Used 2011 Subaru Outback Consumer Reviews
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Good value and safety for utility reasons
Alex Arnold, 12/02/2015
2011 Subaru Outback 2.5i 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl 6M)
5 of 5 people found this review helpful
It's a very good car for utility reasons. I mountain bike, ski, and carry lots of sporting gear all over the place. The acceleration is good for the HP and it drives very good for the price. I would recommend this car to others to consider highly because of the value and it's safety. I rarely write reviews, but thought I would given the good experience I have had with this car. The bluebooth and noise in the car could be improved.
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Definitely not what they used to be, I would avoid
Marius, 10/20/2017
2011 Subaru Outback 2.5i Premium 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl 6M)
8 of 9 people found this review helpful
Where should I start? When the CD player broke within the first 1k miles or so I should have taken it as a hint. By 50k the windshield was an art of work thanks to cracks that spread like wildfires before you can make it in to stop their advancement. Fast forward to about 65k (at 5 years) and the central differential goes out (powertrain warranty expired at 60k). Dealer admitted it shouldn't have happened but they wanted a $300 copay on top of fully charging the manufacturer for the repair. Fast forward a few hundred miles the bolts holding the shaft come undone and have to tow the car in. Dealer covered the towing but you can forget dependability. At some point, much like all other vehicles on the planet I get the notice about the air bag. Fast forward 1+yr they finally have the part (your safety is very important to them). Around 77k my wife takes a road trip. After reaching destination the engine oil light comes on (no, it's not dripping from anywhere). Research suggested the engine gulps the oil as if you own a 7-11. It's a common "feature/enhancement" of various models and it's been designed that way. Apparently lawyers weren't having it and they settled (I decided to just carry a bottle of oil rather than deal with them). At around 88k the reverse switch (attached to the transmission block) goes out. A pain to replace it myself but by now I have an aversion to dealership mechanics and service managers. And AWD is way overrated (at least the Subaru implementation), much like the guy who tore up his lawn, I got stuck on some slippery snow with a 5 degree incline (tires were all season M+S in great shape). I know, I should have had snow tires. To put this into context, I regularly drive a Corolla with 250k with original engine+clutch+gearbox, etc. and I don't ever have to wonder if something will break. I get in and get going, no questions asked.
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2011 Subaru Outback for sale near you
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Great in Snow, But not Without Issues
JoJo Bean, 01/28/2017
2011 Subaru Outback 3.6R Limited 4dr SUV AWD (3.6L 6cyl 5A)
8 of 9 people found this review helpful
Love the car in the NY winters, but beware of recalls and poor build quality! Be ready to carry a quart of oil with you as you will need to add some in between oil changes. At 65k the head gasket is starting to fail and there's a recall to replace the entire engine due to a piston ring issue! Also, the sheet metal is terribly thin and dents very easily. Even though it's hard to beat this car in the snow and ice, I would seriously consider other options.
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Very refined over previous Outbacks!
Eric, 08/01/2016
updated 08/04/2017
2011 Subaru Outback 2.5i 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
8 of 9 people found this review helpful
Purchased this Outback used. It's my 5th Subaru. I have been pleased with all of them. This car very refined compared to my 03. Very quiet. Lots of room. I am 6 ft 5. Out of habit I put the seat all the way back. This is one of two cars when doing so I can't touch the pedals! The other was a 60s Mercedes 250S. Reviewers state these Subarus don't handle as well as previous models. They are not race cars. It's turn well and has adequate road feel. Base radio is fine, though I miss the weather band. A review commented that the interior had to much plastic. It doesn't not look cheap to me. Fit and and finish are good. I think Subaru was on target with this redesign. Tight, well made, and will last a long time. The 03 was around 8 years. Longest I ever held on to a car. We are blessed with good dealer support in southern New York. Been dealing with the same dealer for over 20 years. My 03 was in an accident. Turn around time to my 2011 was done in a day! recommended
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Dire warning... A multi-decade problem...
