FuelFacts

2004 GMC Safari AWD (cargo) MPG & Specs — Real-World vs EPA, All Trims

Every trim takes regular — no premium needed.

15
MPG combined (14 city / 18 hwy)
$3,800
est. fuel / year (today's prices, 15k mi)
Regular
gas type

Is the 2004 GMC Safari AWD (cargo) good on gas?

At up to 15 MPG combined, the 2004 GMC Safari AWD (cargo) is about average for a Vans, Cargo Type — that class averages about 14.4 MPG across 438 EPA-tested versions, so it's middle-of-the-road for its size.

Real-world MPG vs the EPA number

The EPA figures above come from a standardized dynamometer test, not the open road — real-world MPG typically runs a bit lower depending on your driving, climate and terrain. That's true of every car on this site, old or new.

This 2004 model was originally EPA-tested under the pre-2008 2-cycle method, which didn't account for highway speeds over 60 mph, air-conditioner use, or cold starts. When EPA overhauled the test for model year 2008, city ratings fell by about 12% and highway by about 8% on average industry-wide — and EPA retroactively adjusted every 1984-2007 rating to the stricter standard so old and new cars could be compared fairly. The MPG above is already on that modern scale — the window sticker on this car when it was new likely showed a higher, pre-2008-method number.

At today's AAA national average price — $3.80/gal for regular gas as of 2026-07-05 — the most efficient trim runs about $3,800/year (roughly $317/month, about $25.33 per 100 miles) at the EPA's assumed 15,000 miles/year, using an estimated 1,000 gallons a year. We don't estimate a cost-per-fill since exact tank size isn't in the public EPA dataset, but the per-100-mile figure scales to any tank. Current national average gas prices →

2004 GMC Safari AWD (cargo) trims & fuel economy

Trim (engine / transmission)FuelMPGFuel/yr (today's price)
4.3L 6-cyl, Automatic 4-spd, AWDREGULAR15$3,800

2004 GMC Safari AWD (cargo) specs

What the EPA test-car listings record for this model year — every combination sold is a row in the trims table above.

Engine options4.3L 6-cyl
TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd
Drive typeAWD
EPA body classVans, Cargo Type
FuelRegular

Other years of the GMC Safari AWD (cargo)

2005 GMC Safari AWD (cargo)2003 GMC Safari AWD (cargo)2002 GMC Safari AWD (cargo)2001 GMC Safari AWD (cargo)2000 GMC Safari AWD (cargo)1999 GMC Safari AWD (cargo)1998 GMC Safari AWD (cargo)1997 GMC Safari AWD (cargo)

Similar cars (Vans, Cargo Type)

2004 Chevrolet Express Cargo (Bi-fuel)2004 Chevrolet Express Cargo (dedicated CNG)2004 GMC Savana (cargo) (Bi-fuel)2004 GMC Savana Cargo (dedicated CNG)2005 Chevrolet Astro 2WD (cargo)2005 GMC Safari 2WD (cargo)

Cars that take premium · Cheapest cars to fuel · Where fuel grade depends on the trim · Fuel guides

1 trim(s) · EPA FuelEconomy.gov data retrieved 2026-07-24 · fuel prices AAA national average as of 2026-07-05.