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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  No complaints. Whaaaat? - 2016 Subaru Outback
  By Rusty Castleman - October 3 - 5:53 am

  As an engineer, I expect a lot from a vehicle and am hard to please. We traded a Volvo XC-90 which I never liked because so much about it "doesnt make sense." So far, Ive not uttered that phrase a single time about our Outback. Engine is very smooth and quiet, ride is great, very quiet inside and well appointed. The Eyesight system is phenomenal! The adaptive cruise control is amazing; works so well that in stop-and-go traffic the car will drive itself almost - you only need to lightly touch the accelerator to make it move once it stops. Fuel mileage is great at 33 mpg on the highway. With the 4 cyl engine and CVT transmission, it is a little sluggish at slow speeds, but (thoughtfully) you need only to shift down with the paddle shifter for the extra power you need - as soon as you let off the gas, it shifts right back into Drive. Of course you can move the shifter to M to shift manually. The only thing I find lacking is the navigation system, which like every one Ive ever seen is hopelessly outdated from day one. (Why dont they just link to Google Maps and be done with it?) Other than that, its everything we hoped for.

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  New Subaru Owner - 2012 Subaru Outback
  By 1gman - September 30 - 4:37 am

  I just purchased a 2012 OB Limited with the sunroof package. The car seems to be great so far, my wife loves it. I like the look and performance of it. She came out of a 98 Volvo wagon. She wanted a wagon again so that limited the choices. We narrowed it down between the Venza and the OB. Toyota was difficult to work with, would never call me back so I gave up on them and bought the OB. I will update in a month or two about how it is doing. I got the car for about $450 below invoice through the Costco auto program which made the process much easier.

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  Great car - 2003 Subaru Outback
  By Ootyboy - September 30 - 2:00 am

  This is an amazingly fun car to drive. It has ample power and just sticks to the road. My wife complains that I like driving the suby way more than my own Acura MDX (which is almost $18,000 more). Excellent build quality. Overall solid car

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  2 blown head gaskets 20k miles - 2002 Subaru Outback
  By derek_someda - September 29 - 8:37 pm

  at 2.5 yrs noticed coolant drops in driveway. Problem progressed to wet spot. I thought no big deal that a hose needed to be replaced or clamp tightened. At 3yrs checked under car and found both head gaskets were leaking oil and water. Subaru was out of warranty and said my VIN was not amongst those recalled. Changing the gaskets would be over 3k. They sold me a 6 oz bottle of Subie coolant stop leak that did nothing. I used barrs stop leak with nano tech the last several years. Now it clogged the overfill hose so I cleaned it out. At 60k miles the oil is indicating overfill so I assume the water is now crossing into the engine block and have to get rid of the vehicle.

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  So long, Subaru - 2002 Subaru Outback
  By Tsquared - September 29 - 1:40 pm

  This was my second Outback, my first being a 96 5 speed manual I traded for the 02 4 speed automatic. I wish I had held on to my 96. The 02 quality did not seem to be as good and was disappointing. Most recently, the engine sporadically idled poorly or hesitated on acceleration--even on the Interstate. My biggest concern was a leaking head gasket, which is apparently a common problem on 1999-2002 models and there was a recall for some--not all (Google "Outback head gasket"). The "fix" involved adding a conditioner to the coolant to seal the leak. Seems like a stop-gap to me. Between the head gasket and the sporadic acceleration problem I decided to it was time to trade.

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  Need some improvement to be fun to drive - 2010 Subaru Outback
  By ben_d - September 29 - 6:06 am

  I drive mostly city, but took one road trip to CO. Car needs some power especially when trying to pass vehicles on hwy. I like the comfort of the car and the features (can be pricey if you add few). It needs a bit of power kick to be "Fun to Drive" and to eliminate some of the road noise. In Midwest performs OK in the city, but with 2.5i not so great on mountains of CO. CVT is a good concept but will need some work to be done to use with bigger engines. This is a large vehicle that need power to do what it should be. Interior is nice, exterior did some improvements, could be done better but better than last year.

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  Head Gaskets, Catalytic Converters - 2002 Subaru Outback
  By a20366 - September 29 - 4:56 am

  This is the worst car that we have ever owned. We have replaced the head gaskets, catalytic converters and constantly have brake problems - primarily warped rotors. They say we need new valves now. We have taken care of this car and we have 130,000 on it. Subaru obviously has problems which they refuse to stand behind. We would never buy another one and just hope we can sell this one.

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  review - 2007 Subaru Outback
  By j henry - September 23 - 4:16 am

  This is my third Subaru wagon, not very sexy, maybe, but in my experience reliable.

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  4th Subaru, and it wont be the last - 2015 Subaru Outback
  By lstickle - September 22 - 6:28 am

  Hands down the best vehicle in snow I have ever had. I have had Jeeps, SUVs, 4 Wheel Drive Trucks, nothing can compare to the sure footedness of the Subaru. Prior to this I had a 2001 Outback, 300,000 miles on it and sold it for $6000. These cars are built to last, they hold their value and are as advertised. Great technology is available now that wasnt available back then.

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  Sports Car in Disguise - 2006 Subaru Outback
  By Big John - September 20 - 11:23 pm

  The Subaru Outback XT Limited is a sports car masquerading as a family wagon. With the 250 hp turbocharged, intercooled 2.5 liter Boxer engine and 5 speed manual transmission, it is a car for people like me who like to drive. In spite of its high road clearance (about 8.5 inches) it corners very well, and few drivers will ever take this car to its limits of adhesion. Apart from the driveability, this model has a load of creature comforts, including heated seats and a nice stereo system.