9th Place

Despite conventional wisdom, which suggests that four-wheel-drive vehicles are inherently thirsty, quite a few rugged trail-riding SUVs made our list for 2007. Among them is the Subaru Outback equipped with a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmission. When coupled with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine pushing 173 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 166 lb.-ft. of torque at 4,400 rpm, the EPA estimates fuel economy ratings of 23 mpg city, 28 mpg highway, and 25 mpg combined. That’s using the automatic tranny in the Outback Sport and the manual in the regular Outback. With a $625 destination fee factored in, starting prices range between $19,820 for the Impreza-based Outback Sport to $29,620 for the Legacy-based 2.5i Limited L.L. Bean Edition Outback Wagon.

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Subaru Outback