jobone, 11/17/2014
updated 05/28/2024
2011 Subaru Outback 2.5i Premium 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
19 of 24 people found this review helpful
Even in 2024, their problems continue. You have been warned: Do not buy a Subaru, new or used, ever. The CEO of Subaru even went on an apology tour for their poor quality. Update: I talked to many people in work-related situations. I am still telling people about my bad experience with Subaru. Without fail, all of these people are still having similar experiences with newer versions of this brand. Not just the Outback either... I have since bought for my family three Toyota RAV4s along with a Prius and a 4Runner. I no longer have my 2011 Subaru Outback. in addition to the very problematic CVT transmission, the head gasket failed around 90k miles. I was having my timing belt replaced over 10,000 miles early so that I could give this car to my daughter to drive and rely on. Other than not testing for head gasket failure prior to doing this work, they claim there is no problem with their head gaskets. This is a lie. I have spoken to owners of cars built as late as 2017 who are still having this problem. I have personally talked to people out of buying out their lease or buying one at all. I also talked to people who I see driving the car and warn them so that they can argue their case better when it comes time to handle any head gasket or transmission issues. You would not believe how many people have said "oh, this is my second transmission already." If you have one of these cars changing the transmission and differential fluid every 40,000 miles might help delay the inevitable. There's no getting around the head gasket issue. There is a design flaw that a new head gasket will not fix the problem permanently. It will be a money pit for you. Unscrupulous resellers will lie to you, learn how to do your own combustion (block) test. There's tons of videos on it, you can buy your own fluid and get free rentals of the actual tool at numerous auto parts stores. Subaru acts stupid as well. This is a multi-generational problem with their engine design, a few engineers blame the boxer engine because, in theory, there should be two separate cooling systems because of the separation of the two sets of pistons. DO NOT BUY *ANY* SUBARU. Lease if you must drive one. Return it at the end of lease. Their reputation is maintained by fans. Subaru is no longer the "outback" vehicle of choice. If you live in an area that requires chains, forget it. The AWD with standard all-weather tires is the best you're going to get if you have to drive to see snow. There is no room for chains, cables or belts! Required in SoCal! This has been a piece of junk. CVT trans (for improved economy) is weak for its weight, esp. in reverse where it has stalled on inclines multiple times. The electronics are in the dark ages. Their cooling system is troublesome and electronic controls have had multiple failures. I've regretted buying this heap for a long time: Transmission problems have been long-lasting, cooling system issues at 40k and factory-installed alarm/shock sensor is beyond useless. To add injury to insult, they had an issue with the wiper control system that they retroactively put under an "extended" warranty. Thing is, the retroactive warranty had expired by the time that the problems started to surface with the vehicles. Yes, it was strictly for show and not for coverage reasons that they did that. They are deceptive creeps over at Subaru. In mid-2017, I received notice that my transmission was being given an extended warranty... Oh, the surprise! I am genuinely grateful that others also reported their problems and that some Federal regulatory agency forced them to offer these warranties. At 84,000 miles, it was discovered that my transmission had a serious leak and it would have been a minimum of a $1,200 job. Yay! In a family of four drivers, I would have gone with 100% Subaru after the experience with my previous model, a 1998 Outback. As it stands now, anything but Subaru is on the table. An update: 93k... The power steering pump sprung a leak at 87k, random fuses have been failing (replacements have been fine), 100k spark plugs didn't make it to 85k. The car is garaged, on the lower range of annual miles 6k, city/freeway (no off road) and for all of the failures (suspension is needing to be changed out and has been for a while). Again, Subaru is no longer the car maker of old. My Subaru mechanic even said he wouldn't buy on newer than 2009 MY because of the missteps which have become more numerous. Even their Japanese-made models! The alternatives like Mitsubishi (and their crappy Jatco transmissions) just seem like better deals because they're a few thousand $$$ cheaper and the 100% made in Japan build means all the other stuff is better. Have since bought a Toyota (a lost sale for Subaru) and our purchase experience has been exponentially better. Research the car you're looking at, Google the terms Subaru Outback 2011 problems, or Subaru Outback head gasket... Put a lot of effort into researching this unless you have money and time to throw away.
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