Used 2006 Subaru Outback Consumer Reviews
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Subaru's a Best Bet
I owned a first generation '96 Outback and had a bunch of problems. This is not that car. This car rides much better and is far more upscale. I replaced our '98 Volvo and could not be happier. This provides the versatility and safety I had with a Volvo at a much better price and much sportier package. It is a rocket off the line (be sure to go with the turbo if you want performance). It also rides like a regular car but with enough clearance that we can comfortably go into the mountains and tackle 4-6" of new powder on the back roads. If you need a wagon, but don't want to give up performance, go with this vehicle.
Month Old Outback
A month into ownership with approximately 2000 miles, I'm learning to like it more each day. The drive and ride are superior but I'm having a hard time getting comfortable in the seat. The back seat is too small. Cup holders need to be better thought out and more plentiful. Gas mileage avg. 25 overall. But when I'm driving it I love it.
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I love this car
I had a Subaru Legacy before this Outback. I love this car. I have the 6 cylinder, and it is sporty and functional at the same time. Well designed and luxurious for this type of car. I compared it to all other models in its class including the RAV4 and it stood way above the others!
Well cared for
Very reliable
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
A confirmed Subaru buyer
I have owned many Subarus -- 1993 Impreza, 2000 Forester, 2004 Outback and now the 2006 Outback. Basically the car gets better with each iteration. There are a few things missing on my 2006 that I had on the 2004 which I miss: 1. Weatherband radio, why was this fantastic feature removed? It was great when we traveled through tornado alley to make sure there weren't any weather events that we should know about. 2. The beeping feature on the seatbelts is annoying. My dog sets off the seatbelt alarm, my bag of trash or myself driving 100 feet down my driveway before I dash out to open my gate all set it off. 3. The cupholder is still awkward and small.
2006 Subaru Outback not a hardy 4WD
Three big disappointments: 1. it is promoted as a 4 WD with high clearance. So you would think you could take it on a mountain road. Although it has high clearance there is no "low gear" so it doesn't have the umpf to make it up a steep hill (I do not mean extreme steep just a somewhat steep hill -- like to a trailhead). 2. I have owned this car for 3 years and I have had to replace two rear wheel bearings. A mechanic told me that when Subaru redesigned the Outback the rear wheel bearings weren't of the quality as the previous design. 3. We had absolutely no steering control on a powder snowy road last winter & crashed 5mph. I've never experienced anything like that in previous cars.
Good wagon, but not great
Being a Honda man, I defaulted to a Subaru Outback wagon because the Accord isn't available in an AWD wagon; a manual transmission because of its slow 0-60 times. I have a few complaints: shifter is too far forward in relation to how I like to sit in the driver's seat, power windows go up and down too slowly, miss the power up feature in my old Accord, wind and tire noise, rear slides out when cornering, exterior panel gaps are too wide and are unsightly, balky and ambiguous manual gear shift pattern and feel of engagement, awkward clutch/gear engagement (compared to my old Accord), the lack of telescoping steering column, sub-par standard audio system/speakers and lack of standard sunroof.
Dependable workhorse
Our family has been running this Outback for almost four years. We put a little over 50K miles on it, with probably 30K of daily commute and 10K of annual ski trips. Subarus are usually praised for their AWD, but in the first couple of winters I had some skidding incidents (shouldn't have pressed the gas pedal so carelessly on tight turns! This is a manual transmission car, so not all of the fancy electronic stabilization systems are available). Once that has been figured out, we found ourselves working as a snow taxi for our friends in a small Midwestern town. I was disappointed with the fuel economy at first (it was clearly below the nominal rating), but then it somehow got better.
2006 Subaru Outback LL Bean
I drove the car for 2000 miles and love how it handle on the road
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
Check Engine Light For the LOSS
I purchased mine as a CPO. Within 2 months the drivers side window stopped going up and down, the sunroof refused to open, and the check engine light has come on 3 times. It has been the dealer 4 times in 2 months! I am BEYOND unhappy with the purchase! Subaru clearly also doesn't know how to fix the check engine light as the code is for an engine misfire cylinder 2 - we first were told to do the spark plugs, done, then when it went back they did the coil for just that cylinder, and now who knows what they will come up with. I can't rely on the car not to throw a code. Waste of money.