Used 2008 Subaru Outback Wagon Consumer Reviews

Great Wagon

Have owned this 2.5i for 2 years without any problems. Bought new and has only been to dealer for maintenance checks (oil change, tire rotation). Fun to drive. Back seat passengers are a little cramped, though front seats are very comfortable. Mileage is better than EPA. Gets at at least 20mpg in town and 29 on the highway. Cargo area is wide and long. Have hauled a Hoosier cabinet and a large entertainment center. Would be nice if hidden side storage compartment doors would stay on (only thing on OB that is flimsy). Love my Outback. Best decision ever made! My OB 2.5i is a PZEV and it is not loud. In fact, my neighbors call it the stealth car because it is so quiet.

Great so far

This replaced a 98 Legacy wagon and is an incredible improvement especially the interior. I have the PZEV version and had read that people were having engine problems in cold weather but the recent few subzero spells have been no problem at all. The 4 cylinder 2.5 is more than adequate but if you want real umph get the turbo or 6cyl. This has more power than my 98 Legacy yet it still gets better mileage!

My Outback

I have had my Outback for a month. This is "moms car" and I love it! I have an 11 year old daughter and she and I go do a lot of outdoor things. I have already driven in snow and the traction was great! My neighbors were sliding on the snow and my Outback did fine! I'm enjoying driving this car. I like that everything seems convenient to reach for me. My husband is 6'4 and he actually has headroom. I had looked at the Honda CRV too but I just kept coming back to my Outback and happy that I did! Love driving it, get a lot of comments on it, even the boys at the carwash told me they like the inside! I'm driving mostly in the city. I'm getting 22.8 and look forward to taking this camping!

So far, so good, except 4 airbag sensor

We purchased an '08 Outback 2.5i. The car feels solid, drives well, and is adequate in interior comfort. The car's engine power is adequate, but not impressive. We enjoy the handling of the car the most, but haven't tested it in snow/ice conditions yet. We've been averaging around 26-27 mpg hwy, which is impressive considering the full time AWD. A knock against the car is that we've had an issue with the passenger side airbag sensor. It turns on and off intermittently. We were told it's a safety design issue for small children. My wife is approx 5'4" 110 pounds and doesn't always set off the sensor. We find this odd, and are researching the issue further.

Great value, fun!

Bought this car 4 months ago, replaced 2001 Toyota Landcruiser. Tired of paying $75 premium, now I pay $35 regular to fill it! Owned 2 Volvo wagons (new) before my LC, and the Subaru compared to those in comfort and luxury. I looked at the Honda CRV and Rav4, too. CRV had good safety, but so cheap inside I couldn't stand it. Rav4 has very poor rear crash test, and I don't like when Mac trucks come up on my rear when I'm stopped and sitting in a car with no bumper. Acceleration is fine, it's no BMW or 8cyl, but gets me from here to there safely and in comfort! The Subaru has 5 star safety ratings all around - very important to me (and kids). Check out IIHS website for crash ratings.

Nice Change For Us

This is our first Subaru and we're very favorably impressed. The car is quiet and handles very well both on the road and in the field when we're taking feed to the run-in sheds. Fuel mileage is great for a full time all wheel drive vehicle. Safety and reliability were key factors in selecting a Subaru. These cars are legendary in both areas and their strong, cult like customer loyalty reflects it.

Basis model beats Rav4 in smackdown

Had great Mazda3 but couldn't sleep with winter coming, spent two weeks checking out Rav4 options. Then drove the Suby, game over. Rav4 has +7ft cargo, +800lbs towing, and losses on at least a dozen other comps. This is a classy ride, I don't need speed. It's got all the winter things Toyota charges extra for. Better ride than either Base Rav or Rav Sport. 4AT has 3 modes, what else could I need? The basic climate and audio systems are a good trade off for heated 8 way power seats and true AWD.

Subaru Outback Limited with VDC

I just bought my outback limited w/VDC about 3 weeks ago. At first, my vehicle was hesitating very badly and I took it back to the dealership where they said it was a loose #3 spark plug wire. I was not happy at this, to say the least. However, since the spark plug has been adjusted 2 weeks ago, my vehicle has been performing very well. My ride is much smoother than most vehicles I've been in; I don't feel bumps in the road as much as other vehicles. The AWD is wonderful in handling a lot of turns as I live in West Virginia.

