Used 2015 Subaru Outback Consumer Reviews
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Purchased 3.6R 60 days ago, was in shop 12 days.
E. Lee NY, 08/18/2015
updated 08/02/2016
2015 Subaru Outback 3.6R Limited 4dr SUV AWD (3.6L 6cyl CVT)
28 of 32 people found this review helpful
If you are in the market for a 2015 Subaru Outback, in this case a v6 3.6R; then you should be aware that there are many owners who are experiencing the same exact problem with their new cars. I feel that I will enjoy and continue to enjoy the Outback, only if this constant vibration problem would go away. Do a google search on " 2015 Subaru Outback vibration problem", and take a read before you decide on this model. My 2015 Outback 3.6 (Bought June1 2015), had significant vibration and pulsation issue from day 1. I had the car about 60 days as of this post...It has been in the shop for over 12 days, so far. The dealer initially blamed my driving, stating " I bent my wheels! " - Which I highly doubt, but did not contest, since I drove the new car home. (There is no way to prove I did not hit any pot holes to dent ALL 4 rim! What are the odds of that??? especially with NO impact marks on the tires.) My car still vibrates at 65+mph speeds. After 4 rim changes! 4 new tires. All of which I had to chase Bridgestone and Subaru of America for replacement assistance. The dealer will always gravitate towards, driver err. My car is due back in the dealer repair shop again for few days on 8/25. So far, we swapped 4 rims, 4 tires. Subaru claims they checked the rotors. Subaru claims they reset the drive train. (whatever that means???) Subaru claims they checked the bearings. I drive from NY to North Carolina every month, driving 13 hours each way with this vibration is a torture! The vibration and pulsation is nearly on par with, when a washing machine's load is not centered. It does not feel like all four wheels are not firmly planted on the road. Update: After 4 new rims and 4 new tires. - The pulsation problem was resolved. [ Pulsation = car drives like is has a flat spot on the tires.]
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Good car but comes with problems
Naghma Husain, 03/26/2015
2015 Subaru Outback 3.6R Limited 4dr SUV AWD (3.6L 6cyl CVT)
32 of 37 people found this review helpful
Chose this primarily for all the safety features. (We have teen drivers.) In general, great car. Problems: 1) Auto rear door gets stuck on occasion. Won't open with key or by pressing button in the back. Dealer won't do anything b/c they can't replicate since it only happens on occasion. I had several videos as evidence, but that didn't matter. 2) Useless voice recognition. 3) Navigation difficult to use. I gave up, just use my phone. 4) Screen system not intuitive, though my teens figured it out. 5) Heat controls confusing.
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Love it! ...but just a couple of things
Robert, 12/14/2015
updated 08/02/2016
2015 Subaru Outback 3.6R Limited 4dr SUV AWD (3.6L 6cyl CVT)
12 of 13 people found this review helpful
I bought this mainly for my teen daughter to drive. As far as safety features I absolutely love this car! I love driving this car. Sitting height is good, handling is good, acceleration is good, seat comfort is good, stereo is good. There are a couple of minor things that wouldn't change my mind about buying this for myself and only one thing that might make me look elsewhere. First the two minor things: The turn signal is a little annoying. Not bad just a little to loud in my mind. The other minor thing is the button on the rearview mirror to open my garage door is impossible to see at night. A small thing but it would be great if Subaru illuminated the buttons in the future. The one thing that to me is major (even though I think this is still a great car!) is the wind noise. I was surprised after driving my old suv for over 14 years I expected the new outback to be much quieter than it is. This is the only thing that could make me look elsewhere for my next car. For the kind of money I paid I would have expected a much quieter car. There are many cars that are quieter for a lot less. It's not terrible and when the stereo sound is turned up it's not an issue but it's certainly enough to annoy me when I'm driving without the sound turned up. I hope they fix it before next years model otherwise I might have to look elsewhere. Otherwise great job Subaru!
