Special Report

These New Cars Have the Worst Fuel Efficiency on the Market

bigtunaonline / iStock via Getty Images

The cost of gasoline has been rising in 2021 as the United States emerges from a pandemic-era slump in prices at the pump. That means that many consumers will be shopping for fuel efficiency, as they tend to do when gas prices rise. (Fuel economy may or may not have been a factor with the best-selling cars of the last year.)

Those who prefer large SUVs or pickup trucks (or who need them for business purposes), however, will continue to pay more to fill up their tanks, because the size and weight of vehicles tends to affect miles per gallon.

While average fuel economy for all passenger vehicles has improved greatly over the years, to nearly 26 miles per gallon based on preliminary data for 2020 from the Environmental Protection Agency, a 29% increase over 2004. The largest and least efficient cars, trucks, and SUVs, however, don’t come close to that. Many SUVs, in fact, get only 15 to 20 miles per gallon. Some full-size sedans also offer dismal fuel economy, in return for the power that comes from larger engines.

Buyers of the least fuel-efficient vehicles can spend an average of over $3,000 a year on gasoline, based on driving 15,000 miles per year using mid-grade unleaded gasoline at $3.49 a gallon, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. 

Click here to see the least fuel-efficient cars for 2022.

To identify the least fuel-efficient vehicles for the 2022 model year, which should begin appearing this fall, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the EPA’s 2022 Fuel Economy Guide. Fuel efficiency for city, highway, and combined, as well as annual fuel costs for each vehicle, were derived from the report. (Remember that gas prices will vary from place to place according to local tax structures. These are the states with the lowest and highest gas prices.)

Source: Courtesy of Land Rover

31. Land Rover Range Rover Sport
> Fuel efficiency: 19 mpg (17 mpg city, 22 mpg highway)
> Annual fuel cost: $2,950

[in-text-ad]

Source: Courtesy of Land Rover

30. Land Rover Defender 90 MHEV
> Fuel efficiency: 19 mpg (17 mpg city, 22 mpg highway)
> Annual fuel cost: $2,950

Source: Courtesy of Land Rover

29. Land Rover Defender 90
> Fuel efficiency: 19 mpg (18 mpg city, 21 mpg highway)
> Annual fuel cost: $2,950

Source: Courtesy of Land Rover

28. Land Rover Defender 110 MHEV
> Fuel efficiency: 19 mpg (17 mpg city, 22 mpg highway)
> Annual fuel cost: $2,950

[in-text-ad-2]

Source: Courtesy of Ford

27. Ford Transit Connect Van FFV
> Fuel efficiency: 19 mpg (18 mpg city, 20 mpg highway)
> Annual fuel cost: $1,600 (E85 ethanol fuel only)

Source: Courtesy of Genesis

26. Genesis G90 RWD
> Fuel efficiency: 19 mpg (16 mpg city, 24 mpg highway)
> Annual fuel cost: $2,950

[in-text-ad]

Source: Courtesy of Genesis

25. Genesis G90 RWD
> Fuel efficiency: 19 mpg (17 mpg city, 24 mpg highway)
> Annual fuel cost: $2,950

Source: Courtesy of BMW

24. BMW Alpina B7 xDrive
> Fuel efficiency: 19 mpg (17 mpg city, 24 mpg highway)
> Annual fuel cost: $2,950

Source: Courtesy of BMW

23. BMW 750i xDrive Sedan
> Fuel efficiency: 19 mpg (17 mpg city, 24 mpg highway)
> Annual fuel cost: $2,950

[in-text-ad-2]

Source: Courtesy of BMW

22. BMW M850i xDrive Gran Coupe
> Fuel efficiency: 19 mpg (17 mpg city, 24 mpg highway)
> Annual fuel cost: $2,950

Source: Courtesy of BMW

21. BMW Alpina B8 Gran Coupe
> Fuel efficiency: 19 mpg (17 mpg city, 24 mpg highway)
> Annual fuel cost: $2,950

[in-text-ad]

Source: Courtesy of Cadillac

20. Cadillac CT4 V
> Fuel efficiency: 19 mpg (16 mpg city, 24 mpg highway)
> Annual fuel cost: $2,950

Source: Courtesy of BMW

19. BMW M850i xDrive Convertible
> Fuel efficiency: 19 mpg (17 mpg city, 24 mpg highway)
> Annual fuel cost: $2,950

Source: Courtesy of Land Rover

18. Land Rover Defender 110
> Fuel efficiency: 18 mpg (17 mpg city, 20 mpg highway)
> Annual fuel cost: $3,100

[in-text-ad-2]

