Subaru WRX MPG by year — every rating on record
The Subaru WRX has a combined EPA fuel economy rating for 12 model years, from 2015 to 2026. Across those years its best rated version returned 24 mpg (2015) and its thirstiest returned 18 mpg (2021). The EPA record holds 31 configurations for this nameplate, most recently a Midsize Cars.
Year-by-year EPA ratings
| Model year | Configurations | Best combined | Worst combined | Class rank that year | Drivetrains | Fuel | EPA class |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 3 | 24 mpg | 19 mpg | #74 of 102 (28th pct) | All-Wheel Drive | Premium | Compact Cars |
| 2016 | 3 | 23 mpg | 19 mpg | #82 of 108 (24th pct) | All-Wheel Drive | Premium | Compact Cars |
| 2017 | 3 | 23 mpg | 19 mpg | #75 of 100 (25th pct) | All-Wheel Drive | Premium | Compact Cars |
| 2018 | 3 | 23 mpg | 19 mpg | #74 of 95 (22th pct) | All-Wheel Drive | Premium | Compact Cars |
| 2019 | 3 | 23 mpg | 19 mpg | #64 of 86 (26th pct) | All-Wheel Drive | Premium | Compact Cars |
| 2020 | 3 | 23 mpg | 19 mpg | #65 of 79 (18th pct) | All-Wheel Drive | Premium | Compact Cars |
| 2021 | 3 | 23 mpg | 18 mpg | #64 of 79 (19th pct) | All-Wheel Drive | Premium | Compact Cars |
| 2022 | 2 | 22 mpg | 21 mpg | #103 of 121 (15th pct) | All-Wheel Drive | Premium | Midsize Cars |
| 2023 | 2 | 22 mpg | 21 mpg | #98 of 117 (16th pct) | All-Wheel Drive | Premium | Midsize Cars |
| 2024 | 2 | 22 mpg | 21 mpg | #90 of 101 (11th pct) | All-Wheel Drive | Premium | Midsize Cars |
| 2025 | 2 | 22 mpg | 21 mpg | #76 of 86 (12th pct) | All-Wheel Drive | Premium | Midsize Cars |
| 2026 | 2 | 22 mpg | 21 mpg | #60 of 66 (9th pct) | All-Wheel Drive | Premium | Midsize Cars |
Where it has stood in its class
Ranked against every other nameplate the EPA filed under the same class that year. The Subaru WRX placed highest in 2026 at #60 of 66, and lowest in 2022 at #103 of 121. It spent 0 of its 12 ranked years in the top half of its class.
Every configuration on record
All 31 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 2.4L 4-cyl All-Wheel Drive Automatic (AV-S8) Premium | SIDI, turbocharged | 18 | 25 | 21 | 547.6 | 14.2 | $3,700 | 422 | 4/10 |
| 2026 | 2.4L 4-cyl All-Wheel Drive Manual 6-spd Premium | SIDI, turbocharged | 19 | 26 | 22 | 522.7 | 13.5 | $3,500 | 412 | 4/10 |
| 2025 | 2.4L 4-cyl All-Wheel Drive Automatic (AV-S8) Premium | SIDI, turbocharged | 18 | 25 | 21 | 547.6 | 14.2 | $3,700 | 422 | 4/10 |
| 2025 | 2.4L 4-cyl All-Wheel Drive Manual 6-spd Premium | SIDI, turbocharged | 19 | 26 | 22 | 522.7 | 13.5 | $3,500 | 413 | 5/10 |
| 2024 | 2.4L 4-cyl All-Wheel Drive Automatic (AV-S8) Premium | SIDI, turbocharged | 18 | 25 | 21 | 547.6 | 14.2 | $3,700 | 422 | 4/10 |
| 2024 | 2.4L 4-cyl All-Wheel Drive Manual 6-spd Premium | SIDI, turbocharged | 19 | 26 | 22 | 522.7 | 13.5 | $3,500 | 408 | 5/10 |
| 2023 | 2.4L 4-cyl All-Wheel Drive Automatic (AV-S8) Premium | SIDI, turbocharged | 19 | 25 | 21 | 547.6 | 14.2 | $3,700 | 419 | 4/10 |
| 2023 | 2.4L 4-cyl All-Wheel Drive Manual 6-spd Premium | SIDI, turbocharged | 19 | 26 | 22 | 522.7 | 13.5 | $3,500 | 407 | 5/10 |
| 2022 | 2.4L 4-cyl All-Wheel Drive Automatic (AV-S8) Premium | SIDI, turbocharged | 19 | 25 | 21 | 547.6 | 14.2 | $3,700 | 419 | 4/10 |
| 2022 | 2.4L 4-cyl All-Wheel Drive Manual 6-spd Premium | SIDI, turbocharged | 19 | 26 | 22 | 522.7 | 13.5 | $3,500 | 407 | 5/10 |
| 2021 | 2.5L 4-cyl All-Wheel Drive Manual 6-spd Premium | 2.5L 4-cyl, turbocharged | 16 | 22 | 18 | 638.9 | 16.5 | $4,300 | 483 | 3/10 |
