Subaru Brat MPG by year — every rating on record
The Subaru Brat has a combined EPA fuel economy rating for 4 model years, from 1984 to 1987. Across those years its best rated version returned 25 mpg (1985) and its thirstiest returned 20 mpg (1984). The EPA record holds 14 configurations for this nameplate, most recently a Small Pickup Trucks.
Year-by-year EPA ratings
| Model year | Configurations | Best combined | Worst combined | Class rank that year | Drivetrains | Fuel | EPA class |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | 6 | 24 mpg | 20 mpg | #1 of 23 (100th pct) | 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive | Regular | Special Purpose Vehicle 4WD |
| 1985 | 4 | 25 mpg | 20 mpg | #3 of 25 (92th pct) | 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive | Regular | Special Purpose Vehicles |
| 1986 | 2 | 23 mpg | 23 mpg | #7 of 14 (54th pct) | 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive | Regular | Small Pickup Trucks |
| 1987 | 2 | 23 mpg | 23 mpg | #6 of 11 (50th pct) | 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive | Regular | Small Pickup Trucks |
Where it has stood in its class
Ranked against every other nameplate the EPA filed under the same class that year. The Subaru Brat placed highest in 1984 at #1 of 23, and lowest in 1986 at #7 of 14. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | 1.8L 4-cyl 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive Manual 4-spd Regular | (FFS) | 21 | 26 | 23 | 500.0 | 12.9 | $2,700 | 386.39130434782606 | n/a |
| 1987 | 1.8L 4-cyl 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive Manual 4-spd Regular | (OHV) | 21 | 26 | 23 | 500.0 | 12.9 | $2,700 | 386.39130434782606 | n/a |
| 1986 | 1.8L 4-cyl 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive Manual 4-spd Regular | (OHV) | 21 | 26 | 23 | 500.0 | 12.9 | $2,700 | 386.39130434782606 | n/a |
| 1986 | 1.8L 4-cyl 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive Manual 4-spd Regular | (OHV) (FFS) | 21 | 26 | 23 | 500.0 | 12.9 | $2,700 | 386.39130434782606 | n/a |
| 1985 | 1.8L 4-cyl 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive Automatic 3-spd Regular | 1.8L 4-cyl | 18 | 22 | 20 | 575.0 | 14.9 | $3,100 | 444.35 | n/a |
| 1985 | 1.8L 4-cyl 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive Automatic 3-spd Regular | (FFS) CA model | 18 | 22 | 20 | 575.0 | 14.9 | $3,100 | 444.35 | n/a |
| 1985 | 1.8L 4-cyl 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive Manual 4-spd Regular | 1.8L 4-cyl | 21 | 26 | 23 | 500.0 | 12.9 | $2,700 | 386.39130434782606 | n/a |
| 1985 | 1.8L 4-cyl 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive Manual 4-spd Regular | (FFS) CA model | 23 | 28 | 25 | 460.0 | 11.9 | $2,500 | 355.48 | n/a |
| 1984 | 1.8L 4-cyl 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive Automatic 3-spd Regular | 1.8L 4-cyl | 19 | 22 | 20 | 575.0 | 14.9 | $3,100 | 444.35 | n/a |
| 1984 | 1.8L 4-cyl 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive Automatic 3-spd Regular | (FFS,TRBO), turbocharged | 19 | 22 | 20 | 575.0 | 14.9 | $3,100 | 444.35 | n/a |
| 1984 | 1.8L 4-cyl 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive Automatic 3-spd Regular | (FFS,TRBO) CA model, turbocharged | 19 | 22 | 20 | 575.0 | 14.9 | $3,100 | 444.35 | n/a |
| 1984 | 1.8L 4-cyl 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive Automatic 3-spd Regular | (FFS) CA model | 20 | 23 | 21 | 547.6 | 14.2 | $2,950 | 423.1904761904762 | n/a |
| 1984 | 1.8L 4-cyl 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive Manual 4-spd Regular | 1.8L 4-cyl | 21 | 26 | 23 | 500.0 | 12.9 | $2,700 | 386.39130434782606 | n/a |
| 1984 | 1.8L 4-cyl 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive Manual 4-spd Regular | (FFS) CA model | 22 | 27 | 24 | 479.2 | 12.4 | $2,600 | 370.2916666666667 | n/a |
How the rating has moved between model years
Comparing the best-rated configuration of each year. 1 of 2 year-over-year steps improved the top rating.
| Change | Best combined | Delta | Gallons a year at the newer rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 → 1985 | 24 → 25 mpg | +1 mpg | 460 gal |
| 1985 → 1986 | 25 → 23 mpg | -2 mpg | 500 gal |
What Brat fuel costs over a year
At the EPA's 11,500 miles a year, the 1987 Subaru Brat burns 500 to 500 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 | $1,500 | $1,500 | $0 |
| $3.50/gal | $1,750 | $1,750 | $0 |
| $4.00/gal | $2,000 | $2,000 | $0 |
EPA’s own estimate for the 1987 model year is $2,700 to $2,700 a year in fuel, or $2,250 more than the average new vehicle over five years.
How it compares with other Special Purpose Vehicle 4WD
Across the 69 nameplates EPA classifies as Special Purpose Vehicle 4WD, the median best combined rating is 22 mpg. At 23 mpg the Subaru Brat is 1 mpg better the median, which is worth about $80 a year at $3.50 a gallon.
- All Special Purpose 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.