Volkswagen Golf III MPG by year — every rating on record
The Volkswagen Golf III has a combined EPA fuel economy rating for 2 model years, from 1994 to 1995. Across those years its best rated version returned 24 mpg (1994) and its thirstiest returned 21 mpg (1994). The EPA record holds 4 configurations for this nameplate, most recently a Compact Cars.
Year-by-year EPA ratings
| Model year | Configurations | Best combined | Worst combined | Class rank that year | Drivetrains | Fuel | EPA class |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | 2 | 24 mpg | 21 mpg | #21 of 53 (62th pct) | Front-Wheel Drive | Regular | Compact Cars |
| 1995 | 2 | 24 mpg | 22 mpg | #22 of 60 (64th pct) | Front-Wheel Drive | Regular | Compact Cars |
Where it has stood in its class
Ranked against every other nameplate the EPA filed under the same class that year. The Volkswagen Golf III placed highest in 1994 at #21 of 53, and lowest in 1995 at #22 of 60. It spent 2 of its 2 ranked years in the top half of its class.
Every configuration on record
All 4 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 | 2.0L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic 4-spd Regular | (FFS) | 20 | 26 | 22 | 522.7 | 13.5 | $2,850 | 403.95454545454544 | n/a |
| 1995 | 2.0L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Manual 5-spd Regular | (FFS) | 21 | 29 | 24 | 479.2 | 12.4 | $2,600 | 370.2916666666667 | n/a |
| 1994 | 2.0L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic 4-spd Regular | (FFS) | 18 | 26 | 21 | 547.6 | 14.2 | $2,950 | 423.1904761904762 | n/a |
| 1994 | 2.0L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Manual 5-spd Regular | (FFS) | 21 | 29 | 24 | 479.2 | 12.4 | $2,600 | 370.2916666666667 | n/a |
What Golf III fuel costs over a year
At the EPA's 11,500 miles a year, the 1995 Volkswagen Golf III burns 479 to 523 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 | $1,438 | $1,568 | $131 |
| $3.50/gal | $1,677 | $1,830 | $152 |
| $4.00/gal | $1,917 | $2,091 | $174 |
EPA’s own estimate for the 1995 model year is $2,600 to $2,850 a year in fuel, or $3,000 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 Volkswagen Golf III is 2 mpg below the median, which is worth about $129 a year at $3.50 a gallon.
- All Compact Cars rankings — every nameplate in the class, best to worst.
Other Volkswagen nameplates
Every Volkswagen model compared → — all nameplates ranked by best combined rating, with what each one costs a year.