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CarsSubaruLegacy/Outback

Subaru Legacy/Outback

1990–2017 · Gasoline

The headline figure for this car is 23 MPG, but the EPA rates 4 different versions of it, from 22 to 29 MPG. Which engine and drivetrain you order is worth $408 a year in fuel — a decision made once at the dealership and paid for every week afterwards.

23 mpg Combined EPA rated
20 mpg City
28 mpg Highway
$2,700 EPA annual fuel at 15,000 mi

Your cost per mile

Every version, 2017

VersionCombinedCityHighwayFuelEPA annual
2.5L 4cyl · AWD · Auto AV-S6 29 25 34 Regular $2,150
2.5L 4cyl · AWD · Auto AV-S6 28 25 32 Regular $2,200
3.6L 6cyl · AWD · Auto AV-S6 23 20 28 Regular $2,700
3.6L 6cyl · AWD · Auto AV-S6 22 20 27 Regular $2,850

4 configurations, 22–29 MPG.

Every model year

YearCombinedCityHighway
1990201823
1991211926
1992221926
1993221926
1994211824
1995221926
1996221926
1997232128
1998201824
1999222026
2000211925
2001211925
2002201724
2003211925
2004211925
2005191723
2006201724
2007232028
2008222027
2009222027
2010221927
2011252230
2012221926
2013272432
2014272432
2015282532
2016292635
2017232028

Straight from the EPA certification database, one row per model year, showing the best-rated version of each. Trims with identical figures are collapsed.

What owners report

YearOwnersAverage reportedSpread
1990117.7 18–18
1991328.7 28–29
1992225.7 23–30
1993118.5 19–19
1994220.8 18–24
1995326.1 24–28
19961122.5 17–28
1997128.9 29–29
1998223.7 20–29
1999129.5 30–30
2000326.8 25–29
2001325.1 21–29
2002327.1 26–29
2003323.4 19–31
2004124.8 25–25
2005922.7 19–26
2006224.1 22–26
2007120.0 20–20
2008425.5 24–27
2009325.7 23–29
2010126.4 26–26
2011826.4 17–32
2012129.0 29–29
2013327.8 25–30
2014327.2 23–31
20152825.6 20–31
20161124.8 20–32
2017123.9 24–24

115 owners filed these through the EPA's own My MPG tool. That is a sample, not an average — read them as anecdotes. They are here because they are the only owner-reported figures in public federal data.

How this is worked out

Cost per mile is the fuel price over the combined MPG of the version you pick, at the price and mileage you enter. Where a version requires premium, it is costed at the premium price — that is a real and permanent difference between two cars wearing the same badge.

Every figure comes from the U.S. EPA's public fuel economy data. We add no estimates of our own; a missing number shows as a dash rather than a guess.

Add your numbers

Federal data has at most a handful of owners per car and nothing at all on servicing. If you own one, send what you actually get. It goes on this page with the sample size next to it.

Nothing is published with your name or email on it.