Real world mileage with 2.5 and CVT

almatti · April 2012

We have 33k miles on our 2010 Legacy 2.5i, generally getting 27 to 27.5 MPGs with about 35% City (some suburban , but also Real City - NYC that is) and 65% Highway (NYC Highway- traffic, of course). A little drop off during winter months due to "winter Blends of gas".. More Ethanol. Can't say any big difference since hitting 30K miles on the clock. My 26 year old son uses the car to commute to his job - 60 miles a day (Thank God he has a job), we share the expense (Insurance, loan, gas, - no way could he afford it on his own). So considering he does NOT drive like your Grandma...27 average MPG is pretty good. Last week, I took the car 90 miles round trip with anew fill up, I got 31.5 MPG with mostly highway and some suburban city miles. That's the internal trip computer readings.

almatti · April 2012

I also find that every now and then I'll put Mid Grade or Premium - 10 or more gallons, I do see a slight increase in the MPGs - maybe .5 / gallon. With the price difference in the grades of gas, it's NOT worth it. But I'm Old School....a tank of Hi Test is like Brile Cream: A Little Dab'll Do Ya.

davidsd1 · May 2012

My 2011 OB2.5 CVT just passed 10K in OD reading so that it's fully broken in now. With the warm weather last Saturday, I thought it's good chance to know what is the optimal MPG this car can do when we went to LA from San Diego.

I filled up before and after the trip. Set cruise at 65 (I know it's slow:); about 20% of the time was 20-40 mph because of slow traffic. The total trip was 237 miles and gas used was 6.56G. I knew the CVT is good, but the whopping 36.13MPG (by hands, 35.7 by trip computer) was unexpected.

My life time MPG for the OB is about 29(by hands) vs 30(by trip computer).

pilot1226 · August 2013

For what it's worth I recently took my 2.5i Outback Limited (CVT) on about a 500 mile trip each way from NJ to the Outer Banks, NC. The trip computer said we hit just over 40.0 MPG for the tank when I filled up after driving 9 hours straight, through the night, speed was probably an average of around 55 MPH, very few "red" lights. I think we have just about 25k miles on the Outback now. Used cruise control for 95% of the trip.

I cross-checked it the next day when I filled up my gas tank and the numbers checked out for the amount that was pumped into the partially-filled tank. Couldn't believe it.

mcharlie · August 2013

My wife and I just completed a 5000 mile vacation, using our 2.5i Outback. (CVT) On any of our previous trips, the best mileage we ever got was 27 +-. Usually 900 mile jaunts up to Seattle from Reno, Nevada, and back..all steady 70 mph, cruise control driving, on the I-5 Interstate.

This time, we went to Portland Oregon, then to Seattle, then to Blaine, Washington, where we crossed into Canada, to a ferry over to Vancouver Island, a ferry back to Vancouver, then cross country up to Banff and to Calgary and Edmonton, then down to Saskatoon and Regina, and finally Winnipeg, then down to and home via I-70 and I-80. Unbelievably, our over all trip mileage was 29.95 MPG. Not the 30 - 35 you folks are getting, but I am not complaining...the $1.44+ a liter (about $5.30-$5.45 a gallon) in Canada was a bit unexpected. With the exchange rate, that was really about $5.10 US, a gallon. The car had 31k when we started the trip...now has almost 37k.

Everyone has said the engine has to get really broken in to get the good mileage..perhaps, if true, it took longer on our Outback because we use only full synthetic oil..Something to contemplate.

MC

xwesx · August 2013

How loaded were you on that trip, MC? Given the areas you traveled (and likely the speeds), ~30 mpg is pretty good! Pilot really hit the sweet spot with that run to the outer banks, as the slower speeds, minimal traffic, cooler temps (possibly even no A/C?), and steady running really combined to make for some great mileage.

Thanks for the info on current fuel prices in Canada. We'll be headed through there in a few weeks, and were planning to go from Fairbanks to Montreal entirely through Canada (e.g., crossing the continent), so it's nice to have a solid idea of what to expect as far as fuel prices go! Realistically, we're probably looking at ~27 in our Forester (2010, 5-speed).

cptplt · August 2013

Have had car only 2 months but have almost 7k miles. 3 trips Chicago Cleveland and one Chicago Boston. Averaging just over 30mpg calculated on interstate cruising at 70. On state highways in the Adirondacks going up and down hills even at slower speeds dropped to 27. CVT seems to make the engine accelerate a lot on inclines in cruise control mode.

mcharlie · August 2013

We were loaded to the hilt...we had my mobility scooter in the back (and a trailer I pull behind it), plus a big *full* ice-chest, as well as my camera bag (Humongous..3 Nikons, and 12 lenses plus batteries, filters, and memory cards.) plus all our clothes and toiletries.

We inflated the tires to the maximum, so the ride was a bit hard, but not bad, considering

xwesx · August 2013

And you hit 30 mpg! Color me jealous.... :-P

mcharlie · August 2013

Rereading my last post, I realize it sounds like I pull a trailer behind the Outback. No, the trailer I pull behind my mobility scooter. The wheels come off and the trailer folds flat for storage/transport.

gopey · August 2013

We took 3 hour trip driving our 2013 Outback 2.5 a few times to the coast. The displayed reading was 34.5 and 34.6 MPG respectively. I fill up wit 87 octane. The MPG seems pretty high. Could this be accurate? If it is it is pretty incredible for a vehicle of this size.

xwesx · August 2013

I find that Subaru's economy calculators are a little bit optimistic averaged over time, but mine have only been off by 1 mpg. So, if that holds true for yours, you're still getting 33.5, which, I agree, is pretty incredible for a vehicle of this size! *insert thumb's up emotorcon, if there was one, here!*

winter2 · August 2013

Purchased a 2013 OB October 2012. Have about 8500 miles on it. No issues whatsoever. Changed the air filter from stock to a K&N replacement. Mileage went up about 1.5 miles per gallon. I drive 60% highway the rest city. The K&N also improved throttle response to boot.

