Subaru Forester Fuel Economy (MPG)
What is the real-world gas mileage of a 2026 Subaru Forester?
The 2026 Subaru Forester gets up to 35 MPG combined (35 city / 34 highway) in EPA testing.
Latest model year (2026):
The Subaru Forester gets up to 35 MPG combined (35 city / 34 highway) in the Auto (AV-S6), 4 cyl, 2.5 L trim.
Subaru Forester MPG — All Years
| Year | Trim | Engine | Fuel | City (MPG) | Hwy (MPG) | Combined (MPG) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026Config 1 of 4 | Auto (AV-S6), 4 cyl, 2.5 L | 4 2.5L | Regular Gasoline | 35 | 34 | 35 |
| 2026Config 2 of 4 | Auto (AV-S8), 4 cyl, 2.5 L | 4 2.5L | Regular Gasoline | 26 | 33 | 29 |
| 2026Config 3 of 4 | Auto (AV-S8), 4 cyl, 2.5 L | 4 2.5L | Regular Gasoline | 25 | 32 | 28 |
| 2026Config 4 of 4 | Auto (AV-S8), 4 cyl, 2.5 L | 4 2.5L | Regular Gasoline | 24 | 28 | 26 |
| 2025Config 1 of 4 | Auto (AV-S6), 4 cyl, 2.5 L | 4 2.5L | Regular Gasoline | 35 | 34 | 35 |
| 2025Config 2 of 4 | Auto (AV-S8), 4 cyl, 2.5 L | 4 2.5L | Regular Gasoline | 25 | 32 | 28 |
| 2025Config 3 of 4 | Auto (AV-S8), 4 cyl, 2.5 L | 4 2.5L | Regular Gasoline | 25 | 28 | 26 |
| 2025Config 4 of 4 | Auto (AV-S8), 4 cyl, 2.5 L | 4 2.5L | Regular Gasoline | 26 | 33 | 29 |
| 2024Config 1 of 2 | Auto (AV-S8), 4 cyl, 2.5 L | 4 2.5L | Regular Gasoline | 26 | 33 | 29 |
| 2024Config 2 of 2 | Auto (AV-S8), 4 cyl, 2.5 L | 4 2.5L | Regular Gasoline | 25 | 28 | 26 |
| 2023Config 1 of 2 | Auto (AV-S7), 4 cyl, 2.5 L | 4 2.5L | Regular Gasoline | 26 | 33 | 29 |
| 2023Config 2 of 2 | Auto (AV-S8), 4 cyl, 2.5 L | 4 2.5L | Regular Gasoline | 25 | 28 | 26 |
| 2022Config 1 of 2 | Auto (AV-S7), 4 cyl, 2.5 L | 4 2.5L | Regular Gasoline | 26 | 33 | 29 |
| 2022Config 2 of 2 | Auto (AV-S8), 4 cyl, 2.5 L | 4 2.5L | Regular Gasoline | 25 | 28 | 26 |
| 2021 | Auto (AV-S7), 4 cyl, 2.5 L | 4 2.5L | Regular Gasoline | 26 | 33 | 29 |
| 2020 | Auto (AV-S7), 4 cyl, 2.5 L | 4 2.5L | Regular Gasoline | 26 | 33 | 29 |
| 2019 | Auto (AV-S7), 4 cyl, 2.5 L | 4 2.5L | Regular Gasoline | 26 | 33 | 29 |
| 2018Config 1 of 3 | Auto (AV-S6), 4 cyl, 2.5 L | 4 2.5L | Regular Gasoline | 26 | 32 | 28 |
| 2018Config 2 of 3 | Auto (AV-S8), 4 cyl, 2.0 L | 4 2.0L | Premium Gasoline | 23 | 27 | 25 |
| 2018Config 3 of 3 | Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 2.5 L | 4 2.5L | Regular Gasoline | 22 | 28 | 24 |
| 2017Config 1 of 3 | Auto (AV-S8), 4 cyl, 2.0 L | 4 2.0L | Premium Gasoline | 23 | 27 | 25 |
| 2017Config 2 of 3 | Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 2.5 L | 4 2.5L | Regular Gasoline | 26 | 32 | 28 |
| 2017Config 3 of 3 | Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 2.5 L | 4 2.5L | Regular Gasoline | 22 | 28 | 24 |
| 2016Config 1 of 3 | Auto (AV-S8), 4 cyl, 2.0 L | 4 2.0L | Premium Gasoline | 23 | 27 | 25 |
| 2016Config 2 of 3 | Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 2.5 L | 4 2.5L | Regular Gasoline | 24 | 31 | 27 |
| 2016Config 3 of 3 | Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 2.5 L | 4 2.5L | Regular Gasoline | 22 | 28 | 25 |
| 2015Config 1 of 3 | Auto (AV-S8), 4 cyl, 2.0 L | 4 2.0L | Premium Gasoline | 23 | 27 | 25 |
| 2015Config 2 of 3 | Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 2.5 L | 4 2.5L | Regular Gasoline | 24 | 31 | 27 |
| 2015Config 3 of 3 | Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 2.5 L | 4 2.5L | Regular Gasoline | 22 | 28 | 25 |
Data sourced from fueleconomy.gov (U.S. Department of Energy). MPG figures are EPA-tested. Fuel costs are estimates based on average fuel prices and 15,000 miles/year.
