Overview & Reviews

Designed with the North American market in mind, the Subaru Outback wagon provides many popular SUV traits without the associated drawbacks. Based on Subaru's midsize Legacy, the Outback comes standard with all-wheel drive, a raised suspension for better ground clearance, and special interior and exterior styling details.

There have been four Outback generations. At its debut, the original Subaru Outback was pretty much the only vehicle of its type and was an instant hit with consumers. More recent iterations lost a bit of an edge as other automakers came up with similar crossover wagons and SUVs at the start of the new millennium, but the latest fourth-generation Outback is more like a crossover SUV than ever. New or used, the Outback is a strong contender for shoppers interested in a car that provides plenty of everyday versatility with the type of all-season capability needed for frosty climes.

Current Subaru Outback
The five-passenger Subaru Outback is a tall wagon available in a number of trim levels -- 2.5i, 2.5i Premium, 2.5i Limited, 3.6R, 3.6R Premium and 3.6R Limited -- distinguished by powertrain. The base engine is a 2.5-liter horizontally opposed four-cylinder that makes 170 horsepower and 170 pound-feet of torque. It comes with either a six-speed manual transmission or a continuously variable transmission (CVT). Also available is 3.6-liter six-cylinder boxer engine good for 256 hp and 247 lb-ft of torque, with a five-speed conventional automatic as the only available transmission.

Even the base Outback comes with roof rails, full power accessories, cruise control, a tilt-telescoping steering column, a height-adjustable driver seat and a CD stereo with an auxiliary audio jack. Higher trims add niceties like alloy wheels, foglights, powered and heated front seats, dual-zone automatic climate control, iPod/USB inputs, Bluetooth phone/audio connectivity and a Harman Kardon sound system. There's also an optional voice-activated navigation system.

More so than previous Outbacks, the new model is meant to appeal to more mainstream buyers by being larger on the inside. To this end, while bumper-to-bumper length has shrunk by almost 1 inch, the wheelbase has grown by nearly 3 inches, width by 2 inches and height by 4 inches, enlarging interior space considerably and putting the Outback on par with other midsize crossovers. With the rear seats folded, there are an impressive 71 cubic feet of cargo space available.

In reviews, we've commented favorably about the current Outback's roomier interior. Performance with the base four-cylinder is unremarkable, however; if you want some zip, you'll need to ante up for the 3.6-liter engine. We miss the previous Outback's turbocharged boxer-4, a boon for owners living in mountainous areas. Handling is also unimpressive, as the Outback's elevated ride height and soft suspension tuning do their best to obscure the vehicle's sedan roots. Overall, the latest Outback is a solid choice for utility-minded families, but it's not as enjoyable to drive as previous models.

Used Subaru Outback Models
The current, fourth-generation Subaru Outback was introduced for 2010. There have been no significant changes since then.

The third-generation Outback was produced from 2005-'09. There were several trim levels: base 2.5i, 2.5i Special Edition, 2.5i Limited, 2.5 XT Limited, 3.0 R, 3.0R Limited and 3.0R L.L. Bean Edition.

For power, 2.5i trim levels had a 2.5-liter horizontally opposed four-cylinder engine that made 170 hp. The XT level upgraded to a 2.5-liter turbocharged engine with 243 hp. The 3.0 R model came with a 3.0-liter horizontally opposed six-cylinder (H6) good for 245 hp. All-wheel drive was standard across the board.

Models with either of the 2.5-liter engines could be equipped with a five-speed manual transmission. A four-speed automatic was available on 2.5i models, while 2.5 XT models got an optional five-speed auto. The 2.5i Limited models were four-speed automatics only, and the H6 came only with the five-speed automatic.

If you're shopping for a used model of this generation, there are a few items to note. An Outback sedan was offered from 2005-'07. Additionally, all Outbacks prior to the 2008 model year lacked a telescoping steering wheel and auxiliary audio jack. Horsepower figures were lowered for 2007 due to revised SAE standards, but actual performance was not affected. The luxurious L.L. Bean trim levels were discontinued after 2008, replaced by a single 3.0 R Limited model, and stability control also became standard.

In reviews, this third-generation Subaru Outback received praise for its standard all-wheel drive, long list of features, strong turbocharged engine, above-average build quality and balanced ride and handling dynamics. While it didn't quite have the off-road capabilities of a true SUV, it could take on light-duty terrain without complaint. Negatives brought up in reviews typically centered on the vehicle's smallish backseat and the sluggish response from the automatic transmissions.

The second-generation Subaru Outback (2000-'04) was also available as either a sedan or a wagon. In its first year, this model was available in base and Limited trims, and had a 165-hp, 2.5-liter engine. The following year, Subaru introduced the L.L. Bean Edition and the VDC trim levels. These featured the more powerful 212-hp six-cylinder engine.

Compared to the current car, the second-generation Outback is a bit smaller and not quite as refined or capable. Subaru made minor improvements to this generation during the years, but none are significant enough to make any particular model year stand out. In Edmunds.com road tests, reviewers liked its standard all-wheel drive and car-based comfort. Some felt that the four-cylinder models were underpowered, however, and that it was eclipsed by newer competition in its later years.

