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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  2001 Outback -lots of time in shop - 2001 Subaru Outback
  By Olympia - January 7 - 11:36 pm

  Started off with a burning smell, at purchase (new). Months later, found an oil leak, but no help from dealer. Have gotten regular service w/ trusted mechanic. Head gaskets replaced. Front light replaced - out of order w/in a month. Problems with rotors - smoothed many times, replaced more than wed like. Sigh. This car has not been worth the hassle and we wont buy another Subaru.

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  Engine Trouble - 2004 Subaru Outback
  By Clooney - January 7 - 2:00 am

  Love teh car most of the time, but it keeps shutting off without warning while driving slow or at a stand still. Subaru so far hasnt been able to find the problem or fix it.

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  Great in Snow, But not Without Issues - 2011 Subaru Outback
  By JoJo Bean - December 30 - 6:11 am

  Love the car in the NY winters, but beware of recalls and poor build quality! Be ready to carry a quart of oil with you as you will need to add some in between oil changes. At 65k the head gasket is starting to fail and theres a recall to replace the entire engine due to a piston ring issue! Also, the sheet metal is terribly thin and dents very easily. Even though its hard to beat this car in the snow and ice, I would seriously consider other options.

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  Some good, some bad - 2008 Subaru Outback
  By Monica - December 7 - 4:49 am

  After One Year I have owned this car for a year, now. Would I buy it again? Maybe - due to the clearance and AWD technology. Do I love it? No. It has started to rattle in the dashboard. Wind noise is still there. Rear door is still annoyingly slow. Computer screen is still functionally obsolete (I just want an image of my phone and I want to see the time and temperature larger). Gas mileage has never hit 33 for any length of time. Original opinion I had the 2008 2.5i. This vehicle has a lot of good - the engine seems to have more power, the continuous shifting makes for a smoother ride and better acceleration. On the "just ok" is the control screen. Its big, it catches dust and glares, the weather is useless for me because I dont live in a select city. Why would I use the navigation when I have my phone with all the addresses and a voice that talked me through the directions? The two data points that I do hunt for (literally) are the time and outside temperature. These are small and tucked at the bottom of the screen. I started with the good, to be fair.. However, there are two things I hate (hate) about the car. Unfortunately, they are in your face, all the time. #1: wind noise, wind, wind, wind. It sounds as though the window isnt closed so you are constantly trying to close the windows. #2: the rear gate is sllllooooowwwwwwww to open and close. I am constantly standing by the gate , waiting for it to open or close. I hate that too. Really hate it.

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  snow job - 2001 Subaru Outback
  By yardshark - October 24 - 5:00 pm

  I was totally "snowed" by Subaru and others who have owned Subarus. "Oh, theyre so reliable I have 2 of them". "Theyre bullet-proof". So I bought a new 2001 Outback sedan for the "reliability" and the AWD for snowy weather. At just over 50,000 miles, one head gasket blew and while testing the system, they found the second one ready to go and had to replace it too. The repairman told me I wouldnt have the problem again when I told him I would not buy another if this was going to be a problem every 50,000 miles. Now at 120,000 miles, the head gaskets have once again gone out. This will be the third set of gaskets for something "bullet-proof" and "extremely reliable".

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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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  Frustrated!! - 2005 Subaru Outback
  By kdurre - August 24 - 5:50 am

  Im sure I have a lemon but with 89,000 miles there is not much I can do. I do like the car other than the CV joint and Rear wheel baring need to be replaced. The CD player may or may not play. The front driver seat burns you when you use the seat warmer. The passenger seat "passenger sensor" dings all the time unless the seat belt is locked in. The windshield rattles unless papers are pushed down between the glass and dash, even after one windshield replacement. And the transmission lurches to shift until it warms up.

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  AWD Kicks! - 2000 Subaru Outback
  By kalliday - July 21 - 6:03 am

  This car was an impulse buy and despite my research beforehand and then afterward, it has not been worth the money 10 times over. Check engine light is always on and off (catalytic converter), goes through a whole set of brakes and rotors in less than a year (and I am NOT driving like a maniac!), acceleration is crappy, alignment is never quite right, need I continue? Unfortunately for Subaru, this is my second and the last (I had a 1999 Forester before that which was great but no lumbar support).