Tank Ledger

Subaru Justy MPG by year — every rating on record

The Subaru Justy has a combined EPA fuel economy rating for 8 model years, from 1987 to 1994. Across those years its best rated version returned 34 mpg (1987) and its thirstiest returned 26 mpg (1992). The EPA record holds 27 configurations for this nameplate, most recently a Subcompact Cars.

34best combined mpg (1987)
26worst combined mpg (1992)
30latest year best (1994)
27configurations on record

Year-by-year EPA ratings

Model yearConfigurationsBest combinedWorst combinedClass rank that yearDrivetrainsFuelEPA class
1987134 mpg34 mpg#5 of 72 (94th pct)Front-Wheel DriveRegularSubcompact Cars
1988233 mpg28 mpg#9 of 60 (86th pct)Front-Wheel Drive, 4-Wheel or All-Wheel DriveRegularSubcompact Cars, Special Purpose Vehicles
1989331 mpg27 mpg#17 of 71 (77th pct)Front-Wheel Drive, 4-Wheel or All-Wheel DriveRegularSubcompact Cars
1990530 mpg27 mpg#12 of 65 (83th pct)Front-Wheel Drive, 4-Wheel or All-Wheel DriveRegularSubcompact Cars
1991530 mpg27 mpg#11 of 73 (86th pct)Front-Wheel Drive, 4-Wheel or All-Wheel DriveRegularSubcompact Cars
1992530 mpg26 mpg#11 of 69 (85th pct)Front-Wheel Drive, 4-Wheel or All-Wheel DriveRegularSubcompact Cars
1993430 mpg26 mpg#14 of 64 (79th pct)Front-Wheel Drive, 4-Wheel or All-Wheel DriveRegularSubcompact Cars
1994230 mpg26 mpg#13 of 56 (78th pct)Front-Wheel Drive, 4-Wheel or All-Wheel DriveRegularSubcompact Cars

Where it has stood in its class

Ranked against every other nameplate the EPA filed under the same class that year. The Subaru Justy placed highest in 1987 at #5 of 72, and lowest in 1989 at #17 of 71. It spent 8 of its 8 ranked years in the top half of its class.

Every configuration on record

All 27 configurations EPA lists for this nameplate, newest first.

YearConfigurationEngine detailCityHighwayCombinedGallons/yrBarrels/yrEPA fuel cost/yrCO2 g/miGHG
19941.2L 3-cyl 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive Manual 5-spd Regular(FFS)242926442.311.4$2,400341.8076923076923n/a
19941.2L 3-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Manual 5-spd Regular(FFS)283330383.39.9$2,100296.23333333333335n/a
19931.2L 3-cyl 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive Manual 5-spd Regular(FFS)242926442.311.4$2,400341.8076923076923n/a
19931.2L 3-cyl 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive Automatic (variable gear ratios) Regular(FFS)272927425.911.0$2,300329.14814814814815n/a
19931.2L 3-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic (variable gear ratios) Regular(FFS)283230383.39.9$2,100296.23333333333335n/a
19931.2L 3-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Manual 5-spd Regular(FFS)283330383.39.9$2,100296.23333333333335n/a
19921.2L 3-cyl 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive Manual 5-spd Regular(FFS) (MPFI)242926442.311.4$2,400341.8076923076923n/a
19921.2L 3-cyl 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive Automatic (variable gear ratios) Regular(FFS) (MPFI)272927425.911.0$2,300329.14814814814815n/a
19921.2L 3-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Manual 5-spd Regular(FFS)283330383.39.9$2,100296.23333333333335n/a
19921.2L 3-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic (variable gear ratios) Regular(FFS) (MPFI)283230383.39.9$2,100296.23333333333335n/a
19921.2L 3-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Manual 5-spd Regular(FFS) (MPFI)283330383.39.9$2,100296.23333333333335n/a
19911.2L 3-cyl 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive Automatic (variable gear ratios) Regular(FFS) (MPFI)272827425.911.0$2,300329.14814814814815n/a
19911.2L 3-cyl 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive Manual 5-spd Regular(FFS) (MPFI)252927425.911.0$2,300329.14814814814815n/a
19911.2L 3-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Manual 5-spd Regular(FFS)283330383.39.9$2,100296.23333333333335n/a
19911.2L 3-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic (variable gear ratios) Regular(FFS) (MPFI)283230383.39.9$2,100296.23333333333335n/a
19911.2L 3-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Manual 5-spd Regular(FFS) (MPFI)283330383.39.9$2,100296.23333333333335n/a
19901.2L 3-cyl 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive Manual 5-spd Regular(FFS) (MPFI)253027425.911.0$2,300329.14814814814815n/a
19901.2L 3-cyl 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive Automatic (variable gear ratios) Regular(FFS) (MPFI)272928410.710.6$2,250317.39285714285717n/a
19901.2L 3-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Manual 5-spd Regular(FFS)283330383.39.9$2,100296.23333333333335n/a
19901.2L 3-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic (variable gear ratios) Regular(FFS) (MPFI)293230383.39.9$2,100296.23333333333335n/a
19901.2L 3-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Manual 5-spd Regular(FFS) (MPFI)283330383.39.9$2,100296.23333333333335n/a
19891.2L 3-cyl 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive Manual 5-spd Regular(FFS)253027425.911.0$2,300329.14814814814815n/a
19891.2L 3-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic (variable gear ratios) Regular(FFS)283130383.39.9$2,100296.23333333333335n/a
19891.2L 3-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Manual 5-spd Regular(FFS)293331371.09.6$2,000286.6774193548387n/a
19881.2L 3-cyl 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive Manual 5-spd Regular(FFS)263228410.710.6$2,250317.39285714285717n/a
19881.2L 3-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Manual 5-spd Regular(FFS)313533348.59.0$1,900269.3030303030303n/a
19871.2L 3-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Manual 5-spd Regular(FFS)323734338.28.8$1,850261.38235294117646n/a

How the rating has moved between model years

Comparing the best-rated configuration of each year. 0 of 3 year-over-year steps improved the top rating.

ChangeBest combinedDeltaGallons a year at the newer rating
1987 → 198834 → 33 mpg-1 mpg348 gal
1988 → 198933 → 31 mpg-2 mpg371 gal
1989 → 199031 → 30 mpg-1 mpg383 gal

What Justy fuel costs over a year

At the EPA's 11,500 miles a year, the 1994 Subaru Justy burns 383 to 442 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 priceMost efficientThirstiestSpread
$3.00/gal$1,150$1,327$177
$3.50/gal$1,342$1,548$206
$4.00/gal$1,533$1,769$236

EPA’s own estimate for the 1994 model year is $2,100 to $2,400 a year in fuel, or $750 less than the average new vehicle over five years.

How it compares with other Subcompact Cars

Across the 461 nameplates EPA classifies as Subcompact Cars, the median best combined rating is 24 mpg. At 30 mpg the Subaru Justy is 6 mpg better the median, which is worth about $335 a year at $3.50 a gallon.

Other Subaru nameplates

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