What is the best Subaru Impreza Wagon/Outback Sport for fuel economy?

The strongest year was 2012 at 30 mpg combined, against 19 mpg in 2010. That is a 11 mpg spread across the nameplate's history.

How much does a Subaru Impreza Wagon/Outback Sport cost to fuel each year?

At 11,500 miles a year the 2012 model uses between 383 and 605 gallons, or $1,342 to $2,118 at $3.50 a gallon.

What does the Subaru Impreza Wagon/Outback Sport emit?

EPA reports 296.23333333333335 to 467.7368421052632 grams of tailpipe CO2 per mile for the 2012 model year, or about 3.4 to 5.4 tons over a year of driving.

Subaru Impreza Wagon/Outback Sport MPG by year — every rating on record

The Subaru Impreza Wagon/Outback Sport has a combined EPA fuel economy rating for 3 model years, from 2010 to 2012. Across those years its best rated version returned 30 mpg (2012) and its thirstiest returned 19 mpg (2010). The EPA record holds 13 configurations for this nameplate, most recently a Small Station Wagons.

30best combined mpg (2012)

19worst combined mpg (2010)

30latest year best (2012)

13configurations on record

Year-by-year EPA ratings

Model year	Configurations	Best combined	Worst combined	Class rank that year	Drivetrains	Fuel	EPA class
2010	5	22 mpg	19 mpg	#19 of 22 (14th pct)	All-Wheel Drive	Premium, Regular	Small Station Wagons
2011	4	22 mpg	19 mpg	#19 of 23 (18th pct)	All-Wheel Drive	Regular, Premium	Small Station Wagons
2012	4	30 mpg	19 mpg	#4 of 23 (86th pct)	All-Wheel Drive	Regular, Premium	Small Station Wagons

Where it has stood in its class

Ranked against every other nameplate the EPA filed under the same class that year. The Subaru Impreza Wagon/Outback Sport placed highest in 2012 at #4 of 23, and lowest in 2010 at #19 of 22. It spent 1 of its 3 ranked years in the top half of its class.

Every configuration on record

All 13 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
2012	2.5L 4-cyl All-Wheel Drive Manual 6-spd Premium	2.5L 4-cyl, turbocharged	17	23	19	605.3	15.7	$4,100	467.7368421052632	n/a
2012	2.5L 4-cyl All-Wheel Drive Manual 5-spd Premium	2.5L 4-cyl, turbocharged	19	25	21	547.6	14.2	$3,700	423.1904761904762	n/a
2012	2.0L 4-cyl All-Wheel Drive Manual 5-spd Regular	2.0L 4-cyl	24	33	27	425.9	11.0	$2,300	329.14814814814815	n/a
2012	2.0L 4-cyl All-Wheel Drive Automatic (variable gear ratios) Regular	2.0L 4-cyl	27	35	30	383.3	9.9	$2,100	296.23333333333335	n/a
2011	2.5L 4-cyl All-Wheel Drive Manual 6-spd Premium	2.5L 4-cyl, turbocharged	17	22	19	605.3	15.7	$4,100	467.7368421052632	n/a
2011	2.5L 4-cyl All-Wheel Drive Manual 5-spd Premium	2.5L 4-cyl, turbocharged	19	25	21	547.6	14.2	$3,700	423.1904761904762	n/a
2011	2.5L 4-cyl All-Wheel Drive Manual 5-spd Regular	2.5L 4-cyl	20	27	22	522.7	13.5	$2,850	403.95454545454544	n/a
2011	2.5L 4-cyl All-Wheel Drive Automatic (S4) Regular	2.5L 4-cyl	20	26	22	522.7	13.5	$2,850	403.95454545454544	n/a
2010	2.5L 4-cyl All-Wheel Drive Manual 6-spd Premium	2.5L 4-cyl, turbocharged	17	23	19	605.3	15.7	$4,100	467.7368421052632	n/a
2010	2.5L 4-cyl All-Wheel Drive Automatic (S4) Premium	2.5L 4-cyl, turbocharged	19	24	21	547.6	14.2	$3,700	423.1904761904762	n/a
2010	2.5L 4-cyl All-Wheel Drive Manual 5-spd Premium	2.5L 4-cyl, turbocharged	18	25	21	547.6	14.2	$3,700	423.1904761904762	n/a
2010	2.5L 4-cyl All-Wheel Drive Manual 5-spd Regular	2.5L 4-cyl	20	27	22	522.7	13.5	$2,850	403.95454545454544	n/a
2010	2.5L 4-cyl All-Wheel Drive Automatic (S4) Regular	2.5L 4-cyl	20	26	22	522.7	13.5	$2,850	403.95454545454544	n/a

How the rating has moved between model years

Comparing the best-rated configuration of each year. 1 of 1 year-over-year steps improved the top rating.

Change	Best combined	Delta	Gallons a year at the newer rating
2011 → 2012	22 → 30 mpg	+8 mpg	383 gal

What Impreza Wagon/Outback Sport fuel costs over a year

At the EPA's 11,500 miles a year, the 2012 Subaru Impreza Wagon/Outback Sport burns 383 to 605 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	$1,150	$1,816	$666
$3.50/gal	$1,342	$2,118	$777
$4.00/gal	$1,533	$2,421	$888

EPA’s own estimate for the 2012 model year is $2,100 to $4,100 a year in fuel, or $250 more than the average new vehicle over five years.

How it compares with other Small Station Wagons

Across the 142 nameplates EPA classifies as Small Station Wagons, the median best combined rating is 27 mpg. At 30 mpg the Subaru Impreza Wagon/Outback Sport is 3 mpg better the median, which is worth about $149 a year at $3.50 a gallon.

All Small Station Wagons 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.