Improvements in automotive technology and increasingly strict standards have seen average fuel economy on a steady rise since the mid-1970s. Fifty years ago, the typical car sold in the U.S. posted an EPA-estimated 13.1 MPG. That number has nearly doubled over the last half-century, with the average 2022 model achieving around 26.4 MPG, according to the Department of Energy. The last 20 years have seen average MPG increase at a record clip with a 35 percent improvement over 2002 numbers, an encouraging figure that’s helped to curb emissions while saving drivers around $500 a year in fuel costs. It’s an encouraging trend from an environmental perspective, but that doesn’t mean there’s not still room for a gas-guzzling sports car or a hulking full-size SUV in today’s market.
In order to celebrate some of the industry’s thirstiest models, we’ve compiled a list of the market’s lowest MPG vehicles for 2025, according to the EPA. Unsurprisingly, high-performance European sports cars tend to dominate the list, with Bugatti, Ferrari, and Lamborghini occupying the top three spots. The U.S. is well represented as well, with Cadillac and Dodge earning a place on the list. If you’re looking to experience the sort of performance that can only be found in a V8 or larger or are just looking for an excuse to sample a wide range of gas station cuisine, these less-than-efficient vehicles are worth a closer look.
CAFE, Olé!
Before we review some of the worst MPG offenders, we should take a moment to address a seemingly simple question. In an age of ever-tightening fuel economy standards, how does a Bugatti that struggles to break 10 MPG even make it to market? In order to answer that question, we’ll need to make a quick detour into the world of CAFE standards. First enacted in 1975, Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards require any automaker that annually produces more than 10,000 passenger cars and light trucks to meet certain efficiency standards. The bar was originally set at 18 MPG for 1978 and has since risen to the current standard of 49 MPG for passenger cars and light trucks by model year 2026.
With the average now hovering around 26 MPG, it might seem like the industry is well behind the curve when it comes to meeting the current CAFE standards, but it all comes down to how you crunch the numbers. CAFE standards apply to an automaker’s entire fleet, not each individual model. That means brands can offset gas-guzzling vehicles with hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and all-electric options that increase the average while still allowing companies to indulge in their worst (or best, depending on your point of view) internal combustion desires. Just take the 2025 Bugatti Mistral, for example. With an EPA-estimated 9 MPG, the French supercar offers just a fraction of the required fuel economy, but Bugatti also produces an exceedingly low number of units for each model year. This limited production allows the Volkswagen Group, which owns Bugatti, Lamborghini, and Porsche, to make up the difference with high-volume, high-efficiency models under its VW, Audi, and Skoda brands. The conglomerate’s sizable stable of high-performance nameplates means this can be a tall order, but VW’s EV efforts are certainly helping to make a dent. VW has steadily expanded its slate of all-electric ID offerings, including the ID.Buzz, and recently revived the beloved Scout brand to focus on off-road-ready EVs.
Engineering advances have allowed brands to increase their average MPG by leveraging lightweight materials, hybrid technology, ultra-efficient transmissions, and fuel-saving tech like cylinder deactivation. But there’s one other option on the table: just ignore the CAFE standards altogether. That’s the route chosen by big names like General Motors and Stellantis, who have been slapped with a combined $363 million in fines over the last few years for failing to meet the current standards. In mid-2023, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) fined Stellantis $232 million for missing CAFE standards between 2018 and 2019, while GM was tagged for $128 million for models produced in 2016 and 2017. The NHTSA assesses a fine of around $15 for every 0.1 million per gallon below the required standard, which can quickly add up when you boast the volume of GM or Stellantis.
2025 Bugatti Mistral
Fuel Economy (City/Highway/Combined): 8/12/9
Annual Fuel Cost: $6,650
In the case of Fuel Economy v. the Environmental Protection Agency, Bugatti declares a Mistral. The French brand’s new supercar, which is basically just an open-air Chiron, is the fastest convertible road car in automotive history, with a top speed of 282 mph, though the production model is limited to a sleepy 260 mph. Naturally, that sort of performance comes at the cost of fuel economy, with the Mistral posting a measly 8 MPG city and 12 MPG highway for a combined rating of 9 MPG. Named after a strong northwesterly wind unique to southern France and the Rhône Valley, the Mistral is powered by the same mammoth 8.0L W16 engine that’s found in the Veyron and Chiron. The Mistral is rated to churn out up to 1,578 hp and 1,180 lb-ft of torque. Bugatti is already set to outdo itself with the forthcoming Tourbillon, which will feature an 8.3L version of the W16 engine, but no matter which model you choose, you might want to start saving your pennies as the Mistral retails for around $5 million with Bugatti producing just 99 units.