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Best value in a new awd vehicle
Wesley Bierma, 02/07/2016
updated 08/02/2016
2015 Subaru Outback 2.5i Premium 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
12 of 13 people found this review helpful
Let me start by saying that no new vehicle is 100% perfect from the factory. With that said this is about as close as it gets. We live in southwestern Colorado and wanted an awd vehicle for snowy winters, light off-roading and longer road trips. Right off the bat we were more than happy with the interior comfort and refinement, ride and handling and utility for what we paid(25k). The things we were disappointed with were snow traction and gas mileage(28mpg). However, we made a few slight changes to the vehicle which have made it both the ultimate snow and highway cruiser. At the first oil change I switched to 0w-20 Mobil 1 extended performance oil. I can't express enough the difference this made. We now average over 30mpg and have seen 35-38mpg on a regular basis on longer trips. Even in the winter in the city we never see below 28 and it's usually over 30. The other game changer was the addition of Nokian R2 SUV tires. These tires made us realize just how awful the stock tires were. This thing is now a tank in the snow and has taken us safely over many mountain passes in pure blizzards. I truly believe even a different all season would be a huge upgrade over the stock tires. We get just a touch of wind noise from the small front windows but overall it's a very quiet car. I am extremely picky when it comes to vehicles and after these two changes I have almost no complaints about this car. For 25 grand I can't imagine being happier with a different vehicle in this class. It's no speed demon but it will get you and the family from point A to point B safely, comfortably and efficiently
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Great Car but could be better...
bob wendoloski, 09/09/2015
updated 08/02/2016
2015 Subaru Outback 2.5i Limited 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
7 of 7 people found this review helpful
First, love the 2015 Outback, it is a good running car and we are over all pleased with it after 3 months of ownership. Where it lacks is in the STARLINK Entertainment System. The interface is clumsy and not intuitive at all, voice control is a joke. I find the volume is pretty low on all settings and worse it is subject to interference from other devices. Placing my GPS on the dash over the unit causes the processor to randomly go crazy and cause lockups. My guess is the unit has poor RF shielding. The other issue that I really do not like is the Climate Control. Any fan setting faster that medium is so loud that it drowns out the radio. I never had a vehicle that had very noisy fans. Another minor peeve is the placement of the clock and outside temperature. They are tiny and very hard to see when it is sunny.
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Smooth operator after 7 years
Bob Cox, 12/22/2017
updated 07/08/2024
2015 Subaru Outback 3.6R Limited 4dr SUV AWD (3.6L 6cyl CVT)
7 of 7 people found this review helpful
The 3.6R has the smoothest drive train I have ever experienced. This is the first CVT equipped car I have ever owned, but I test drove quite a few. I just drives effortlessly, relatively quietly, and smoothly. The 3.6 six cylinder engine has enough grunt to move the Outback around without any fuss. I can say it is just a joy to drive. (Our previous car was a Honda Accord V6 EXL) This now my wife's favorite car. The car only has a little over 10K on the odometer and the fuel milage is 24.1 MPG. My wife travels, a short, 5.2 miles one-way to work so a normal commute may realize better mileage. Update June; odometer reads over 17K and fuel milage range is from 22.9 (short 5.2 mile winter commute) to to a trip where it registered as high as 32 before averaging out at 27.2(non stop on NY rural roads and Canadian highways). My wife reports that the Eyesite feature has saved my wife from either having an accident or a near miss. Update June 2019; With 27K miles on the odometer, the Outback's reliability continues to be perfect. The drive train is as smooth as ever. Fuel economy is now registering 25.6 MPG. ( 65% local commutes) I have taken a number of long commutes, of eight hours or more, and the seat comfort has held up well. The