Used 2002 Subaru Outback Consumer Reviews
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Outback VDC H6 wagon
FRM, 12/09/2006
2002 Subaru Outback H6-3.0 AWD 4dr Sedan (3.0L 6cyl 4A)
5 of 6 people found this review helpful
I have always admired Subaru for their AWD which fascinated me back in the 70s. Finally I bought one and it had the McIntosh promo stereo CD player. This stereo has rekindled my love for music as I had forgotten what beautiful music sounds like. The special sound design of the interior contributed to the greatness of the stereo. I have since listened to other systems in more expensive cars that cannot compare. The car has power with the 212hp 6 and is quiet probably because of the special sound treatment mentioned already. I have not had problems at all and the AWD can go through snow like it is not there. Ice is tough for any car. The only con is wind noise but I am well satisfied.
Reliability of McIntosh Stereo
jcborgeson, 06/25/2003
2002 Subaru Outback VDC AWD 4dr Wagon (3.0L 6cyl 4A)
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
This is my first Subaru. Great highway cruiser, very quiet. I am puzzled by the reviews that complain of wind noise. Its quieter than my Jag XJR. I've measured with a sound meter to confirm. Reliability is good with 20,400 miles. Service has been excellent. The one problem has been the McIntosh stereo. We are on our third, waiting for the fourth. The system sounds great but reliability is awful. I've been told that it is really a Clarion head with McIntosh trim. On the plus side, the AWD system is superb, far better than the Volvo XC70 it replaces. I have been pretty amazed at the slop, ice and snow this car can move through safely.
2002 Subaru Outback for sale near you
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- Base WagonMSRP: $2,699298 mi away
- L.L. Bean Edition WagonMSRP: $4,444957 mi away
- Base WagonMSRP: $8,9971,037 mi away
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So long, Subaru
Tsquared, 12/30/2004
2002 Subaru Outback AWD 4dr Wagon (2.5L 4cyl 5M)
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
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.
Gaik's Car
lemonstr, 08/29/2003
2002 Subaru Outback VDC AWD 4dr Wagon (3.0L 6cyl 4A)
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
Purchased after extensive review of car's in class. Came down to Forester or Outback. Better ride and quieter than Forester. Forester will probably be my replacement for aging Civic. Would have been happy with a Limited but wife wanted power of H6. Good car, but minor issues. Glove box hard opening, McIntosh stereo crackels on right channel when adjusting volume, water leaks in from child seat strap in rear of cargo area, has had two recalls todate. Gas mileage is not worth the performance in my opinion, wife typically get high teens on a tank, I can squeeze out low 20s with effort, best tank 26 mpg on highway. Overall Good Car!
VDC - Very Dynamic Car
WRXSTi, 06/30/2003
2002 Subaru Outback VDC AWD 4dr Wagon (3.0L 6cyl 4A)
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
This is my 7th Subaru, and by far the best made and engineered of all of them. No rattles, squeaks, grinding, smoking as of 32000 miles. The VDC is all about the motor, VERY smooth throughout rev range, boxer H6 like a "Porcha", tranmission well matched and downshifts without hesitation. Tip- take the spring on the muffler bypass and reverse it, it allows full flow of exhaust and gives you the distinct pleasure of hearing the engine note at all throttle settings, plus increases the MPG and acceleration.