When the original Subaru Outback model debuted in 1995, it was little more than a trim package on the Legacy wagon. In 1996, the Outback (officially known as the Legacy Outback for this generation) gained its raised suspension, large foglights, SUV design cues and optional 155-hp 2.5-liter engine. Further improvements during successive years included the addition of a leather-lined Limited model, dual sunroofs and powertrain refinements. As the Outback was one of the first crossover wagons to be designed, consumers interested in this type of vehicle from the late 1990s will likely find it to be quite suitable, especially compared to SUVs from the same period.

User Reviews:

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  My wifes "tank" which she loves - 2003 Subaru Outback
  By Firefighterjake - December 4 - 5:06 am

  My wife is a nurse who has to drive 35 miles each way to and from work in all kinds of weather. Before she used a Nissan 4WD pick-up, which worked well, but it seemed a bit top heavy to her in the snow and was severely under-powered. She absolutely loves this Subaru as she says it powers through everything Mother Nature throws our way here in Maine. In fact she says its a lot like driving a tank as it goes through anything with no issues. Weve had no problems and honestly feel the 4-cylinders provide plenty of giddy-up and go for us.

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  Problems - 2006 Subaru Outback
  By blair - November 27 - 3:20 pm

  I purchased 2006 Outback because of price and ride quality, also reliability. The transmission started slipping at about 5,000, dealership tested and it was normal, and kept driving. Shortly after, the air conditioning wasnt cooling very well. Dealership replaced the expansion valve... works fine. Wheel bearing had to be replaced at 15,000 miles last year. Then recently, the window switch had to be replaced. Lastly, the torque converter, which is part of the transmission is bad and new transmission probably will be needed. The car is in the shop. I have had the car in the shop on/off for about twenty business days and counting.

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  Gaiks Car - 2002 Subaru Outback
  By lemonstr - November 21 - 10:00 am

  Purchased after extensive review of cars in class. Came down to Forester or Outback. Better ride and quieter than Forester. Forester will probably be my replacement for aging Civic. Would have been happy with a Limited but wife wanted power of H6. Good car, but minor issues. Glove box hard opening, McIntosh stereo crackels on right channel when adjusting volume, water leaks in from child seat strap in rear of cargo area, has had two recalls todate. Gas mileage is not worth the performance in my opinion, wife typically get high teens on a tank, I can squeeze out low 20s with effort, best tank 26 mpg on highway. Overall Good Car!

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  Performance AND Utility - 2005 Subaru Outback
  By nhesketh - November 20 - 2:43 pm

  I could not decide between a used WRX and an older LL Bean Limited Outback wagon (pre-2005). I am a car person, and love performance, but need the room too. Until this vehicle came along, I was not sure what I was going to do. When I saw this, I was amazed that you could get a turbo AWD wagon, and had to have one. I have been happy with it ever since. It drives wonderfully, and is very comfortable with the leather upholster and heated seats. The stereo is okay, but I am not an audiophile, so it is good enough for me. It would be nice to have an iPod jack though. The acceleration on this car is amazing, and the traction is excellent. I have had Subis for years and love the AWD. Buy one.

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  Too expensive to maintain - 2001 Subaru Outback
  By familydad - November 15 - 6:16 am

  This car handles well, is fun to drive, and I feel it is safe to drive with the family aboard. But after three, yes THREE radiator replacements, 2 head gaskets and several costly sensor replacements, Im ready to be rid of this car. It has a computer "sensor" for seemingly everything, and Ive had to replace them all more than once, and of course, these sensors are never in easy-to-reach places in the engine compartment, so every time, Ive been totally reamed in the wallet. I just had the catalytic converter replaced as well, and like the other repairs for this car, it was very expensive. Seriously, I owned a Toyota for 10 years, and spent less than 1/4 the cost of repairs to it.

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  2010 SUV of the Year? Not really... - 2010 Subaru Outback
  By Chebosto - November 12 - 2:00 am

  I needed a larger car due to family expansion and was drawn to the Outback due to the MotorTrend SUV of year award. Since owing the car since June, I believe that award to be false advertising. Our 2.5 Ltd does have good mpg & excellent interior design and ergonomics however there are too many minor issues to be truly satisfied with the car. The 2.5 H4 with the CVT transmission is weak and clunks when getting out of D or P; steering wheel vibrations @ 70-80 mph is hand numbing during long trips; Non-folding side mirrors annoying when parking; rear end sways in side winds; AC does not stay cold when idling; roof cross bars inadequate for most rack systems; the stereo sounds terrible. Sigh.

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  Best car I ever owned in 50 years - 2003 Subaru Outback
  By panda - October 23 - 10:40 am

  Solid road car. Great engine, quiet, very good handling, brakes and steering wheel response. Great road shock absorption. Transmission very smooth. The car is tight at the shoulders and could be a little wider. The steering wheel needs to be adjusted higher to clear my knees.

