What is the best Subaru Baja for fuel economy?

The strongest year was 2006 at 22 mpg combined, against 18 mpg in 2004. That is a 4 mpg spread across the nameplate's history.

How much does a Subaru Baja cost to fuel each year?

At 11,500 miles a year the 2006 model uses between 523 and 639 gallons, or $1,830 to $2,236 at $3.50 a gallon.

What does the Subaru Baja emit?

EPA reports 403.95454545454544 to 493.72222222222223 grams of tailpipe CO2 per mile for the 2006 model year, or about 4.6 to 5.7 tons over a year of driving.

Subaru Baja MPG by year — every rating on record

The Subaru Baja has a combined EPA fuel economy rating for 4 model years, from 2003 to 2006. Across those years its best rated version returned 22 mpg (2006) and its thirstiest returned 18 mpg (2004). The EPA record holds 14 configurations for this nameplate, most recently a Sport Utility Vehicle - 4WD.

22best combined mpg (2006)

18worst combined mpg (2004)

22latest year best (2006)

14configurations on record

Year-by-year EPA ratings

Model year	Configurations	Best combined	Worst combined	Class rank that year	Drivetrains	Fuel	EPA class
2003	2	20 mpg	20 mpg	#15 of 81 (83th pct)	4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive	Regular	Sport Utility Vehicle - 4WD
2004	4	21 mpg	18 mpg	#5 of 85 (95th pct)	4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive	Regular, Premium	Sport Utility Vehicle - 4WD
2005	4	21 mpg	18 mpg	#13 of 87 (86th pct)	4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive	Regular, Premium	Sport Utility Vehicle - 4WD
2006	4	22 mpg	18 mpg	#7 of 93 (93th pct)	4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive	Regular, Premium	Sport Utility Vehicle - 4WD

Where it has stood in its class

Ranked against every other nameplate the EPA filed under the same class that year. The Subaru Baja placed highest in 2004 at #5 of 85, and lowest in 2003 at #15 of 81. It spent 4 of its 4 ranked years in the top half of its class.

Every configuration on record

All 14 configurations EPA lists for this nameplate, newest first.

Year	Configuration	Engine detail	City	Highway	Combined	Gallons/yr	Barrels/yr	EPA fuel cost/yr	CO2 g/mi	GHG
2006	2.5L 4-cyl 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive Automatic (S4) Premium	2.5L 4-cyl, turbocharged	16	21	18	638.9	16.5	$4,300	493.72222222222223	n/a
2006	2.5L 4-cyl 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive Manual 5-spd Premium	2.5L 4-cyl, turbocharged	17	23	19	605.3	15.7	$4,100	467.7368421052632	n/a
2006	2.5L 4-cyl 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive Automatic 4-spd Regular	2.5L 4-cyl	19	25	21	547.6	14.2	$2,950	423.1904761904762	n/a
2006	2.5L 4-cyl 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive Manual 5-spd Regular	2.5L 4-cyl	20	26	22	522.7	13.5	$2,850	403.95454545454544	n/a
2005	2.5L 4-cyl 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive Automatic (S4) Premium	2.5L 4-cyl, turbocharged	16	21	18	638.9	16.5	$4,300	493.72222222222223	n/a
2005	2.5L 4-cyl 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive Manual 5-spd Premium	2.5L 4-cyl, turbocharged	17	23	19	605.3	15.7	$4,100	467.7368421052632	n/a
2005	2.5L 4-cyl 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive Automatic 4-spd Regular	2.5L 4-cyl	19	25	21	547.6	14.2	$2,950	423.1904761904762	n/a
2005	2.5L 4-cyl 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive Manual 5-spd Regular	2.5L 4-cyl	19	25	21	547.6	14.2	$2,950	423.1904761904762	n/a
2004	2.5L 4-cyl 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive Manual 5-spd Premium	2.5L 4-cyl, turbocharged	16	22	18	638.9	16.5	$4,300	493.72222222222223	n/a
2004	2.5L 4-cyl 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive Automatic (S4) Premium	2.5L 4-cyl, turbocharged	16	21	18	638.9	16.5	$4,300	493.72222222222223	n/a
2004	2.5L 4-cyl 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive Automatic 4-spd Regular	2.5L 4-cyl	19	25	21	547.6	14.2	$2,950	423.1904761904762	n/a
2004	2.5L 4-cyl 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive Manual 5-spd Regular	2.5L 4-cyl	19	25	21	547.6	14.2	$2,950	423.1904761904762	n/a
2003	2.5L 4-cyl 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive Automatic 4-spd Regular	2.5L 4-cyl	18	24	20	575.0	14.9	$3,100	444.35	n/a
2003	2.5L 4-cyl 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive Manual 5-spd Regular	2.5L 4-cyl	18	23	20	575.0	14.9	$3,100	444.35	n/a

How the rating has moved between model years

Comparing the best-rated configuration of each year. 2 of 2 year-over-year steps improved the top rating.

Change	Best combined	Delta	Gallons a year at the newer rating
2003 → 2004	20 → 21 mpg	+1 mpg	548 gal
2005 → 2006	21 → 22 mpg	+1 mpg	523 gal

What Baja fuel costs over a year

At the EPA's 11,500 miles a year, the 2006 Subaru Baja burns 523 to 639 gallons depending on configuration. Below is what that costs at three pump prices, and how much more the thirstiest configuration costs than the most efficient one.

Pump price	Most efficient	Thirstiest	Spread
$3.00/gal	$1,568	$1,917	$348
$3.50/gal	$1,830	$2,236	$407
$4.00/gal	$2,091	$2,556	$465

EPA’s own estimate for the 2006 model year is $2,850 to $4,300 a year in fuel, or $3,500 more than the average new vehicle over five years.

How it compares with other Sport Utility Vehicle - 4WD

Across the 219 nameplates EPA classifies as Sport Utility Vehicle - 4WD, the median best combined rating is 21 mpg. At 22 mpg the Subaru Baja is 1 mpg better the median, which is worth about $87 a year at $3.50 a gallon.

All Sport Utility Vehicle - 4WD rankings — every nameplate in the class, best to worst.

Other Subaru nameplates

Every Subaru model compared → — all nameplates ranked by best combined rating, with what each one costs a year.