1988 Iroc Z, Gas Guzzlers of 1988
Returning 16.3 mpg, the Chevrolet Camaro IROC-Z was the 9th-worst gas guzzler tested by Consumer Guide in 1988.

We’ve recently posted collections of the worst gas guzzlers the Consumer Guide editors tested in 1973, 1981, and 1984. Over that 11-year time span, fuel-economy improvements in North-American-market automobiles were quite impressive.

The thirstiest rides of 1981 returned an average mpg performance almost twice that of the guzzlers of 1973—from about 8 mpg to about 15. Fuel-economy improvements slowed down a bit after that, but, horsepower figures began to rise. So it’s all good, right?

Our tested “guzzlers” of 1988 aren’t really all that thirsty. The worst car on our list clocks in at an even 15 mpg, which really isn’t terrible given the car’s mass. More importantly, three of the vehicles listed below boasted engines with horsepower ratings over 200–a first for any of our guzzler lists.

If you remember any of these cars having been more—or less—efficient than we report here, tell us about it. We’d love to hear about your experiences with the gas-swilling rides of 1988.

Oh, and about that asterisk. These are the worst gas guzzlers as tested by Consumer Guide in 1988. Though the editors tested a large number of cars that year, they didn’t get to everything. So, a few even thirstier rides may have gone untested.

More gas guzzlers

 

Cadillac Brougham: 15.0 MPG

1988 Cadillac Brougham
1988 Cadillac Brougham

Body style tested: sedan

Curb weight: 4045

Engine: 5.0-liter V8

Horsepower: 140

Transmission: 4-speed automatic

 

Ford Mustang GT: 15.3 MPG

1988 Ford Mustang GT
1988 Ford Mustang GT

Body style tested: coupe

Curb weight: 3080

Engine: 5.0-liter V8

Horsepower: 225

Transmission: 5-speed manual

 

Ford Bronco II: 15.4 MPG

1988 Ford Bronco II
1988 Ford Bronco II

Body style tested: wagon

Curb weight: 3166

Engine: 2.9-liter V6

Horsepower: 140

Transmission: 4-speed automatic

 

Mercedes-Benz 560SEL: 15.5 MPG

1988 Mercedes-Benz 560SEL
1988 Mercedes-Benz 560SEL

Body style tested: sedan

Curb weight: 3770

Engine: 5.6-liter V6

Horsepower: 238

Transmission: 4-speed automatic

 

Chevrolet Caprice: 15.6 MPG

1988 Chevrolet Caprice
1988 Chevrolet Caprice

Body style tested: sedan

Curb weight: 3510

Engine: 5.0-liter V6

Horsepower: 170

Transmission: 4-speed automatic

10 Most Fuel-Efficient Cars of 1973*

 

Lincoln Town Car: 16.0 MPG

1988 Lincoln Town Car
1988 Lincoln Town Car

Body style tested: sedan

Curb weight: 4051

Engine: 5.0-liter V6

Horsepower: 150

Transmission: 4-speed automatic

 

Chevrolet S-10 Blazer: 16.2 MPG

1988 Chevrolet S10 Blazer
1988 Chevrolet S-10 Blazer

Body style tested: wagon

Curb weight: 3150

Engine: 2.8-liter V6

Horsepower: 115

Transmission: 5-speed manual

 

Nissan Pathfinder: 16.2 MPG

1988 Nissan Pathfinder
1988 Nissan Pathfinder

Body style tested: wagon

Curb weight: 3735

Engine: 3.0-liter V6

Horsepower: 145

Transmission: 5-speed manual

 

Chevrolet Camaro IROC-Z: 16.3 MPG

1988 Chevrolet Camaro IROC-Z
1988 Chevrolet Camaro IROC-Z

Body style tested: coupe

Curb weight: 3300

Engine: 5.7-liter V8

Horsepower: 230

Transmission: 4-speed automatic

 

Cadillac Eldorado: 16.4 MPG

1988 Cadillac Eldorado
1988 Cadillac Eldorado

Body style tested: coupe

Curb weight: 3398

Engine: 4.5-liter V8

Horsepower: 155

Transmission: 4-speed automatic

2017 Real-World Fuel-Economy Champions: Top 10

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