Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!

Subaru Crew MPG-Real World Numbers

2»

Comments

  • twrxtwrx Member Posts: 647
    tima3, those numbers are real. I have a 2005 legacy 2.5i wagon auto. I reset the trip odo B when we went to Cololrado last summer. I got 30 average for 5000 miles. I never reset it and the car now has 28,000 on it and for the last 17,000 I have gotten 25.8 mixed mileage. Recently I went to Terre Haute and back (220 mile round trip). The speed limit is 60 and I obeyed it and got 34 mpg. I get about 32 at 70 mph when I go to nashville. I am now getting 23 city. My good mileage began really at about 20,000. All three of my previous Subarus got their best mileage beyond 20,000.

    It's not a hybrid but I'm thrilled with the mileage.

    Bruce
  • mountnman4umountnman4u Member Posts: 10
    I confess, although I bought the car because of what's under the hood, I drive like an old woman in order to get the best fuel economy. Although on occassion I will call upon the rocket power of this fine turbo engine, I'm usually very, very light footed with the accelerator. However, I don't corner like an old lady, and I do take advantage of my powerplant's torque in some aggressive cornering.

    I drive mostly country/rural driving and interstate highway (I live in the Northern Catskills/Mid-Hudson Valley region of New York). I rarely exceed 65 MPH on the interstate in an effort to increase fuel economy. On long downhill sections of roadways, I often shift into neutral to lessen the engine speed and gas consumption.

    My old lady habits pay off with good fuel economy. My vehicle is EPA rated 19 MPG city/25 MPG highway. I tend to average 25-26.5 MPG with 90% rural/country/highway driving. The remaining 10% of mileage per tank is often stop-and-go traffic in suburban New Jersey and driving in evening rush hour traffic in Manhattan/NYC. If my driving excludes NJ/NYC rush hours and is completely rural driving, I can get 26-27 MPG. On long highway stretches of non-stop driving using cruise control, I can usually get 28-29 MPG, once even 30 MPG, as long as I don't exceed 65 MPH. All of these figures are mathematically calculated. I find the car's computer is usually overly optimistic by 0.8-1.5 MPG.

    My car, in non-winter months, is equipped with Pirelli PZero Nero M+S tires which I usually have pumped up 2-3 PSI above what Subaru recommends, which for my car is 35 PSI front and 33 PSI rear. These tires have a fairly high rolling resistance, especially in comparison to the OEM Potenza RE92 tires (but they handle so much better!). I normally travel alone in the car without any passengers with the exception of my dogs. My winter fuel economy tends to be lower, attributable to the use of winter tires, winter fuel composition, and colder operating temperatures.

    I fuel my car with 93 octane fuel mostly, but when 91 octane is available (most Sunoco stations) I will often purchase that if it saves me a couple of cents per gallon (my turbo engine requires 91+ octane).
  • subi4obssubi4obs Member Posts: 32
    2004 Impreza Outback Sport 2.5L and 4 speed automatic.

    27 MPG for overall average (since around 10 to 15 thousand miles).

    Mostly rural/highway/freeway driving, very little stop and go. Only driver (me, of course) and some gear in car. Original tires (Potenza) usually kept as close to correct inflation as possible, 32/29 PSI F/R. Been using Mobil 1 synthetic engine oil since about 1000 miles on odometer, which is currently over 26 thousand miles. Run only 87 Octance regular gas, cheapest I can get-- annoying pinging included.

    Almost forgot to add... I'm a heavy user of Cruise Control.
  • rangnerrangner Member Posts: 336
    Interesting, I have a 2000 Outback wagon and though I buy name-brand gas, I've also been having trouble with pinging. Has your OBS always done this or only recently? I think it might be the switch from MTBE to Ethanol.
    Eric
  • subi4obssubi4obs Member Posts: 32
    It worried me a lot at first because I discovered the manufacture date was Feb. 2003, as stated on a doorframe plate, which I somehow overlooked when checking out the car before buying it off the lot. I got the car "new" in Sept. 2004, so that seemed a very long time, odometer read 28 miles after a short test drive.
    After realizing that the car must have spent a long time on the lot (actually came from Nashville, TN, about 100 miles from local dealership) I drained the gas tank to get any trapped bad gas out of there (are two sides to these, as you may or may not know, so that meant opening two different plugs). Then I changed the fuel filter. Well, I finally noticed the car will ping most when the gas tank gets below 1/2 full and especially if only at 1/4. Gas treatments were tried but I hadn't found any remedy by doing that. I think maybe higher octane helps but I only gave that a try twice.
    I almost always get gas at either Raceway or Pilot near home. Haven't checked into what percentage of other stuff might be mixed in. I think the majority of pinging-- aside from that caused (supposedly) by the tank levels-- happens only during acceleration and steady uphill climbs.
    Oh yeah... another thing too... there's also occassional high-pitched plunk noises during sudden decelerations (just once each time). Doesn't happen everytime but enough to be a bother to me. Sounds like a metal sheet being hit lightly under the car. I've found out that's possibly something about extra gas igniting in the exhaust pipe near the catalytic convertor, maybe, which is something I need to talk with the service people about when I take the car in for its 30K mile checkup.
    Another thing I had a lot with this car is the awful sulfur smells, another thing said to be about catalytic convertors having trouble with burning fuel cleanly enough or whatever. I don't know much about it, just what I've read or heard said. Luckily those are few and far between anymore, yet seemed to happen a lot during the first year or so.
    Thanks for asking Eric, hopefully not too much info given. :confuse: I really need to get a look at the Ethanol, MTBE stuff when I'm at the gas stations!
  • rangnerrangner Member Posts: 336
    I don't know if I've screwed up the math or not, but my wife drove the 2000 outback to nashville on a full tank of gas and when she got back I filled it up again taking 9.21 gallons. She drove between 70-75mph. Oh, and tire pressure was 32-33psi cold.

