The 2017 Subaru Forester is known for its all-wheel-drive capability and practicality. But how does its fuel economy hold up in real-world driving conditions? This article explores actual MPG results from a 2017 Forester owner, examining factors like speed, terrain, and wind.
A 2017 Subaru Forester Premium owner in Montana meticulously tracked fuel economy during various trips, including a cross-country journey. Initial observations revealed highway driving at 80 mph yielded around 25-26 mpg. However, driving on two-lane roads at an average speed of 65 mph resulted in a significant increase to 33-34 mpg. On interstates with lower speed limits, maintaining 74-76 mph produced 30-32 mpg.
Further experimentation revealed that even minor speed adjustments significantly impacted fuel efficiency. Lowering the cruise control speed to 76 mph on Montana’s 80 mph speed limit interstates resulted in consistent 30+ mpg, sometimes reaching 32 mpg. Conversely, increasing speed to 80-83 mph caused fuel economy to drop back to 25-26 mpg.
Beyond speed, inclines and hills predictably affected fuel consumption. However, the most dramatic impact came from wind. In Montana’s windy conditions, strong headwinds at 80 mph could drastically reduce fuel economy to 22 mpg or lower.
To verify the accuracy of the Forester’s onboard computer, the owner compared its calculations with hand-calculated mileage based on recorded fill-ups. The onboard computer consistently overestimated fuel economy by 0.3 to 0.8 mpg. While this discrepancy is relatively small, it highlights the importance of manual tracking for precise fuel consumption data.
While other drivers have reported consistently lower fuel economy, this owner’s experience indicates that speed, incline, and wind are the primary factors influencing the 2017 Subaru Forester’s fuel consumption. Significant variations in MPG suggest potential underlying issues may require further diagnostics.
