7 Cars and Trucks That Have Some of the Worst MPG Ratings Ever

While some countries sell gasoline for less than $2 per gallon, in the United States we see prices near the $5 mark. It is therefore worth highlighting the models that consume fuel at record rates.

Of course, some historic vehicles with aircraft-powered racing machines and other such rare antique engines will be ridiculously inefficient, but the focus here is really on more modern machines. The kind of cars you might get a chance to see one day, like the Dodge Ram SRT-10 and its modern successor, the Ram 1500 TRX. To inject some excitement, we also added some important and woefully inefficient supercars, like Lamborghini’s angular Countach and the sixteen-cylinder Bugatti Veyron.

It’s worth noting that all of these cars and trucks have their uses. We’re not arguing that they are useless and should be avoided simply because of their poor fuel economy. Still, anyone afraid of current fuel prices should stay away. Ranked in order of efficiency, with the most “impressive” presented first, here are our seven cars and trucks with some of the worst mpg ratings.

The Hellcat-powered 2021 Ram 1500 TRX has some serious off-road pedigree. A 702-horsepower supercharged V8 allows this TRX to go from 0 to 60 mph in just 3.7 seconds, while Bilstein remote reservoir shocks, an electronically locking rear differential, and 35-inch all-terrain tires ensure it’s capable when the going gets tough.

The wide, blistered arches see the TRX sitting 8 inches wider than the standard 1500 models. Although the wide arches themselves don’t significantly increase weight, the wider mechanical components underneath help increase its base curb weight to 6,396 pounds. Put all this information together – a supercharged V8, massive tires and a sturdy curb weight – and it’s no surprise that the TRX lands on our list of vehicles with the worst fuel economy.

The EPA provides a combined rating of just 12 mpg, made up of a 10 mpg city and 14 mpg highway rating. However, in independent testing, the TRX actually performed even less admirably than that, with as little as 9 mpg reported. This is not the wisest choice for those who fear rising fuel prices.

The Ferrari Enzo is about as far from a TRX as you can get, with tiny ground clearance, low-profile performance tires, and a naturally aspirated 6.0-liter V12. Yet, unsurprisingly, the two vehicles share something in common: dismal fuel economy.

Of course, a multi-million dollar supercar will never be a rival to the Prius, but it’s worth taking a look at the inefficiency of the Enzo’s 6.0-liter V12. Its EPA-provided rating is 12 mpg on the highway and just 7 mpg in the city, for a combined score of just 8 mpg. Independent testing shows the Enzo gets 11 mpg, so actually better than the EPA suggests. Obviously, though, in addition to needing around $8 million in the bank to buy one in the first place, future Enzo owners will also need to devote a decent portion of their net worth to maintaining fuel. Those on a budget could always opt for a Fiero-based Enzo “replica”, but the embarrassment of being seen in such a monstrosity probably outweighs the possible financial benefits.

Another van and another equally unsurprising entrance. The 2005 Dodge Ram SRT-10 combined a full-size truck, far from the most economical vehicle, with a Dodge Viper engine. All the ingredients are there for financially ruinous mpg.

It’s a lively machine, as one might imagine for any vehicle equipped with an 8.3-liter V10 developing 500 horsepower and 525 pound-feet. This engine helps produce 0-60 mph times of 5.3 seconds and quarter-mile times under 14 seconds.

However, when you’re carrying around 5,100 pounds (or 5,450 pounds of weight in the case of the Quad-Cab) using an engine intended for a lightweight sports car and the aerodynamics barely match its Viper counterpart, poor fuel economy is a natural result. While the Viper with which the truck shares an engine is capable of getting up to 19 mpg on the highway, the Ram returns just 14 on the highway, or 9 in the city, for a combined score of just 10 mpg.

Interestingly, data from Hagerty’s evaluation tool demonstrates that the 2005 Ram SRT-10’s fuel economy isn’t enough to deter buyers from this two-decade-old truck. Despite rising gas prices, values ​​are climbing, with Concours models now costing more than $70,000, nearly 15 percent more than was required to claim such an example just three years ago.

