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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  1st Subaru - 2007 Subaru Outback
  By Craig - October 9 - 8:50 pm

  I traded an Audi A6 Quattro for my outback. The Outback costs 1/3 less than the Audi to replace. The Outback is virtually the same vehicle. I lost heated rear seats and the ride is more stiff. The first day I owned the car I drove in a 8" snow storm and the car handled every bit as well as the Quattro. I have owned 3 Audis and I am a convert. This is a tremendous car for the money.

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  wind / mirror noise - 2015 Subaru Outback
  By elantra6 - October 1 - 5:26 pm

  I like this car, except the window noise.... It starts over 40 mph, and around 70 mph is intolerable. Ill take it to the dealership and if they cant fix it (or dont want to fix it ) Ill be very -very unhappy.

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  Head gaskets - 2001 Subaru Outback
  By Not so lucky - September 25 - 7:33 pm

  I also had the head gaskets problem. Only when I bought my car in (at 102K) the dealership did not want to repair them on their cost because they would only do so for cars below 100K. This while my car had been in the dealership at 97K and they found nothing. I find it a bit fishy they only found it after the 100K had passed. For me no Subaru anymore, although they drive great, dont expect to get much further above 100K without significant repairs.

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  Dependable workhorse - 2006 Subaru Outback
  By ctac - September 13 - 1:23 am

  Our family has been running this Outback for almost four years. We put a little over 50K miles on it, with probably 30K of daily commute and 10K of annual ski trips. Subarus are usually praised for their AWD, but in the first couple of winters I had some skidding incidents (shouldnt have pressed the gas pedal so carelessly on tight turns! This is a manual transmission car, so not all of the fancy electronic stabilization systems are available). Once that has been figured out, we found ourselves working as a snow taxi for our friends in a small Midwestern town. I was disappointed with the fuel economy at first (it was clearly below the nominal rating), but then it somehow got better.

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  My First Subi - 2007 Subaru Outback
  By Steve - September 12 - 9:30 pm

  This is my first time buying a non-GM car. Have only driven 300 miles. No problems yet. Love the way this car handles. Great acceleration and smooth ride. Was perfect to drive during a recent snowfall. Looking forward to taking this car on next backwoods camping trip. So far no regrets I didnt buy GM.

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  LL Bean after one year - 2002 Subaru Outback
  By Chuck B - September 7 - 10:00 am

  The LL Bean has done very well. Have put alot of miles in one year and not one problem. It handles the rough stuff well and feels solid on the hyway. It is not flashy but a very comfortable vehicle to drive short and long distances as well. Would make the same choice again and we looked at the Camry, Accord and Passat.

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  Fun to drive but noisy interior - 2007 Subaru Outback
  By Dave - September 1 - 7:33 am

  Good handling and braking performance. Good cornering and center of gravity with high ground clearance. Noisy interior and rear hatch door rattling (even after several dealer attempts to repair).

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  Sad Face! - 2015 Subaru Outback
  By thinkingintext - August 28 - 2:38 am

  This is my first Subaru. I traded a 2011 Jetta Wagon TDI for it. I traded because I wanted an AWD for weather situations, and mountains. I knew it would have lower gas mileage. However, I was not expecting such a vast difference in fuel mileage. I am now angry almost daily, as I watch the gas meter drop before my eyes. I clearly have made a terrible mistake. The gas consumption of this car is disgusting. I want my TDI back (sad face).

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  2001 OutBack - 2001 Subaru Outback
  By Mike - August 20 - 4:36 pm

  Really have nothing to complain about except the fact I had to replace the catalytic converter at 90,000 which was expensive! I have had many vehicles with many more miles and NEVER had to replace a converter. just be warned if you buy one youre in for a expensive replacement part as this seems to be common.

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  Harmon Kardon USB port - what should it be able to play - 2012 Subaru Outback
  By zeffer51 - August 3 - 10:08 am

  Just bought a brand new 2012 Outback 3.6R Limited with the Harmon Kardon upgraded audio system. I tested the USB port at the dealer with a memory stick that has lots of computer files and few audio files. The audio kept cutting out. Now I own the car so I purchased a new 8GB USB flash drive and copied only a few audio files to it. But its doing the same thing. It plays for about 5 sec then cuts out, then plays a little and then cuts out. It does this sitting in the drive way so it cant be due to bumps. Anyone know if this system is supposed to play files on a regular USB thumb drive? It almost plays them so I figure it was designed to do so.