10 Easy Tips To Squeeze The Most Out Of Your AWD Subaru’s Tank Of Gas

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How do you get the best fuel mileage from your Subaru Outback, Crosstrek, Forester, or another all-wheel-drive model? Here are ten tips to help you squeeze the most out of a tank of gas.

Have you noticed how your fuel mileage drops in the winter months? There are several reasons for this that I have covered in earlier reports. Here are some tips from Consumer Reports that will help you squeeze the most from a tank of gas—especially this winter as your fuel mileage drops. I have included reports from previous fuel mileage tips for Subaru owners.

1. Stay at half.

Keep at least a half-tank of fuel during cold winter months and when there is a risk of shortages due to a lack of gasoline delivery drivers to meet travel demands or when a major storm or hurricane is imminent. This tip also goes for holiday road trips, when roads can be congested and slow-moving. Plenty of gas onboard can ease stress and give you more flexibility with when and where to fill up.

photo credit: Competition Subaru

2. Check online.

Apps and websites such as GasBuddy can show local gas prices, making it easy to find reasonable prices in your area or if you need to travel. Generally, gas stations well off major highways and away from city centers have better prices, as do warehouse stores and major travel centers.

3. Minimize travel.

If you can delay errands or other activities, you will preserve the gas you purchased and reduce overall consumption for the region, helping in some small way to reduce gas scarcity.

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4. Obey speed limits.

When you drive, follow the speed limits and drive smoothly. Your driving habits can play a significant role in fuel economy.

A previous CR test shows this: We measured gas mileage while driving at 55, 65, and 75 mph in a Nissan Altima and Toyota RAV4. We found that reducing speed from 65 to 55 mph improved fuel economy by six mpg in the Altima and eight mpg in the RAV4. The penalty of cruising at 75 mph, rather than 65 mph, was almost seven mpg in the Altima and six mpg in the RAV4. Higher speeds take a toll on fuel consumption. Another way to look at it: Speeding up from 55 to 75 mph is like moving from a compact car to a large SUV. Beyond fuel concerns, speeding is, of course, a safety risk.

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5. Drive evenly.

Avoid hard acceleration and braking whenever possible. In our tests, frequent bursts of acceleration and braking reduced an older Toyota Camry's mileage by 2 to 3 mpg. Once up to speed, maintain a steady pace. The harder you accelerate, the more fuel you use. Unnecessary braking wastes the fuel you use to get up to speed. Drive smoothly and anticipate the movement of traffic. Smooth acceleration, cornering, and braking also extend the life of the engine, transmission, brakes, and tires.

6. Pay attention to aerodynamics.

Remove roof racks when they are not being used. At highway speeds, more than 50 percent of engine power goes to overcoming aerodynamic drag. Don't add to that by carrying unneeded things on the roof.

We did fuel-economy tests at highway speed on a Nissan Altima and Toyota RAV4 with a roof rack, a tail-hitch rack, and a rooftop box. Carrying two mountain bikes on the roof had the most significant impact. The Altima lost 13 mpg, going from 46 mpg to 33 mpg. The RAV4 lost seven mpg, dropping to 32 mpg from 39 mpg.

There's even a loss when driving with an empty roof rack: The Altima dropped five mpg, and the Toyota lost two. The Nissan lost 12 mpg with the bikes on the hitch-mounted rack, while the RAV4 was down only five mpg. The bikes stuck out beyond the sedan's sides, creating extra drag. They were mostly hidden behind the wider, boxier RAV4's bodywork.

The rooftop box resulted in a nine mpg decrease for the Altima and a five mpg drop for the RAV4.

Overall, the aerodynamic drag doesn't hurt the more boxy RAV4 as much as the sleeker Altima.

7. Buy good-quality gas.

We typically recommend using Top Tier gas—that is, gas held to a higher standard through the voluntary participation of numerous gas station brands, including Chevron, Costco, Exxon, Mobil, and Shell. Beware that many familiar brands do not have Top Tier gas. The goal is to feed your car good-quality gas whenever possible, but it is fair to be flexible during a shortage or when traveling. If you use non-Top Tier gas on occasion, it may cause engine deposits. However, the detergents in Top Tier gas can eventually clean any engine deposits that may accumulate.

8. Skip the premium.

Save money and skip premium gas unless it is "required." This is indicated on the fuel filler door. Many cars list "recommended," which means it is optional. If only midgrade or premium fuel is available, this will work fine in a car rated for regular gasoline.

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9. Check tire pressure.

Check your tire pressure. Tires lose about one psi a month. Tires with lower pressure than recommended on your doorjamb sticker can affect performance, tire longevity, and fuel economy.

10. Skip the AC.

Using air conditioning does consume gas. In mild weather, if you can get by without it, even if you open the windows, it will give incremental savings. But once it gets hot, having AC on to cool the cabin and lower humidity is a wise investment in your comfort and ability to stay alert while driving.

Thanks for reading, everyone. I hope you enjoyed this Subaru fuel mileage story. See you tomorrow for my latest Subaru Report.

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Watch this YouTube video from my previous report: Winter Tires vs All-Season Tires: When All-Season Tires On Your Subaru Is The Worst Idea in Winter

I am Denis Flierl, a 12-year Torque News senior writer with 20+ years of Subaru and automotive journalism experience. I enjoy bringing you, the Subaru fans and customers, the most up-to-date Subaru news, reviews, and new model information. You'll find the latest Subaru stories on the Subaru page. Follow me on my The Dirty Subaru website, Dirty Subaru blog, SubaruReport, All Subaru, WRXSTI, @DenisFlierl, Facebook, and Instagram.