The Ford E-150 does 14.7 mpg combined (13 city, 17.1 highway), which works out to about $2,612 a year in fuel at $3.20 a gallon and 12,000 miles. Engine choice matters more than you'd think: 4.9L 6-cyl does 15.7 mpg while 5L 8-cyl does 13.5 — a difference of $398 a year. Against other V8 cars it sits below the average of 16.1 mpg.
Every Ford E-150 engine, compared
Gas mileage on the Ford E-150 ranges from 15.7 down to 13.5 depending on which engine sits under the bonnet — a spread of $398 a year across 4 versions of the same car. Picking the right one often saves more fuel than picking a different car altogether. Yearly cost assumes 12,000 miles at $3.20 a gallon.
| Engine | Combined | City / Highway | Years | Fuel per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.9L 6-cyl | 14.2 / 17.9 | 1984–1996 | $2,446 | |
| 4.6L 8-cyl | 13.3 / 17.5 | 1997–2014 | $2,543 | |
| 4.2L 6-cyl | 12.9 / 17.1 | 1997–2003 | $2,667 | |
| 5L 8-cyl | 11.7 / 15.9 | 1984–1996 | $2,844 |
What that actually costs
The Ford E-150 burns a gallon every 14.7 miles, so 12,000 miles takes about 816 gallons a year. At $3.20 that is what the table below adds up to.
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Cost per mile | $0.218 |
| Fuel per year | $2,612 |
| Fuel over five years | $13,060 |
| Against other V8 cars | +$227 a year |
| EPA's own estimate | $4,266 a year |
City or highway — who is this car for
The Ford E-150 gives up 4.1 mpg the moment you leave the motorway — 17.1 out there against 13 in town, a 32% drop worth $708 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 | 13 mpg | $2,954 a year if you only drive in town |
| Highway | 17.1 mpg | $2,246 a year if you mostly commute |
| Gap | +4.1 mpg (32%) | Wide — this car dislikes traffic |
How the E-150 changed over the years
The E-150 peaked in 1986 at 17 mpg (15 city, 19.5 highway) and was at its thirstiest in 1996 at 13.5 — 3.5 mpg apart, or $585 a year in fuel between buying one year and the other. The 2014 car does 15. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 13 / 16 | 1 | $2,560 | |
| 2013 | 13 / 17 | 1 | $2,560 | |
| 2012 | 13 / 17 | 1 | $2,560 | |
| 2011 | 13 / 17 | 1 | $2,560 | |
| 2006 | 13 / 17 | 1 | $2,560 | |
| 2005 | 13 / 17 | 1 | $2,560 | |
| 2004 | 14 / 18 | 1 | $2,560 | |
| 2003 | 13.5 / 18 | 2 | $2,477 | |
| 2002 | 13.5 / 18 | 2 | $2,560 | |
| 2001 | 13.5 / 18.5 | 2 | $2,560 | |
| 2000 | 12.5 / 16.5 | 2 | $2,648 | |
| 1999 | 12 / 16 | 2 | $2,743 | |
| 1998 | 13 / 18 | 2 | $2,560 | |
| 1997 | 14 / 18 | 2 | $2,560 | |
| 1996 | 11.5 / 16 | 2 | $2,844 | |
| 1995 | 12.5 / 16 | 2 | $2,743 | |
| 1994 | 12.5 / 16 | 2 | $2,743 | |
| 1993 | 12.5 / 16.5 | 2 | $2,648 | |
| 1992 | 13 / 16.5 | 2 | $2,648 | |
| 1991 | 12.5 / 17 | 2 | $2,648 | |
| 1990 | 12.5 / 16 | 2 | $2,743 | |
| 1989 | 13 / 16.5 | 2 | $2,743 | |
| 1988 | 13 / 17 | 2 | $2,743 | |
| 1987 | 13.5 / 17.5 | 2 | $2,560 | |
| 1986 | 15 / 19.5 | 2 | $2,259 | |
| 1985 | 13.5 / 17 | 2 | $2,560 | |
| 1984 | 13.5 / 18.5 | 2 | $2,477 |
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 47 EPA ratings of the Ford E-150 — 4 engines across 1984–2014. 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 $4,266. Full method.
Frequently asked questions
What mpg does the Ford E-150 get?
14.7 mpg combined on average — 13 in the city and 17.1 on the highway, per EPA ratings across 1984–2014.
How much does a Ford E-150 cost in fuel per year?
About $2,612 at 12,000 miles and $3.20 a gallon — roughly $13,060 over five years, or 0.218 dollars a mile.
Which E-150 engine is the most economical?
The 4.9L 6-cyl at 15.7 mpg, against 13.5 for the 5L 8-cyl — a difference of about $398 a year.
Is the E-150 good on fuel compared with similar cars?
Against other V8 cars it sits below the average of 16.1 mpg, computed across 3323 ratings.
Are these real-world E-150 figures?
No — they are EPA laboratory ratings, the same ones printed on the window sticker, and EPA's own annual fuel estimate for the Ford E-150 is $4,266 against the $2,612 we compute at 12,000 miles. Expect a little worse in practice: the spread between the 20 and 12 mpg versions of this car 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.