    With a round trip of 328 miles I figure 35.6 mpg?!! This is on shell v-power premium gas. Usually on regular I get 24-25mpg. I switched to premium because of somewhat regular pinging. Now it doesn't ping anymore and gets incredible mileage. I'll keep checking it to see if this mileage keeps up or not. I couldn't be happier! :)

    Eric
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    That's great if your next tank doesn't average less than 20. Did you use the same pump? Some fill more than others, due to air pockets and other factors.

    -juice
  • rangnerrangner Member Posts: 336
    No I didn't. I'll check at the next fill-up using the same pump--if I can remember which one.

    But the needle pegged at the same place it always does...
    I'll wait and see what it does on this tank.

    Eric
  • jim314jim314 Member Posts: 491
    There is a simple conversion between mpgUS and L/100km: divide whichever one you have into 235 to get the other. To convert between mpgUK and L/100km divide whichever one you have into 282.

    1. 8.0 L/100 km ==> 235/8 = 29.4 mpgUS

    2. 8.0 L/100 km ==> 282/8 = 35.3 mpgUK

    3. 29.4 mpgUS ==> 235/29.4 = 8.0 L/100km

    4. 18.8 mpgUK ==> 282/18.8 = 15.0 L/100km
  • subi4obssubi4obs Member Posts: 32
    Not many posts going on here so I'll mention my change from 87 octane (almost always cheapest found) to 89 octane.

    It apparently dropped from 27 MPG to 24 or 25 at first. Now after 3 tankfuls it's back again to 27.

    I almost never buy gas from places like Chevron, Exxon, Shell, etc. so it's usually Murphy USA, RaceTrac (or Raceway), Pilot, Wavaho.

    I remember when I tried Shell premium once (only once) and I think the MPG increased to 28. But that was a couple years ago so I can't say that with absolute certainty. I'm considering paying a little more for awhile and see if it helps stop the engine knock I've been plagued with.

    For now I'm still getting the gas at the cheaper places and I might move on to the expensive stuff at least temporarily to find out what changes happen. I'd have done this sooner if not for the bad timing of price increases.

    Interestingly, the car is rated at 21 city, 27 hwy. I probably only drive in city traffic 10% of the time so the gas mileage must be what's to be expected.
  • cptpltcptplt Member Posts: 1,075
    do people think a 3.0 Bean will get better mileage than a 2.5 XT OB turbo with auto ? I ask because its probably a choice between those two to replace my 98 legacy (unless the bums at SOA come out with a 2.5i with VDC).
  • dino001dino001 Member Posts: 6,165
    VDC will propagate down the scale and probability of getting it with 2.5i in 2008 is high, as Subaru wants to capitalize on IIHS top ratings. Perhaps Ltd. trim first - who knows.

    2018 430i Gran Coupe

  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    It really depends. I think if you step into it, i.e. accelerate and really use that turbo, it'll use more gas. Plus it requires premium, while the H6 can make do on regular.

    If you baby it, it'll probably be about the same mileage.

    Odds are the H6 will cost less to fuel up, especially if you use regular or plus.

    -juice
  • eab73wrxeab73wrx Member Posts: 8
    Hi, new to the forums. I don't see many WRX listings in this forum so I figured I'd chime in.

    I've owned the car since it was new. Now has 73,400 on the odometer.

    Local driving - lots of shifting, stop signs, traffic lights, etc. I will get about 20mpg.

    Mixed driving - Some highway mixed in with the above I get in the 22-24mpg range.

