Subaru Outback Fuel Economy (MPG)
What is the real-world gas mileage of a 2027 Subaru Outback?
The 2027 Subaru Outback gets up to 29 MPG combined (26 city / 33 highway) in EPA testing.
Latest model year (2027):
The Subaru Outback gets up to 27 MPG combined (25 city / 31 highway) in the Auto (AV-S8), 4 cyl, 2.5 L trim.
Subaru Outback MPG — All Years
| Year | Trim | Engine | Fuel | City (MPG) | Hwy (MPG) | Combined (MPG) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2027Config 1 of 3 | Auto (AV-S8), 4 cyl, 2.4 L | 4 2.4L | Regular Gasoline | 21 | 27 | 23 |
| 2027Config 2 of 3 | Auto (AV-S8), 4 cyl, 2.4 L | 4 2.4L | Regular Gasoline | 21 | 29 | 24 |
| 2027Config 3 of 3 | Auto (AV-S8), 4 cyl, 2.5 L | 4 2.5L | Regular Gasoline | 25 | 31 | 27 |
| 2026Config 1 of 3 | Auto (AV-S8), 4 cyl, 2.4 L | 4 2.4L | Regular Gasoline | 21 | 27 | 23 |
| 2026Config 2 of 3 | Auto (AV-S8), 4 cyl, 2.4 L | 4 2.4L | Regular Gasoline | 21 | 29 | 24 |
| 2026Config 3 of 3 | Auto (AV-S8), 4 cyl, 2.5 L | 4 2.5L | Regular Gasoline | 25 | 31 | 27 |
| 2025Config 1 of 3 | Auto (AV-S8), 4 cyl, 2.4 L | 4 2.4L | Regular Gasoline | 21 | 26 | 23 |
| 2025Config 2 of 3 | Auto (AV-S8), 4 cyl, 2.4 L | 4 2.4L | Regular Gasoline | 22 | 29 | 25 |
| 2025Config 3 of 3 | Auto (AV-S8), 4 cyl, 2.5 L | 4 2.5L | Regular Gasoline | 26 | 32 | 28 |
| 2024Config 1 of 3 | Auto (AV-S8), 4 cyl, 2.4 L | 4 2.4L | Regular Gasoline | 21 | 26 | 23 |
| 2024Config 2 of 3 | Auto (AV-S8), 4 cyl, 2.4 L | 4 2.4L | Regular Gasoline | 22 | 29 | 25 |
| 2024Config 3 of 3 | Auto (AV-S8), 4 cyl, 2.5 L | 4 2.5L | Regular Gasoline | 26 | 32 | 28 |
| 2023Config 1 of 3 | Auto (AV-S8), 4 cyl, 2.4 L | 4 2.4L | Regular Gasoline | 22 | 29 | 25 |
| 2023Config 2 of 3 | Auto (AV-S8), 4 cyl, 2.4 L | 4 2.4L | Regular Gasoline | 21 | 26 | 23 |
| 2023Config 3 of 3 | Auto (AV-S8), 4 cyl, 2.5 L | 4 2.5L | Regular Gasoline | 26 | 32 | 28 |
| 2022Config 1 of 3 | Auto (AV-S8), 4 cyl, 2.4 L | 4 2.4L | Regular Gasoline | 23 | 30 | 26 |
| 2022Config 2 of 3 | Auto (AV-S8), 4 cyl, 2.4 L | 4 2.4L | Regular Gasoline | 22 | 26 | 24 |
| 2022Config 3 of 3 | Auto (AV-S8), 4 cyl, 2.5 L | 4 2.5L | Regular Gasoline | 26 | 33 | 29 |
| 2021Config 1 of 2 | Auto (AV-S8), 4 cyl, 2.4 L | 4 2.4L | Regular Gasoline | 23 | 30 | 26 |
| 2021Config 2 of 2 | Auto (AV-S8), 4 cyl, 2.5 L | 4 2.5L | Regular Gasoline | 26 | 33 | 29 |
| 2020Config 1 of 2 | Auto (AV-S8), 4 cyl, 2.4 L | 4 2.4L | Regular Gasoline | 23 | 30 | 26 |
| 2020Config 2 of 2 | Auto (AV-S8), 4 cyl, 2.5 L | 4 2.5L | Regular Gasoline | 26 | 33 | 29 |
| 2019Config 1 of 2 | Auto (AV-S6), 6 cyl, 3.6 L | 6 3.6L | Regular Gasoline | 20 | 27 | 22 |
| 2019Config 2 of 2 | Auto (AV-S7), 4 cyl, 2.5 L | 4 2.5L | Regular Gasoline | 25 | 32 | 28 |
| 2018Config 1 of 2 | Auto (AV-S6), 6 cyl, 3.6 L | 6 3.6L | Regular Gasoline | 20 | 27 | 22 |
| 2018Config 2 of 2 | Auto (AV-S7), 4 cyl, 2.5 L | 4 2.5L | Regular Gasoline | 25 | 32 | 28 |
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 Outback data analysis
Best combined MPG: 29 MPG