Did one long trip to NYC from D.C. early in the life of the car (about 1500 miles). Got about 28 MPG for the trip.

Have a long trip to Florida coming up in early December. The Subaru will be making that trip. I will let you know how it does.

bpeebles · November 2013

If your onboard MPG calculator is inaccurate... all you have to do is adjust its accuracy. Subaru has provided a way for the accuracy to be compensated by pushing some buttons on the dashboard. The outside temp meter can also be compensated.

The quickie guide to do this is below:
=============
Go fast...ignition on
turn headlights on
hit trip meter 5 times
headlights off
hit trip meter 5 times
headlights on
hit trip meter 5 times

Now you can adjust the MPG reading on the first option screen. Default is zero
=============

mcharlie · November 2013

"Go fast, ignition on???

HUH? In order to go fast, you have to have the ignition on. LOL.

Care to restate how to calibrate? Yeah..our actual mpg mileage is no where near what the dash indicator states......the mpg averager in my Corvette is rarely off by more than a tenth of a gallon. (Believe it or not, I get better mileage (actual) in my Corvette [31-32 mpg, at 75 to 85 mph], than we do in our Outback. Go figger.)

MC

bpeebles · November 2013

I will try to be more specific... to compensate the accuracy of your MPG meter and other display on Subaru... you need to put the system into "DEALER CUSTOMIZE MODE" To enter this special mode you need to manipulate the ignition-switch, headlight-switch, and trip-meter button (LEFT hand button on dash)

The items you can adjust are
*) MPG (percent adjustment)
*) Ambient Temperature (degree adjustment)
*) Clock-speed

The "Go Fast" means that you have about 10 seconds to complete the entire process of entering "DEALER CUSTOMIZE MODE". Also the "ignition switch on" does NOT mean to start the engine!

Perhaps this website will help guide you ==> http://www.subaruoutback.org/forums/104-gen-4-2010-present/36268-dealer-customiz- e-mode-how-adjust-fuel-economy-display.html

xwesx · November 2013

Nice! Thanks for sharing, peebles!

gmginsfo · February 2014

Just approaching 50K on my 2010 2.5/CVT Outback and consistently get 34+ MPG on freeways doing 72-74 on Michelins.

winter2 · August 2014

I have a 2013 2.5i Outback Premium purchased nearly two years ago. Has 25.4K on it and it runs well. Recently took a trip to Florida and averaged about 28 MPG. Best fuel economy was 30.1 M PG on on leg using 90 octane 100% gasoline. (no ethanol). CVT works well but the driving technique requires a light right foot to get it to respond the way you want it to. The paddle shifters are helpful under certain conditions. Got rid of the OEM Continentals. Running Pirelli P7 Cinturato tires. Car rides more quietly and more smoothly. Handles much better too.

Still miss the torque from my Jeep Liberty CRD. The Outback could use another forty lb-ft of torque.

viddiewell · December 2016

I purchased a 2014 Legacy Premium CVT with the 2.5 and am seeing about 18.5 mpg. I'm exclusively city driving in Los Angeles.

xwesx · December 2016

viddiewell said:
I purchased a 2014 Legacy Premium CVT with the 2.5 and am seeing about 18.5 mpg. I'm exclusively city driving in Los Angeles.

Ouch! I guess you have to pay the price for the joyful experience of LA roads!

stevedebi · December 2016

2017 Premium here. Seeing around 30 with about 70 percent highway around 65-70 MPH. One month of driving.

Did a trip cross country and got around 29 at around 75 cruising speed on average.

nyccarguy · December 2016

viddiewell said:
I purchased a 2014 Legacy Premium CVT with the 2.5 and am seeing about 18.5 mpg. I'm exclusively city driving in Los Angeles.

I get about 26 & change. Mixed driving. On the highway, I try and set my cruise at 70. filling up and hitting the highway, I see 32 on the trip computer, but once I get off the highway it dips back down. I find the trip computer is about 1.5 mpg too optimistic. I've got 43K miles on my 2015 2.5i Premium.

New2subi · November 2019

I have a 2018 Outback 2.5. I live in Texas and this car has always gotten terrible gas mileage. EPA city is supposed to be 25 and we're lucky to get 19-20. Highway is supposed to be 32 and the best I've ever gotten is 30. Every other car I've owned since the EPA ratings began has gotten better than EPA numbers so I don't think it's my driving. Last week we went to Colorado and was very surprised to see the mileage go up. I was getting 10 mpg better at 10K feet. When I came back home, out of the mountains, the mileage went back to what it was before. I think I have a defective part or something in this car but I can't get the dealer or Subaru America to do anything about it.

xwesx · November 2019

That is very strange indeed. Do you have any modifications on the outside of the car (auxiliary lights, etc), or do you have the crossbars extended on the vehicle?

Granted, I don't think either of those will affect your city numbers quite as drastically as you indicate, but they can make a substantive difference overall.

CogitoErgoZooom · November 2019

We consistently get below EPA on my wife's 2015 2.5i also. Not as drastic as New2subi's however. Completely stock, dealer maintained on time. I assume it is due to the fact that the 2.5 coupled with the CVT is so anemic you have to keep the stupid thing floored half the time to keep up with the rest of traffic half the time. We live in flat Florida too, no clue how people drive these things in hilly areas.

Real world mileage with 2.5 and CVT

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