3 Star Reviews for 2011 Subaru Outback

Overview & Reviews

Average Score

4.38/5 Average
155 Total Reviews
This Year's Model Updates:

A rearview camera is added to the options list for the 2011 Subaru Outback. The 3.6R Limited trim gets standard satellite radio.

Pros:
  • Spacious interior, excellent outward visibility, crossover-besting cargo space, comfortable ride, perfect crash scores, commendable off-road performance for a wagon, simple controls on lower trims.
Cons:
  • Lacks agility, numb-on-center steering, poor base stereo, fussy controls on upper trims.

User Reviews:

Showing 1 through 10 of 155.00
  • Dont let your car die:( - 2011 Subaru Outback
    By -

    I am really unhappy that I bought my car. I have had it four weeks and it has spent the last 3 days in the shop. One of my kids left a dome light on in the car over night and it died. The next morning I tried to jump it and it wouldnt jump. The car had stopped recognizing my keys and remote starter. I had to get it towed and reprogrammed. I dont want a car that is going to need to be towed if the battery goes dead. The gas milage is no where near thirty like it say that it can get. I average about 20 on the highway.

  • They need to upgrade the quality of their plastics and fix some of the "accepted" normal problems with Subarus - 2011 Subaru Outback
    By -

    I have owned two Subaru’s over the past four years (2009 Forrester; 2011 Outback). I was happy to start up with the Subaru line since I thought I would be getting a quality car. I have to say that I’ve been disappointed in the quality and irksome “normal” issues. It has the standard Subaru brake clunk and the muffler-guard rattle. It has a catalytic convertor baffle noise vibration too. It has a clicking noise behind the driver’s dashboard and creaking/rattles in the plastic trays on the sides of the doors. I’ve already started looking at what other car brand I might be able to purchase. Sorry Subaru, it’s sayonara for me.

  • Great in Snow, But not Without Issues - 2011 Subaru Outback
    By -

    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.

  • CVT REVERSE POWER PROBLEMS!!!!! BEWARE!!!! - 2011 Subaru Outback
    By -

    I purchased a 2011 Subaru Outback in June, the car seems to be fine except that I bought the car for highway and off road driving. Unfortunatley I found out that the NEW SUBARU IS NOT CAPABLE OF BACKING OVER A 5" CURB FROM A STOP!!! THE CVT DOES NOT PROVIDE REVERSING POWER TO GET OVER CURB. A supervisor at Subaru America has stated that the car is not expected to be able to clear objects 5" tall in reverse without having momentum to car the car over the object. If you shift into reverse and try to back over a curb the pedal will go to the floor and the car will go NOWHERE without starting momentum. The car has severly limited torque in reverse and cannot be trusted!!!!

  • Engine problems (9,500 miles) - 2011 Subaru Outback
    By -

    Engine started to chug or mis-fire during a recent winter trip across the northern states (2,000 miles round trip). The problem appears to be related to snow intake as the problem only surfaces when driving during a snow storm or in blowing snow. Ive taken it to two dealers and they have not resolved. Problem is that the car "chugged" abruptly about 30 times during four separate snow events, so the "cause and effect" seems very obvious to me. Not gasoline related. Dealer ruled out transmission. Serious enough "chugging" to make the kids think we were about to break down. There is something going on with a sensor or the engine that has yet to manifest as a code, but its coming.

