FuelFacts

2005 GMC Safari 2WD (cargo) MPG & Specs — Real-World vs EPA, All Trims

Every trim takes regular — no premium needed.

17
MPG combined (15 city / 20 hwy)
$3,353
est. fuel / year (today's prices, 15k mi)
Regular
gas type

Is the 2005 GMC Safari 2WD (cargo) good on gas?

At up to 17 MPG combined, the 2005 GMC Safari 2WD (cargo) is better than average for a Vans, Cargo Type — that class averages about 14.4 MPG across 438 EPA-tested versions, so it's a good pick on fuel 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 2005 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 $3,353/year (roughly $279/month, about $22.35 per 100 miles) at the EPA's assumed 15,000 miles/year, using an estimated 882 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 →

2005 GMC Safari 2WD (cargo) trims & fuel economy

Trim (engine / transmission)FuelMPGFuel/yr (today's price)
4.3L 6-cyl, Automatic 4-spd, RWDREGULAR17$3,353

2005 GMC Safari 2WD (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 typeRWD
EPA body classVans, Cargo Type
FuelRegular

Other years of the GMC Safari 2WD (cargo)

2004 GMC Safari 2WD (cargo)2003 GMC Safari 2WD (cargo)2002 GMC Safari 2WD (cargo)2001 GMC Safari 2WD (cargo)2000 GMC Safari 2WD (cargo)1999 GMC Safari 2WD (cargo)1998 GMC Safari 2WD (cargo)1997 GMC Safari 2WD (cargo)

Similar cars (Vans, Cargo Type)

2005 Chevrolet Astro 2WD (cargo)2005 Chevrolet Astro 2WD (cargo) Conversion2005 GMC Safari 2WD Conversion (cargo)2005 Chevrolet Astro AWD (cargo)2005 Ford E250 Econoline 2WD2005 GMC Safari AWD (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.