What was the last new car sold with a carburetor?
The last new car sold with a carburetor is generally placed around the 1990 model year in many markets, with most regions fully switching to electronic fuel injection by the early 1990s. While 1990 is the commonly cited turning point, some niche markets and low-volume imports persisted with carburetors into the early 1990s or later in limited cases.
Why carburetors disappeared from new cars
Carburetors were gradually replaced by electronic fuel injection (EFI) as emissions regulations tightened, fuel efficiency demands increased, and onboard computers offered more precise control of air–fuel mixtures. The transition varied by region and model, but the overall trend was a rapid move to EFI across passenger cars and light trucks.
- Improved fuel efficiency and emissions control: EFI allows tighter, more consistent fuel metering, helping meet stricter standards.
- Better cold-start performance and reliability: Electronic systems provide more predictable starts and idle across temperatures and altitudes.
- Manufacturing and diagnostic advantages: EFI integrates with onboard computers, enabling easier tuning and maintenance with modern tooling.
- Regulatory timelines: Emissions rules pushed automakers toward EFI, accelerating the phase-out of carburetors for new vehicles.
The shift away from carburetors culminated in the early 1990s for most markets, with EFI becoming the norm for new cars and light trucks globally.
Regional perspective on the timeline
While 1990 is often cited as the turning point in North America, other regions followed at varying paces. This overview highlights the general timelines and acknowledges that a few markets kept carburetors in new vehicles a bit longer, particularly in niche imports or low-volume models.
- North America: Most new cars and light trucks used EFI by the 1990 model year; carburetors were rare or nonexistent in mass-market offerings after 1990.
- Europe: EFI became standard earlier, with carburetors largely gone from new passenger cars by the late 1980s to early 1990s.
- Emerging markets and fleets: Some low-volume imports, commercial fleets, and region-specific models continued with carburetors into the early to mid-1990s, depending on local regulations and supply chains.
In short, the end of the carburetor era for new cars occurred around the early 1990s in most of the world, with occasional exceptions in certain markets or specialized vehicles.
Key takeaway
There isn’t a single universal model that can be named as the definitive “last carbureted car” worldwide. The widely cited milestone is around 1990, marking the end of carburetor use in mainstream new-car production, though a few markets and niche cases persisted a little longer.
Summary
Carburetors gave way to electronic fuel injection as emissions rules, efficiency goals, and automotive electronics advanced. The de facto turning point is widely placed at 1990 for many markets, with regional variations and occasional late exceptions in some markets. This shift defined the modern era of automotive fuel delivery and emissions compliance.
