Tank size
Each figure is the manufacturer's rated fuel capacity for that trim, taken from published US-market specifications. It's shown in US gallons to one decimal place, the way automakers publish it, and converted to liters at 3.785 liters per gallon, rounded to the nearest liter.
Range
Range is the rated tank size multiplied by that trim's EPA city or highway fuel economy. For the few trims where an EPA range wasn't published, we work it out the same way from the rated MPG and say so on the page. It's a full-to-empty number under EPA test conditions. Real range depends on how and where you drive, the weather, what you're carrying, and how low you let the tank get.
How each figure is checked
Every model year is compared with a second, independent spec database. When the two disagree and our figure also differs from the model years on either side, we look the vehicle up in manufacturer spec sheets, owner's manuals and other independent references. A figure that turns out to be wrong is corrected; one the sources can't settle is left off the page rather than guessed.
Figures we calculate
- Miles per gauge mark: the tank size times the fraction on the gauge, times EPA city or highway MPG. Real gauges aren't perfectly linear.
- Fuel per year: 15,000 miles divided by the EPA combined MPG, the same mileage the EPA uses for its yearly fuel estimates.
- Fill-up cost: tank size times the price per gallon, from empty. The calculator on each page takes your own price.
- Weight of a full tank: about 6.2 pounds per gallon of gasoline and 7.0 for diesel. Actual density varies a little with the blend and temperature.
- Similar vehicles: other models from the same year with the same body style and market segment, within about 5% of the length and 15% of the curb weight, one per brand.
Government data on each page
- EPA fuel economy, size class and CO2: from fueleconomy.gov (EPA and the Department of Energy). We only attach an EPA record when its city and highway MPG match one of the trims we list.
- Real-world MPG: averages from drivers who log fill-ups with fueleconomy.gov's My MPG. We show it only when at least five drivers have contributed.
- Fuel prices: the U.S. Energy Information Administration's weekly retail survey, by grade, for the US, its regions, nine states and ten cities. Each page says which week the prices are from.
- Recalls: the NHTSA recall database. A recall is shown as fuel-system when NHTSA files it under the fuel system or its summary describes a fuel pump, line, hose, rail, injector or tank defect. Recalls apply to specific vehicles, so always check your VIN.
- VIN lookup: decoded by NHTSA's vPIC service, straight from your browser.
Hybrids and plug-ins
Battery-electric and hydrogen fuel-cell models have no gas tank, so they aren't listed. Hybrids, plug-in hybrids and range-extended EVs like the Chevrolet Volt do have one, and we list it like any other.
What we leave out
- Values that can't be right, like a tank listed as 0 gallons, are dropped rather than shown.
- Nothing is averaged. If trims differ, every size appears next to the trims that use it.
- Trims with the same engine, drive, tank and mileage share one table row, with all their names listed.
Corrections
If something here doesn't match your owner's manual, send us the details. The manual for your specific car is always the final word.