When I first bought this Outback, I diligently kept a record of each fill up. I was seeing poor mileage numbers (14-17 mpg City!) I took my concerns to the dealership, did a full service and replaced the air filter with no improvement. Somehow I figured out if I topped off from 3/4 full, which I tended to do, my mpg was poor, but improved if I took her down to a 1/2 a tank before filling her up. 🤷♂️ So, when I take her down to a half a tank, I would see 21 mpg city and 27 highway. I switched to premium fuel and saw a slight improvement, but I’ve gotten eye opening results replacing the factory air filter with an aftermarket K&N performance filter! (24-31mpg), and a dramatic increase in performance! I didn’t expect that much of a difference but the engine and CVT have been transformed and she is way more fun to drive!
