Used 2003 Subaru Outback Consumer Reviews
Used Outback for sale
See Edmunds pricing data
Has Your Car's Value Changed?
Used car values are constantly changing. Edmunds lets you track your vehicle's value over time so you can decide when to sell or trade in.
Garbage
wis family, 03/06/2010
2003 Subaru Outback AWD 4dr Wagon w/Premium Audio System (2.5L 4cyl 4A)
2 of 3 people found this review helpful
At 60K the engine developed a bad knock we were told this was normal - as it got worse we had oil analysis done and it indicated there was a lot of aluminum in the oil after endless dickering with Subaru they replaced the engine - the old one had two very bad pistons and would have failed soon. We also have had many electrical problems and oil leaks at the cam seals. Also the alarm system was on and my remote battery died and I was unable to get it started until I got a new battery for the damn thing. We could go on and on about this lemon. We were Subaru fans and drove our last one almost 200K but this one has been a nightmare of epic proportions. We will NEVER buy another one.
Darn That Transmission
duzduz, 08/10/2010
2003 Subaru Outback Limited AWD 4dr Sedan (2.5L 4cyl 4A)
2 of 3 people found this review helpful
Overall I truly loved this car. Unfortunately the window noise everyone talks about came up for me around 30,000 miles but bigger than that, the transmission! Clunky from about 56,000 miles and finally bit the dust at 140,000. Come now, that's too early. I'm a very gentle driver, never accelerate too fast, and would certainly expect a better lifetime out of such a major (and EXPENSIVE) element of the car. Sounds like this is a trend with the 03 Outback :(
2003 Subaru Outback for sale near you
Showing 3 of 27 listings
- Base WagonMSRP: $3,500344 mi away
- L.L. Bean Edition WagonMSRP: $5,999496 mi away
- Base WagonMSRP: $3,999639 mi away
See all 27 listings
Love My Subaru
SCB, 08/14/2003
2003 Subaru Outback H6-3.0 AWD 4dr Wagon (3.0L 6cyl 4A)
2 of 3 people found this review helpful
We just traded in our Dodge MiniVan for the Subaru Outback. We have two children and I did not think we needed another van but I wanted to have room and we take car trips often so comfort was one of my big factors. We have not taken a car trip with it yet, but I know we will not have a problem. I also wanted the AWD and of course the bigger engine. I have always heard great things about the outback and that it had all the safety features to make you feel good with having small children in it. The child seat anchors are a plus.
Peppy, all the bells and whistles, safe
Campbell, 05/07/2016
2003 Subaru Outback H6-3.0 AWD 4dr Wagon (3.0L 6cyl 4A)
4 of 10 people found this review helpful
Reliably safe and very peppy!
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
Another good Subaru
Chuck, 09/19/2007
2003 Subaru Outback Limited AWD 4dr Wagon (2.5L 4cyl 5M)
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
I am generally happy with this car. It gives me the cargo capacity that I need and is also useful as a passenger car. My car is a 4-cylinder and it seems a little weak on acceleration and going up hills. This can be particularly annoying when trying to merge onto the highway. Probably the 6-cylinder engine is best on this vehicle.