Eyesite system and the Rear Automatic Braking continue to pay dividends by avoiding accidents or rear collisions with low profile objects. You may have to pay a premium for these systems , but one accident avoided pays it all back. There are a number of items I would like to see changed. One is that the owner needs to pay for the update to the navigation package. I believe that the update should be a no cost throughout the warranty period. The navigation is not a good as the others that I have used. I like the Garmin and Magellan nav packages much better that the Tom Tom used by Subaru. The cruise control uses radar to adjust your speed in traffic relative to the vehicle in front of you. It works very well but often times you will find yourself traveling much slower as has quietly slowed down without a visual warning that it s doing so. Even after owning the car for three years my wife will come home and say how much she loves the Outback. With 44K on the odometer and over two years since my last report only incident has been a dead battery. There was no prior indication of failure and it was checked by a Subaru dealer three weeks earlier. The battery failure was so completec that the tow truck operator could not jump start the car. After research it seems that the original equipment battery is not one of the best. Other than that, the car is wonderful continuing to run smoothly and reliably. Fuel economy is s registering 25.5MPG with 75% suburban and 25% highway making up the mix. Most trips are short and average about 7 miles round trip. We highly recommend this car. Sadly the 3.6 liter engine is no longer available as it is an extremely smooth engine/drivetrain. After six years fuel economy still is in the 24-26 mpg range with the majority trips being short suburban driving. Still no breakdowns other than a battery that unexpectedly failed. ( a week after the Subaru dealership gave it the thumbs up.) My wife and I still love the Outback and will keep it as long as it is practical .(as the 3.6 liter six cylinder engine is no longer available.) With 48K miles on the odometer this Subaru continues it's nearly flawless performance. The only issue to date has been the failed battery that I reported earlier. There is currently a class action settlement that addresses this issue. Otherwise it just runs so smoothly and problem free that we may not replace the car until we have no other choice. No leaks, no unusual oil usage and still no irritating noises have marred this cars performance. With 49K on the odometer we encountered our first problem. On a rainy day a number of indicator icons for the safety features popped up on the instrument panel display. Within minutes they would disappear with no apparent change in the cars operation. This same condition repeated several more times. The technitian found a electrical connector to one of the wheel not seated properly. Another issue; the Subaru car battery failed under warranty. It was replaced at no charge due the battery failed at 29 months. Average short trip gas mileage is 25.7 and highway only mileage is 32.2. The reliability and durability continue to amaze us. I took it on a 8 hour trip to Dayton with three adults and acheived 29.9 MPG driving at an estimated 70 MPH. With 55K miles on the odometer that is pretty good milage. The Outback was comfortable for the entire trip. Other than replacing the tires and two batteries it has been carefree.(this does not include required service items like spark plugs, filters, and fluid changes) Since the 6 cylinder is no longer available and the new infotainment system is not to our liking, we keep this car as long as possible. It is really a great ride. The drive train is as smooth as it was new.
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Subaru Refined
alivein55, 11/07/2014
2015 Subaru Outback 2.5i Limited 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
7 of 7 people found this review helpful
Our 2013 Subaru Outback Limited 2.5i was a great car but the 2015 Subaru Outback Limited 2.5i is a better car in almost every category. The new 2015 model has a quieter cabin, better ride, more refined steering, slightly better fuel economy. The appointments have a modern look and feel and are well within reach. Interior material has a soft touch textures. It's a fantastic car to drive and we look forward to a long road trip.
Batman's Utility Belt...