Best Outback yet

My third Outback and by far the best. Wanted a fun mid-life car, needed a practical car for the fam and the mountains. Subaru hits the mark with the XT turbo! Far more fun to drive than my H6 2002 LL Bean! It drives very tight and solid, very smooth and quiet, turbo kicks in nicely and pulls you along beautifully. I love wagons and the XT is the best combination of any brand/model. Steering wheel feels good in my large hands. Still trying to find the best seat position for my tall self. Skip the nav and add your own portable, upgradeable Garmin or other. Looked at SUVs (Tribeca, Highlander, RAV4, CR-V, RDX) and prefer XT. Great car for my wants and needs!

Subaru

Adequate acceleration, stable braking, air conditioner dual controls and seat warmer excellent, single roof window works fine. Quite pleased with it. Miss cassette tape deck. Would like MP3 port.

PZEV - "My Inner Treehugger"

We had already decided to buy a 2008 2.5i Outback when I happened across an Outback on the dealer lot with a different badge on the back that said "PZEV - Partial Zero Emissions Vehicle". I was curious as to what this was. Basically, it is the exact same car as your regular Outback, but with a more thorough burning of fuel and an emissions system on steroids. The emissions are as clean as a hybrid. My "Inner Treehugger" decided to splurge for the extra $200 for the PZEV option. We have been extremely happy with the vehicle. Unfortunately, I had to discover the PZEV since there seems to be little to no marketing for this "green" option.

08 Outback LTD

2800 miles and I was concerned about the higher height and handling compared to my previous 98 Legacy GT but this Outback can take the corners as well as the Legacy did and has a softer ride. Having a WRX as well, this car handles surprisingly well for something with more ground clearance than an Explorer! Getting 24mpg in suburban roads. Front seats are incredibly confortable but coudl do with a memory function. Radio/HVAC controls need to be easier to use, you need to really look down at the controls whgen using them. The stock Potenza RE92s I have never liked (had them on 3 previous cars).

Great Choice

I did a lot of research and really wanted to buy my 4th Honda. I looked at the CRV and didn’t like the interior. I am a fly fisherman and like to have a vehicle in which I can lie down and take a rest. I have a serious back problem and need to take breaks in my fishing day. The CRV just wasn’t able to provide a long rear floor space. When the rear seats are folded down there is plenty of room for me at 5’9”. Interestingly enough, the Honda dealer sent us to Subaru! The Subie us everything I wanted. I am an environmentalist and biologist so my carbon footprint and controlling pollution output is important. So far we have gotten 25 mpg in mixed driving short trips (a bit disapointing).

None better at this price

First 4500 miles impressions: good handling, comfortable, quiet, decent stereo, sufficient (not great) power, averaging 28 MPG. For around $21K - $22K I believe this car is a bargain compared to other all wheel drive vehicles.

Great Car

We were looking at small SUVs (CRV, Santa Fe, RAV4) and decided to check out the Outback as well. What a difference! The ride is so much better. Subaru is a much safer and more reliable car than the others we looked at. The exterior is much improved and the interior is very simple. This is our "baby car", so we are happy the car seat is easy to install and the cargo space is awesome. The 170 hp engine isn't great, but is still muc better than the models I listed above. I tested all the models on a nasty hill near our house and the Outback actually performed the best.

Great Value, Reasonable Compromises

We've had the Subie for about four months now. I am very happy with it. The lackluster acceleration is noticeable, but the trade-off is very good fuel economy with standard fuel (25-29 mpg), I suspect the tranny largely to blame for the slow feeling to the car, and a fifth gear would help mpgs too! The stereo is quite weak, and there is no rest for my elbows on either side when driving this car. That said, the car has generally been delightful. Coming from Volvos I am impressed with the comfort of the driver seat the value (half the price of the XC70) safety gas mileage and reliability. I'd strongly recomend this car-but realize that there are compromises made for mpg & low price.

Great find!

