Used 2008 Subaru Outback Consumer Reviews
Used Outback for sale
PZEV & rough starts
Ed, 06/25/2008
2008 Subaru Outback 2.5I Limited 4dr Wagon AWD w/VDC (2.5L 4cyl 4A)
4 of 5 people found this review helpful
For those of you considering the PZEV option you should be aware that when started cold some Subaru's will produce excesive vibration, engine and exhaust noise. This is due to changes the ECU makes to the timing to quickly heat the exhaust catalyst to reduce emission gasses. Once warm, the car starts smoothly as you would expect. The sales rep asked us to wait in the showroom while he brought the car around for test drives so I didn't discover this characteristic until I started the car the morning after purchasing it. Otherwise the car does exactly what I expected and I'm pleased with it.
Some good, some bad
Monica, 07/26/2015
updated 07/29/2016
2008 Subaru Outback 2.5I Limited 4dr Wagon AWD (2.5L 4cyl 4A)
9 of 15 people found this review helpful
After One Year I have owned this car for a year, now. Would I buy it again? Maybe - due to the clearance and AWD technology. Do I love it? No. It has started to rattle in the dashboard. Wind noise is still there. Rear door is still annoyingly slow. Computer screen is still functionally obsolete (I just want an image of my phone and I want to see the time and temperature larger). Gas mileage has never hit 33 for any length of time. Original opinion I had the 2008 2.5i. This vehicle has a lot of good - the engine seems to have more power, the continuous shifting makes for a smoother ride and better acceleration. On the "just ok" is the control screen. It's big, it catches dust and glares, the weather is useless for me because I don't live in a select city. Why would I use the navigation when I have my phone with all the addresses and a voice that talked me through the directions? The two data points that I do hunt for (literally) are the time and outside temperature. These are small and tucked at the bottom of the screen. I started with the good, to be fair.. However, there are two things I hate (hate) about the car. Unfortunately, they are in your face, all the time. #1: wind noise, wind, wind, wind. It sounds as though the window isn't closed so you are constantly trying to close the windows. #2: the rear gate is sllllooooowwwwwwww to open and close. I am constantly standing by the gate , waiting for it to open or close. I hate that too. Really hate it.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
2008 Subaru Outback for sale near you
Showing 3 of 135 listings
- 2.5I Limited WagonMSRP: $6,99513 mi away
- 2.5I Limited WagonMSRP: $6,49987 mi away
- 3.0 R L.L.Bean Edition Wagon w/VDCMSRP: $6,990109 mi away
See all 135 listings
Versatile and Fun
socalh2oskier, 04/13/2008
2008 Subaru Outback 2.5 XT Limited 4dr Wagon AWD w/Nav, VDC (2.5L 4cyl Turbo 5A)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
This is my fourth Subie. I have owned all sorts of cars, from a Mazda Miata to a Mercedes CLK AMG, Mercedes SL, Jaguar XK, Jaguar XJ8, Lexus and several others. Subaru is one of my all time favorites, especially the Outback. This is a reasonably quick, versatile car with reliability second to none. This is truly one of the most comfortable vehicles you would ever want for a long trip. The ride is quiet and smooth, and gas mileage is suprisingly decent. I average about 17-20 in city driving, with 26-30 highway. Handling is much better than most SUVs, the driving position is high with excellent visibility and it has character. Great value.
Excellent car apart from the power!
drm, 02/02/2008
2008 Subaru Outback 2.5I L.L.Bean Edition 4dr Wagon AWD w/Nav, VDC (2.5L 4cyl 4A)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
This is my wife's car, I have been very impressed. Excellent handling, especially in the awful winter we've had in WI. Exterior and interior are very well done. Fit and finish is very good. The wagon utility is unquestionable. I think the car is very good value with the AWD and what you get in terms of extras with the LL Bean addition. Nav system is very good, the stereo is actually quite impressive. My benchmark is my 2008 Acura RL AWD, and considering the Subie is close to half the price I think it's an extraordinarily good value. My only issue is that, considering the cars weight, I think the base 2.5 liter engine is a little underwhelming.
Good car but it ticks!
Jim D, 07/25/2008
2008 Subaru Outback 2.5I Limited 4dr Wagon AWD w/VDC (2.5L 4cyl 4A)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
I love Subarus and this is my 4th one. Overall I'm very happy with the car. Love the huge sunroof and leather. Comfortable quiet highway ride. But, from somewhere in the rear cargo area there's a tick type of a rattle and it ruining an otherwise good car. It started one week after I drove it off the lot. Still trying to find it. Sometimes the sunroof rattles - not all the time. Usually after hitting a big bump in the road, this sets all the ticks and rattles going. Kind of frustrating for such a new car. If you own one, make sure you set the SRS on the stereo to on. It makes a huge difference in the sound quality.
Second review after 3 months
gtskier, 08/06/2007
2008 Subaru Outback 2.5 XT Limited 4dr Wagon AWD w/VDC (2.5L 4cyl Turbo 5A)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
Great fun to drive. Mileage is better than expected, 24 mpg in SI Drive - "S" mode driving up and down canyon 5400 to 9200 feet on weekly shopping trips and local mountain driving daily. Handles great on curves, highways, dirt. One exception: factory Bridgestone tires squirm excessively on grooved pavement. Road noise is a bit high, but crank up the great stereo with SRS-WOW, MP3 CD and jack. Can't wait to see the VDC work on snow and ice this winter.
A great practical wagon
eds, 03/24/2008
2008 Subaru Outback 2.5 XT Limited 4dr Wagon AWD w/VDC (2.5L 4cyl Turbo 5M)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
Read all the car tests and test drove15 different cars. The Outback 2.5xt with manual shift just made the most sense. Very classy functional exterior design. Instrumentation better than my Audi. I'm 61 - this wagon was designed for adults but with the turbo its fun to drive-easily better than a Honda CRV.
Saved my life
Ralph, 05/20/2009
2008 Subaru Outback 2.5I 4dr Wagon AWD (2.5L 4cyl 4A)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
This car is designed for driving in Maine. It handles superbly in winter conditions. The low roof makes it perfect for hauling kayaks. My avg gas mileage was always 25+ in mixed driving. Last week we were in an accident in which the car rolled 1 1/4 times. My wife and I walked away with scrapes, bruises and a stiff neck. Of course we were wearing our seatbelts. The car was totaled. I'm looking for another Outback to replace it.
Wins the competition but I'd like better
dusanmal, 08/18/2008
2008 Subaru Outback 2.5I 4dr Wagon AWD (2.5L 4cyl 4A)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
As the title implies we got the car simply because no one does better in this category. Not because we are completely happy with it. We have had long and good experience with 2002 model. Quality apparently still holds. Gas mileage is somewhat better than sticker EPA estimate. Performance is appropriate for the purpose. Comfort is good and slightly better vs. 2002. Design is clean and appropriate for the CAR Wagon, what it should be (Subaru, please remove it from the SUV ranks). Minor ergonomic design errors (location of handbrake and pedals). Major utility design errors (wheels, cargo space).
Great car, but needs a lot of costly repairs
SherrySC, 03/01/2017
2008 Subaru Outback 4dr Wagon AWD (2.5L 4cyl 4A)
3 of 4 people found this review helpful
This car had a leaky head gasket by 35,000 miles! It eats premium tires and brakes. The car is now 9 years old and has only 86,000 miles on it. I will not buy another Subaru.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value