2025 Lamborghini Revuelto
Fuel Economy (City/Highway/Combined): 10/17/12
Annual Fuel Cost: $5,000
The Volkswagen Group might be known for its mass-market offerings, but the German multinational has also developed a real niche in the high-performance segment thanks to the unhinged automotive creations coming out of the Bugatti, Lamborghini, and Porsche brands. The 2025 Lamborghini Revuelto is second only to the Mistral in terms of thirst, with a mid-mounted 6.5L V12 that produces 814 hp. Unlike the Mistral, the Revuelto leans on hybrid power to sweeten the pot with a tri-motor setup that allows the supercar to up its output to 1,001 hp to claim the title of the most powerful Lambo in the brand’s 62-year history. The Revuelto can rocket from zero to 60 mph in 2.2 seconds and, with a starting price of “just” $608,000, is a lot more affordable than the rarefied Mistral. It might not be a practical option for everyday driving with an 8.3-gallon gas tank that limits the Lamborghini’s range to just 100 miles, but it’ll certainly leave an impression on every car you pass.
2025 Ferrari Purosangue
Fuel Economy (City/Highway/Combined): 11/15/12
Annual Fuel Cost: $5,000
They say the 2025 Ferrari Purosangue is an SUV, and we’re just going to have to take their word for it. While the $430,000 model might sit a little higher off the ground than the average sports car, the Ferrari’s aggressive styling and low-slung appearance blur the line between the two categories. The Purosangue holds the distinction of being not only the first SUV in Ferrari’s long history but also the first four-door production model of any kind. With a 715-horsepower, 6.5L V12 that allows the Purosangue to hit 60 mph in 3.2 seconds and post a top speed of 193 mph, there’s no doubting the SUV’s lineage. Ferrari has embraced advanced tech to give the Purosangue a more car-like feel thanks to an adaptive suspension system that can up the damping force and lower the SUV by 0.4 inches. Ferrari was previously owned by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA), but the auto group divested the Italian sports car brand as Ferrari was spun off as its own publicly traded company in 2016. While this move allowed Ferrari to achieve its independence, it did come with one major downside. Unlike VW-owned Bugatti and Lamborghini, Ferrari doesn’t have a larger parent company to help offset its low-MPG creations. Luckily the brand is exempt from CAFE standards thanks to its low-volume classification. By producing fewer than 10,000 units per year, Ferrari is able to skirt the regulations and produce niche, high-performance models like the Purosangue.
2025 Cadillac Escalade V
Fuel Economy (City/Highway/Combined): 11/17/13
Annual Fuel Cost: $4,600
Combining luxury, performance, and capacity to a degree few models can match, the Cadillac Escalade V takes the “bigger is better” approach to its logical extreme. With 177 cu.ft. of passenger volume and a curb weight of 6,290, the full-size SUV is basically a living room on wheels, though the average den would probably have trouble keeping pace with the Escalade V’s 4.3-second zero-to-60-mph time. The performance-focused V-Series Escalade gives drivers all the power they need to haul around the SUV’s considerable heft with a supercharged 6.2L V8 that’s good for 682 hp and 653 lb-ft of torque. The standard Escalade is no fuel-sipper with the 420-horsepower, 6.2L V8 consuming 14 MPG city and 19 MPG combined, but those are rookie numbers for the V-Series model, which, thanks to its supercharger, drinks up fuel at a clip of 11 MPG city and 17 MPG highway.
2025 Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat
Fuel Economy (City/Highway/Combined): 12/17/13
Annual Fuel Cost: $4,600
The 2025 Ferrari Daytona SP3, with its EPA-estimated 13 MPG combined, would be the next model on our list, but since we’ve already mentioned the brand’s Purosangue SUV, we thought it would be more interesting to pass it over in favor of the 2025 Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat. While the midsize SUV was originally slated to be discontinued after the 2024 model year, Dodge has reversed course to grace drivers with a new 2025 model. The three-row Durango employs a supercharger to help the 6.2L V8 make 710 hp and 645 lb-ft of torque, two numbers that allow the SUV to keep pace with the rest of the Hellcat pride. The Durango SRT Hellcat can match the 797-horsepower Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye’s 3.6-second zero-to-60-mph time, which is impressive when you consider that it tips the scales at 5,534 lbs. The Hellcat name carries a lot of baggage, and is the good kind. Dodge first unveiled the ferocious, feline-inspired name for the 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat, which quickly developed a loyal following thanks to its 707-horsepower, 6.2L V8. Rated at 13 MPG city and 21 MPG highway, the Challenger SRT Hellcat certainly wasn’t the most efficient model on offer, but the Durango SRT Hellcat is even more parched with just 12 MPG city and 17 MPG highway to its name.
Factoring in a model’s EPA-estimated fuel economy is an important part of the buying process for most drivers who, above all else, are in the market for a safe, reliable vehicle with low operating costs. While throwing efficiency out of the window might open the door to some enticing, high-performance possibilities, practicality often wins out in the ongoing battle between horsepower and MPG. That said, many of the models we’ve listed above occupy a rather unique slice of the market where fuel economy typically takes a backseat to performance. In the end, it’s really a budgetary matter. If you can afford a $5 million Bugatti, or even a $150,000+ Cadillac, chances are you’re not the type of driver who cares about driving across town to save an extra three cents per gallon on your next fill-up. Even if you’re never going to drop six figures on a modern supercar, a little window shopping can be fun, especially if you’re the sort of mechanically-minded driver who likes to keep up with the latest in high-performance automotive engineering.
