Most Fuel-Efficient Camper Vans

Fuel cost is one of the largest expenses for long-term campervan travel so it’s no shock that fuel consumption is a primary concern for anyone shopping for an affordable camper.

In this article, we ranked the 24 most popular vans available today by mileage and discussed 3 no-cost ways to increase the fuel economy of whichever vehicle you choose.

Best Large Van Fuel Economy

The Vauxhall Movano is the most fuel-efficient camper of any large van. The Movano averages 18 miles per gallon in the city, 28 miles per gallon on the highway, and 23 miles per gallon combined.

Ranking	Van	City	Highway	Combined
5	Ram ProMaster	13	18	15.5
4	Ford Transit	12	18	15
3	Mercedes Sprinter	15	21	18
2	Renault Master	17	26	21.5
1	Vauxhall Movano	18	28	23

 

Best Mid-Size Van Fuel Economy

The Renault Trafic gets the best fuel mileage of any modern mid-sized van. The Trafic averages 26 miles per gallon in the city, 34 miles per gallon on the highway, and 30 miles per gallon combined.

Ranking	Van	City	Highway	Combined
6	VW California	21	25	23
5	Mercedes Metris	21	26	23.5
4	Nissan NV200	21	27	24
3	Ram ProMaster City	21	28	24.5
2	Ford Transit Connect	22	28	25
1	Renault Trafic	26	34	30

 

Best Budget Van Fuel Economy

The Chevy Astro gets the best fuel mileage of any budget van. The Astro averages 12 miles per gallon in the city, 18 miles per gallon on the highway, and 15 miles per gallon combined.

Ranking	Van	City	Highway	Combined
5	Ford Econoline (E-Series)	9	14	11.5
4	Dodge Ram van	11	15	13
3	GMC Savana	12	16	14
2	Chevy Express (G-Series)	12	17	14.5
1	Chevy Astro	12	18	15

 

Best Minivan Fuel Economy

The Toyota Sienna gets the best fuel mileage of any minivan. The Sienna averages 18 miles per gallon in the city, 24 miles per gallon on the highway, and 21 miles per gallon combined.

Ranking	Van	City	Highway	Combined
4	Dodge Caravan	15	21	18
3	Kia Sedona	18	23	20.5
2	Honda Odyssey	18	24	21
1	Toyota Sienna	18	24	21

 

Best Classic Van Fuel Economy

The Nissan Urvan gets the best fuel mileage of any throwback van. The Urvan averages 18 miles per gallon in the city, 26 miles per gallon on the highway, and 22 miles per gallon combined.

Ranking	Van	City	Highway	Combined
4	VW Van	12	18	15
3	Mitsubishi Delica	15	20	17.5
2	Toyota HiAce	16	22	19
1	Nissan Urvan	18	26	22

 

Most Popular Vans Ranked by Fuel Economy

Ranking	Van	Category	City	Highway	Combined
24	Ford Econoline (E-Series)	Budget Americana	9	14	11.5
23	Dodge Ram van	Budget Americana	11	15	13
22	GMC Savana	Budget Americana	12	16	14
21	Chevy Express (G-Series)	Budget Americana	12	17	14.5
20	Chevy Astro	Budget Americana	12	18	15
19	VW Van	Throwback	12	18	15
18	Ford Transit	Modern	12	18	15
17	Ram ProMaster	Modern	13	18	15.5
16	Toyota HiAce	Throwback	16	22	19
15	Dodge Caravan	Minivan	15	21	18
14	Mercedes Sprinter	Modern	15	21	18
13	Mitsubishi Delica	Throwback	15	20	17.5
12	Kia Sedona	Minivan	18	23	20.5
11	Honda Odyssey	Minivan	18	24	21
10	Toyota Sienna	Minivan	18	24	21
9	Nissan Urvan	Throwback	18	26	22
8	Renault Master	Modern	17	26	21.5
7	VW California	Modern Mid-Sized	21	25	23
6	Mercedes Metris	Modern Mid-Sized	21	26	23.5
5	Nissan NV200	Modern Mid-Sized	21	27	24
4	Ram ProMaster City	Modern Mid-Sized	21	28	24.5
3	Ford Transit Connect	Modern Mid-Sized	22	28	25
2	Vauxhall Movano	Modern	18	28	23
1	Renault Trafic	Modern Mid-Sized	26	34	30

