Mileage on 97 Outback

[Sheldon]

I just got a used Outback and checked the mileage on it, and I'm curious if
you all agree with my mechanic.

I got about 22-23 mpg in a mix of city and highway driving. I tend to use
"3" on the automatic tranny when I'm driving around town, and the car still
has Michelin studdless snow and ice tires on it. I also have a lot of work
related "stuff" in the back. And, I tend to go around 80 on the highway.

My mechanic claims this sounds about normal, and the best he's ever seen is
around 25 mpg on an automatic Subaru of that year. The car runs fine, and
he said the only way to increase mileage would be to put decent summer tires
on the car, and a manual tranny would also give me a couple more mpg, but I
wanted the automatic when I got it (already have a sports car, and wanted
one car I didn't have to shift).

BTW, Could they possibly have made the gas tank any smaller? I think a "Big
Gulp" hold more.

Any thoughts?(?)

 

[AS]

My wife's 03 has gone up to 25mpg if driving only in the highway.

City and highway gives her 22mpg

By the way, i recently realized that when the a/c is low on refrigerant
fuel consumption is higher. We are in FL, and i am aware you are
talking about snow tires.

 

[Mark Williams]

I have a 97 Subaru Outback with the 2.5 engine. I do mostly highway
driving and get around 27 mpg. The thing that I found that has made the
biggest difference in the performance, ride and handling is putting a set of
Goodyear Tripletread on it. You will not believe how smooth these are and
how quiet it will make your car. You will also corner like you are on
rails.

 

[Victor Roberts]

97 OBW, A/T, 110K miles.
South California (A/C almost always on; CA gas allegedly gives
slightly worse mileage; 75-85 mph).

I've been driving this car for the last 5 years, and *never* got
better than 22 MPG.

'97 OBW, M/T, 114K miles. I get 22 MPG in mixed city/highway
driving and 28 MPG on the highway, though I don't drive
faster than 70 MPH.

 

[Paul Pluzhnikov]

I got about 22-23 mpg in a mix of city and highway driving. I tend to use
"3" on the automatic tranny when I'm driving around town, and the car still
has Michelin studdless snow and ice tires on it. I also have a lot of work
related "stuff" in the back. And, I tend to go around 80 on the highway.

97 OBW, A/T, 110K miles.
South California (A/C almost always on; CA gas allegedly gives
slightly worse mileage; 75-85 mph).

I've been driving this car for the last 5 years, and *never* got
better than 22 MPG.

My mechanic claims this sounds about normal, and the best he's ever seen is
around 25 mpg on an automatic Subaru of that year.

Sounds right.

Cheers,

 

[Sheldon]

'97 OBW, M/T, 114K miles. I get 22 MPG in mixed city/highway
driving and 28 MPG on the highway, though I don't drive
faster than 70 MPH.

Thanks all. Sounds like I'm in the ballpark and my mechanic is right.

 

[Sheldon]

I have a 97 Subaru Outback with the 2.5 engine. I do mostly highway
driving and get around 27 mpg. The thing that I found that has made the
biggest difference in the performance, ride and handling is putting a set
of Goodyear Tripletread on it. You will not believe how smooth these are
and how quiet it will make your car. You will also corner like you are on
rails.

I've been thinking about getting those tires for year round use. Have you
driven them on snow and ice?

 

[Mark Williams]

I've been thinking about getting those tires for year round use. Have you
driven them on snow and ice?

I am a skier and a hunter, so have had these on snow, slush and ice a number
of times. While I was in the mountains this year I got to try the tires in
snow, ice and combo of slush and ice. I was amazed how well these tires
griped in all these conditions. I was deep in the mountains on logging roads
and really put these tires to test. I was even off road one morning and
woke up to 14 inches of snow and was able to get out.

These tires have exceeded my expectations!