GRANADA

The Ford Granada explained

The Ford Granada is a vehicle built from 1981 to 1982 across 2 generations.

Data · NHTSA & EPA · 1981–1982 · 2 model years · Updated Aug 27, 2026 · 3.5 ★★★★★★★★★★ ForCar Score
Quick answer

The Ford Granada is a vehicle built from 1981 to 1982 over 2 generations. Worth buying? It depends heavily on which year you buy at 3.5/5 — and the year you pick matters far more than the badge (best and worst years →).

1981–1982
Years
5
Recalls
Top MPG
—★
NHTSA
2
Complaints

What the Granada is

The Ford Granada is a vehicle that Ford built from 1981 to 1982 — 2 model years. Our measurements put it at 2 generations, the current one starting in 1981. Its closest siblings in the Ford range: F-150, Bronco, Mustang.

Granada generations, and what changed

These boundaries are not copied from a brochure — they fall out of the measurements. Where the Granada's length or wheelbase jumps between consecutive model years the platform changed: a facelift moves a bumper by centimetres, a new generation moves the whole car — for the Granada that gives 2 distinct generations below.

FIG.03·Ford Granada by generation
GenerationLengthWheelbaseWeightvs previousWeight change
1975-1980505 cm277 cm---
1981-1982499 cm268 cm1305 kg-6 cm-
ROWS 2·SOURCE Transport Canada vehicle specifications, 1971 onward

Ford Granada tire size, oil type & owner specs

The fitment Granada owners look up most — tires, wheels, oil and batteries. Exact wheel and tire sizes decode from your VIN or the driver's door-jamb placard; the universal items are listed below.

Wheels & tires
Wheel sizeby VIN
Tire sizeby VIN
Bolt patternby trim
Tire pressure32–36 PSI
Engine oil
Oil typeFull synthetic
Gradeon oil cap
Capacityby engine
Battery
Main battery12V · group by trim
Key-fob cellCR2032
Wiper blades
Front bladesby generation
Rear bladeif equipped
Fuses
Fuse boxeshood + dash
Diagramon box lid
Light bulbs
Headlightby trim
Tail / brakeby trim
Fogif equipped

Exact tire, wheel, oil grade, capacity and battery group are added per trim and model year — decode your VIN above for the factory fitment. Universal items shown as-is.

What engines does the Ford Granada have? Power & range

Powertrain data warming… reload in a moment.

The Granada by the numbers

What the federal and market records say about the Ford Granada. Each line opens the full breakdown by year.

FIG.05·Ford Granada by the numbers
TopicGranadaDetail
Recalls5 campaignsNHTSA, all years
Owner complaints2 filedWhat breaks and when
Reliability3.5 / 5Best and worst years
ROWS 3·SOURCE NHTSA, EPA, HLDI and market listings

Frequently asked questions

What kind of car is the Ford Granada?

The Granada is a vehicle, built from 1981 to 1982 across 2 generations.

How many generations does the Granada have?

2 by our measurements, the latest starting in 1981. We draw the boundaries where length or wheelbase jumps between model years — a facelift moves a bumper, a new generation moves the whole car.

What is the Ford Granada warranty?

New models carry 3 years / 36,000 miles basic cover and 5 years / 60,000 miles on the powertrain. Worth knowing: across our complaint records the typical car reaches the halfway point of its faults at five years, so most repairs land after the basic warranty ends.

Is the Granada reliable?

It scores 3.5/5 in our data. The honest answer depends on the year far more than the model — see the best and worst years, and when this car starts to break.

How do I check a specific Granada?

This page describes the model; it cannot tell you whether that car has an open recall or a branded title. Run its VIN against the records — free, and matched to the exact production run.

More in Ford

More Ford models
ModelYearsRecallsBest MPGForCar score
Ford F-1501981–202646272 mpg4.0/5
Ford Bronco1981–202614627 mpg3.5/5
Ford Mustang1981–202624026 mpg4.0/5
Ford Explorer1991–202621239 mpg4.0/5
Ford Escape2001–202622641 mpg4.5/5
Ford Ranger1982–202627858 mpg3.5/5
ROWS 6·SOURCE NHTSA + EPA
Data sourced from NHTSA (recalls, complaints, safety ratings) and EPA fueleconomy.gov (MPG). Best/worst-year analysis is ForCar's own aggregation of complaint volume. Last updated Aug 2026. — ForCar Editorial Reviewed by , founder of ForCar.