 

#24 – Ford Econoline (E-Series) Gas Mileage

City: 9 MPG
Highway: 14 MPG
Combined: 11.5 MPG

The Ford Econoline (E-Series) averages 9 miles per gallon in the city, 14 miles per gallon on the highway, and 11.5 miles per gallon combined.

#23 – Dodge Ram van Gas Mileage

City: 11 MPG
Highway: 15 MPG
Combined: 13 MPG

The Dodge Ram van averages 11 miles per gallon in the city, 15 miles per gallon on the highway, and 13 miles per gallon combined.

#22 – GMC Savana Gas Mileage

City: 12 MPG
Highway: 16 MPG
Combined: 14 MPG

The GMC Savana averages 12 miles per gallon in the city, 16 miles per gallon on the highway, and 14 miles per gallon combined.

#21 – Chevy Express (G-Series) Gas Mileage

City: 12 MPG
Highway: 17 MPG
Combined: 14.5 MPG

The Chevy Express (G-Series) averages 12 miles per gallon in the city, 17 miles per gallon on the highway, and 14.5 miles per gallon combined.

#20 – Chevy Astro Gas Mileage

City: 12 MPG
Highway: 18 MPG
Combined: 15 MPG

The Chevy Astro averages 12 miles per gallon in the city, 18 miles per gallon on the highway, and 15 miles per gallon combined.

#19 – VW Van Gas Mileage

City: 12 MPG
Highway: 18 MPG
Combined: 15 MPG

The VW Van averages 12 miles per gallon in the city, 18 miles per gallon on the highway, and 15 miles per gallon combined.

#18 – Ford Transit Gas Mileage

City: 12 MPG
Highway: 18 MPG
Combined: 15 MPG

The Ford Transit averages 12 miles per gallon in the city, 18 miles per gallon on the highway, and 15 miles per gallon combined.

#17 – Ram ProMaster Gas Mileage

City: 13 MPG
Highway: 18 MPG
Combined: 15.5 MPG

The Ram ProMaster averages 13 miles per gallon in the city, 18 miles per gallon on the highway, and 15.5 miles per gallon combined.

#16 – Toyota HiAce Gas Mileage

City: 16 MPG
Highway: 22 MPG
Combined: 19 MPG

The Toyota HiAce averages 16 miles per gallon in the city, 22 miles per gallon on the highway, and 19 miles per gallon combined.

#15 – Dodge Caravan Gas Mileage

City: 15 MPG
Highway: 21 MPG
Combined: 18 MPG

The Dodge Caravan averages 15 miles per gallon in the city, 21 miles per gallon on the highway, and 18 miles per gallon combined.

#14 – Mercedes Sprinter Gas Mileage

City: 15 MPG
Highway: 21 MPG
Combined: 18 MPG

The Mercedes-Benz Sprinter averages 15 miles per gallon in the city, 21 miles per gallon on the highway, and 18 miles per gallon combined.

#13 – Mitsubishi Delica Gas Mileage

City: 15 MPG
Highway: 20 MPG
Combined: 17.5 MPG

The Mitsubishi Delica averages 15 miles per gallon in the city, 20 miles per gallon on the highway, and 17.5 miles per gallon combined.

#12 – Kia Sedona Gas Mileage

City: 18 MPG
Highway: 23 MPG
Combined: 20.5 MPG

The Kia Sedona’s mileage per gallon averages 18 in the city, 23 on the highway, and 20.5 miles per gallon combined.

