Used 2008 Subaru Outback Consumer Reviews
Used Outback for sale
I came back to Subaru!
Tammy P, 04/24/2010
2008 Subaru Outback 2.5 XT Limited 4dr Wagon AWD w/VDC (2.5L 4cyl Turbo 5A)
4 of 4 people found this review helpful
After having Mazda buy back my 1st CX 7 and now finally getting out from under and trading in my 2nd CX 7 with many problems, my 08 Subaru XT Limited is GREAT. I get 23 miles to the gallon and yes it takes premium but what would you expect when buying a turbo? I drove home in a snowstorm and the car handled like a dream, unlike the car I traded in. I don't know why I didn't stay with Subaru. I would definitely recommend if you are looking for an AWD buy a Subaru!
Word of Warning
John Q Public, 10/23/2007
2008 Subaru Outback 2.5 XT Limited 4dr Wagon AWD w/VDC (2.5L 4cyl Turbo 5M)
4 of 4 people found this review helpful
While I was initially excited about the purchase after test driving a well running car, my "dealer locate" vehicle arrived with what is commonly known as "stutter" under boost. The two dealers I have taken the car to both acknowledged the car does not run correctly, but they don't know how to fix it since it is most likely a computer issue. The dealership has "reflashes" for different turbo models and it will fix the problem on some cars but not all and it often returns. Subaru customer service has been no help, not even offering try replacing the computer on a $32k car with 6k mi. I am going to lemon law it.
2008 Subaru Outback for sale near you
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- 2.5I WagonMSRP: $7,49568 mi away
- Base WagonMSRP: $6,977125 mi away
- R L.L. BeanMSRP: $2,990162 mi away
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Needs to be bigger and stronger...
nek_md, 12/12/2010
2008 Subaru Outback 2.5I Limited 4dr Wagon AWD w/VDC (2.5L 4cyl 4A)
4 of 4 people found this review helpful
We bought the Subie for its safety and reliability. I did not do my homework on the performance of the vehicle, nor on its interior space. The engine is adequate, but the 4AT is a lousy transmission. The car works too hard to find the right gear, and kick-down's are frequent and blatant when the engine is working hard. The rear seat was woefully inadequate for accommodating a standard infant seat without pushing the corresponding passenger seat up all the way. This led us to trade in the vehicle. The car was reliable while we had it. No complaints there. The paint quality was thin and there were rattles in the dash that shouldn't have been there for a young car.
Outback 2008 3.0
Jose Alvarado, 03/31/2008
2008 Subaru Outback 3.0 R L.L.Bean Edition 4dr Wagon AWD w/VDC (3.0L 6cyl 5A)
4 of 4 people found this review helpful
I owned a ML350 of very questionable quality and performance and two discoverys before. I pick an Outback looking for a smaller confortable car paying almost one third of the money I paid for the other cars. A big deal! Great off road and fast in road, a lot of space in a not-too-big car.
Transmission blown at 4,200 miles
John Kasperowicz, 09/18/2007
2008 Subaru Outback 3.0 R L.L.Bean Edition 4dr Wagon AWD w/VDC (3.0L 6cyl 5A)
10 of 13 people found this review helpful
I have owned many Subaru models in the past years. This new 2008 Outback will be my last. The transmission blew out at 4,200 miles and left me stranded. I think that the new transmission selection of different modes might have contributed to failure. This new feature is more of a gimmick than a useful option. Ride of car is not good, very jarring over small potholes or minor dips in road. Way too much road noise. Leather quality of seat not very good for 32k car. Overall, car is not worth the money and quality of parts and the interior is lower than previous models.
'08 OB Looking Good
Outbacker, 04/27/2007
2008 Subaru Outback 2.5I Limited 4dr Wagon AWD (2.5L 4cyl 4A)
7 of 9 people found this review helpful
Just traded in my '01 Outback for the '08 Limited model. I had doubts about buying another Outback - the last one was not much fun to drive, and there were some leaking problems after 90K. After test driving all the comparables, the Outback was the only one that fit the bill - reasonable gas mileage, good safety ratings, reliable, good roof rack for the surfboard, and can hold 25 bags of mulch in the back when needed. So far, so good. The '08 is lots more fun to drive than the '01 - the sports shift option helps. A little more power than the '01, and a generally smoother, better ride. I'm told that the leak problems have been resolved - time will tell.
My 2008 outback
Sheila ann, 08/29/2018
2008 Subaru Outback 4dr Wagon AWD (2.5L 4cyl 4A)
7 of 9 people found this review helpful
Had to replace both axle and a head gasket before I had 80k miles, the repairs where very costly
- Safety
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
Safest Vehicle on the Road - Bar None.
Dave, 02/02/2008
2008 Subaru Outback 3.0 R L.L.Bean Edition 4dr Wagon AWD w/VDC (3.0L 6cyl 5A)
12 of 17 people found this review helpful
Subaru has dominated rally racing for decades and it shows. Their full-time symmetrical VTD AWD system, and their electronic stability control are STILL vastly superior to the nearly useless "slip and HOPE to grip" modified FWD systems found on the pretenders. We drove EVERY AWD NHTSA top safety pick vehicle under $40K. I forced my wife to try emergency steering maneuvers at 65 mph. The Hyundai santa Fe, and Honda Pilot were scary ,even the Acura RDX could not match the Outback's "go where you point it" highway stability. Having now driven the Outback on a lot of snowy, icy it has dramatically exceeded my already high expectations.
Subaru won't stand behind its product
shemonkey, 10/14/2012
2008 Subaru Outback 2.5I 4dr Wagon AWD (2.5L 4cyl 4A)
8 of 11 people found this review helpful
My air conditioner compressor failed in my 2008 Outback after 45,000 miles. The compressor was no longer covered by warranty. It cost me over $900 to replace the compressor, including parts and labor. My mechanic suggested I write a letter to Subaru of America to ask for reimbursement. I wrote a detailed letter to Subaru of America. Subaru of America wrote back with perhaps the lamest correspondence I have ever received, stating that "Subaru is not responsible for defective parts or workmanship from subcontractors." Needless to say, I will never purchase another Subaru product. My Outback is average or below average in every way, from handling to craftsmanship to fuel economy.
1st on many SUBAROO to come! love it
edotx1, 03/13/2010
2008 Subaru Outback 2.5I 4dr Wagon AWD (2.5L 4cyl 4A)
4 of 5 people found this review helpful
Love at first sight, grow old together after test drive. Just the right performance and features for me here in TEXAS. Great cargo room, great gas mileage for a big car with 4 cylinders. Great for bike rides with friends as SAG support vehicle. VERY COOL, Cat like performance, you should see the look of other drivers on the road with all my gear mounted.