    Pure Highway - I sometimes take the car from NY to VA for business trips. I'll set cruise at 65mph (when possible). Last trip I was able to pull in 30mpg on the ride down. Basically I filled up the tank the night before in NY. Drove down to Reston, VA and gassed up. The ride home was a bit less. I calculated 28.5 mpg. There was some more traffic on I-95.

    I have been running Mobil-1 synthetic so maybe that helped a bit. As for tires I'm running stock 16" rims with Falken ZE-512s.

    Also my car has the turbo boost gauge on the steering column. I tend to use it to tell me how hard I am on the gas. I try and keep it out of the boost range as much as possible. Of course it is a WRX so I get on it once in a while. Very large grin on my face when I do that :D
  • dino001dino001 Member Posts: 6,165
    Just passing 60K. It's a wagon. My commute numbers (3/4 60-70 mph 1/4 city or traffic jam) is consistent on 24 mpg.

    My highway (interstate cruise 75-85 mph) - lucky to get 27, more reaslistic is 25-26 mpg.

    City stop and go: 19-20 mpg.

    Motor oil: synthetic. Tires: stock 16" with BF Goodrich Traction TA.

    2018 430i Gran Coupe

  • dliboirondliboiron Member Posts: 10
    What does the pinging sound like?
  • dliboirondliboiron Member Posts: 10
    Update i guess, I do about 8L/100km, (30mpg). I bought a '97 Subaru Legacy Outback 2.5 AT.
    I have a question though, in the manual it says I should have a 60L tank, but at fillup its about half that, could it have been a typo?
  • aaykayaaykay Member Posts: 539
    There should be around 3 gallons (11 liters) of reserve fuel in the tank, when the fuel light comes on.

    However, half of the rated capacity when the fuel light comes on, is definitely a bit extreme and should be checked out.
  • dliboirondliboiron Member Posts: 10
    Um, I never mentioned the empty ever going on, I fill up before that point.
  • aaykayaaykay Member Posts: 539
    Then there lies your answer. You are filling it up, well before it hits the "reserve" and hence you are only filling up half the tank's capacity, since the rest of the fuel is already present in the tank. No typo there.
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,780
    I notice that the fuel gauge drops faster during the first "1/2 tank" than the second. If I fill up at the 1/2 mark on the gauge, it never takes more than 7 gallons or so. The closer it gets to empty, the more accurate the gauge. For example, if I wait until the light comes on (which I usually do), I can guarantee myself the car will take at least 13 gallons. ;)
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • stevecebustevecebu Member Posts: 493
    Then there lies your answer. You are filling it up, well before it hits the "reserve" and hence you are only filling up half the tank's capacity, since the rest of the fuel is already present in the tank. No typo there.

    It's not relevant. f you know how much gas you used and you know how many miles you drove you can get your figures.
    If you fill it til it clicks off and then refill it again you will know how many gallons or liters you've used. This works every time. It's important to consistently shut off the fuel at the first click or in my case the second click with my present vehicle. The idiot light is sporadic at best. See how much fuel it is each time you fill up because the rest is in the tank.
    I admit I'll use the low fuel idiot light but it can vary by quite a bit.
    For the record my 1.3L Honda Jazz was tested by the Honda Factory guys with me driving the car to figure out why the economy was so low. They had me do some crazy stuff to improve it. I had an actual factory computer hooked up real time while driving with 2 techs. Bottom line is some Jazz/Fit's get great economy and others don't. But Honda won't admit that. It's a great car but some specific cars get lower economy than others.
  • p0926p0926 Member Posts: 4,423
    Huh? What's not relevant? Dliboiron wasn't asking how to calculate his mileage, he was asking how how many liters the tank holds (60L sounds right).

    -Frank
  • mike205mike205 Member Posts: 3
    06 Legacy Wagon 2.5iSE with Automatic Transmission
    - rated 23 - 30mpg EPA.

    Actual 100% Highway 26 - 29 mpg.
    Actual 90% City Short-Haul point to point - 16 - 18mpg.
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    05 LGT Wagon 5MT
    30k miles

    So far only did a highway trip 75-80mph, 28.x mpg

    I'll post back when I do some city driving.

    -mike
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Sweet mike, you sure you were going "only" 80? ;)
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    yup cruise control has saved me from many tickets! I set it on 75 these days and leave it there.

    -mike
  • amsbearamsbear Member Posts: 147
    Since replacing my Knock Sensor, I have seen a nice increase in MPG :) . It was throwing an intermittent CEL (P0325) that specified a Knock Sensor Circuit Malfunction and was able to replace it myself (with a few hiccups) and since then been rewarded with the following jump in MPG :shades: over the past two tankfulls.

    Most recent MPG results.
    25.925
    25.684
    22.684
    23.170
    24.430
    22.689
    22.814
    23.060

    Now those "hiccups" were due to me leaning into the engine bay a bit too hard while doing the sensor replacement :blush: .