#11 – Honda Odyssey Gas Mileage

City: 18 MPG
Highway: 24 MPG
Combined: 21 MPG

The Honda Odyssey averages 18 miles per gallon in the city, 24 miles per gallon on the highway, and 21 miles per gallon combined.

#10 – Toyota Sienna Gas Mileage

City: 18 MPG
Highway: 24 MPG
Combined: 21 MPG

The Toyota Sienna averages 18 miles per gallon in the city, 24 miles per gallon on the highway, and 21 miles per gallon combined.

#9 – Nissan Urvan Gas Mileage

City: 18 MPG
Highway: 26 MPG
Combined: 22 MPG

The Nissan Urvan averages 18 miles per gallon in the city, 26 miles per gallon on the highway, and 22 miles per gallon combined.

#8 – Renault Master Gas Mileage

City: 17 MPG
Highway: 26 MPG
Combined: 21.5 MPG

The Renault Master’s average gas mileage is 17 miles per gallon in the city, 26 miles per gallon on the highway, and 21.5 miles per gallon combined.

#7 – VW California Gas Mileage

City: 21 MPG
Highway: 25 MPG
Combined: 23 MPG

The VW California averages 21 miles per gallon in the city, 25 miles per gallon on the highway, and 23 miles per gallon combined.

#6 – Mercedes Metris Gas Mileage

City: 21 MPG
Highway: 26 MPG
Combined: 23.5 MPG

The Mercedes Metris averages 21 miles per gallon in the city, 26 miles per gallon on the highway, and 23.5 miles per gallon combined.

#5 – Nissan NV200 Gas Mileage

City: 21 MPG
Highway: 27 MPG
Combined: 24 MPG

The Nissan NV200’s average mileage is 21 miles per gallon in the city, 27 miles per gallon on the highway, and 24 miles per gallon combined.

#4 – Ram ProMaster City Gas Mileage

City: 21 MPG
Highway: 28 MPG
Combined: 24.5 MPG

The Ram ProMaster City’s average gas mileage is 21 miles per gallon in the city, 28 miles per gallon on the highway, and 24.5 miles per gallon combined.

#3 – Ford Transit Connect Gas Mileage

City: 22 MPG
Highway: 28 MPG
Combined: 25 MPG

The Ford Transit Connect’s average mileage 22 miles per gallon in the city, 28 miles per gallon on the highway, and 25 miles per gallon combined.

#2 – Vauxhall Movano Gas Mileage

City: 18 MPG
Highway: 28 MPG
Combined: 23 MPG

The Vauxhall Movano’s average gas mileage is 18 miles per gallon in the city, 28 miles per gallon on the highway, and 23 miles per gallon combined.

#1 – Renault Trafic Gas Mileage

City: 26 MPG
Highway: 34 MPG
Combined: 30 MPG

The Renault Trafic gets excellent gas mileage and averages 26 miles per gallon in the city, 34 miles per gallon on the highway, and 30 miles per gallon combined.

Diesel vs. Gas Camper Van Fuel Efficiency

Why Choose a Gas Camper Van?

Gasoline engines are popular for camper vans due to their widespread availability and lower initial cost. Gasoline-powered engines also tend to be quieter and smoother, which provides a more comfortable ride. Additionally, gasoline engines emit fewer nitrogen oxides and particulates, making them cleaner burning. On the downside, they are generally less fuel-efficient than diesel vehicles.

Just how much emissions does this fuel type output? Check out this article to learn more.

Why Choose a Diesel Camper Van?

Diesel engines offer several advantages, particularly in terms of efficiency. Diesel engines can go about 20% to 35% farther on a gallon of fuel than gasoline engines. Additionally, diesel engines benefit from increased power and torque, which is beneficial for towing and carrying heavy loads. On the downside, diesel emits more particulates and smog-forming nitrogen oxides (NOx), though new “clean” burning diesel fuels and advances in emission control systems reduce these pollutants.