Brett, 05/28/2016
updated 05/31/2019
2015 Subaru Outback 2.5i Limited PZEV 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
11 of 12 people found this review helpful
Ok it's not the Batmobile or even a James Bond "Q" special... No ejection seat, afterburner, cannon, or missiles... But other than that, it's pretty awesome! Visibility: Excellent, high seating position. Panoramic viewing. Love the backup camera. AWD: Excellent... Got me up a driveway w/ black ice (I feel down 4x times in 20 ft getting to car). Helps in cornering... If you drive in snow this + snow tires (Blizzaks) is *amazing*. The only thing better is something with tracks (like a tank). Handling: Good brakes, Good steering. So-so feedback compared to hydraulics, but you get used to it. Power (4 cyl): Decent low end torque, acceleration is somewhat weak at mid/high speeds. Get the 4 cyl for the fuel economy (I get 29 mpg in mixed high speed & stop & go commuting) or the 6 cyl if you want power. Comfort: Very comfortable seats for both short (~1 hour) commuting and long trips. Cargo: Very flexible, huge capacity. The fold-away roof rails are always there if/when you need them, but folded away for quiet & better fuel economy when you don't. And it's rated for towing (got the tow hitch). Safety: Top pick NHTSA, IIHS. Get the "Eyesight" Collision Avoidance System, it's amazing! Saved me from a couple fender benders and 1 serious accident. A blessing to both older people with slower reflexes and young people not paying as much attention as they should... Adaptive cruise control in action. Set to 55, follow car in front of you at set distance. Car in front starts to slow... 45... 35... 25... 15... STOP. Your car does it automatically without touching the brakes... Freaking amazing to see it work... Entertainment/Nav - Intuitive and works well. Sounds great. But no 6 CD changer... CD sound is much higher quality! Stuff I wish were different: Keys (not keyless), bigger time/temp, bigger volume knob, NON capacitive touch buttons (god I hate those), more airflow to the feet, NO 6 CD CHANGER (GRRR!), a handbrake I can grab in an emergency (emergency brake is a little button w/ electric brakes... yuck!), slightly bigger door storage pockets. Overall - Extremely satisfied & happy... I'll be looking at another one when this is 15 years old and has 300,000 miles on it... Update (May 2019 after 80k/4 years): All of the above is still true. Excellent car and excellent value. Happy enough with it, that we have since bought 2 additional Subaru's (2017 Imprezza Premium) and 2018 Crosstrek Premium (both w/ Eyesight). I have the same (minor) irritations as previous - I *hate* pushbutton start... Had one wheel bearing go early (20k), covered under warranty. I wish the owner could reset the TPMS sensor (useful when swapping snow tires).
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Rock Solid & well Engineered
gS, 04/20/2016
updated 08/02/2016
2015 Subaru Outback 2.5i Premium PZEV 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
6 of 6 people found this review helpful
15 Outback is an OUTSTANDING machine Engineering excellence examples: • X-Mode .. blasted up onto our step/long drive after a big snow and made it up half-way . Backed up, put it in X-Mode and drove up and into the garage. Simply amazing ( and yes, I did replace the OEM tires ). • Roof rack system: Securely mounts my 16’ kayak and folds away when not in use. Brilliant • Everything works as expected .. owned this relatively complex machine for +16 mths and all has performed 100% ( Nav took some practice but a good feature) • Ergo: wicked good seats front & back, controls are easy to use & feel solid • MPGs: 30.1. This includes winter, kayak, town/city with peeps, mostly easy driving etc. • Driving: Outback feels solid, handling & braking are 1st rate and you feel secure driving .. it just feels safe. ( yep another 100hp would be nice .. ) Overall my 15 Outback has exceeding my expectations.
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First Subaru
richvog, 05/14/2015
updated 08/02/2016
2015 Subaru Outback 2.5i Limited PZEV 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
6 of 6 people found this review helpful
This past winter was one of the worst for snow and ice. The only cars passing me were Subaru and Audi's during one of the many snow storms. I ended up ordering a 2015 Outback limited with Eyesite 2.5 4 cylinder. It took almost 2 months to get so I did not get to drive it in the snow. I drive almost 400 miles on a weekend getting between 28 and 30.5 mpg on the highway and 24 around town. In my opinion this Subaru has a luxury car ride and feel, my wife says she no longer feels tired after our 3 hour ride. The only negative on this car is the navigation as it chooses routes way longer and out of the way then it should. Outback is solid and quite, an excellent car.
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Serious Battery Problems
notooutback, 04/02/2015
updated 08/02/2016
2015 Subaru Outback 2.5i Premium PZEV 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
24 of 29 people found this review helpful
Battery dies from any number of unknown causes. Battery dies if electronic key stored within 15' of car. Battery dies if you make an undefined number of short trips less than 12 miles each. Battery dies if car left unused in garage for a week or more. Rear lift gate is inoperable and needs resetting through a difficult procedure after battery dies. Jumping battery may disrupt electronics if car door is opened during charging. No battery charge indicator (like in a cell phone, for example) so you never know the state of the battery. We have 3 dead batteries in 3 months with a 3 month old new 2015 Outback. Dealer advise us to remove a fuse to prevent these problems.
