What is the gas mileage on a 1972 Ford LTD?
In brief, the 1972 Ford LTD typically delivered mid-teens mileage, with city driving around 12–14 mpg and highway figures around 17–20 mpg depending on engine and gearing.
Fuel economy basics for the 1972 LTD
The gas mileage of the LTD in 1972 varied widely based on what was under the hood and how the car was geared. The following factors largely determined fuel efficiency for these large, early-1970s sedans:
Before listing the main variables, it’s important to note that engine size, transmission and final-drive ratio, added mass from options, and driving style all played significant roles in real-world mpg.
- Engine displacement and type: Larger V8s delivered strong performance but typically consumed more fuel, especially in city driving.
- Transmission and gearing: Automatic transmissions paired with relatively short final drives could lower highway efficiency, while taller gearing tended to help highway mileage somewhat but didn’t fully offset the weight of the car.
- Vehicle weight and equipment: Power accessories, air conditioning, and other options added weight and rolling resistance, reducing mpg compared with bare-bones configurations.
- Maintenance and driving habits: Carburetor tuning, tire pressure, alignment, and driving style (aggressive acceleration vs. steady cruising) had a noticeable impact on mpg.
In practice, these factors typically produced city mpg around 12–14 mpg, highway mpg around 17–20 mpg, and combined figures in the low-to-mid teens for many common configurations.
EPA-era numbers and typical ranges
During the 1970s, EPA ratings used separate city and highway tests. For the 1972 LTD spectrum, typical numbers worked out roughly as follows:
- City mpg: about 12–14 mpg
- Highway mpg: about 16–20 mpg
- Combined mpg: generally in the 14–16 mpg range
These figures reflect era-standard testing and real-world results that could vary widely with engine choice, gearing, maintenance, and driving conditions. They illustrate why the LTD, like other full-size Fords of its time, was prized for space and power rather than fuel economy.
Common engine and drivetrain configurations in the 1972 LTD
- Mid-range and large V8 options paired with automatic transmissions were typical; bigger blocks offered more power but tended to lower mpg, especially in city driving.
- Axle ratios and gearing varied by model and market, influencing highway efficiency and RPMs at cruising speeds.
- Weights increased by optional equipment, which further affected fuel economy compared with standard configurations.
Modern restorations and nostalgic driving preserve the car’s historical character, while keeping in mind that fuel economy will naturally be well below modern standards due to the era’s design and technology.
Summary
The 1972 Ford LTD’s gas mileage was typical of large American sedans of its era—usually mid-teens in combined driving, with city numbers in the low-teens and highway numbers approaching the upper teens or around 20 mpg for favorable configurations. The exact figure depended on engine choice, gearing, weight, and maintenance. For enthusiasts and historians, these ranges help frame how the LTD performed in its day, rather than serving as a benchmark for today’s fuel economy standards.