Had a 1995 Legacy wagon that aspired to be an Outback. Years later, I bought the car I always wanted! My big feet took some getting used to in the footbox, not to say that it is cramped, but pedals are closer than my Honda. I am no WRC racer, but I do like how easy the clutch engages and shifting action feels great. Is surprisingly responsive when passing, especially for a four banger that is a bit heavy in the hips. Excited for the snow and rain, I'd like to see how the AWD handles it. Mileage is better than expected, 27+ in 50/50 city/hwy (as long as the dash computer is correct).

Happy Outback owner

I've had my Outback 2.5i 5-speed manual for about 6000 miles, and I'm very happy with it. It gets good gas mileage, is fun to drive, handles well, deals with lousy weather very well, has plenty of room, and looks great. My mileage has averaged 25.4 mpg overall since I bought it, with a low of 22.2 mpg and a high of 30.3 mpg. That's good for an AWD vehicle. With the 5-speed manual it feels lively and energetic, and the manual transmission shifts very easily. It's a great all-around vehicle that can handle pretty much anything thrown at it and do it very well. It's a practical car that's enjoyable to drive.

Great all-purpose vehicle

We looked at a number of small SUVs and wagons and went with the Outback for a number of reasons: comfort, MPG, and functionality. The other small SUVs did not ride well and seemed cheaply made (including Toyota and Honda). The ride quality in a wagon is way better and does everything I need it to do. MPG (28 hwy, 22mpg city) has been better than advertised, which is rare. Great resale in Colorado and low operating costs. Only 500 miles on it so far so I can't comment on long term reliability.

Great Alaska Car

So far so good. Wish it had better gas mileage, but I knew what I would get before I bought it, just did not know how much gas prices would rise.

vOOM IN MY sUBARU

TEMPERATURE LIGHT AND RATTLE IN REAR AXLE

Great car! very road worthy

My first & last Subaru

I have owned at least 7 brand new cars in the past 15 years; Will not buy a Subaru again. My car is less than 2 years old & only has 8000 miles on it, the rattling noise while driving is very disturbing and annoying. I read the same feedback from another owner too. And when you fist turn on the engine, for the first 3 minutes, it sounds like a diesel truck! Is this because the engine is tilted 90 degrees and there's no oil around the pistons going side to side? Very disappointed, not to mention that there is hardly any room in the back! I will definitely stay away from Subarus. This was a worse experience than my last new car (Nissan Sentra 2.0).

Pleasantly Impressed

This is my first Subaru. For a utilitarian vehicle, it rides better than my Honda Accord. It handles great and I really like all the safety features. Easy exit/entry with the higer ground clearance. Sunroof is noisy when only wing is opened. Mileage is 25 mixed and 30 on the highway. Good looks and sporty feel.

Time Will Tell

I had a 2004 Toyota Tacoma 4x4 crew cab. I no longer need the truck to go into the woods. Several friends have Subarus. They always talk highly of them. I traded my truck in and got this vehicle. At first I wasn't pleased. It is a vehicle that takes time to get used to. I just went to NYC with my vehicle. I got 33 mpg, 27 mpg in the city. If you obey the speed limits you will get very good mileage. If you need to "punch it" when driving, it is very slow to respond. The back seat isn't made for adults. I do like the dash board display. If you need to replace 1 tire, then you need to replace all 4 of them because of the symmetrical awd. Thats something they don't tell you when you buy the car.

Disappointed

I loved my 2002 Outback! My second Subaru is at the opposite end of that scale. This 2008 is like a tunafish can in comparison. Very uncomfortable. Seat does not go that far back and is uncomfortable for a 5'8" driver. Ride is rough, Gas mileage is only 22-23 mpg, (expected more.)Tires are small. Overall, very disappointed and will never buy another Subaru. How could a car change for the worse, so quickly? Can't wait to get rid of it!!!

Nice car but...

We rented this car in Oregon for a week and drove it over 700 miles. A lot of mountains and curves, muddy back roads. I found it to be a little too underpowered on hills, very "shifty". Liked the "Sport" mode in the auto tranny. Base engine doesn't hack it. Useless arm rest just like my '97 Outback.