Subaru Outback Reviews

My wife and I bought two 2017 brand new Subarus, an Outback, and a Crosstrek. From what we heard and saw that Subaru was a very safe and reliable vehicle. We very faithfully, change the oil regularly and kept up on the maintenance. Well in 2022 the driver's door started rusting on the outback. Well it was a defect in the weld on the door. We contacted Subaru on this matter, and they split the cost with us on replacing the door. So $1,500 on our half later we have a new door. Then in the last part of 2023 the Outback's oil pressure light started coming on. With the miles only being at 95,000. We took it to the dealership to be looked at. They explained to us that Subaru had this problem with their engines, and all the can do is monitor it at this time, because it was not bad enough yet to replace the engine.

Two sensors came in,, still need a third, the shop has no estimate on when. Need the third or car is not drivable. This problem only occurs with the 2020 Subaru Outback. That diminishes the value severely since car will not operate without all three sensors. Jay still will not bring this issue to his supervisor. Obviously, this is at management direction. What good is a car that performs great in an accident, but Subaru USA will not stock parts to fix it!!!. Unfortunately, there is no government agency that can control the manufacturer! Shame on your organization for dealing with your customers in this fashion!!!! You get zero stars.!!.

Looks like over 50% rate you a 1 or a 2. If you had a zero, it would be 75%. You should be ashamed to manufacture a car and not have adequate part to repair it in an accident. Waiting 5 months now for 3 sensors. Obviously you waited till you need an amount that would give you a price break when you ordered. Think of us who can't drive our car because of your actions. NEVER BUY a SUBARU!!!!

I have 2018 Subaru Outback. My infotainment system has not worked for some time. I am now aware that there was a class action lawsuit that lead to an extended warranty of 5 years and 100,000 miles, but unfortunately I am now outside of these parameters. I was not notified at the time although Subaru claims they sent a letter.

The engine of my 2018 Outback was recently diagnosed leaking to exhaust pipeline. Can't believe that Subaru still making cars with engine problems.... Called Subaru USA, very bad experience with those guys.... STAY AWAY FROM SUBARU IF WANT HAVE YOUR CAR LONGER.

While the car itself is great… The electronics ie touchscreen is worse than you can imagine. There are so many glitches in this thing I can’t list them all. I have had the car for two months now and I am still finding new ones. The safety features are over the top and annoying to say the least. This is my third Subaru and I am already considering getting rid of this one.

Seems like they should have adequate parts inventory for a 5 year old car. Contacted both the dealer and Subaru, Subaru said they knew they had a problem. Car is now not only disabled but not salable. Nor being able to replace a key part is not acceptable.

This is my first Subaru as I have historically purchased Fords in the past. I bought a brand new Touring XT Outback with the promise that it could tow 3500 lbs as advertised and reinforced by everyone at the dealership. When I received the Outback I immediately had a hitch installed as I needed it to tow a trailer. The hitch that was installed only provided a 4 pin connector but I need a seven pin connector to tow my trailer with electric brakes. The owner’s manual states the vehicle can only tow 1000lbs with a trailer without brakes (4 pin connector) which is understandable. However a seven pin connector is needed to tow every trailer with electric brakes (standard type).

I purchased a 2016 Subaru Crosschek with 40,000 miles from the Glendale Subaru dealership, not realizing they had just replaced a blown head gasket. The Head Gasket blew again at 50,000 destroying the block and the Palm Desert Subaru replaced the block because it was still under warranty. The Head Gasket blew again at 70,000 miles and the Subaru CS is going to assist with $2500 of the $4800 bill, so I'm in for $2300 bill. My goal of purchasing a Crosstrek and getting 200,000 miles is bunk! Three blown gaskets in 70,000 miles! Wow!!

1st Outback was 2005, engine blew at around 70,000 miles because of head gasket failure. Dealings with the dealership and Subaru America. 2nd outback is a 2021. The computer(s) in this thing are a complete mess. Anything that is connected to a computer is randomly dysfunctional, and the most worrying part is the randomness of it. Short list of things that randomly go wrong:

I bought a new Subaru Outback Outdoors XT in 2020. After about 33000 km the car started to shake at braking. Their own service people said that the rotors were warped and needed replacement. However, since it was 'more than 1 year old' they refused to replace the defective parts, and quoted me over $700 for parts and labour. I am very disappointed with Subaru's quality. They are certainly not as safe as they advertise, and have zero interest in looking after their customers. I would never buy another Subaru again, and would recommend to stay away from the brand that uses low quality parts and offers no regard for their customers.