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Battery issues cured me of Subarus!
Mark, 08/31/2017
2015 Subaru Outback 2.5i Limited 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
13 of 15 people found this review helpful
I got my first Subaru in the 1980s in Boulder, CO. I wish they still made that car. My issue with the 2015 Outback is simple, but it is a fatal flaw for a car which is not driven daily. Simply put, however this car is designed, the battery is dead if left undriven for 2 weeks. The dealer has checked the car and found nothing unexpected. I actually replaced the stock battery with the biggest battery which would fit in the battery area. It has not fixed this issue. I just completed a test where the car was my primary car for several days. I turned radio, a/c etc off when we left on vacation. 13 days later, the car would not start. This was a 2nd vehicle purchased for its safety rating for a new driver, eventually intended as a car to bring to college. This car will never work for the college kid who needs a car every few weeks. (BTW our Toyota Highlander and Acura MDX both started no problem after vacation-and they had not even been driven regularly prior to that. Selling the Subaru and done with the brand.
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Think twice before you buy a Subaru!
VF, 09/18/2016
2015 Subaru Outback 2.5i Limited PZEV 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
24 of 30 people found this review helpful
https://youtu.be/9k3xDesFqWE Think twice before you buy a Subaru! I have continued to have ongoing issues with my 2015 Subaru Outback. Since day one the electronics system has not worked. The phone rings and my system seizes won’t answer the phone and won’t release the call back to the phone. Then I get 10 minutes of the phone “ringing” even though the call is long gone. My USB drives sometimes don’t show up, sometimes sound like a skipping CD, sometimes takes up to 30 minutes to load the list of songs. The navigation system is just about worthless, it is about five years behind Google maps, in fact one service member told me to “just use my phone.” The system spontaneously restarts all on its own rebooting to the Starlink screen and finally resetting after several minutes. I have brought my car in about six times between two different dealerships over the past two years. Every time they perform a firmware update that does nothing. In fact on two occasions I got the car back and my windows didn’t work or my center console menus didn’t work. The first time I took it to Napleton Subaru they kept the car for twice the quoted time only to tell me they don’t even have the cables to service the system. I contacted Subaru of America and things got worse. I was told to take it back to Napleton and they would keep my car for as long as it takes to diagnose the problem. They gave me the car back after six hours and when I asked what they found, I was told they only did a firmware update and didn’t run diagnostics. I checked the invoice and this is exactly what is on the invoice. I told them that Subaru of America said they would keep it for as long as it took, and they told me SOA instructed the to only perform the firmware update. I was also told the manager would be involved throughout the whole process, I never spoke with him once; only the same service member as before who was rude both times. Upon contacting SOA again I asked to speak to a manager and was contacted by Tony Huynh who has been rude, unprofessional, and condescending throughout the whole process. He explained to me that Napleton couldn’t find anything wrong. I explained that they told me they didn’t even look and the invoice reflected this. In fact, no one claimed to attempt to diagnose the issue until I complained. I provided Tony with videos and pictures of the problem and his response in email is exactly transcribed below. [If you are claiming all these things are happening frequently, but have yet to be able to duplicate the concern at the retailer then how are they to "fix" the issue?] I explained that these issues are clearly happening and that if they can’t fix the issue they should replace the unit since it is under warranty. Tony’s response: [There are no warranty repairs for something that cannot be duplicated] I asked to speak with his supervisor and his response: Tony: The bottom line is, we are all here to help you and if our factory trained technicians cannot duplicate your concern then there is nothing to fix... period. If you want me to continue to remain involved, let me know when the vehicle is going back in for further inspection. Me: Once again, please put me in contact with your supervisor. Tony: Your case has been reviewed for further assistance by our management team. I am part of that management team. Aside from these issues I have had three wheel bearings go bad almost all at the same time and all within the first year. I was told this was from “metal that gets in there at the factory.” I have also now received my SECOND RECALL IN TWO YEARS!!! In two years of owning this vehicle it has been nothing but trouble. Last week I was in the middle of nowhere Texas and the navigation system froze as you can see in the video below. I