Subaru Forester data analysis
Best combined MPG: 35 MPG
Best combined figure for the Subaru Forester is 35 MPG (2026, SIDI; Hybrid) — efficient for its era, where the 2024 US new-car average is about 28 MPG. The weakest is 24 MPG (2017, Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 2.5 L). At 15,000 miles a year and $3.50/gal that is $1,500 against $2,188 — a $688 annual swing, small enough that condition matters more than which one you pick. That is rank 10 of 70 small sport utility vehicles here — top quartile. The cohort median is 27 MPG, so this vehicle sits 8 MPG above the middle of the field. Next rung up is the Lexus RX at 36 MPG, 1 MPG clear of this one. Immediately behind: the Nissan Rogue at 34 MPG. The 2026 model averages 29.5 MPG across 4 configurations. The efficiency peak is the 2026 car, not the newest one — usually a weight or all-wheel-drive change rather than a worse engine.
City versus highway
35 city / 34 highway on the 2026 Subaru Forester. City beats highway by 1 MPG — hybrid behaviour. Regenerative braking earns more in traffic than steady cruising does, so urban drivers get the best of this powertrain. Winter fuel blends and sub-freezing warm-up cost 10–20% on their own, so a cold-climate owner should read the city figure as the realistic ceiling. EPA's own annual cost estimate for the best configuration is $1,750. Tailpipe CO₂ is 255 g/mile, about 3.8 metric tons a year.
What drives the spread
29 EPA-tested configurations across 2015–2026. Every configuration here is All-Wheel Drive, so engine and transmission account for the entire spread. Fuel types on file: Regular, Premium. Every number here comes from the manufacturer's certification filing to the EPA for that exact configuration — the same data behind the window sticker. Sources for these 29 rows: manufacturer filings, covering 12 model years.
How Subaru Forester combined fuel economy varies
Across 29 configurations recorded for the 2015 through 2026 Subaru Forester, combined fuel economy runs from 24 MPG to 35 MPG. The strongest figure belongs to the 2025 Subaru Forester (Auto (AV-S6), 4 cyl, 2.5 L) at 35 MPG, and the weakest to the 2018 car (Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 2.5 L) at 24 MPG — a spread of 46%. A gap that wide means the model year and configuration you buy matter more than the nameplate does: quoting a single number for the Subaru Forester would be misleading.
What changed for 2026
Average combined fuel economy for the 2026 Subaru Forester is 29.5 MPG, against 29.5 MPG for the 2025 car — it held flat. A carry-over year like this usually means no powertrain or structural change, so an older example is the cheaper way into the same specification.
Configurations behind these Subaru Forester numbers
The 2015 through 2026 Subaru Forester entries here cover the variants Auto (AV-S6), 4 cyl, 2.5 L, Auto (AV-S8), 4 cyl, 2.5 L, Auto (AV-S7), 4 cyl, 2.5 L, Auto (AV-S8), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 2.5 L and Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 2.5 L. 2026 is the busiest model year in the record with 4 separate measured configurations, which is why a single quoted combined fuel economy figure for that year is rarely the one that matches the car in front of you. Match the row to the exact drivetrain, body style and engine on the window sticker or VIN before relying on the number, and use the comparison links below to see how those same configurations line up against rival models.
Official Factory Specs vs. AutoSpecData Expert Benchmarks
The EPA highway loop never holds interstate speed. Here is what the same engine does when you sit on the cruise control.
| Cruise speed | EPA highway spec | AutoSpecData adjusted MPG | Fuel you lose |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60 mph | 34 MPG | 34 MPG | 0% |
| 65 mph | 34 MPG | 31 MPG | 9% |
| 70 mph | 34 MPG | 28.4 MPG | 17% |
| 75 mph | 34 MPG | 26 MPG | 24% |
| 80 mph | 34 MPG | 23.8 MPG | 30% |
Our Real-World Speed MPG Adjuster re-scales the Subaru Forester EPA highway result with a quadratic drag term (mpg = hwy ÷ (1 + k·(v² − 60²)/60²), k = 0.55 for trucks, SUVs and vans, 0.42 for cars). Wind, roof racks, and a heavy right foot make it worse, never better.
Frequently Asked Questions About Forester MPG
What is the MPG of the Subaru Forester?
The Subaru Forester gets up to 35 MPG combined (35 city / 34 highway) in the 2026 model year. Fuel economy varies by engine and trim — see the full table above for details.
Which Subaru Forester trim has the best fuel economy?
The Auto (AV-S6), 4 cyl, 2.5 L trim offers the best combined fuel economy at 35 MPG. Smaller engines and front-wheel-drive configurations typically achieve the highest MPG.