Does the mileage get any better than this?

I've had my new 2006 Legacy GT for one week now and driven about 700 miles. Mostly highway. My commute is about 30 miles each way and I average between 80-100mph. I realize that's kind of fast but traffic moves pretty fast on Rte. 95 where I live and I get very antsy if I drive any slower.

 

Anyway, my trip computer says I'm getting 18.9 MPG since new. My previous car (2003 Saab 9-3) would average 25 mpg on the same commute. I do miss that 6th gear for highway cruising. It seems that I am running about 1000 rpm higher than in the Saab on average on the highway.

 

Should I be hopeful that mileage will improve as the engine gets broken in more or is this little 4 cylinder car just a fuel hog?

 

BTW, I love driving it.

26-27 average here...much mods...

26-27 average here...much mods...

 

Hey but how do you drive? I also got new LGT MT wagon (05 leftover0 and it seems I am averaging 19 mpg... driving easily (just past 1000 miles break-in period). I did not push the car past 4k rpms (maybe few times), highway speeds in 85-95 mph range (ocassional surge past 100-105 mph). I hope it will improve. 250 miles until the low fuel light comes is bit disappoiting...

Anything is better than my 15mpg wrangler...that's highway too.

 

Honestly, this is the price you pay for a turbo car. Even though it's a four cylinder, the turbo causes the car to use more fuel. Try this. For the next tank of gas, consciously keep it out of boost and see what kind of milage you get. It will probably be much higher.

70-75mph on freeway -> 29-31mpg

Nope 18.9mpg is about right for a heavy traffic commute. I've had my legacy for about 1 1/2 years now. In the summer I average 17-18mpg, in the winter I average about 20mpg. A/C sucks it down when ideling in traffic. I read about people getting 29-31mpg on the freeway which is generally unlikely. Remember the EPA rating is 25-26mpg highway. I have occasionally seen 30mpg average on the highway, when you are in dense traffic off the bumper of an SUV at 70-75. They punch a whole through the air. But if you have to do any sitting in traffic, the legay will suck it down.

 

I do find the legay does better with Shell gasoline, mobile 1, and as milage increases.

 

I had a WRX before the legacy, and I averaged exactly the same 18-20mpg as I do in the legacy with the same commute. I also got about 25mpg on the highway during long commutes, and I get about 24.5 on long intersate drives, no drafting behind an SUV. My dads old 9000 Turbo (2.3) got around 28-30mpg around here (5spd)

Well, sure this is the price to pay for the turbo fun. But this car desperately needs 6th gear (with manual tranny). 5th does not feel like overdrive. In fact, accelaration from 75 mph+ miles in 5th is so effortless and fast it's amazing... still, it really could use 6th gear. I imagine a trend for 6spd swaps from spec B in the future.

Well, sure this is the price to pay for the turbo fun. But this car desperately needs 6th gear (with manual tranny). 5th does not feel like overdrive. In fact, accelaration from 75 mph+ miles in 5th is so effortless and fast it's amazing... still, it really could use 6th gear. I imagine a trend for 6spd swaps from spec B in the future.

 

I have actually been thinking about this. Perhaps waiting for the Spec B instead of buying an 06.

'06 2.5i...mostly highway mpg.

I've had my new 2006 Legacy GT for one week now and driven about 700 miles. Mostly highway. My commute is about 30 miles each way and I average between 80-100mph. I realize that's kind of fast but traffic moves pretty fast on Rte. 95 where I live and I get very antsy if I drive any slower.

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Should I be hopeful that mileage will improve as the engine gets broken in more or is this little 4 cylinder car just a fuel hog?

 

BTW, I love driving it.

80 - yes.

100 - no.

drive with cruise control under 80 and you will get great milage unless you go over some crazy hills

When you're breaking in the car, you'll get terrible gas mileage. My mpg during breakin was around 18-20. I'm 12k miles in and I now average 21-23mpg driving about half highway, half city.

It will get better - as in engine doing the effort by itself - and all along, behold, you'll learn how to drive more economically.

 

I can get 30 mpg at 70 mph any time of day I want. And in bumper to bumper Chicago traffic I can squeeze a 20-22 mpg on most days.

Once you go past 70-75 mph, you are pretty much screwed. Keep in mind, air resistance increase exponentially. If you need to go fast and still be economical, learn how to draft. Drafting doesn't necessairly mean to tailgate someone.

'06 2.5i...mostly highway mpg.

 

Jerk.

Once you go past 70-75 mph, you are pretty much screwed. Keep in mind, air resistance increase exponentially. If you need to go fast and still be economical, learn how to draft. Drafting doesn't necessairly mean to tailgate someone.

 

 

I cruise at 80mph and average 32. N/A though.

i just hit 10k and the mileage has just seemed to start settleing... i'm averaging around 23-24 mpg now and i travel about 75-80 mph on the mass pike. i seem to like dipping into my boost though. keeps me awake on my hour commute.

Yeah it gets a little better but once you go over 80 your mileage will start to suck. With cruise control set to 75-80 i get between 26-28 mpg. I have seen as high as 32 though. Just stay out of boost, not really possible at speeds above 90 though . I've noticed around town i can't stay out of boost

When you're breaking in the car, you'll get terrible gas mileage. My mpg during breakin was around 18-20.

 

hahahah mine was 11-13:lol: now i average about 16-17 around town and 26-28 highway @ 75-85mph. im running stage 2 and like boost. max mpg i've gotten was 31.4. all mpg calculated by actual math not carputer. although it usually only off by 1 mpg against my calculations.

 

 

peace

I cruise at 80mph and average 32. N/A though.

That's incredibly good mpg for that model. Most people average about 10-20% less - at lower speeds. You must be an amazing driver.

That's incredibly good mpg for that model. Most people average about 10-20% less - at lower speeds. You must be an amazing driver.

 

or the BD body style was very aerodynamic.

VVG,

Is that a viper 'sailboat'?

Jerk.

 

He's not a Jerk, he's just slow.

 

 

But yeah, MPG is suxor, but you get to go fast..woohoo!

The mileage will definitely improve after the break in period. My driving is a mix of mostly rural and interstate with a little stop and go. I averaged 22.5 at first, now always around 24.5. Highway only is 27-28. Not bad considering the excellent performance. About a 15% difference compared to my wife's 2005 Camry XLE. VS the Camry, it costs me about $30 extra in gas per month. To most of us, the pleasure of driving a Legacy is well worth that amount.

milage gets better after break in. I'm mostly city/speed and slow highway traffic. I average about 18.9MPG via the computer, which is about 18mpg measuring at fillups. Before breakin, I was getting about 16.7mpg. Hasn't changed much wince the 4000 mile mark.

 

Anything over 75, and you start paying for it on the highway (at least that is how it seems with the 5EAT). If I'm doing a highway trip and keep it to 75 or less, I get about 23mpg.

 

Given the situation you describe, were you to be calm about passing and merging and mostly just cruise with traffic, I'd expect milage to settle around 20-21 for your trip. If you constantly pass at a decent clip and speed and slow given those conditions, don't expect much better than you are getting.