1970-1976 Porsche 914 — MPG & Fuel Facts NO OFFICIAL EPA RATING

The EPA's public fuel-economy dataset only goes back to 1984 — the 1970-1976 Porsche 914 (914/4) predates it, so there is no government-rated MPG number for this car anywhere, including here.

Estimated 20–30 MPG combined.

Genuine EPA Gas Mileage Guide rows put the 914 at 20-21 city / 30-33 highway (unadjusted), a period Motor Sport test of the 1.7 measured about 22 US mpg, and owner consensus lands at 20-25 in normal driving with about 30 possible at steady cruise — so 20-30 is well supported for the four-cylinder cars, while the '40+ mpg' claims floating around are outliers.

This is our estimate, not an EPA rating — built from the period road tests, marque-specialist guides and corroborated owner reports cited below, hedged where sources vary. Treat it as a ballpark for planning, not a spec to rely on.

US engines were VW Type 4 flat-fours — 1.7 (80 hp, 1970-73), 1.8 (1974-76, L-Jetronic), and 2.0 (~95 hp, 1973-76) — all fuel-injected with a 5-speed, plus the rare 914/6 carrying the 911T's carbureted 2.0 flat-six (1970-72). Light weight (~2,100 lb) is why a mid-engine sports car returned economy-car mileage.

Primary source, read from the scanned government booklet: the 1975 EPA Gas Mileage Guide lists the Porsche 914 1.8 (FI) at 21 city / 33 highway and the 2.0 (FI) at 20 city / 30 highway; the 1976 guide lists the 914 2.0 manual at 20 city / 30 highway / 24 combined. These are 1970s unadjusted cycle numbers and should be labeled as such.

Period test: Motor Sport (May 1970), first drive of the 1.7: 'A rough check of consumption showed approx. 26 1/2 m.p.g. of 4-star' — Imperial, about 22 US mpg. Road & Track's June 1970 comparison noted the 914 beat all three competitors on fuel economy.

Two honesty notes: claims of 39-40+ mpg circulate in enthusiast comments but contradict both the EPA highway ceiling and the period tests, so they are excluded here. And no reliable published fuel-economy figure exists for the 914/6 specifically — it is reputed thirstier (911T drivetrain), but no number is published here rather than an estimate.

Sourcing note: Range applies to the four-cylinder 914/4 only; no verifiable period or archival figure exists for the 914/6, which is stated in the entry rather than estimated.

Sources: EPA 1975 Gas Mileage Guide (Porsche rows, read from scanned PDF) · EPA 1976 Gas Mileage Guide (Porsche rows, read from scanned PDF) · Motor Sport Magazine archive — 'First Impressions of the VW-Porsche 914' (May 1970, quote verified) · HowStuffWorks — Porsche 914 Road Test (recounting Road & Track, June 1970) · 914World forum — '2.0 fuel mileage' owner-consensus thread

All classics Search Porsche 914 (914/4) on FuelFacts (in case a later model year is in our 1984+ EPA data)