had to pull over and restart the car. This happened no less than six times. https://youtu.be/9k3xDesFqWE Tony Huynh has still not put me in contact with his supervisor claiming he is in charge and the buck stops with him; and here I thought Tomomi Nakamura and Tom Doll ran the company. This is especially troubling because I bought this car through USAA car buying in which the dealership reached out to me to make me an offer on the vehicle. It is troubling to think that Subaru is targeting veterans and then treating them this way, especially while ignoring a warranty. I will be contacting USAA and several veterans’ organizations and warning them to help keep Subaru from preying on veterans. So Mr. Nakamura, Mr. Doll, if this is not how you think your company should be run, please contact me my case number is SR #:1-16996822879. If anyone else out there working for Subaru knows Tony Huynh’s supervisor or someone else in management that respects their warranty and their business’ reputation, please contact me regarding case number SR #:1-16996822879. Please be sure to check my other videos on YouTube as well and please thi
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1.5 years later
ken wald, 04/24/2016
updated 08/02/2016
2015 Subaru Outback 2.5i 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
5 of 5 people found this review helpful
First Subaru & Outback, have done multiple long trips and the car feels great. 2 car seats in the back and wife fits just fine in between. It has a car feeling, which makes driving pleasant. Been off road a few times and no problems there. I would say for the money this is the best family vehicle you can get! Now i hope it lasts a long time.
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one year in - impressions
Carl, 05/13/2016
updated 08/02/2016
2015 Subaru Outback 2.5i Premium PZEV 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
5 of 5 people found this review helpful
Had the Outback for about a year now. First Subaru since I had one in high school, so I mostly purchased based off feedback from others and reputation as the go to vehicle in New England. I was Coming off a Nissan Murano that had its share of issues and was only getting more expensive to keep on the road so wanted reliable AWD with better gas mileage and winter driving ability. Very pleased overall with my purchase. Went with the premium trim level to keep costs down, but still got long standard list of features including heated seats/mirrors/windshield and back up cam. Pros: Interior layout and comfort - seats are great, most controls are well placed and where they should be Back up camera a big help Gas mileage (have averaged up to 33 mpg on some tanks, and usually over 30 mph with mixed situation driving) Cons: Acceleration is adequate at best, but with passengers/cargo it is outright sluggish - wish there was a turbo 4 or make the 6 cyl available on other models other than top of the line CVT is better than older generations thanks to mimicking shifts, but still would prefer regular automatic at a sacrifice of a few mpg's Stock tires are lousy and will get snow tires before next winter. Drove through relatively mild winter for Maine on stocks and was not happy if more than an inch of snow on roads. Snow gets packed in treads too easily and braking is not good in snow. Minor issue, but tend to kick door panel bottom when getting out of car, which leaves scuff marks all the time that you can't get out, poor design Electronic dimming rear view mirror should be standard on vehicle Overall opinion: Have not run into some of the problems others have had with windshield, battery or electronics - hopefully these are isolated issues that will not crop up everywhere. If driven fairly conservatively, you can see the advertised gas mileage, which is very good for an AWD wagon this size running on regular gas. Car is very comfortable on long trips and has plenty of cargo room and passenger room. Would recommend to others!
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Happy
Arthur Heydecker, 03/16/2015
2015 Subaru Outback 2.5i Limited 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
5 of 5 people found this review helpful
I have 7000 miles on the 2.5 good MPG and fun to drive the 2.5 moves the OB around very well. We went on a 1200 mile trip 31.2MPG
Great car..except for the loud exhaust noise
Mike Vogt, 11/09/2015
updated 08/02/2016
2015 Subaru Outback 2.5i Limited 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
5 of 5 people found this review helpful
8 months and 14,000 miles and I really like the car except I get a loud rattling noise coming from the exhaust at idle which lasts a few minutes then goes away. The dealer had it 8 days and couldn't find anything. It's back at the dealer again now and I'm driving a 2015 Legacy loaner. I will say even though the Outback and the Legacy are essentially the same vehicle except for the hatch vs trunk and higher ground clearance I find the Legacy has a better ride and is more comfortable. Don't regret the Outback purchase though, that is if they ever get the noise fixed. Knowing what I do now after putting miles on both I would choose the Legacy over the Outback purely for the better ride and handling.
