1998 Subaru Legacy Wagon: MPG and fuel economy
The 1998 Subaru Legacy Wagon is rated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency at 24 combined MPG, with 21 MPG in the city and 29 MPG on the highway. That puts it well above the average for cars in the Midsize Station Wagons class in the same model year.
This page collects every fuel-economy figure the EPA publishes for the 1998 Subaru Legacy Wagon. Below you will find the headline combined, city, and highway MPG, the estimated annual fuel cost at three different driving levels, the tailpipe CO₂ emissions, and a full breakdown of the engine and drivetrain. If you want to know whether this generation got more or less efficient over the years, the year-over-year table further down covers every model year the EPA has rated.
Key takeaways
- The 1998 Subaru Legacy Wagon is the most efficient car in the Midsize Station Wagons class for the 1998 model year, with its 24 MPG rating leading the segment.
- EPA estimates this car costs around $1,750 more in fuel over five years than an average new vehicle of the same model year.
Fuel economy at a glance
These are the EPA's official ratings for the 1998 Subaru Legacy Wagon. The numbers come from a standardised laboratory test cycle and are the same figures that appear on the window sticker of every new car. Real-world mileage varies with driving style, weather, fuel quality, and how heavily loaded the car is.
Combined MPG is a 55/45 weighted blend of the city and highway test cycles. The EPA uses it as the single number you can compare across the entire dataset, including hybrids and EVs (which use the equivalent MPGe figure).
| Combined MPG | 24 MPG |
| City MPG | 21 MPG |
| Highway MPG | 29 MPG |
| Annual fuel cost | $2,500 |
| Tailpipe CO₂ | 370 g/mi |
| Fuel type | Regular |
How the 1998 Subaru Legacy Wagon compares
The 1998 Subaru Legacy Wagon returns 24 combined MPG. Cars in the Midsize Station Wagons class for the same model year average 20.5 MPG, which puts this car ahead of the class average by about 17%.
Within the Midsize Station Wagons class for the 1998 model year, the Subaru Legacy Wagon is the leader. No other car in the same class beat its 24 MPG rating. The bar chart below shows it alongside the class average and the average new car for some additional context.
For broader context, the average new car of the 1998 model year (across all classes) returns 19.2 MPG. Larger vehicles pull the all-cars average down, so do not use that figure on its own to judge a small car or a hybrid. The full list of the most efficient cars of the 1998 model year is on its own page.
Annual fuel cost across driving patterns
The headline annual fuel cost the EPA publishes assumes 15,000 miles of driving per year and a fuel mix of 55% city and 45% highway. The dollar figure is calculated using the EPA's current reference price for regular gasoline, which is $3.99/gallon. EPA updates that reference periodically rather than tracking live pump prices, so treat it as a window-sticker estimate rather than today's pump number.
The table below scales the EPA's number to three common driving patterns. The combined MPG and the reference fuel price stay constant, only the annual mileage changes. To get a current-prices estimate, take your local gas price and multiply by 625 gallons (the car's annual consumption at the rated MPG).
| Driving pattern | Estimated annual fuel cost |
|---|---|
| Light driver, 7,500 miles per year | $1,250 |
| Average driver, 15,000 miles per year | $2,500 |
| Heavy driver, 25,000 miles per year | $4,167 |
Year-over-year MPG for the Subaru Legacy Wagon
The EPA has rated the Subaru Legacy Wagon across 9 model years, from 1990 Subaru Legacy Wagon through 1998 Subaru Legacy Wagon. The numbers below are the best combined MPG figure the EPA published for each year, which lets you see when the car was at its most efficient and how recent generations stack up.
Combined MPG has stayed in roughly the same range across the run. The peak rating came with the 1995 Subaru Legacy Wagon at 24 MPG.
| Year | Combined MPG | Open year page |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 24 MPG | this page |
| 1997 | 24 MPG | 1997 Subaru Legacy Wagon |
| 1996 | 24 MPG | 1996 Subaru Legacy Wagon |
| 1995 | 24 MPG | 1995 Subaru Legacy Wagon |
| 1994 | 23 MPG | 1994 Subaru Legacy Wagon |
| 1993 | 23 MPG | 1993 Subaru Legacy Wagon |
| 1992 | 23 MPG | 1992 Subaru Legacy Wagon |
| 1991 | 22 MPG | 1991 Subaru Legacy Wagon |
| 1990 | 22 MPG | 1990 Subaru Legacy Wagon |
Compare against other Midsize Station Wagons for 1998
If you are cross-shopping the 1998 Subaru Legacy Wagon, the most useful comparison is against the other cars in the Midsize Station Wagons class for the same model year. The list below shows the highest-MPG peers, ranked from most to least efficient. Click any of them to open its full page.