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  Super Wagon - 2017 Subaru Outback
  By Caleb - October 16 - 3:49 am

  My car is a black Outback 3.6R Limited with Eyesight, rear cross traffic alert, all the front and rear and lower body plastic protective bits, rubber floor mats, cargo and seat back protectors, homelink, and auto-dimming/defrosting mirrors. Some user details: Ive put 6000 miles on this car thus far (purchased mid-october 2017, it is now January 17th). My commute of 25 miles averages 1.25 hours one way through some of the heaviest traffic in the US (Los Angeles), and it handles it perfectly fine, zipping in and out of traffic when I am in a hurry, or safely following the car ahead using Eyesight and nudging me back into lane if I get distracted -although MPG never gets over 20 no matter how I drive. Ive taken one road trip of 700+ miles in it with my family of four, two strollers, food, luggage, etc., and I was impressed with the quiet interior at highway speeds, the ability to pack everything we wanted, comfort of the front seats during long hauls, and the rear bench being able to fit my wife between the two child seats. I am coming to this vehicle from a power and suspension modified BMW 335i, so I find the driving dynamics of this Outback to be less than stellar, but that said, I have to say that for such a big, heavy, high ground clearance car, it handles remarkably well and has adequate acceleration at pretty much any speed. I think I will be adding the 19” rear sway bar to firm up cornering characteristics at some future date, but as it is, it performs very well. The CVT is the best Ive ever used with none of that weird rubber band lag, making it what I would consider acceptable in most situations, although it does have a bit of a wiggle/shake at lower speeds when quickly modulating the gas pedal. The paddle shifters and manual mode are great for keeping the engine from lugging up long ascents and are also good for getting the car into the optimum rpm range before quick passing maneuvers -but simply mashing the pedal does a quick enough job as well. The nav does a passable job with clear directions, and would be perfectly fine to use for small city, long suburban or rural trips, but in a dense traffic city like Los Angeles, it’s ETA’s are always off by 15 minutes, it can be inaccurate with traffic conditions, and it doesn’t usually give you the fastest route. I prefer using waze during my commute. I have Subaru’s ne plus ultra 12 speaker Harmon-Kardon sound system, and while I’ve seen more than a few complaints about it in the Outback forums, I find it to be pretty good for the price. The highs are clear, the mids are clean, and the there is strong bass. I wish the sound field in the driver’s chair were a bit more spread out, but if I want a stellar listening experience I will sit properly centered in an acoustically damped room using a true hi fi system, not wedged into one corner of a car putting out 65+dB of constant noise at highway speeds. Overall the infotainment system is good bordering on great. There can be a few layers to go through to get to an option you think should be one or two button/screen presses, it can be a bit slow to respond at times, and setting up a nav destination is unnecessarily button-pushy. I think pressing “go” once should be enough, not 2-3 times as it gives you more options or wants to make sure you really want to do it. That said, I love having a touchscreen rather than only a bunch of knobs and buttons, and the touchscreen hides or doesn’t collect fingerprints fairly well. The knobs and buttons offered are appropriate and function well, for example, a long press of the right knob will put you into split screen mode (I have mine set up with nav on left, music on right), a short press puts you fully into radio. Nav has its own dedicated button. In conclusion, after having done a ton of research and test driving several other vehicles (Mazda CX-5, CX-9, Honda CRV, Subaru Forester, and BMW X1, X3, X5, 5 & 3 series), I found the Outback to fulfill all my needs at least adequately if not very well, and a few of my wants in the bargain at a very attractive price. It is a roomy, with excellent safety features, decent tech, and good overall driving dynamics. I haven’t taken any dirt roads in it, but from what I’ve read it is a very capable light to moderate off-roader as well, with higher ground clearance than a Jeep Cherokee. After 3 months, I can say without reservation I am very happy with this purchase, and hope it lasts me a long time.

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  Money Pit - 2005 Subaru Outback
  By Disappointed - October 16 - 2:26 am

  We have an 04 Outback Sedan, 100K miles, runs great - and an 05 Outback XT wagon 5 spd that fell apart. We just traded in the 05 wagon with 92K miles on it. Tires must be replaced in pairs and have equal tread or the car pulls hard and rides rough. Plus, it will not tow the weight Subaru claims. Replaced clutch at about 60K miles ($1000) At 92K, car needed the following: rear window wiper ($400) pwr steer pump ($600) and manual tranny ($3500). On the way to trade it in, cruise control broke and check engine light was on. Loved the car but it fell apart and was very expensive.

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  Nice overall car but wandering issue on highway - 2013 Subaru Outback
  By stradivarius - October 7 - 3:57 am

  This is my sixth Subaru and it is the most refined Subaru I have owned. The interior is very comfortable and after 4000 miles it does most things well, except driving on the highway. The first extended highway drive I encountered I found that the car wandered and I had to do constant corrections to keep it in the lane. It felt like driving on an extremely windy day but it was dead calm. I contacted the dealer and they advised to bring it in as it probably needed an alignment. When I brought it in someone test drove the car and said it was normal. That day I had a friend drive it who noticed it immediately. My wife wont drive it on the highway and Subaru claims this is normal? Buyer Beware!!