I started having problems with my 2015, 6 cylinder Outback at 75,000 miles in 2019. That's when the oil light first came on between oil changes but it "passed" an oil consumption test. Subaru assured me that 6 cylinders don't have oil consumption problems and that the tech likely only filled enough oil for a 4 cylinder. It is now 2022. The oil light has come on 7 more times. Each oil consumption test passed with the exception of the last one and Subaru kept assuring me that it is normal to add oil so often between oil changes. I took the car to another mechanic who did a smoke test and said the piston seals are leaking. I was already aware of the class action lawsuit.

I'm an owner of 3 Subaru outbacks. Past 2 did not have much problem. My recent Subaru Outback Wilderness (less than a year with low mileage) Battery Died. I guess it was a lemon & took it to dealer & they did not perform any diagnostic check on why it died & simply recharged the battery. So, I contacted Subaru Customer Advocacy dept & explained all my problems. They assured me it will be fixed or at a minimum battery will be replaced. At the new Subaru dealer, my car was kept for almost a day, findings were battery was weak & they recharged it. I tried to contact the Customer Advocacy dept again but did not get a response. I'm now nervous on when & where my battery will be dead again.

UPDATED 6/24/2022: First off Subaru claims to be this great family company. They claim they donate over 140 million dollars in donation to pet homeless and a few others. I brought my brand new car in that has a weak windshield (broke at 30 mph, broke at 45 mph and third time it broke we were barely taking off from a red light and a pebble broke it again), faulty cheap parts ( coolant pump) that go out in the middle of the highway. The passenger window rolls up halfway before rolling back down automatically and my dash turning on and off at will.

I bought a pristine 2003 Subaru Outback for my 18 year old grandson. Subaru's reputation for saving lives does live up to its claim. He was coming home from school, went around a turn, 1/2 mile from our house, hit gravel, he overcorrected and hit a small tree which in turn the car rolled on to the driver side where it came to rest. He climbed out through the passenger side. Thankfully, he only wound up with a few scratches and a lot of bruising, and hurt pride and ego. The car was totaled but did protect him from seriously getting hurt or even worse. I have three other Subarus and will be get him another Subaru. Thank you Subaru.

We ordered the Outback 3.6R NEW due to its alleged reliability. When the car was delivered there were cracks in the steel on both driver and passenger front window frame posts. We found this days after we got the car home. I had to be brought back and re-welded. Now at 40K miles, we have all the dash warning lights on, including the check engine light. I have only owned Toyotas and I have never had any problems with them. I tried Subaru. Unfortunately I will be returning to Toyota.

At only 50,000 miles, had to replace two front wheel bearings. At 105,000 miles, just out of warranty, had to replace the catalytic converter and the $8000 CVT Transmission! Then, just a bit later at 115,000 miles, another wheel bearing went bad. One of the worst vehicles I've ever owned - and I have had over 30 vehicles!

I recently hit a deer, and my 2014 Subaru Outback was totaled. Five airbags deployed, and I walked away without a scratch. A few days later, I purchased a 2019 Subaru Outback from Moe ** at Concordville Subaru. It was the best auto purchasing experience in my life; seamless and efficient. This review is twofold, first as a heartfelt thank you to the construction and safety of the Outback, and second, a big compliment to the sales department at Concordville Subaru.

I purchased a 2011 Subaru Outback in March of last year. Upon purchase, I was not told of the impending transmission problems that almost every car of this make experiences. Now, I am up against a $1250 repair and Subaru is offering me no assistance with a problem that nearly every owner has experienced. I am disappointed to be left hanging like this with a problem that wasn’t a result of bad ownership but a faulty product. I was hoping that they would extend a good will warranty to me, or at least cover a portion of the cost, but they have stood firm against any help whatsoever. This certainly has shaken my faith in the brand, and I would suggest that everyone look further into specific problems with their make and model before buying a Subaru, because this isn’t the first time and it will not be the last.

