mpg (1988)
25latest year best (1993)
12configurations on record

Year-by-year EPA ratings

Model yearConfigurationsBest combinedWorst combinedClass rank that yearDrivetrainsFuelEPA class
1987125 mpg25 mpg#36 of 72 (51th pct)Front-Wheel DriveRegularSubcompact Cars
1988224 mpg23 mpg#33 of 60 (46th pct)Front-Wheel DriveRegularSubcompact Cars
1989224 mpg23 mpg#37 of 71 (49th pct)Front-Wheel DriveRegularSubcompact Cars
1990224 mpg23 mpg#36 of 65 (45th pct)Front-Wheel DriveRegularSubcompact Cars
1991225 mpg25 mpg#30 of 73 (60th pct)Front-Wheel DriveRegularSubcompact Cars
1992225 mpg25 mpg#29 of 69 (59th pct)Front-Wheel DriveRegularSubcompact Cars
1993125 mpg25 mpg#31 of 64 (52th 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 Volkswagen Fox placed highest in 1992 at #29 of 69, and lowest in 1989 at #37 of 71. It spent 4 of its 7 ranked years in the top half of its class.

Every configuration on record

All 12 configurations EPA lists for this nameplate, newest first.

YearConfigurationEngine detailCityHighwayCombinedGallons/yrBarrels/yrEPA fuel cost/yrCO2 g/miGHG
19931.8L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Manual 5-spd Regular(FFS)223025460.011.9$2,500355.48n/a
19921.8L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Manual 4-spd Regular(FFS)222925460.011.9$2,500355.48n/a
19921.8L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Manual 5-spd Regular(FFS)223025460.011.9$2,500355.48n/a
19911.8L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Manual 4-spd Regular(FFS)222925460.011.9$2,500355.48n/a
19911.8L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Manual 5-spd Regular(FFS)223025460.011.9$2,500355.48n/a
19901.8L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Manual 5-spd Regular(FFS)212623500.012.9$2,700386.39130434782606n/a
19901.8L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Manual 4-spd Regular(FFS)222724479.212.4$2,600370.2916666666667n/a
19891.8L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Manual 5-spd Regular(FFS)212623500.012.9$2,700386.39130434782606n/a
19891.8L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Manual 4-spd Regular(FFS)222724479.212.4$2,600370.2916666666667n/a
19881.8L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Manual 5-spd Regular(FFS)212623500.012.9$2,700386.39130434782606n/a
19881.8L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Manual 4-spd Regular(FFS)222724479.212.4$2,600370.2916666666667n/a
19871.8L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Manual 4-spd Regular(FFS)232725460.011.9$2,500355.48n/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 → 198825 → 24 mpg-1 mpg479 gal
1990 → 199124 → 25 mpg+1 mpg460 gal

What Fox fuel costs over a year

At the EPA's 11,500 miles a year, the 1993 Volkswagen Fox burns 460 to 460 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$1,380$1,380$0
$3.50/gal$1,610$1,610$0
$4.00/gal$1,840$1,840$0

EPA’s own estimate for the 1993 model year is $2,500 to $2,500 a year in fuel, or $1,250 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 25 mpg the Volkswagen Fox is 1 mpg better the median, which is worth about $67 a year at $3.50 a gallon.

Other Volkswagen nameplates

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