MPGTerminal

Ford Thunderbird

1984–2005 · 68 configurations

Lowest
16
Average
18
Best
21
Jump to:ConfigurationsEfficiencySafetyComplaintsRecalls

The Ford Thunderbird has been tested by the EPA across 68 different configurations spanning model years 1984 through 2005. Over this period, the Thunderbird has achieved combined fuel economy ratings ranging from 16 MPG to 21 MPG, with an overall average of 18 MPG across all engine, transmission, and drivetrain combinations. Below you will find a comprehensive breakdown of every tested configuration, organized by model year. Click any row to view detailed specifications, emissions data, and annual fuel cost estimates for that specific vehicle.

All Configurations

Year Powertrain Annual Cost City Hwy Comb MPGCompare
2005
3.9L 8-cyl Rear-Wheel Drive
Automatic 5-spd • Premium
$3,850162218MPG
2005
3.9L 8-cyl Rear-Wheel Drive
Automatic (S5) • Premium
$3,850162218MPG
2004
3.9L 8-cyl Rear-Wheel Drive
Automatic 5-spd • Premium
$3,850152118MPG
2004
3.9L 8-cyl Rear-Wheel Drive
Automatic (S5) • Premium
$3,850152318MPG
2003
3.9L 8-cyl Rear-Wheel Drive
Automatic 5-spd • Premium
$3,850162218MPG
2003
3.9L 8-cyl Rear-Wheel Drive
Automatic 5-spd • Premium
$3,850162318MPG
2002
3.9L 8-cyl Rear-Wheel Drive
Automatic 5-spd • Premium
$4,050152217MPG
1997
3.8L 6-cyl Rear-Wheel Drive
Automatic 4-spd • Regular
$3,150162419MPG
1997
4.6L 8-cyl Rear-Wheel Drive
Automatic 4-spd • Regular
$3,300152318MPG
1996
3.8L 6-cyl Rear-Wheel Drive
Automatic 4-spd • Regular
$3,150172419MPG
1996
4.6L 8-cyl Rear-Wheel Drive
Automatic 4-spd • Regular
$3,300152318MPG
1995
3.8L 6-cyl Rear-Wheel Drive
Automatic 4-spd • Premium
$3,850162218MPG
1995
3.8L 6-cyl Rear-Wheel Drive
Automatic 4-spd • Regular
$3,150172419MPG
1995
3.8L 6-cyl Rear-Wheel Drive
Manual 5-spd • Premium
$3,650162419MPG
1995
4.6L 8-cyl Rear-Wheel Drive
Automatic 4-spd • Regular
$3,300152318MPG
1994
3.8L 6-cyl Rear-Wheel Drive
Automatic 4-spd • Premium
$3,850162218MPG
1994
3.8L 6-cyl Rear-Wheel Drive
Automatic 4-spd • Regular
$3,150172419MPG
1994
3.8L 6-cyl Rear-Wheel Drive
Manual 5-spd • Premium
$3,650162419MPG
1994
4.6L 8-cyl Rear-Wheel Drive
Automatic 4-spd • Regular
$3,300162318MPG
1993
3.8L 6-cyl Rear-Wheel Drive
Automatic 4-spd • Regular
$3,000172420MPG
1993
3.8L 6-cyl Rear-Wheel Drive
Automatic 4-spd • Premium
$4,050152117MPG
1993
3.8L 6-cyl Rear-Wheel Drive
Manual 5-spd • Premium
$3,850152218MPG
1993
5L 8-cyl Rear-Wheel Drive
Automatic 4-spd • Regular
$3,300152218MPG
1992
3.8L 6-cyl Rear-Wheel Drive
Automatic 4-spd • Regular
$3,000182520MPG
1992
3.8L 6-cyl Rear-Wheel Drive
Automatic 4-spd • Premium
$4,050152117MPG
1992
3.8L 6-cyl Rear-Wheel Drive
Manual 5-spd • Premium
$3,850152218MPG
1992
5L 8-cyl Rear-Wheel Drive
Automatic 4-spd • Regular
$3,300152218MPG
1991
3.8L 6-cyl Rear-Wheel Drive
Automatic 4-spd • Regular
$3,000172420MPG
1991
3.8L 6-cyl Rear-Wheel Drive
Automatic 4-spd • Premium
$3,850152118MPG
1991
3.8L 6-cyl Rear-Wheel Drive
Manual 5-spd • Premium
$3,850152218MPG
1991
5L 8-cyl Rear-Wheel Drive
Automatic 4-spd • Regular
$3,300162218MPG
1990
3.8L 6-cyl Rear-Wheel Drive
Automatic 4-spd • Regular
$3,000172420MPG
1990
3.8L 6-cyl Rear-Wheel Drive
Automatic 4-spd • Premium
$3,850152118MPG
1990
3.8L 6-cyl Rear-Wheel Drive
Manual 5-spd • Premium
$3,850152218MPG
1989
3.8L 6-cyl Rear-Wheel Drive
Automatic 4-spd • Premium
$4,050152117MPG
1989
3.8L 6-cyl Rear-Wheel Drive
Automatic 4-spd • Regular
$3,000172520MPG
1989
3.8L 6-cyl Rear-Wheel Drive
Manual 5-spd • Premium
$3,850152218MPG
1988
2.3L 4-cyl Rear-Wheel Drive
Automatic 4-spd • Regular
$3,500152117MPG
1988
2.3L 4-cyl Rear-Wheel Drive
Manual 5-spd • Regular
$3,150162419MPG
1988
3.8L 6-cyl Rear-Wheel Drive
Automatic 4-spd • Regular
$2,850182521MPG
1988
5L 8-cyl Rear-Wheel Drive
Automatic 4-spd • Regular
$3,150162419MPG
1987
2.3L 4-cyl Rear-Wheel Drive
Automatic 4-spd • Regular
$3,300162218MPG
1987
2.3L 4-cyl Rear-Wheel Drive
Manual 5-spd • Regular
$3,150162419MPG
1987
3.8L 6-cyl Rear-Wheel Drive
Automatic 4-spd • Regular
$3,150172419MPG
1987
5L 8-cyl Rear-Wheel Drive
Automatic 4-spd • Regular
$3,150162419MPG
1986
2.3L 4-cyl Rear-Wheel Drive
Automatic 3-spd • Regular
$3,300162018MPG
1986
2.3L 4-cyl Rear-Wheel Drive
Manual 5-spd • Regular
$3,000182420MPG
1986
3.8L 6-cyl Rear-Wheel Drive
Automatic 3-spd • Regular
$3,300172118MPG
1986
3.8L 6-cyl Rear-Wheel Drive
Automatic 4-spd • Regular
$3,150172419MPG
1986
5L 8-cyl Rear-Wheel Drive
Automatic 4-spd • Regular
$3,150162419MPG
1985
2.3L 4-cyl Rear-Wheel Drive
Manual 5-spd • Regular
$3,150172419MPG
1985
3.8L 6-cyl Rear-Wheel Drive
Automatic 3-spd • Regular
$3,300162018MPG
1985
3.8L 6-cyl Rear-Wheel Drive
Automatic 4-spd • Regular
$3,150172319MPG
1985
2.3L 4-cyl Rear-Wheel Drive
Automatic 3-spd • Regular
$3,500162017MPG
1985
2.3L 4-cyl Rear-Wheel Drive
Manual 5-spd • Regular
$3,150172419MPG
1985
3.8L 6-cyl Rear-Wheel Drive
Automatic 3-spd • Regular
$3,300172018MPG
1985
3.8L 6-cyl Rear-Wheel Drive
Automatic 4-spd • Regular
$3,150162319MPG
1985
5L 8-cyl Rear-Wheel Drive
Automatic 4-spd • Regular
$3,500152217MPG
1984
2.3L 4-cyl
Automatic 3-spd • Regular
$3,300162018MPG
1984
2.3L 4-cyl
Manual 5-spd • Regular
$3,150172419MPG
1984
3.8L 6-cyl
Automatic 3-spd • Regular
$3,500162017MPG
1984
3.8L 6-cyl
Automatic 4-spd • Regular
$3,150172319MPG
1984
5L 8-cyl
Automatic 4-spd • Regular
$3,500152217MPG
1984
2.3L 4-cyl
Automatic 3-spd • Regular
$3,300162018MPG
1984
2.3L 4-cyl
Manual 5-spd • Regular
$3,150172319MPG
1984
3.8L 6-cyl
Automatic 3-spd • Regular
$3,300162018MPG
1984
3.8L 6-cyl
Automatic 4-spd • Regular
$3,150172219MPG
1984
5L 8-cyl
Automatic 4-spd • Regular
$3,750142016MPG