Source: Courtesy of Ford

17. Ford Transit Connect Wagon LWB FFV
> Fuel efficiency: 18 mpg (16 mpg city, 21 mpg highway)
> Annual fuel cost: $1,700

Source: Courtesy of Genesis

16. Genesis G90 AWD
> Fuel efficiency: 18 mpg (16 mpg city, 23 mpg highway)
> Annual fuel cost: $3,100

[in-text-ad]

Source: Courtesy of Cadillac

15. Cadillac CT4 V
> Fuel efficiency: 18 mpg (15 mpg city, 23 mpg highway)
> Annual fuel cost: $3,100

Source: Courtesy of Jaguar

14. Jaguar F-Type R AWD Coupe
> Fuel efficiency: 18 mpg (16 mpg city, 24 mpg highway)
> Annual fuel cost: $3,100

Source: Courtesy of Jaguar

13. Jaguar F-Type R AWD Convertible
> Fuel efficiency: 18 mpg (16 mpg city, 24 mpg highway)
> Annual fuel cost: $3,100

[in-text-ad-2]

Source: Courtesy of BMW

12. BMW M8 Competition Gran Coupe
> Fuel efficiency: 17 mpg (15 mpg city, 21 mpg highway)
> Annual fuel cost: $3,300

Source: Courtesy of BMW

11. BMW M5 CS Sedan
> Fuel efficiency: 17 mpg (15 mpg city, 21 mpg highway)
> Annual fuel cost: $3,300

[in-text-ad]

Source: Courtesy of BMW

10. BMW M8 Competition Coupe
> Fuel efficiency: 17 mpg (15 mpg city, 21 mpg highway)
> Annual fuel cost: $3,300

Source: Courtesy of BMW

9. BMW M8 Competition Convertible
> Fuel efficiency: 17 mpg (15 mpg city, 21 mpg highway)
> Annual fuel cost: $3,300

Source: Courtesy of Land Rover

8. Land Rover Range Rover Sport SVR
> Fuel efficiency: 16 mpg (15 mpg city, 20 mpg highway)
> Annual fuel cost: $3,500

[in-text-ad-2]

Source: Courtesy of Land Rover

7. Land Rover Defender 90
> Fuel efficiency: 16 mpg (15 mpg city, 19 mpg highway)
> Annual fuel cost: $3,500

Source: Courtesy of Land Rover

6. Land Rover Defender 110
> Fuel efficiency: 16 mpg (14 mpg city, 19 mpg highway)
> Annual fuel cost: $3,500

[in-text-ad]

Source: Courtesy of BMW

5. BMW M760i xDrive Sedan
> Fuel efficiency: 16 mpg (13 mpg city, 20 mpg highway)
> Annual fuel cost: $3,500

Source: Courtesy of Cadillac

4. Cadillac CT5 V
> Fuel efficiency: 16 mpg (13 mpg city, 22 mpg highway)
> Annual fuel cost: $3,500

Source: Courtesy of Jeep

3. Jeep Grand Wagoneer 4WD
> Fuel efficiency: 15 mpg (13 mpg city, 18 mpg highway)
> Annual fuel cost: $3,750

[in-text-ad-2]

Source: Courtesy of Jeep

2. Jeep Grand Wagoneer 2WD
> Fuel efficiency: 15 mpg (13 mpg city, 19 mpg highway)
> Annual fuel cost: $3,750

Source: Courtesy of Cadillac

1. Cadillac CT5 V
> Fuel efficiency: 15 mpg (13 mpg city, 21 mpg highway)
> Annual fuel cost: $3,750

Take This Retirement Quiz To Get Matched With An Advisor Now (Sponsored)

Are you ready for retirement? Planning for retirement can be overwhelming, that’s why it could be a good idea to speak to a fiduciary financial advisor about your goals today.

Start by taking this retirement quiz right here from SmartAsset that will match you with up to 3 financial advisors that serve your area and beyond in 5 minutes. Smart Asset is now matching over 50,000 people a month.

Click here now to get started.

Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us?
Contact the 24/7 Wall St. editorial team.