Subaru Impreza vs Volvo V90: 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 $2,800 for the Volvo V90. That $900 yearly gap compounds to roughly $4,500 over five years and $7,200 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 and highway economy: the Subaru Impreza leads in both cycles — 28 mpg city and 38 mpg highway against 24 and 35 mpg — so its fuel-efficiency advantage holds whether you commute in traffic or cover long highway miles.

Powertrain choice: the Subaru Impreza is recorded with 1 distinct engine configuration (SIDI), the Volvo V90 with 2 (SIDI; Mild Hybrid, SIDI). Across 51 recorded Subaru Impreza configurations and 20 for the Volvo V90, 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 V90 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 Midsize 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 Subaru Impreza emits 280 g/mile of CO2 versus 322 g/mile for the Volvo V90. Emissions track fuel consumption almost exactly, so the cleaner vehicle here is also the cheaper one to fuel.