Ford averages 21.4 mpg combined across 45 petrol and diesel models (1984–2027). The best on record does 42 mpg, the thirstiest 12 — a yearly fuel gap of about $2,286. Its 5 electric models sit apart at 86.6 MPGe — 38.9 kWh per 100 miles, about $794 a year to charge, which is $1,000 less than the average Ford costs to fuel.
What that actually costs
What a Ford costs to feed, at 12,000 miles a year and $3.20 a gallon.
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Average combined | 21.4 mpg |
| Fuel per year | $1,794 |
| Most frugal on record | 42 mpg — $914 a year |
| Thirstiest on record | 12 mpg — $3,200 a year |
| Its electric models | 86.6 MPGe — $794 a year to charge |
Ford models by gas mileage
From the most frugal down. The yearly figure is what the fuel actually costs at 12,000 miles.
| Model | Average mpg | Best / Worst engine | Fuel per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ford C-Max | 40 / 38 | $987 | |
| Ford Festiva | 35 / 33 | $1,139 | |
| Ford Fiesta | 35 / 30 | $1,185 | |
| Ford Maverick | 38 / 25 | $1,219 | |
| Ford Fusion | 42 / 20 | $1,227 | |
| Ford Escort | 40 / 25 | $1,243 | |
| Ford Focus | 34 / 26 | $1,289 | |
| Ford Escape | 41 / 18 | $1,362 | |
| Ford Ecosport | 28 / 25 | $1,460 | |
| Ford Laser | 30 / 24 | $1,488 | |
| Ford ZX2 | 26 / 25 | $1,512 | |
| Ford Bronco Sport | 27 / 23 | $1,555 | |
| Ford Transit Connect | 26 / 22 | $1,574 | |
| Ford Contour | 25 / 21 | $1,648 | |
| Ford Probe | 26 / 19 | $1,699 | |
| Ford Edge | 25 / 19 | $1,745 | |
| Ford Taurus | 26 / 18 | $1,803 | |
| Ford Ranger | 27 / 17 | $1,829 | |
| Ford Five Hundred | 21 / 21 | $1,829 | |
| Ford Courier | 22 / 20 | $1,846 | |
| Ford Mustang | 26 / 17 | $1,864 | |
| Ford Freestyle | 20 / 20 | $1,920 | |
| Ford Bronco II | 25 / 18 | $1,959 | |
| Ford Flex | 20 / 19 | $1,979 | |
| Ford Aerostar | 24 / 17 | $1,990 | |
| Ford Explorer | 28 / 14 | $1,990 | |
| Ford Taurus X | 19 / 19 | $2,021 | |
| Ford Expedition MAX | 19 / 19 | $2,021 | |
| Ford Thunderbird | 21 / 17 | $2,043 | |
| Ford LTD | 20 / 17 | $2,065 | |
| Ford Windstar | 19 / 18 | $2,110 | |
| Ford Crown Victoria | 20 / 17 | $2,110 | |
| Ford Freestar | 18 / 18 | $2,133 | |
| Ford F-150 | 25 / 14 | $2,157 | |
| Ford Explorer Sport | 18 / 17 | $2,220 | |
| Ford Transit | 26 / 16 | $2,220 | |
| Ford Expedition EL | 17 / 17 | $2,259 | |
| Ford Expedition | 20 / 14 | $2,299 | |
| Ford Explorer Sport Trac | 17 / 15 | $2,370 | |
| Ford Bronco | 21 / 13 | $2,385 | |
| Ford E-150 | 20 / 12 | $2,612 | |
| Ford F-250 | 16 / 14 | $2,630 | |
| Ford GT | 14 / 14 | $2,743 | |
| Ford E-350 | 13 / 13 | $2,954 | |
| Ford Mustang GTD | 12 / 12 | $3,200 |
The electric Fords, measured differently
Ford has 5 models that never visit a filling station, averaging 86.6 MPGe. That figure looks four times better than the 21.4 mpg the petrol Fords manage, but the two are not the same unit — so we keep them apart and price the electric ones in kilowatt-hours.
| Model | MPGe | kWh / 100 mi | Charging per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ford Focus | 31.9 | $651 | |
| Ford Mustang Mach-E | 31.9 | $651 | |
| Ford F-150 | 47.8 | $975 | |
| Ford Ranger | 58.1 | $1,185 | |
| Ford Explorer | 86.4 | $1,763 |
MPG is a number. Dollars per year is the answer.
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How we count
Ford rests on 982 EPA ratings covering 45 models from 1984 to 2027, plus 5 electric ones counted separately in MPGe. The laboratory numbers are EPA's and go in unchanged; the money is ours, at 12,000 miles a year and $3.20 a gallon. Full method.
Frequently asked questions
What is the average Ford gas mileage?
21.4 mpg combined across 45 models and 982 EPA ratings, from 1984 to 2027 — 43 model years in one figure, which is why it sits below what a new Ford does today.
Which Ford model is the most economical?
The Ford C-Max at 38.9 mpg, about $987 a year in fuel, against the Mustang GTD at 12.0 mpg and $3,200 — a gap of $2,213 a year between the two ends of the same badge.
How much does a Ford cost to run?
About $1,794 a year in fuel, at 12,000 miles and $3.20 a gallon. Over five years that is $8,970, before a single service.
Does Ford make anything electric?
Yes — 5 models, rated 86.6 MPGe rather than in mpg, which works out to 38.9 kWh per 100 miles and roughly $794 a year at the socket. That is $1,000 less than the average petrol Ford, though the two ratings are not in the same unit.
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