2020 Subaru Outback

Fuel economy, running costs, emissions and safety · from U.S. EPA and NHTSA data

The 2020 Subaru Outback is sold in the U.S. with gasoline power. The EPA lists 2 configurations for this model year, with combined economy from 26 to 29 MPG and an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,250 to $2,500 at 15,000 miles.

Key numbers

Model year2020
Vehicle classSmall Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD
Fuel type(s)Gasoline
Combined economy26-29 MPG
Best / worst combined29 / 26 MPG
Annual fuel cost$2,250-$2,500
Tailpipe CO₂308-343 g/mi
EPA smog rating3-7 / 10
NHTSA overall5 / 5 stars

What it costs to fuel

Across its configurations, the 2020 Outback costs about $2,250 to $2,500 a year to fuel at the EPA's 15,000-mile basis, averaging roughly $2,375. Over five years that is about $11,875 in fuel alone before maintenance, insurance and depreciation — which is why the running cost, not just the price, decides what a car really costs.

Relative to an average new vehicle, the most efficient Outback configuration saves about $250 in fuel over five years; less efficient versions spend more.

For context, the average combined economy of small sport utility vehicle 4wd in this dataset is about 24 MPG. The Outback sits roughly 4 MPG above that mark at its midpoint, making it more efficient than average for its EPA class.

Configurations and fuel economy

VersionEngineDriveTransFuelCombinedAnnual fuel
Outback AWD2.5L 4-cylAll-WheelAutomaticGasoline29 MPG$2,250
Outback AWD2.4L 4-cyl turboAll-WheelAutomaticGasoline26 MPG$2,500

Emissions, safety and size

The 2020 Outback records tailpipe CO₂ of 308-343 g/mi, an EPA smog rating of 3-7 out of 10, a 5-star NHTSA overall crash rating. The EPA classifies it as small sport utility vehicle 4wd.

Compare this car

Open the comparison tool to line this 2020 Outback up against any other vehicle in the database, or jump to other years and trims from the 2020 Subaru Outback overview.

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Data: U.S. EPA FuelEconomy.gov (public domain) and NHTSA SafetyRatings. Figures are EPA estimates; real-world results vary.