After much research and many excellent reviews I settled on a used 2013 Outback. After driving the car 500 miles I learned of a nasty OIL consumption issue with this model. Subaru claimed the only repair was $5500 short block replacement. This was an official recall however my mileage was just over the 125K thresh-hold. Subaru would not work with us.... not half price. Nothing. I did replace the short block issue on my own ($5000). After this major swap the puddle lights ($315) and catalytic converter ($1300) have since failed on this POS. And I'm going to have to pay for these new repairs.

Our 2018 Outback almost killed my husband. He was getting into the car (it was running) and just opened the door, when the car rolled back. He was pinned between the door and the garage frame and fortunately the he was able to roll into the garage. He hit so hard and landed on the side of his mountain bike (was inside the door) that it punched a hole through the wall. I came out to find him laying on the ground in the garage and the car sitting in my driveway just outside the garage. There is a natural slope and it was stopped where it levels off. The door ended up being caught on the frame of the garage and opened all the way and then some before slamming back. The door is not functional and it damaged the front quarter panel as well as the driver door.

The ride height. The smooth ride. The impeccable symmetrical AWD. The luxury options. The spacious interior. What’s not to like about a Subaru Outback. It’s the best of both worlds. An SUV and a full-size sedan in one. I couldn’t be any happier with my choice of vehicle and would certainly buy another. The only downside to this vehicle I would have to say is the fuel economy, this vehicle has always hovered around the 18-30mpg marker. SAD. But overall a great car, 11/10 would recommend.

Great vehicle, handling, powerful Smooth (6cyl), mileage 28+, quiet. BUT..Concerned about the CVT transmission longevity (not made by Subaru). Understand they are made by the same maker as in the Nissan. Not a good reputation for reliability.

Reasonably good car, the issues I've had were battery failure, the dealer replaced it. The fuel gauge is inaccurate, even after a recall, I refill early to keep fuel from running out, and finally, the car cuts out after filling the fuel tank, apparently due to pressure buildup. Not a issue in the winter, just summer. Dealer could not solve.

Reliable performer in all weather conditions, comfortable, safe, holds value. Good driving position and visibility. Very good gas mileage. Roomy area with back seat down or up. Body style holds up over the years.

We bought this 2016 Subaru Outback in January 2016 and it had all the bells and whistles as we traded in our 2012 Mazda3 which we bought new as well but wanted something with all wheel drive for the mountains so we looked at Mazda's first but all the seats would not tilt (as I have back problems) so we looked at Subaru's next and the Outback stood out for all the technology we got for a great price. We love the way it sits so high with great visibility. I like the way it handles too. The only thing I wish was different is a mouse for the GPS/Radio screen. Trying to push on it and hitting a small spot while driving is treacherous.

Our Subaru Outback is a very good, well built vehicle that we have been very happy with. It is solid and almost impossible to get stuck, especially in the winter (with snow tires). Although it is classified as a station wagon, not an SVU, it's ability to haul stuff is amazing. I will probably never buy another Subaru however. Why? First, all the dealerships I deal with where I live are poor to awful. They treat their employees poorly and are very bottom line focused to the detriment of providing good service and a positive feeling when you buy a car from them. Second, they do not have an electric, environmental friendly vehicle available nor do I expect them to be able to easily catch up enough to be able to produce one.

Subaru builds the Swiss Army Knife of cars. Nothing flashy. Conservative and incremental style changes. The four-wheel drive is unequaled in snow or rain! Lowest depreciation! The first car I have ever kept for more than 7 years and more are expected.

A safe, roomy, dependable, no frills car which explains its popularity. The 4 cylinder engine is a bit underpowered when it comes to passing, but the ride is solid and smooth. The all wheel drive is amazing in mud or snow. I have over 62,000 trouble-free miles on mine and expect it will go another 100,000 with little more than routine maintenance.

My 2018 Outback replaces my 2011 Outback. I opted for the 3.6R package and with the CVT transmission is a great match for the Texas Hill Country. The suspension has been improved and the vehicle tracks much better. Safety features with Isight is fantastic and very intuitive. Very comfortable interior and it is very roomy. CVT transmission is much quieter. Economy is still excellent. Visibility is very good.