The lease on my parent is Subaru Outback turbo runs out on Thursday. When they return the car they will be left without a vehicle. So they wanna get another Subaru that is less expensive and has better fuel mileage but not lose size/space. Any suggestions?? Thanks!!!

as of right now subaru does not make a hybrid. if you want to get better gas mileage but keep a subaru l suggest you look for one without a turbo. turbos pretty much shove fuel down the engines throat: plus side is u get more power, bad side is u get worse gas mileage. so getting a subaru without a turbo will help

A non turbo engine will increase MPG dramatically, as will the overall size of the car.turbo engines run very rich fuel mixtures to match the extra airflow provided by the turbo.. they r more efficient yes, but r designed to make more power, rather than to use less fuel..an Impreza would be a ideal choice.. light & roomy, with l believe a 30 mpg rating. If u like, u can wait till the 09-10 models come out.. the rumor is, Subaru is bringing the turbodiesel Legacy to the states.. 33+ would be the low estimate on mileage.

non turbo forester

2009 non-turbo Subaru Forester.

Subaru hit the nail on the head so well with this model that it makes Subaru is other models seem redundant.

The new Forester has more room inside than an Outback, yet it is lighter & gets better mileage. It is the same price as the smaller Impreza Outback Sport. And it is better offroad than either of them--without sacrificing any on-road capabilities. The non-turbo model is not as fast as a turbo Outback, but it is still plenty adequate & gets about 4 more mpg (6 more with a manual transmission).

The 2009 Forester has been winning small SUV comparisons right & left, & has been named Consumer Reports' top-rated small SUV--owing to its ride/handling balance, versatile & comfortable interior, top-notch crash test results & fantastic visibility. You really can not go wrong with it.

Edit: The diesel engine & LPG powertrain r available in Europe but not in North America. Otherwise, l would have recommended the diesel right away.

l am quite surprised that no-one has mentioned the fact that Subaru now produce a Legacy,Legacy sports tourer & Legacy Outback with a diesel engine.This finally brings Subaru into the market of ''economy'' motoring--Estimated MPG is in the region of 48-50.So u can keep the size/space /reliability u have now--Just the engine will be different.Hope this helps you.Another thought is to get the same model u have now & just get an LPG conversion done-Though obviously there will be some space took up by the spare wheel as l believe most LPG tanks r situated in the spare wheel well.

Regards

Wolf