Used 2005 Subaru Outback Consumer Reviews
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WHERE'S THE TORQUE?
ROSALIE, 07/01/2005
2005 Subaru Outback 3.0 R VDC Limited AWD 4dr Wagon (3.0L 6cyl 5A)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Truly a great car except that there is hesitation and lack of torque. I love the styling, sound system, steering, interior (except rear leg room).
Subaru Outback in Aussie Outback country
AW, 07/03/2005
2005 Subaru Outback 2.5i Limited AWD 4dr Wagon (2.5L 4cyl 4A)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Excellent design and a major improvement on the previous model. Solidly put together with a great deal of focus in reducing NVH on the ride. My Outback has the Premium package as available in Aussie, which includes leather interior, double moon roof, and the self leveling rear suspension. Better if there was a possibility to adjust the passenger seat for height.Too low at the moment. The headlamps needed to be beefed up, and I had to replace the original bulbs with the Subaru upgrade kit. It should have been upgraded at manufacturer, and not after buying the car. The steering had developed some clonking sound when going from lock to lock in parking. Requires a warranty repair.
2005 Subaru Outback for sale near you
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big bang for the buck
jack C., 07/06/2005
2005 Subaru Outback 2.5i Limited AWD 4dr Wagon (2.5L 4cyl 4A)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
My new Outback Ltd. is extremely comfortable, with outstanding fit and finish. I chose the non turbo version although I was tempted by the power of the turbo; however with the mileage I put on a car I can save about $750 per year with the non turbo. Car is very versatile; will handle people, dogs and equipment and living in Florida it gives me a feeling of security knowing I have all wheel drive for those torrential downpours. This is my fifth Subie, but first Outback and this one is the best!
What a wonderful car
David, 07/29/2005
2005 Subaru Outback 2.5 XT Limited AWD 4dr Wagon (2.5L 4cyl Turbo 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I love this car. It's easily the best car I've ever owned.
Best for now
halbhh, 07/31/2005
2005 Subaru Outback 2.5i AWD 4dr Wagon (2.5L 4cyl 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Since we need to haul our 3 large dogs, we need a wagon or SUV. Of all the ones out there this is probably the most cost efficient while still having such a great look and feel. It's interesting to see today the article where it's more fuel efficient than the Toyota Highlander Hybrid. We get 27.5 in town and 30 on the highway (review said that hybrid did 23). She wanted manual, so that's what we have, and its drawback is the slight jerkiness and heavy clutch, but you learn to ease it and we're getting better at it (after 5000 miles). Overall I don't think there's anything close for this price. It's a truly great car/wagon/suv/what-have-you.
1st Subaru
Gerard, 08/18/2005
2005 Subaru Outback 2.5 XT AWD 4dr Wagon (2.5L 4cyl Turbo 5A)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I've had my '05 Outback XT for 12K miles now. Turbo is great but there is a lag from a standstill with the automatic. Love the "manual" shifting in the mountains. Brakes could be a bit better. Nagging rattle has developed behind the dash. AWD works great in Colorado winters. Handling is awesome. Gas mileage on the highway nears 25, city is closer to 17. Trip computer regularly overrates the mileage by 1 MPG. Rear leg room is only adequate. Reliability has been excellent. Rear cup holders are small and weak.
Wonderful Vehicle
Rich Purdy, 08/24/2005
2005 Subaru Outback 2.5 XT AWD 4dr Wagon (2.5L 4cyl Turbo 5A)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
We purchased this vehicle in trade for '99 Jeep Grand Cherokee Ltd with hi- preformance V8. Excellent decision! The performance exceeds expectation while quality, comfort and style are all excellent. Tested the Limited but found the sunroof too large and noisy when open. Also, preferred fabric over leather. Only disappointment is manual passenger seat. Narrowed the short list to this vehicle and the Volvo V50 T5. Clearly no comparison - XT rides, handles and outperforms in all areas. This vehicles actually overshadows our previous '01 Volvo V70 T5. Purchased vehicle over the internet (although local) and received exceptional, professional treatment along with favorable numbers.
Wow! What a deal...
DKinGA, 09/06/2005
2005 Subaru Outback 2.5i Limited AWD 4dr Wagon (2.5L 4cyl 4A)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
This is our first Subaru purchase, after much research for an SUV/wagon with kids/pets/transport capability & COMFORT. We had an '01 Honda CR-V which served us well but it was time for an UPGRADE. We were extremely impressed with its handling and performance; that extra 20hp sure makes a difference! Huge moonroof & leather interior were a definite plus. Luxury feel without paying a fortune. With discounts & trade in we ended up paying less for what we paid for CR-V (Standard, stripped model). Suggestion to consumers: Get Firestone/Bridgestone Road Hazard on tires. These are rather expensive tires & it will cover repairs/replacements. It's worth it.
