1984 Oldsmobike Ninety-Eight, Gas Guzzlers of 1984
Returning 14.7 mpg, the Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight was one of the worst gas guzzlers tested by Consumer Guide in 1984.

We recently shared a collection of the worst gas guzzlers of 1973 and 1981, and fuel-economy gap between those two model years was massive.

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. So, what if we skipped ahead another three years… shouldn’t Consumer Guide’s observed fuel economy numbers be even better?

Well, you’d think so, but that isn’t the case—at least at the bottom end of the scale. Presented here are the six worst gas-guzzlers of 1984. Four of the cars seen here are powered by 5.0-liter V8s; the other two make use of 6-cylinder mills.

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 this gas-swilling rides of 1984.

Oh, and about that asterisk. These are the worst gas guzzlers as tested by Consumer Guide in 1984. Though the editors tested a large number of cars that year, they didn’t get to everything. So, a few ever thirstier rides may have gone untested.

12 Worst Gas Guzzlers of 1973*

 

Jaguar XJ6: 13.6 MPG

1984 Jaguar XJ6
1984 Jaguar XJ6

Body Style Tested: Sedan

Curb Weight: 4066 pounds

Engine: 4.2-liter Six

Horsepower: 176

Transmission: 3-speed automatic

Axle Ratio: 2.88:1

0-60 mph: 11.5 seconds

 

Pontiac Firebird Trans Am: 13.7 MPG

1984 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am
1984 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am

Body Style Tested: Coupe

Curb Weight: 3194 pounds

Engine: 5.0-liter V8

Horsepower: 150

Transmission: 5-speed manual

Axle Ratio: 3.23:1

0-60 mph: 10.8 seconds

 

Mercury Grand Marquis: 13.9 MPG

1984 Mercury Grand Marquis
1984 Mercury Grand Marquis

Body Style Tested: Sedan

Curb Weight: 3780 pounds

Engine: 5.0-liter V8

Horsepower: 140

Transmission: 4-speed automatic

Axle Ratio: 3.08:1

0-60 mph: N/A

 

Mercedes-Benz 500SEL: 14.0 MPG

1984 Mercedes-Benz 500SEL
1984 Mercedes-Benz 500SEL

Body Style Tested: Sedan

Curb Weight: 3870 pounds

Engine: 5.0-liter V8

Horsepower: 184

Transmission: 4-speed automatic

Axle Ratio: 2.47:1

0-60 mph: 10.0

 

Nissan 300ZX: 14.7 MPG

1843 Nissan 300ZX
1984 Nissan 300ZX

Body Style Tested: Coupe

Curb Weight: 3016 pounds

Engine: 3.0-liter V6

Horsepower: 160

Transmission: 5-speed manual

Axle Ratio: 3.70:1

0-60 mph: 9.0

 

Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight: 14.7 MPG

1984 Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight
1984 Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight

Body Style Tested: Sedan

Curb Weight: 3890 pounds

Engine: 5.0-liter V8

Horsepower: 140

Transmission: 4-speed automatic

Axle Ratio: 2.73:1

0-60 mph: 16.0

10 Worst Gas Guzzlers of 1981*

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