| 2021 | 2.0L 4-cyl All-Wheel Drive Automatic (AV-S8) Premium | SIDI, turbocharged | 18 | 24 | 21 | 547.6 | 14.2 | $3,700 | 432 | 4/10 |
| 2021 | 2.0L 4-cyl All-Wheel Drive Manual 6-spd Premium | SIDI, turbocharged | 20 | 27 | 23 | 500.0 | 12.9 | $3,350 | 390 | 5/10 |
| 2020 | 2.5L 4-cyl All-Wheel Drive Manual 6-spd Premium | 2.5L 4-cyl, turbocharged | 16 | 22 | 19 | 605.3 | 15.7 | $4,100 | 485 | 3/10 |
| 2020 | 2.0L 4-cyl All-Wheel Drive Automatic (AV-S8) Premium | SIDI, turbocharged | 18 | 24 | 21 | 547.6 | 14.2 | $3,700 | 422 | 4/10 |
| 2020 | 2.0L 4-cyl All-Wheel Drive Manual 6-spd Premium | SIDI, turbocharged | 21 | 27 | 23 | 500.0 | 12.9 | $3,350 | 382 | 5/10 |
| 2019 | 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 | 476 | 3/10 |
| 2019 | 2.0L 4-cyl All-Wheel Drive Automatic (AV-S8) Premium | SIDI, turbocharged | 18 | 24 | 21 | 547.6 | 14.2 | $3,700 | 420 | 4/10 |
| 2019 | 2.0L 4-cyl All-Wheel Drive Manual 6-spd Premium | SIDI, turbocharged | 21 | 27 | 23 | 500.0 | 12.9 | $3,350 | 383 | 5/10 |
| 2018 | 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 | 471 | 3/10 |
| 2018 | 2.0L 4-cyl All-Wheel Drive Automatic (AV-S8) Premium | SIDI, turbocharged | 18 | 24 | 21 | 547.6 | 14.2 | $3,700 | 420 | 4/10 |
| 2018 | 2.0L 4-cyl All-Wheel Drive Manual 6-spd Premium | SIDI, turbocharged | 21 | 27 | 23 | 500.0 | 12.9 | $3,350 | 383 | 5/10 |
| 2017 | 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 | 458 | 4/10 |
| 2017 | 2.0L 4-cyl All-Wheel Drive Automatic (AV-S8) Premium | SIDI, turbocharged | 18 | 24 | 21 | 547.6 | 14.2 | $3,700 | 420 | 4/10 |
| 2017 | 2.0L 4-cyl All-Wheel Drive Manual 6-spd Premium | SIDI, turbocharged | 20 | 27 | 23 | 500.0 | 12.9 | $3,350 | 385 | 5/10 |
| 2016 | 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 | 459 | 4/10 |
| 2016 | 2.0L 4-cyl All-Wheel Drive Automatic (AV-S8) Premium | SIDI, turbocharged | 18 | 24 | 21 | 547.6 | 14.2 | $3,700 | 420 | 5/10 |
| 2016 | 2.0L 4-cyl All-Wheel Drive Manual 6-spd Premium | SIDI, turbocharged | 20 | 27 | 23 | 500.0 | 12.9 | $3,350 | 385 | 5/10 |
| 2015 | 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 | 459 | 4/10 |
| 2015 | 2.0L 4-cyl All-Wheel Drive Automatic (AV-S8) Premium | SIDI, turbocharged | 19 | 25 | 21 | 547.6 | 14.2 | $3,700 | 407 | 5/10 |
| 2015 | 2.0L 4-cyl All-Wheel Drive Manual 6-spd Premium | SIDI, turbocharged | 21 | 28 | 24 | 479.2 | 12.4 | $3,250 | 374 | 6/10 |
How the rating has moved between model years
Comparing the best-rated configuration of each year. 0 of 2 year-over-year steps improved the top rating.
| Change | Best combined | Delta | Gallons a year at the newer rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 → 2016 | 24 → 23 mpg | -1 mpg | 500 gal |
| 2021 → 2022 | 23 → 22 mpg | -1 mpg | 523 gal |
What WRX fuel costs over a year
At the EPA's 11,500 miles a year, the 2026 Subaru WRX burns 523 to 548 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 | $1,643 | $75 |
| $3.50/gal | $1,830 | $1,917 | $87 |
| $4.00/gal | $2,091 | $2,190 | $100 |
EPA’s own estimate for the 2026 model year is $3,500 to $3,700 a year in fuel, or $6,250 more than the average new vehicle over five years.
How it compares with other Compact Cars
Across the 498 nameplates EPA classifies as Compact Cars, the median best combined rating is 26 mpg. At 22 mpg the Subaru WRX is 4 mpg below the median, which is worth about $281 a year at $3.50 a gallon.
- All Compact Cars 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.