Liked '97 much better
Kiko, 09/16/2005
2005 Subaru Outback 3.0 R VDC Limited AWD 4dr Wagon (3.0L 6cyl 5A)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Very disappointed with the fuel economy - 16mpg in winter, 19 in summer. Climate controls are confusing, impossible to get fresh, cool air into cabin w/o A/C. Continue to have issues with noise and vibration in front drivetrain. Dealer has not been able to correct after vehicle being in shop over two weeks. Should have stuck with the old reliable.
Subaru is Better Than The Ratings
Hg Wells, 09/22/2005
2005 Subaru Outback 3.0 R VDC Limited AWD 4dr Wagon (3.0L 6cyl 5A)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I tend to think that Subaru owners are tougher evaluators than some others. So many Subaru owners love their cars and buy them again. This summer, I talked to a lady who is on her 7th Subaru and has said that they have (literally) saved her life. My VDC (a rarer model) has surprised me with its off-road performance. I have had more traditional 4WD vehicles before. I expected it to be good on any road, not as good as it is off-road. Higher ground clearance in the 2005's helps. The VDV (Vehicle Dynamic Control) traction control rarely kicks in, but when it does (only off-road so far), it does very well. I have always liked Subaru's engineering. Like it better than my ratings.
family wagon from hades
mick maccionagh, 01/26/2006
2005 Subaru Outback 2.5 XT AWD 4dr Wagon (2.5L 4cyl Turbo 5A)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Wow. One review I read while I was researching vehicles and trying to decide which to buy in the spring of '05 referred to the '05 XT LTD as the family wagon from Hades in regards to its absolute rocket-like reaction to full gas petal depression. Now I know what he meant. The car is very comfortable, nicely packaged, bolted down very well, nice touch here, classy touch there, safe as can be, reliable etc. But, what it's really about is what happens after the turbo spools up. I really believe, as Ive read elsewhere on more than one occasion, that the 250 advertised hp is conservative, at the least. Its a great car and fun as all get out to drive. Buy one. Tomorrow.
love it
c, 02/14/2006
2005 Subaru Outback 2.5i Limited AWD 4dr Wagon (2.5L 4cyl 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I downsized from a Pathfinder that I loved to the 2005 2.5i limited. Very comfortable, agile and just superb in bad weather. Driving in rain is like driving on dry pavement. In 18" of snow it did well except when the drifts exceeded the front hood. All I had to do was back up and try again and it blasted right through.
great, but...
outbou, 03/22/2006
2005 Subaru Outback 2.5i Limited AWD 4dr Wagon (2.5L 4cyl 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Basically, I love the car (it's my 2nd one) but I absolutely hate the fact that there is no place for your pocketbook of bag of some sort. We need women to design a car with women and mothers in mind!
Great in the snow
LMay326, 06/08/2006
2005 Subaru Outback 3.0 R VDC Limited AWD 4dr Wagon (3.0L 6cyl 5A)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Great in the snow.
Subaru Wagon
wrh2046, 10/18/2006
2005 Subaru Outback 2.5i Limited AWD 4dr Wagon (2.5L 4cyl 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
This car is very tight, no rattles. It is a dream to drive on long trips.T he one thing I don't like it need to use premium gas. This is my third one- two L.L Bean wagons, and one Forester that my wife drives and she loves it.
Good car
Charles, 11/06/2006
2005 Subaru Outback 2.5i Limited AWD 4dr Wagon (2.5L 4cyl 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Great car. Only improvements could be more interior lighting when the doors are opened at night and more power under the hood. Otherwise, I would say this car is amazing. It functions well, is incredibly safe (I emerged unscratched in a head on collision), and looks great.
Good mileage
rppups, 11/10/2006
2005 Subaru Outback 2.5i Limited AWD 4dr Wagon (2.5L 4cyl 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
If you're looking for an all-around utility car this may be it. Handles great in the snow/ice, rides smooth, lots of storage, good looking, and I average almost 28 mpg with 30,000 miles on the engine. The only thing I find lacking is power, but that's the trade off for the good mileage.
stealth wagon
arizona, 02/08/2007
2005 Subaru Outback 2.5 XT AWD 4dr Wagon (2.5L 4cyl Turbo 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Car is pleasant to look at but doesn't attract attention. The turbo gives it a serious turn of speed. Has been comfortable on long (7 hour) highway trips. Has performed well on off road camping excursions. Did very well last year during a major snowstorm and snow covered roads in Colorado (where every third car seemed to be a Subaru). Holds a surprising amount of gear. Longer wheelbase gives it a more comfortable highway ride than the Forester.
