Overview & Reviews

The 2009 Subaru Outback is no longer available in L.L. Bean trim, but stability control is now standard across the lineup. Additionally, the 2.5i Special Edition makes its debut, and all models except for the base 2.5i receive an upgraded nine-speaker sound system.

• Secure handling, excellent safety ratings, standard all-wheel drive, zesty acceleration in 2.5 XT and 3.0 R trims, distinctive styling inside and out.

User Reviews:

Showing 11 through 20 of 81.00

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  A lot of car for the money! - 2009 Subaru Outback
  By chasen84 - September 16 - 11:06 pm

  I live in Colorado where snow is an issue, so I needed a car with AWD. This car has excellent build quality. I previously owned a 3-series BMW and this car is comparable in many ways. The transmission is as good as the BMW, as is the ride quality. Though nothing handles like a BMW IMO, this comes close. You wont win many drag races with the 2.5, but it is adequate and fun. If I hadnt gotten so many tickets in college and therefore cost so much to insure, I wouldve gotten the turbo, I think. Overall this is a lot of car for the money. The seats are softer than my BMW, but not as soft as the Volvo I test drove. I prefer softer seats when given the choice.

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  Poor start - 2009 Subaru Outback
  By Paul - August 9 - 5:10 pm

  I have not seen other reviews for the 2009 3.0R, so here it is. The car is great to drive and both the stereo and nav are fun to use once you get past the complexity of the user interface. Mileage is as advertised; should not expect better with this power and AWD. Now the down side. After 5 days and 500km, the check engine light came on with flashing cruise and shift control lights. The dealer had difficulty trouble shooting, but claimed to find the root cause after 2 days in the shop, replacing a solenoid that is used for control of one of the cams. One day after I got the car back I am staring at the same failure. This is not the reliability that I expected from a Subaru!

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  Dependable - 2009 Subaru Outback
  By Vincent - January 23 - 1:26 pm

  We own a bmw 7 series and Mercedes E Class and I have to say I am impressed with the quality of the interior. I think its on par with the Benz. Harmon Kardon radio is excellent. Leather seats are nice. Im not tall, Im 5,7 so I have no complaints sitting anywhere in the wagon. We needed a car that would serve as our daily commuter to work from the suburbs to Manhattan. This is our 3rd Subaru for this purpose. If youre looking for a car that will protect your family and keep you on the roads no matter the road/ weather conditions, then this is it. We are extremely happy with this car. IMO, this is a good alternative to those large SUVs because its easier to navigate and park in the city.

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  If Youre Deaf This Cars for You - 2009 Subaru Outback
  By crestfallen - January 17 - 6:53 pm

  I reluctantly traded in my beloved Audi Allroad because it was at the end of its life. I was shopping for a manual transmission sports wagon and someone suggested the OutBack Turbo. I drove the car and was mildly impressed with the acceleration and ride so I decided to buy it. I never expected to be in the situation Im in now. The tailgate rattles to the point that nobody wants to be in the car. I cant turn the radio up loud enough to mask it. Its been repaired 3 times and each time it rattles on the way out of the dealership. Subaru has no suggestions. Before you buy this car check out internet blogs about Outback rattles. Theres literally dozens of them. This isnt uncommon!

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  2 Lemons - 2009 Subaru Outback
  By Brian - December 24 - 5:23 pm

  My first 09 Outback was delivered to me with a broken heater. The next morning it took 7 tries to get it started. The car was replaced with another one. The second car was miss firing from the time of purchase and had a check engine light 6 days after purchase. Subaru HQ claims the miss firing is part of break in and they will not repair the vehicle.

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  Liking it so far - 2009 Subaru Outback
  By new2subi - November 21 - 7:20 am

  With a new baby, we had to ditch the pony car for this one, and we are not disappointed. We liked the interior/exterior, acceleration, comfort, etc, which is why we bought it. We are very happy with the car thus far, and cant wait to take it camping, skiing, and on the road. Wind noise is noticeable, but coming from a convertible, this is not a problem. Stereo is great, as is the 6 disc option and steering wheel controls.

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  Wish they still made this more car-like wagon - 2009 Subaru Outback
  By Subie Driver - October 9 - 11:09 am

  Bought the car used with around 60K; its now at 114K. Drove the newer generation, but found it rode too truck-like, and was kind of noisy, with an unrefined drivetrain. It was also hard to see out of and had particularly uncomfortable front seats. This generation is more car-like and the better for it (havent driven the latest gen, though). Its an incredibly versatile vehicle - it drives like a sedan (and is fairly luxurious with the heated leather seats and wood trim), but has more cargo room than a similarly sized/equipped SUV. The downside is the drivetrain, which, though not as noticeably as the same-level one in the next generation, still lacks refinement, being a bit noisy and having some vibration. At certain speeds the transmission pauses before engaging, clunking when it finally does. Also the dual climate control doesnt work well, leaving both front seat occupants unhappy. But overall the car is comfortable and efficient both in town or on the highway and is like a Swiss pocket knife in terms of usability, perfect for hauling everything from furniture to dogs to groceries, while still being easy to park and decent on gas, and it has been completely reliable. Build quality is excellent, too, with interior and exterior materials holding up fantastically, even though the cars not garaged. If youre far from a major city, you may have a hard time finding people who understand this relatively rare car and how to work on and properly outfit it with brakes, tires, etc., and service things like the differentials, so keep that in mind. UPDATE: Well, once the Outback reached around 125K, we encountered a major problem that despite all of our research prior to buying the car we somehow never heard about: head gasket problems. Apparently some head gaskets for this model are prone to fail, and ours did - on a road trip, no less. The car was failing, with major oil seepage both into and out of the motor, and we couldnt schedule an indie shop for a repair in time, so we had to have it repaired at the dealership (ouch). While weve been assured that now it’s good for 100K miles or more (a better head gasket was installed), the car, after all weve put into it at this point, basically has no resale value for us - we could only hope to recoup what all weve spent on it. So keep this in mind if youre considering one of this model year. So that’s about $25,000 total for a car thats lasted 70K miles, should we decided to sell it. Not such a good deal after all.

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  Clunk is what makes a Subaru, a Subaru - 2009 Subaru Outback
  By vaa4 - September 18 - 5:53 am

  I was very happy about our new vehicle purchase (Jul09) until we hit a bump in the road...an uneven bump. Rack and Pinion is designed to clunk every time wheels are turned and hit an uneven pavement (fact). Happens on driveways and while turning on an imperfect road. Took 3 service trips to find out at over 75% of Outbacks suffer from this issue. Done 3 trips to get front vibrations (tires?) taken care of, still in progress. Front rotors already machined (2K miles). Driver door handle cable is loose, havent addressed yet. If I was a Die-hard Subaru fan, I may have ignored these imperfections since no other vehicle fits my lifestyle that well, but I am having a hard time coping with it yet.

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  Garbage Garbage Garbage! - 2009 Subaru Outback
  By Kelly - July 19 - 3:56 pm

  OMG! What a piece of garbage...Car rattles and is unusually loud...couldnt fit my infant sons carseat behind driver without being "Jacked Up" to the dashboard! If you are a tall or heavy-set person (I am not) than forget it! Plastic garbage.

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  Love it! - 2009 Subaru Outback
  By cheeseblocks - July 7 - 12:04 am

  Ive wanted to make the jump to a Impreza WRX hatchback for awhile, but I cant justify the insane insurance cost. I went to Carmax looking for a smaller hatchback, but this one had arrived on the lot the day before, and the price was right (the option of extended warranty through 150k miles was a nice touch). Im loving most everything about this car, and what I dont love, I do like.