MovieChat Forums > The Goodbye Girl (1977) Discussion > Way ahead of its times for a Subaru

Way ahead of its times for a Subaru


At one point in the movie it is mentioned that a Subaru gets 39 miles per gallon on highway driving and 29 miles on city driving. This was back in 1977. I know that to not be true because I used to drive a 1999 Subaru and it didn't get nearly such good gas mileage. Even a modern hybrid gets about 44 miles per gallon on highway driving, not much more than the 39 miles mentioned in the movie, I know because I now drive a 2009 hybrid.

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No, the figures she is quoting are correct. You can look it up. She is speaking about the 1977 Subaru DL 4WD wagon.
http://www.imcdb.org/vehicle_253275-Subaru-DL-1977.html

In this brochure for the 1977 Subaru DL station wagon, it quotes 38 Hwy./28 City for the 4-speed manual.
http://a15ff11300g.sakura.ne.jp/catalogue/oversea/1977%20subaru%20DL%2 0station%20wagon/1977%20subaru%20DL%20station%20wagon.02.jpg

The high fuel economy of Japanese car brands (Subaru, Honda, Toyota, Nissan/Datsun) is a big reason they became popular during the 1970s, when we went through the oil embargo and energy crisis.

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Wow! That's some Top Gear info/trivia you have there. ;)



"Don't get chumpatized!" - The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters (2007)

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Plus regular gas was so cheap back then. Unleaded gas was just gaining popularity.







"'Extremely High Voltage.' Well, I don't need safety gloves, because I'm Homer Simpsnzzzzzzzzzznnnnnn--" - Frank Grimes

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Back about 1980, I had a Ford Fiesta Ghia (a German import and basically a very slightly smaller VW Rabbit). This had a 1.6L 4cyl engine and 4 speed manual with no overdrive. It always turned in 33-34 city and mid 40s on the highway. I took it camping once and "hypermiled" it back home to 48 mpg.

Now, it had a carb, but it did have electronic ignition, but it also had no catalytic converters, *and* gasoline back then was 100% gas, not a percentage of garbage ethanol. My dad's old '66 Cadillac with a 429cu engine would get about 24 on the highway if kept at 60mph and if you kept your foot out of the 4bl part of the carb.

I think even with 4WD, that subie could have done those numbers.

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