Money Pit
Disappointed, 10/04/2007
2005 Subaru Outback 2.5 XT AWD 4dr Wagon (2.5L 4cyl Turbo 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
We have an '04 Outback Sedan, 100K miles, runs great - and an '05 Outback XT wagon 5 spd that fell apart. We just traded in the '05 wagon with 92K miles on it. Tires must be replaced in pairs and have equal tread or the car pulls hard and rides rough. Plus, it will not tow the weight Subaru claims. Replaced clutch at about 60K miles ($1000) At 92K, car needed the following: rear window wiper ($400) pwr steer pump ($600) and manual tranny ($3500). On the way to trade it in, cruise control broke and check engine light was on. Loved the car but it fell apart and was very expensive.
Won't get burned again.
outback, 09/08/2007
2005 Subaru Outback 2.5i Limited AWD 4dr Wagon (2.5L 4cyl 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Bought an Outback summer of 2005. Came highly recommended by everyone I talked to. I have no idea why. Had to realign at 5000 mi and I hit nothing. OEM tires shot at 20000 miles. Replaced with cheap Cooper tires, ride and handling better than OEM Bridgestones. Seats are very uncomfortable and back seat is way too small. Gas mileage is good (26 to 28 very careful hwy, no A/C) but if you add a roof carrier and bike rack, drops to 23 to 24 mpg. Car is underpowered. Also, the Outback is not an SUV or truck. Not durable.
Perfect choice
John, 04/11/2008
2005 Subaru Outback 2.5i AWD 4dr Wagon (2.5L 4cyl 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I decided to trade in my gas guzzling truck for a smaller car with better gas milage. This was a great choice. The AWD handling is new to me and if I don't be careful it WILL get me in trouble. Base model engine has little pick up but runs great once rolling, but I expected this and accept it. It has climbed some fairly mean off road trails and only had a slight overheat, with no problems later. I love my "new" 'Ru!
Old Reliable, Miss My 05 Subie
Sydney Z, 10/14/2024
2005 Subaru Outback 3.0 R L.L.Bean Edition AWD 4dr Wagon (3.0L 6cyl 5A)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I bought my 2005 Subaru Outback (LL Bean Edition, 6.0 Cylinder) back in 2021 as my first car. I loved every second driving that car. I bought it with 112,XXX miles on it, and it had barely any problems for 90,000 miles. It was my daily driver up until this year, and in those 3 years I did mainly routine maintainence: breaks, oil changes, battery, etc. It was a smooth ride that could handle heavy rain and snow, windy roads and quick turns. The older models handle much better with “fun” driving capabilities than the newer Outback’s, which are more SUV than Station wagon. I always felt safe driving my subie, even during the airbag recall which the Subaru dealership near me handled within a day. The positives of this car far outweigh any of the negatives, but for convenience sake I will list them below. The downsides: - The engine overheating was the eventual downfall of my 05 Subie. I replaced the radiator and before I knew it, coolant was pissing out of the back of my Subie like a faucet. If I had caught the overheating sooner, I could have saved the gaskets from eventually blowing. No temp light ever came on. This seems to be a common issue with these model years. - On occasion, it would feel as though I was “stuck” in gear, and could not accelerate. I could be pressing the gas pedal to the floor and continue going 15mph, until it snapped back into gear. Could never figure out why this happened, and usually only occurred on occasion when first turning on and driving the car. Definitely a hazard, but did not happen all the time. Hope the newer models fixed this issue. - Internal door handles are designed poorly, and my passenger side door did not have a handle once the plastic gave out on it, and it completely fell off the door. - Hatchback began to not hold after a few years- it’s an old car. It wasn’t that much of an inconvenience considering the quality and longevity of this car overall. -Driver-side window motor began slowing, but still worked I miss driving this car everyday. For over 201,000 miles, it was well-worth the 6k I spent on it back in 2021. You get what you pay for, and I am glad I spent my money on a Subaru.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
AWD is Overrated.