    #1 - I unseated the cruise control cable/linkage a bit which caused a P0507 Idle Control System RPM Higher Than Expected CEL. I started hunting down IAC issues until I noticed the problem and simply resnapped the cable back.

    #2 - Cracked a vacuum line that operates the EGR, which led to it throwing the P0400 EGR Flow Malfunction. Fixed that with a new section of appropriated tubing.

    Now I can take it in for inspection with my fingers crossed.

    Alan
    98 OBW Ltd - 139,500 miles
  • masteryodamasteryoda Member Posts: 41
    Hi Alan. I got a CEL light myself for the Knock Sensor on my 98 GT. Do you have instructions on how to change it?
  • amsbearamsbear Member Posts: 147
    Recommended tools:
    Flashlight
    Socket wrench
    8" socket extension
    12mm socket
    Magnetic pickup tool

    Finding the sensor was the first issue.

    [copied from a Nabisco post] ;)
    The knock sensor is located on top of the block, above the #4 cylinder. It should be on the drivers side, left of the throttle body near the cable linkage if you are standing in front of the engine. There may be a EGR solenoid in the way, so you need to peer pass that to see it. It should be a black round thing with a 12mm bolt through the middle, connected by one wire, but with a white 2-pin connector.

    Getting to it with hands and tools is the 2nd issue
    From the drivers side -
    With the socket on the extension, I seated it on the bolt, attached the wrench and backed it out. I had the magnetic pickup handy to get the bolt fully out. Put this aside as you will likely need it during the replacement, my part from the dealer did not come with a new bolt.

    From the passenger side -
    Pull the sensor out into the more open area on the left side of the throttle body. I pulled it through using where it connects to the harness.
    There is not enough room on the right side to get both hands in to release the connector from the harness.
    Unclip it from the harness and attach the new one onto the harness and thread the sensor back under the throttle body.

    Back on the drivers side -
    Again use the magnet tool to pull it into the generally area where it has to be remounted.
    Put the bolt back through the center of the sensor and carefully guide it back down towards the engine block.
    With just the extension and socket, attach to the bolt and "feel it" back into the bolt hole.
    Turn it counter clockwise a bit just to be sure of alignment and that you will catch the threads correctly.
    Attach the wrench and tighten it down, but not too tight. There are warnings that you can damage the sensor if you really overtighten it.

    "Plug n Play" right?!?!

    Clear your code(s) and start her up.

    Good Luck!

    Alan
    98 OBW Ltd
  • amsbearamsbear Member Posts: 147
    BTW, my dealer charged me $107 + tax. If you are not in a hurry, I am sure you can get a better price online.

    I used a Subaru Bucks coupon so it was only $15 out of pocket.

    Alan
    98 OBW Ltd
  • dliboirondliboiron Member Posts: 10
    Subaru bucks, how do you get those? Are they available in Canada?
  • amsbearamsbear Member Posts: 147
    Chase offers a Subaru credit card where as you spend on the card, you accumulate points (3%). The dealers honor these for parts, service, and car purchases.

    I'm not sure about the Canada availability. Take a look at the Chase credit card site for details.

    Alan
    98 OBW Ltd
  • stantontstantont Member Posts: 148
    '08 OB XT turbo, MT5. First trip after breakin. Approx 2500 miles at start. 75-80 mph on cruise control. [Included about 50 miles of letting family try out the car in New Orleans; that particular tankful only came to 23 mpg(!).]

    TOTAL: 103.0 gallons for 2839 miles equals 27.56 mpg. Wouldn't be surprised to see it creep to 28+ by 20k miles.

    MPG indicator is about 10-15 % low; it read 25.2 mpg for trip. At first I was pretty disappointed in "mileage" until I realized the trip MPG calculator was off.

    Looks like the new EPA test routine (18 city, 24 highway, Hah!) is pretty hostile to the turbo. I routinely get 22-23 city, and the highway mileage speaks for itself.
  • 10years10years Member Posts: 48
    03 Forester, 4 EAT, 83 K miles.

    Last year, June 2007, I'd been averaging about 25.5 mpg. But now I'm averaging a touch better than 28 mpg over the last three fill-ups. Although I'm not a hyper-miling purist, I've kinda of:
    1. Inflated tires a couple pounds more than the door placard shows.
    2. Slowed down to not exceed speed limits very much and mostly stay in the right lane.
    3. Look far ahead to anticipate conditions to better to take advantage of coasting and light touch braking to minimize full dead stops and starts.
    4. Go light on the accelerator.

    On the downside my 26 mile compute time is extended about 5 minutes and the brakes have developed a light squeal.

    Have Fun,
    Ted
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    The brakes probably do that because you rarely use them! ;)
This discussion has been closed.

Helpful Tools

Most popular vehicles