  • Nice Rig......BUT!!! Update - 2011 Subaru Outback
    By -

    I bought a 2011 Outback 3.6R with 24K miles on the tout of Consumer Reports, and the fact my nephew has been driving a used 2006 for years while going to college. The only negative feedback I found was from a friend who owned a Legacy. She loved the vehicle, however it developed the problem of everything stopping periodically for no apparent reason and Subaru could never resolve the problem. I should have leaned more to her experience for my choice! At about 42K miles, periodically, my Outback wouldnt shift out of 2nd gear when in auto mode requiring me to go to manual mode to shift out of 2nd. This problem progressively got worse to the point I took it to the dealer. That was nearly three months ago, April 19, 2016. Luckily, the problem repeated when the technician took it for a test!! Supposedly the transmission has been replaced THREE times, the last a brand new one after two factory rebuilds. Most or all control modules have also supposedly been replaced. Even the factory engineer was called out, and the problem even stumped him. The last I heard over a week ago, the main computer was to be cleared and reprogrammed. To date 7/17/16, I havent heard from the service manager, so I am assuming that didnt work either. I have to say the dealership has treated me well by providing a new Legacy loaner. The only other negative points are the moon roof is too noisy when open, with or without the deflector and it pulls to the right after installing new tires which I was told by dealer is a design by Subaru, even though it didnt do so prior to new tires and the Legacy Im driving doesnt pull either??? Otherwise, as a hiker, gold panner, and hunter, I think the Outback is a nice rig, but even if it is fixed, can I trust it??? Well, after nearly 7 months and $10K (on extended warranty so dealer ate it), the problem ended up being that Discount Tire installed 235/65R/17 on left side and 235/60R/17 on right side! This was supposedly found by one of the engineers asking if tire size had checked. When I bought the car, the rotors were required to be turned (something I forgot to mention on original review) which the dealer (Subaru of Las Vegas, NV) did at no cost to me. When I got the Outback back after shifting problem, it again had pulsations when applying the brakes. This time the dealer (Hohl Subaru in Carson City, NV) charged me $182.00 to inspect and troubleshoot, and of course the rotors needed to be replaced. I had Discount Tire replace all four tires (after them trying to change only one side & me having to make a scene) immediately on getting Outback returned. Then, after getting quote from brake shop to fix the front rotors, I took the Outback to the local Toyota dealer and traded it in on a Tacoma quad cab TRD Off Road. What a great rig! The Outbacks off roading capabilities are limited.

  • Dumbest design - headlights - 2011 Subaru Outback
    By -

    I like my outback, except that the design for headlight replacement is probably the poorest engineering design I have ever witnessed in my life. You need to remove multiple fasteners to push back the fenders in order to access the headlight assembly, then fit your arm in the tightest area to remove the assembly cover, access the bulb, and do the whole thing in reverse. Absolutely the dumbest design ever. Subaru touts itself as an outdoor, adventure type vehicle, appealing to the "outback" kinda explorer...yet, headlights are not for show but for safety, and thus should be easily accessible if ever the Indiana Jones in you is out and about after dark and needs to repair a blown bulb....just like changing tires, adding fuel or changing a belt...all these things should be doable by the driver ( alone in the wild) not by the dealer.....bad juju all around!

  • Flawed steering system 2010-11 models - 2011 Subaru Outback
    By -

    Bottom line is the car has a flawed steering system and it effects 30-60+ percent of the cars. I got one of the affected cars and have been fighting with SOA over it. They know the cars are bad and they are selling them to unsuspecting buyers. You sign a contract and your stuck. Run away from these 2 year models of this car! Read the horror stories on the site I mentioned above.

  • My last Subaru - 2011 Subaru Outback
    By -

    My 2011 Subaru has had one problem after another. Last month the manifold cracked and it was an $800 repair. This month a sensor went bad in the transmission - $1300! If Subaru has these known quality problems, they should at least help out with the repair costs. They said this sensor part alone costs $800, Im sure it doesnt cost a tenth of that to make. Not only is the quality bad, but they wont work with their loyal customers on the cost of repair. I am not loyal anymore. (Not to mention they still have not fixed the head light blowing problem I had on my 2005 Outback)

  • Should have been better - 2011 Subaru Outback
    By -

    Seats are comfortable and its easy to find a great seating position. Leather seems of good, but not great, quality. Cabin reasonably quiet. The ride is very busy, harsh even, really jiggly on uneven pavement. Lots of road feel transmitted back into the steering wheel, and increasing over time so that I now have the oscillation problem. Front end makes a decent clunking sound anytime Im turning into a driveway at anything other than a crawl. The real downside on mine is the 5-spd AT. a shuddering, engine lugging abomination at low rpm. Operation of all the above described as normal. The engine is about the best feature of the car smooth, quiet and great acceleration.

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