Historical Efficiency

2005
18
2004
18
2003
18
2002
17
1997
19
1996
19
1995
19
1994
19
1993
20
1992
20
1991
20
1990
20
1989
20
1988
21
1987
19
1986
20
1985
19
1984
19

Safety Rating History

NHTSA typically tests the base platform of a vehicle and does not test every specific trim level. This specific configuration (Thunderbird) has not been independently rated.

Complaint & Incident History

The data below represents all official consumer complaints reported to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for the Ford Thunderbird. Click on any year to drill down and read the unedited, raw problem narratives submitted directly by vehicle owners.

Fatal Crash History (FARS)

The Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) is a nationwide census providing NHTSA, Congress and the American public yearly data regarding fatal injuries suffered in motor vehicle traffic crashes. The data below represents historical totals for the Ford Ford Thunderbird (all sizes) grouping as reported by the NHTSA.

Total Fatal Crashes
147
Total Deaths
110

Incident Risk Profile

Rollover Rate
13.6%
Fire Occurrence
2.0%
Speeding Involved
16.3%
DUI Involved
17.0%
Primary Impact Zone

Breakdown of the initial point of impact across all fatal collisions involving this model.

76%
Front
20%
Side
4%
Rear

Year-by-Year Trend & Severity

2023
Fatal Crashes3
Fatalities
2
Deaths/Crash
0.67
2022
Fatal Crashes6
Fatalities
4
Deaths/Crash
0.67
2021
Fatal Crashes12
Fatalities
10
Deaths/Crash
0.83
2020
Fatal Crashes12
Fatalities
9
Deaths/Crash
0.75
2019
Fatal Crashes9
Fatalities
6
Deaths/Crash
0.67
2018
Fatal Crashes17
Fatalities
15
Deaths/Crash
0.88
2017
Fatal Crashes23
Fatalities
18
Deaths/Crash
0.78
2016
Fatal Crashes13
Fatalities
9
Deaths/Crash
0.69
2015
Fatal Crashes29
Fatalities
20
Deaths/Crash
0.69
2014
Fatal Crashes23
Fatalities
17
Deaths/Crash
0.74
Query NHTSA FARS Database

Platform Recall Intelligence

Most Recalled Components

Tip: Click any component bar to view detailed recall narratives.

Historical Severity Timeline

2005
1
2004
1
2002
2
1996
3
1992
2
1991
1
1990
2
1989
4
1988
2
1986
1
1985
1
1984
1
Critical
Moderate
Advisory