Subaru Impreza vs Volvo V60: Specs Compared

Running cost over five years: at the EPA's 15,000-mile-a-year assumption the Subaru Impreza burns about $1,900 of fuel annually against $2,100 for the Volvo V60. That $200 yearly gap compounds to roughly $1,000 over five years and $1,600 over eight — often more than the price difference between two trims of the same vehicle, and the single largest running-cost line item separating these two.

City versus highway split: the Volvo V60 is the stronger commuter at 30 mpg city, while the Subaru Impreza pulls ahead on the interstate at 38 mpg highway. If most of your driving is stop-and-go traffic the city figure is the one to weigh; for long-distance highway mileage the reverse is true, and the two vehicles effectively swap places depending on how you drive.

Powertrain choice: the Subaru Impreza is recorded with 1 distinct engine configuration (SIDI), the Volvo V60 with 4 (SIDI; Mild Hybrid, SIDI; PHEV, 2.0). Across 51 recorded Subaru Impreza configurations and 40 for the Volvo V60, the wider the engine spread the more the real-world fuel efficiency depends on which version you actually buy, so check the specific model year and drivetrain rather than the headline number.

Drivetrain and class: the Subaru Impreza is offered with All-Wheel Drive, the Volvo V60 with All-Wheel Drive, Front-Wheel Drive. All-wheel drive typically costs one to two mpg combined against the same vehicle in front- or rear-wheel drive, which is worth remembering when the gap between these two is small. The EPA classes them as Small Station Wagons and Small Station Wagons respectively — the class drives the interior volume, cargo space and passenger space each one is measured against.

Tailpipe emissions: at their cleanest configurations the Volvo V60 emits 99 g/mile of CO2 versus 280 g/mile for the Subaru Impreza. Emissions track fuel consumption almost exactly, so the cleaner vehicle here is also the cheaper one to fuel.