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Love it, but here are the nuisances I've noticed
Chuck10598, 12/26/2015
updated 07/13/2020
2015 Subaru Outback 2.5i PZEV 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
5 of 5 people found this review helpful
There are a lot of things I love about this car and overall I give this car a 4 out of 5 stars. I love the styling, the safety features, the feel of the road on both rough and smooth pavement, and that there is plenty of room in the rear seats. There are a lot of pros about this car that other reviewers have posted and I agree with, but there are some cons that I have noticed but have not read in other posts. Hopefully Subaru will eventually get the message. The first noticeable thing is that the accelerator seems a bit too touchy and starts off abruptly from a standing start. This is OK when you’re accelerating from zero and going in a straight line. But when you’re at a stop sign and proceed to make a left or right into traffic, a few passengers will usually say “whoa”. I wonder if this is something that some fine-tuning on the CV transmission can correct. It may very well be the physical differences between a front wheel drive and 4-wheel drive when accelerating through a turn. It may also be that the car has a little bit of a tendency to oversteer than I’m used to. Hopefully I can get better at it with some practice. I opted to get the sun roof and have enjoyed it quite a bit. But I’ve noticed a vibrating or rattling noise when I hit some bumps at moderate speed. To me it sounds like a tight cable vibrating against nearby metal. It’s probably OK but it makes you worry something was not assembled securely. The clock display is pretty small and kind of hiding behind my right forearm (when my hands are on the wheel) and among other temperature control information. I use this car mainly for commuting, and from a safety point of view, checking the time should only be a mere glance. I hope Subaru realizes this and changes its size and location this in a future model. Also, the climate controls take some getting used to. I’ve read somethings about the open tail gate continuing to draw power from the battery regardless of whether the light is off and then draining the battery dead. I haven’t experienced it myself but I worry about it every time the tailgate is up longer than a brief moment. UPDATE: The front windshield cracked near the wiper defrost wire. Fortunately it was covered under warranty. UPDATE2: The EyeSight system is excellent. On a few occasions I've had cars in front of me brake hard and suddenly, or switch lanes in front of me and need to hit the brakes. The EyeSight system applied the brakes very quickly and kept me from hitting the car in front of me. UPDATE 3: At about 80,000 miles, I needed to have 2 wheel bearings replaced. It felt like a hum-like vibration while driving on highways, especially along turns. Fortunately it was covered under my extended warranty. I've had a Toyota Camry for 250,000 miles and have a Toyota Sienna for 175,000 miles and have not had this kind of problem.
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Subaru slipped up!
Lucy, 10/02/2018
2015 Subaru Outback 2.5i Limited PZEV 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
5 of 5 people found this review helpful
I've been driving a 2015 Outback for 2+years. Love the gas mileage, roominess, handling and comfort. But i have 2 major complaints: speakers and heating/cooling systems. The speakers sound so bad... must be very low quailty plus the placement of them in the car is poor. They sound muffled and not clear. I have tried adjusting them but no improvement. If you are a music lover, you will be disappointed with this vehicle! SUBARU, what were you thinking!?! Second compliant is temp controls. When i turn the heat or air off, it never totally shuts off, so the vents continue to blow out a little hot or cold air. So annoying because then it gets too hot or cold. Sonetimes i would just like the option of maintaining the current interior temp, but it doesn't let me do that. And the a/c turns on every time i turn on the fan. I live in mn so it's not something i use on a frequent basis. I am constantly turning it off. A better option would have been to have me turn it on when i need it rather than to turn it off when i don't.
