My 2014 2.4L AWC, 16" wheels (in eco mode) averages, without fail, 8.1-8.4 litres/100kms in the summer and closer to 9 L/100kms in the winter (Ottawa, winter tires). I reset the average consumption every 4 or 5 fill-ups. Vehicle has 44,000kms on it. My daily roundtrip is 100km, mostly highway but on the trip home the highway is clogged. I drive at or just above the speed limit on the highway. I'm delighted with the fuel consumption. The published figures are what steered me towards the Outlander over the Escape. The CX5 is better I think, and I love Mazdas (I have a Mazda 3 that averages 6.1) but the CX5 seemed a bit smaller than the Outlander. Of course, since the speedo consistently reads higher than the actual speed (~8-10km/h) perhaps the apparent fuel consumption is actually higher. Not sure how the visual speedo display ties in with the odometer and information values such as average fuel consumption.

 

My 2008 subuaru impreza AWD 5speed got 25-26mpg average, mostly highway. My V6 outlander averages 23-24mpg consistently on the same commute. Girlfriends 2011 rav4 4cylinder gets 25mpg on average. So i'm happy, i'd rather have the v6, although it gets worse city and suburban mileage, like 16-18 in the city.

Most of the newer subaru's which are rated at 32/33mpg highway are getting about 27-29mpg highway. Subaru has the most efficient AWD system because of their inline design. All other cars use a FWD based system with more bends and turns so you pay more of an AWD penalty. The only reason subaru's mileage was so bad up until 2012 was because their engine design was 20+ years old with only minor updates.

I think if you inflate your tires up, you'll push it up to 25-26mpg, which sounds about right for your car.

1. Make sure your tire pressure is up, 35+psi for fuel economy.
2. Keep your highway speeds down, going 70+mph all the time is bad for any car, but worse for SUV's.
3. Stay light on the throttle, but accelerate up to your desired highway speed briskly.