Alex, 09/07/2008
2005 Subaru Outback 2.5i AWD 4dr Wagon (2.5L 4cyl 5M)
0 of 1 people found this review helpful
Really liked it at first, but after two years, I'm happy to be getting rid of it. I bought it for the cargo space and AWD. Lot's of space, very nice driving position, and comfortable front seats. However, it absolutely stinks in the snow (so much for AWD - had to buy snow tires anyway), the back seat is cramped for a car this big, it is SO underpowered, and it eats gas. Also, some interior elements are really shoddy and scratch easily (what is with the cargo cover?), and very large bumper overhang makes it almost impossible to parallel park. Lastly, after 30k miles, distinctive burning rubber smell started coming through the heat vents. Dealer could never figure out what was wrong.
Just disappointed
Grant, 10/15/2008
2005 Subaru Outback 2.5 XT Limited AWD 4dr Wagon (2.5L 4cyl Turbo 5M)
0 of 1 people found this review helpful
My first Subaru will be my last. Bought the Outback based on the Subaru reputation for being bullet proof. Far from it. Subaru must have got a bunch of bad bearings. They extended the warranty on the wheel bearings, which I replaced. The real shocker has been the clutch. Had to replace the throw-out bearing at 52k. Dealer told me to replace the flywheel and clutch plate while he was at it, or may end up paying for labor twice. $1500 later the bearing still makes a noise. Never thought I'd be spending $1500 for a clutch on a Subaru with 52K and I don't ride the clutch.
No car is perfect
pjellison, 01/19/2009
2005 Subaru Outback 2.5 XT AWD 4dr Wagon (2.5L 4cyl Turbo 5M)
0 of 1 people found this review helpful
Overall the car is acceptable. The ride is comfortable and the interior design is pleasing. The right rear tire tread wore out at 20,0000. The dealer said the axle was bent. I replaced all 4 tires, the originals were not good quality. The quality of the ivory cloth seats are poor. Any spill or cleaner leaves a stain. The distinct line with the headlights are distracting. Oncoming cars frequently think I have on high beams. My hands do not grip the non-leather steering wheel (required a steering wheel grip).
70,000 Update
Peter Chun, 07/02/2009
2005 Subaru Outback 2.5 XT Limited AWD 4dr Wagon (2.5L 4cyl Turbo 5M)
0 of 1 people found this review helpful
Still fun to drive but, not thrilled with dealer service which is what I hear from a lot of other Subaru owners. Had to replace tires for the second time earlier this year. Original Potenzas were lousy but, the Goodyear Eagles I replaced them with handled great. Had bearing noise problems which keep my car in the shop for a week around the 25K mark. Car started to die on me at stops earlier this year. Had to spend $360 to have valves cleaned and it runs fine now. Went on trips to Utah and Arizona the car performed great. The XT has been a good blend of performance, comfort, practicality, safety and for the most part, reliability. However, my next car will probably be a hybrid.
Outback ech
Outback , 01/03/2006
2005 Subaru Outback 2.5i Limited AWD 4dr Wagon (2.5L 4cyl 4A)
0 of 1 people found this review helpful
Bought a Outback wagon 4 cylinder - I'm not impressed. I had Saab's for 20+ years. This is smaller inside (almost tight - tough to impossible to take more than 3 golfing), inside design just a 4, the MPG is a major disappointment- 23-25, the ride is stiff, little to no driving feel or fun, all-wheel is good but no better than Saab with snows. So for the good - reliable so far, dealership service good, replaced radio -- odd? So far fairly inexpensive to service and maintain, just oil changes, more at major mileages. So overall: a 5 from 1-10. Next car: back to Saab (expensive to maintain); a domestic, Honda or Toyota wagon hybrid.
We Love this Car
Pilgrim, 03/06/2005
2005 Subaru Outback 2.5i AWD 4dr Wagon (2.5L 4cyl 5M)
0 of 1 people found this review helpful
This is our 1st Subbie and we're hooked. Heated seats, mirrors and wipers. This is a car designed for folks who live in the Great White North! Comfortable ride coupled to the security of AWD is a winning combination. The versatility of a wagon is a plus as well. Would not hesitate to recomend a test drive on a foot of freshly fallen snow!!
Great Value for your Money
23simply, 12/29/2006
2005 Subaru Outback 2.5i AWD 4dr Wagon (2.5L 4cyl 5M)
0 of 1 people found this review helpful
We were looking for an AWD or a 4WD, however, gas mileage and the NHTSA crash test rating were two big factors for us. We found this perfect and value laden family AWD that gives you the ground clearance and the traction of an SUV, the comfort of a long wheelbase car and the price of a 4 door sedan. Amazing! We love it, perfect for the family on the go, perfect for the New England Region. Oh the NHTSA rating for front and side crash test? 5/5... sweet!