Just how much emissions does this fuel type output? Check out this article to learn more.

3 Ways to Get Better Fuel Economy in Your Camper Van and Overland Vehicle

When searching for ways to improve the fuel economy of your van, you’ll probably hear about the importance of changing your oil regularly, not leaving your engine running, keeping your tires inflated, or using cruise control. Although these methods can help, they offer marginal improvements at best. Here are the 3 best ways to make a notable difference (1 MPG+) in the fuel efficiency of your camper van:

1. Reduce Weight

Reducing the weight of your vehicle can have a direct impact on fuel efficiency. It’s been estimated that for every 100 pounds of vehicle weight, a loss of up to 1% in fuel efficiency can occur. When building a camper van, an additional 1000 pounds of weight could further reduce the fuel efficiency of your van by up to 10%. This can really add up in terms of cost when considering the cost per gallon of fuel.

2. Reduce Drag (exterior accessories)

Aerodynamics plays a more significant role in fuel consumption than many people realize. Hauling cargo on your roof rack or adding after-market lights can increase aerodynamic drag (wind resistance) and lowers fuel economy by as much as 2% to 8% in city driving, 6% to 17% on the highway, and 10% to 25% at Interstate speeds (65 mph to 75 mph).

3. Reduce Speed

Speed is an important factor in fuel efficiency. Each vehicle reaches its optimal fuel economy at different speeds, but gas mileage usually decreases rapidly at speeds above 50 mph. You can save between 7% to 14% on fuel costs by reducing overall speed, and between 15% to 30% at highway speeds and 10% to 40% in stop-and-go traffic by avoiding rapid acceleration and braking.

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If you have decided that the idea of living life on the road and on your own terms is what you want to do, the next question is- what comes next? One of the most impactful decisions that you can make when embarking on your van life journey is choosing the vehicle you are going to live in. You need to consider how affordable it will be to operate your new home, which is why fuel economy and the cost of fuel are so important.

Fuel savings is the equivalent of reducing your rent. You’ll need to make fuel stops anywhere you go while living on the road. So, making the most out of every drop in your fuel tank will allow you to travel for longer and lower your cost of van life. Here are some fuel-efficient cargo vans that make great campers.

Dodge Ram ProMaster Van Gas Mileage

The ProMaster is an affordable camper that’s designed to be a workhorse and is one of the leading vans on the market for commercial use. This means that it will be perfect for conversion into a home on wheels. Its cargo space comes in at 462 cubic feet and it provides decent mileage. If you are going to spend most of your time driving in cities, its gasoline engine offers up to 25 miles per gallon, but it is far less efficient on the highway at 19 miles per gallon. You can choose between a four-cylinder and six-cylinder gas engine and there’s also a diesel option for earlier models.

Related: Ram ProMaster Van Gas Mileage (more in-depth stats by model)

Mercedes Benz Sprinter Van Gas Mileage

The Mercedes-Benz Sprinter comes in four and six-cylinder options that provide plenty of power and its diesel engine makes it one of the most of the most fuel-efficient options in its class, with a combined mileage range of 18-22 mpg. It performs a little bit better on the highway than the ProMaster, so that’s something to consider if you’re planning to spend time traveling long distances.

Related: Mercedes Sprinter Van Gas Mileage (more in-depth stats by model)

Ford Transit Van Gas Mileage

Ford’s EcoBoost gasoline engines are powerful and fuel-efficient. If you purchase a Transit Connect model, you could benefit from a combined fuel economy of over 25 miles per gallon. For city driving, the auto-shutoff feature turns the engine off while you’re not moving and immediately fires it up when you release the brake. This helps you make the most out of each tank of gas. For more power, the Ford Transit comes with an optional 3.5L EcoBoost® V6 engine, which has a combined fuel rating of 21 miles per gallon.

Related: Ford Transit Van Gas Mileage (more in-depth stats by model)