Used 2003 Subaru Outback Consumer Reviews
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Best car I ever owned in 50 years
panda, 04/01/2006
2003 Subaru Outback H6-3.0 AWD 4dr Wagon (3.0L 6cyl 4A)
5 of 5 people found this review helpful
Solid road car. Great engine, quiet, very good handling, brakes and steering wheel response. Great road shock absorption. Transmission very smooth. The car is tight at the shoulders and could be a little wider. The steering wheel needs to be adjusted higher to clear my knees.
Loving Subaru! I do not want to drive anything els
Denise, 01/21/2016
updated 08/01/2017
2003 Subaru Outback L.L. Bean Edition AWD 4dr Wagon (3.0L 6cyl 4A)
13 of 17 people found this review helpful
We have enjoyed this car, bought in 2006 at 130000 miles. Now we have 284000 and it is still driving like new. I sold my sweet 2003 at 288.000 miles. Never had one problem. We bought a 2016 brand new! Although the car is new and the technology is great it does not compare with my 2003. The old car was an LLBean Legacy Outback with leather interior. CD player (5 CD changer) which really was wearing out. Separate Moon and Sun Roofs. No navigation system. I used a separate GPS System. The new 2016 is an Outback. The ride in the 2003 is way smoother and the engine is so much quieter. The navigation system really ... well ... sucks. Everything I said before still goes about my 2016 Subaru. I have to really say that the navigation system in the car is hard to use! What I do not like about the whole system in general is that it takes over and does not allow you to do anything while the car is in motion. Or even sitting with your break on in Drive. Even the passenger cannot make any changes to the route or look up anything. The mapping program is archaic to say the least. Why can't Subaru integrate a system that matches what you have on your cell phone. You are used to looking at that screen used to in putting the data or information. I use a couple of mapping programs. The only thing good about the mapping program in my car right now is the graphics are good. But it's so difficult to put an address in and the first time I tried it I kept putting the address that I wanted to go to as my home address because you can't tell what it wants and then you find out that you've put your home address as an address you're trying to navigate to. I really don't use it much it's a waste of time for me. I also do not like the sound Radio / whatever it's called. You can't take stations off that you don't want on there. I took Sirius radio off there because it's seriously not worth the money. But I can't get the Sirius channels off. I've tried going in and just putting another channel on top of that one that works but it's very time-consuming it needs to be more user-friendly because you have to sit out in your garage for hours the program it. Subaru please send us a fix... I need a computer upgrade this year one that is not 20 years behind the times. I have leather seats my car does not smell like leather my husband said well they're not really leather... I did not know that when I bought the car... Well I can live with it but it's just one of those frustrating things if you know what I'm saying. When I come up to my car and it's locked I have a car full of groceries and I have my key in my purse I can open the doors no problem but I cannot open the tailgate it will not open for me. I have to unlock my car and then open the tailgate. It won't even unlock with the remote. , so far this car drives like a dream... I have no complaints about the car just the computer system that runs the mapping program and the child guards apparently that I can't turn my radio off when I'm backing up since someone left it on parked it I turned on the car put it in reverse and then all the sudden the radio comes on and just blasting scared this scares the heck out of me and I have to stop backing up put my car into park to turn the radio off. Just those little aggravating things they super add up. And the little drop-down for the sunglasses that is in the ceiling of the car up close to the front windshield pops down put your sunglasses in... No sunglasses will fit in there it is so freaking small. Just saying
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2003 Subaru Outback for sale near you
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No Subarus in the future for me
TG, 06/27/2010
2003 Subaru Outback AWD 4dr Wagon (2.5L 4cyl 4A)
8 of 10 people found this review helpful
Within 48K I have lost my AC, redone the Brakes, lost the radio, small plastic hooks and knobs break off easily and finally the Head Gasket failed. Bad Subaru! the HGs have been failing on these cars since 1976 (my 1st Subaru) after many misleading discussions with Sales/mechanics we decided to give them another chance. FAIL. don't buy a Subaru w/o looking up their reviews/complaints first.For a car with this many features you would not think that this CRITICAL part would be so consistently overlooked.
Reliable
Sorin, 07/18/2009
2003 Subaru Outback H6-3.0 AWD 4dr Wagon (3.0L 6cyl 4A)
8 of 10 people found this review helpful
I bought it brand new and now I have 140.000 on it. Drives like the first day. Have not had ANY engine/transmission problems. Wasted money on extended warranty. Did oil change myself, fuel filter only changed a couple a times, transmission fluid drained twice, Serp belt went at 100K. Changed spark plugs (major pain, buried deep) at 100K, looked like new. VERY reliable in all kinds of weather. Cons: wind noise (only if you want to drive above 80, and then I guess it's a good thing, it keeps you alert). Not enough leg room. Those who think a 6 cylinder will accelerate faster forget about it, it doesn't, because it's heavier. It is friendly, though, once you get to know it.
WHAT A MONEY PIT!! TOO BAD :(
mom0f3, 01/26/2011
2003 Subaru Outback AWD 4dr Wagon (2.5L 4cyl 4A)
8 of 10 people found this review helpful
Beautiful car, roomy enough for transporting my children. Paint job is still brilliant and the car looks newer than it is. I really considered buying a newer outback, however at 70,000 miles, one thing has broken after another. First the wiper hose, then the wiper motor, head gaskets replaced, water pump and now the transmission is shot. I have put 3K into the car in the past 6 months. Thank goodness the transmission is still under warranty. I just wonder what is next to go. Too bad because I really liked driving my outback.