Moving away from supercars and powerful trucks for a moment, we find ourselves faced with a land yacht from the 1970s, and probably the most beautiful of them all. The Lincoln Continental was a full-size luxury car that exuded opulence, with all the features and amenities a high-flying individual of the decade could want.

Under its hood was a 460 cubic inch Ford V8 engine, which produced 212 horsepower; not much in comparison to some of the other thirsty models on our list. Yet the Continental was never positioned as a performance model, and it was in the early 1970s that the new EPA began to introduce policies of increasing emissions and reducing performance, so the power of the car was not a primary consideration.

What might prove harder to ignore, however, is the ’73 Continental’s claimed 10 mpg. Of course, this fifty-year-old sedan predates official EPA ratings, but it’s not hard to believe the quoted ratings, which are a reasonable average. A particular safety feature introduced in the 1970s didn’t help matters either, namely the newly mandatory 5 mph bumpers. These added some weight to the Continental’s curb weight, which was never a sleight of hand, and as a result the ’73 model tipped the scales at around 5,200 pounds.

There are really no surprise entries to be found here. After all, it’s not hard to guess which cars and trucks might give poor fuel economy ratings, and little explanation is needed to justify why a four-turbocharged, 250 mph-capable 8.0-liter W16-powered Bugatti Veyron makes our list.

It was a true turning point in the world of ultra-high performance cars, as Bugatti finally toppled the McLaren F1 from its top spot as the fastest production car of all time. Bugatti threw everything at the Veyron, from a monstrous engine to remarkably expensive tires and clever aerodynamics. Still, this aerodynamics didn’t make much difference in terms of mileage.

The EPA reports that Bugatti’s Veyron can achieve up to 14 mpg on the highway, while 8 mpg is as good as in the city, resulting in a combined rating of just 10 mpg. Perhaps the most interesting statistic is how quickly the Veyron will empty its 26-gallon fuel tank – in just 12 minutes it will all be gone. That’s $136 worth of gasoline poured in less than a quarter of an hour.

Lamborghini’s Countach enjoyed a long career as the company’s flagship supercar, with a production run spanning from 1974 to 1990. The very first model, the LP400, featured a 3.9-liter V12 engine, which sent 370 hp to the rear wheels. By the time the 5000QV hit the streets in the late 1980s, that engine had become a 5.2-liter V12, which enjoyed a 50-horsepower premium over previous cars.

This later Countach also weighed about 850 pounds more than the LP400, with most of that weight coming from the additions of mechanical equipment, body kits, and safety regulations. With this extra weight, the 5000QV produces a paltry 6 mpg in the city and a barely improved 10 mpg cruising on the highway.

While some may think the early LP400 cars are the best example of the brand, others might argue that the newer, more powerful, V-winged models are the ones to have. Regardless of which side of the argument you’re on, this isn’t the supercar to nostalgically reach for if current gas prices make your stomach turn.

This gargantuan SUV from the 1980s steals the crown for our thirstiest model, getting between 5 and 7 mpg according to various reports. Figures like these make us believe that Lamborghini deliberately went out of its way to produce the least economical car possible, and judging by the mechanical makeup of the LM002, that wouldn’t be that far-fetched.

The car weighed 6,780 pounds and used the same base 5.2-liter V12 as the aforementioned Countach 5000QV. If the mill returned less than 10 mpg in the Countach, then imagine how thirsty it would be in the tank-shaped LM002. Interestingly, the LM002 is frequently cited as more powerful than the Countach, and this is likely because emissions regulations were less stringent for LM002 class vehicles. Buyers can therefore expect to find around 444 horsepower at the SUV’s disposal, as opposed to the 420 in its supercar sibling.

Recently, prices for the best examples have soared north of $400,000, despite the fact that they weigh as much as a small house, look like one, and guzzle fuel faster than the owner can fill it. Clearly, those with money are happy to pay for the novelty of driving a 5 mpg super-SUV, which is as amazing as it is terrible.