The Buick Park Avenue does 20.2 mpg combined (17 city, 26 highway), which works out to about $1,901 a year in fuel at $3.20 a gallon and 12,000 miles. Against other V6 cars it sits above the average of 19.9 mpg.
Every Buick Park Avenue engine, compared
The Buick Park Avenue was rated in a single specification, so its gas mileage does not vary by version — only by model year. Yearly cost assumes 12,000 miles at $3.20 a gallon.
| Engine | Combined | City / Highway | Years | Fuel per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.8L 6-cyl | 17 / 26 | 1991–2005 | $1,901 |
What that actually costs
The Buick Park Avenue burns a gallon every 20.2 miles, so 12,000 miles takes about 594 gallons a year. At $3.20 that is what the table below adds up to.
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Cost per mile | $0.158 |
| Fuel per year | $1,901 |
| Fuel over five years | $9,505 |
| Against other V6 cars | −$29 a year |
| EPA's own estimate | $3,077 a year |
City or highway — who is this car for
The Buick Park Avenue gives up 9 mpg the moment you leave the motorway — 26 out there against 17 in town, a 53% drop worth $782 a year. A wide gap punishes stop-and-start traffic; a narrow one means the car doesn't care where you drive it.
| Measure | Value | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| City | 17 mpg | $2,259 a year if you only drive in town |
| Highway | 26 mpg | $1,477 a year if you mostly commute |
| Gap | +9 mpg (53%) | Wide — this car dislikes traffic |
How the Park Avenue changed over the years
The Park Avenue peaked in 2005 at 21 mpg (18 city, 27 highway) and was at its thirstiest in 1992 at 19 — 2 mpg apart, or $192 a year in fuel between buying one year and the other. The 2005 car does 21. Jumps usually mark a new generation or a new engine; dips often mean a heavier body or added all-wheel drive.
| Model year | Combined | City / Highway | Engines offered | Fuel per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 18 / 27 | 1 | $1,829 | |
| 2004 | 18 / 27 | 1 | $1,829 | |
| 2003 | 17 / 27 | 1 | $1,829 | |
| 2002 | 17 / 27 | 1 | $1,829 | |
| 2001 | 17 / 27 | 1 | $1,920 | |
| 2000 | 17 / 27 | 1 | $1,920 | |
| 1999 | 17 / 25 | 1 | $1,920 | |
| 1998 | 17 / 26 | 1 | $1,920 | |
| 1997 | 17 / 26 | 1 | $1,920 | |
| 1996 | 17 / 27 | 1 | $1,829 | |
| 1995 | 17 / 26 | 1 | $1,920 | |
| 1994 | 17 / 25 | 1 | $1,920 | |
| 1993 | 17 / 25 | 1 | $1,920 | |
| 1992 | 16 / 24 | 1 | $2,021 | |
| 1991 | 16 / 24 | 1 | $2,021 |
MPG is a number. Dollars per year is the answer.
- Fuel profile built from your actual mileage and local prices
- Fuel tracker: what you really spend, month by month
- Insurance and fuel folded into 5-year cost to own
- Compare any two cars on total cost, not sticker price
- No ads, no tracking — and much more
How we count
This page rests on 15 EPA ratings of the Buick Park Avenue — 1 engine across 1991–2005. The mileage is EPA's laboratory figure, unchanged; the yearly bill is ours, at 12,000 miles and $3.20 a gallon, against EPA's own estimate of $3,077. Full method.
Frequently asked questions
What mpg does the Buick Park Avenue get?
20.2 mpg combined on average — 17 in the city and 26 on the highway, per EPA ratings across 1991–2005.
How much does a Buick Park Avenue cost in fuel per year?
About $1,901 at 12,000 miles and $3.20 a gallon — roughly $9,505 over five years, or 0.158 dollars a mile.
Which Park Avenue engine is the most economical?
The 3.8L 6-cyl at 20.2 mpg.
Is the Park Avenue good on fuel compared with similar cars?
Against other V6 cars it sits above the average of 19.9 mpg, computed across 4940 ratings.
Are these real-world Park Avenue figures?
No — they are EPA laboratory ratings, the same ones printed on the window sticker, and EPA's own annual fuel estimate for the Buick Park Avenue is $3,077 against the $1,901 we compute at 12,000 miles. Expect a little worse in practice: the spread between the city and highway figures is smaller than the spread between two drivers of the same one.
Mark ForCar as a preferred source and our data shows up first in your Google results. One click, no account.