Best combined figure for the Subaru Outback is 29 MPG (2022, SIDI) — average for its era, where the 2024 US new-car average is about 28 MPG. The weakest is 22 MPG (2018, Auto (AV-S6), 6 cyl, 3.6 L). At 15,000 miles a year and $3.50/gal that is $1,810 against $2,386 — a $576 annual swing, small enough that condition matters more than which one you pick. That is rank 20 of 70 small sport utility vehicles in this dataset, 72th percentile. The cohort median is 27 MPG, so this vehicle sits 2 MPG above the middle of the field. Next rung up is the BMW X3 at 30 MPG, 1 MPG clear of this one. Immediately behind: the Fiat 500X at 28 MPG. The 2027 model averages 24.7 MPG across 3 configurations. The efficiency peak is the 2022 car, not the newest one — usually a weight or all-wheel-drive change rather than a worse engine.
City versus highway
26 city / 33 highway on the 2022 Subaru Outback. The 7 MPG gap is the normal gasoline pattern. Your mix moves the result by a few MPG, not by a category. Expect 10–15% under the EPA figure in real use. Cold starts, roof boxes and 80 mph cruising widen that gap. EPA's own annual cost estimate for the best configuration is $2,100. Tailpipe CO₂ is 308 g/mile, about 4.6 metric tons a year.
What drives the spread
26 EPA-tested configurations across 2018–2027. Every configuration here is All-Wheel Drive, so engine and transmission account for the entire spread. 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 26 rows: manufacturer filings, covering 10 model years.
How Subaru Outback combined fuel economy varies
Across 26 configurations recorded for the 2018 through 2027 Subaru Outback, combined fuel economy runs from 22 MPG to 29 MPG. The strongest figure belongs to the 2020 Subaru Outback (Auto (AV-S8), 4 cyl, 2.5 L) at 29 MPG, and the weakest to the 2019 car (Auto (AV-S6), 6 cyl, 3.6 L) at 22 MPG — a spread of 32%. 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 Outback would be misleading.
What changed for 2027
Average combined fuel economy for the 2027 Subaru Outback is 24.7 MPG, against 24.7 MPG for the 2026 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 Outback numbers
The 2018 through 2027 Subaru Outback entries here cover the variants Auto (AV-S8), 4 cyl, 2.4 L, Auto (AV-S8), 4 cyl, 2.5 L, Auto (AV-S6), 6 cyl, 3.6 L and Auto (AV-S7), 4 cyl, 2.5 L. 2027 is the busiest model year in the record with 3 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 | 33 MPG | 33 MPG | 0% |
| 65 mph | 33 MPG | 30.1 MPG | 9% |
| 70 mph | 33 MPG | 27.5 MPG | 17% |
| 75 mph | 33 MPG | 25.2 MPG | 24% |
| 80 mph | 33 MPG | 23.1 MPG | 30% |
Our Real-World Speed MPG Adjuster re-scales the Subaru Outback 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 Outback MPG
What is the MPG of the Subaru Outback?
The Subaru Outback gets up to 29 MPG combined (26 city / 33 highway) in the 2027 model year. Fuel economy varies by engine and trim — see the full table above for details.
Which Subaru Outback trim has the best fuel economy?
The Auto (AV-S8), 4 cyl, 2.5 L trim offers the best combined fuel economy at 29 MPG. Smaller engines and front-wheel-drive configurations typically achieve the highest MPG.