The Volkswagen Passat Wagon leads this group at 37 MPG, 13 MPG ahead of the 1998 Subaru Legacy Wagon.
Specifications
The 1998 Subaru Legacy Wagon runs a 2.2-liter 4-cylinder engine paired with a automatic 4-spd, sending power through front-wheel drive.
Engine, transmission, and drivetrain together drive most of the variation in fuel economy across trims. A larger engine moves the car with less effort but burns more fuel. A turbo lets a small engine punch above its weight, often without much MPG penalty. All-wheel drive adds traction and weight, and usually costs a couple of MPG compared with two-wheel drive of the same engine.
- Vehicle class
- Midsize Station Wagons
- Engine
- 2.2L 4-cylinder
- Transmission
- Automatic 4-spd
- Drivetrain
- Front-Wheel Drive
- Fuel type
- Regular
- Annual petroleum use
- 12.4 barrels per year
Common questions about the 1998 Subaru Legacy Wagon
Quick answers to the questions people most often search for when looking up the 1998 Subaru Legacy Wagon.
-
Is the 1998 Subaru Legacy Wagon fuel efficient?
Yes. The 1998 Subaru Legacy Wagon returns 24 combined MPG, which beats the average car in the Midsize Station Wagons class for the same model year by about 17%. -
What MPG does the 1998 Subaru Legacy Wagon get?
The EPA rates the 1998 Subaru Legacy Wagon at 24 combined MPG, 21 MPG in city driving, and 29 MPG on the highway. Real-world numbers depend on your driving style, the weather, and how loaded the car is. -
How much does it cost to fuel a 1998 Subaru Legacy Wagon per year?
The EPA estimates an annual fuel cost of $2,500 for the 1998 Subaru Legacy Wagon. That figure assumes 15,000 miles of driving per year, a 55% city and 45% highway split, and the EPA's published average fuel price for the rated fuel grade. -
What fuel does the 1998 Subaru Legacy Wagon use?
The EPA lists the 1998 Subaru Legacy Wagon as running on regular gasoline. Using a different grade than the manufacturer specifies can affect fuel economy and engine longevity. -
Has the Subaru Legacy Wagon become more fuel efficient over time?
Combined MPG has stayed close to flat across the run. Both the earliest (1990 Subaru Legacy Wagon, 22 MPG) and most recent (1998 Subaru Legacy Wagon, 24 MPG) versions sit in the same range. -
How much CO₂ does the 1998 Subaru Legacy Wagon emit?
Tailpipe CO₂ emissions are 370 g/mi. Multiplied across a typical year of driving (15,000 miles) that works out to about 5,554 kilograms of CO₂. -
What is the difference between the city and highway MPG of the 1998 Subaru Legacy Wagon?
City driving returns 21 MPG and highway driving returns 29 MPG, a gap of 8 MPG. A spread that wide is typical of cars with conventional automatic or manual transmissions, where stop-start city traffic eats more fuel than a steady highway cruise. -
What engine is in the 1998 Subaru Legacy Wagon?
The 1998 Subaru Legacy Wagon has a 2.2-liter 4-cylinder engine. -
What transmission and drivetrain does the 1998 Subaru Legacy Wagon have?
The 1998 Subaru Legacy Wagon comes with a automatic 4-spd transmission and front-wheel drive. -
Is the 1998 Subaru Legacy Wagon the most efficient car in its class?
Yes. Among cars in the Midsize Station Wagons class for the 1998 model year, the Subaru Legacy Wagon returns the highest combined MPG at 24 MPG. No other car in the same class beats that figure.
Source: U.S. EPA fuel economy dataset. Annual fuel cost figures assume 15,000 miles of driving per year and a 55% city, 45% highway split. Real-world mileage varies with driving conditions, vehicle maintenance, fuel quality, and driver behaviour.