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Subaru finally has technology
mflook17, 07/26/2014
2015 Subaru Outback 3.6R Limited 4dr SUV AWD (3.6L 6cyl CVT)
98 of 128 people found this review helpful
I live in Michigan and this is my third Outback. Last winter we got 190 inches of snow, we live in the middle of the forrest up a hill, on a dirt road, and we never ONCE got our driveway plowed and these Subarus are the only things that get up it. (No not even those over rated Jeep Grand Cherokees) This 2015 model is outstanding. I have the limited 6-cylinder model and it is very quick. It does 0-60 in just over 7 seconds and the engine noise has been COMPLETELY taken away (Once you get up around 70 mph the side-mirros create a little wind noise). The inside of the car has complete changed. The 7 inch touchscreen display is amazing and the voice control is even better. The whole car is 100%.
Great step up from our 2008 Outback
BrianT, 07/20/2015
updated 08/02/2016
2015 Subaru Outback 2.5i Limited 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
8 of 9 people found this review helpful
Recently traded in our 2008 Outback Limited with 135K virtually trouble-free miles for a 2015 Outback 2.5i Limited without nav. With frequent road trips to our vacation home in SW Colorado with 2 German Shepherd dogs, we wanted to upgrade to something a bit bigger yet not compromise on gas mileage. Looked at the Hyundai Sante Fe Sport, Toyota Highlander, Ford Escape (way small inside) and Edge, and the Outback, and the Outback was the hands down winner in regard to interior space, features, and gas mileage. Have 2000 miles on the car and get about 25-27 MPG city driving, and on a recent road trip from Flagstaff, AZ to Durango, CO (including a few uphill mountain grades) the Outback averaged just under 35 MPG. The 2.5 engine with the CVT did a much better job pulling the vehicle up the hills than the 2008 Outback with the 2.5 and 4-speed auto, despite the slight increase in vehicle weight with the 2015. Likes: Interior room, excellent build quality, awesome sound system, Starlink Bluetooth connectivity is great, plenty of cup holders and pockets, handles well (but not quite as well as the smaller 2008), blind spot detection, rear traffic alert, and rear view camera are great, quiet and smooth ride, gas mileage good so far. Suggested improvements: Needs a deeper under floor storage tray (2008 tray had more room), optional rear cargo net is pretty useless, I miss the side rear covered storage bins in the 2008, the front seats could use a bit more bottom cushion padding and bolstering. Can't comment yet on reliability, but if it is as reliable as our 2008, we'll be very happy.
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2015 Subaru Outback Parking Brake Problem
Flow, 01/23/2016
updated 08/02/2016
2015 Subaru Outback 2.5i Premium 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
8 of 9 people found this review helpful
I've had this car for over a year. Be aware that this car has electronics everywhere, for everything, and is very Consumer UNfriendly.The manual is not helpful ....What idiot would make a car with 100's of commands and a display screen right in front of you, and then in order to change the time, you need to use the heated seat button.. That's just one of several annoying things about this car.That took me a drive to the dealership, which they didn't know how to change it..I finally figured it out after 2 days.. Here's another goody. On the drivers side of the seat, that plastic piece.. Constantly is coming off. It's to big for the seat.. You turn to get out of the car and your leg hits it and it comes out...I've been to the dealer 3 times for that one.. They can't do anything about it because that's the way it was manufactured...This is a BIGGY The parking brake goes on if the car is on something slippery. Ice,snow ..after the wheels spin, the brake comes on and won't go off. The wheels then lock and you can't move the dam thing. Right now it's in my driveway and I need to call a tow truck.. Here's another fabulous thing, sometimes the electronics that take care of the gas gauge,speedometer,oil temp,H/C gauge, doesn't work.. I had to shut off the car and restart it for them to work.. How about those lights....couldn't get them on one night..they're on "auto" they didn't go on..again shut the car off and restart.. That's what I do when the electronics mess up.. Shut it off, restart.. I'm very afraid of those same dam electronics going off when I'm doing 65 mph.. I'm not a happy person with this car.. The best thing I can say are, great gas mileage, about 30 mpg. The heated seats are fabulous. The Bluetooth is cool, but I would get that on any new car.. I could go on and on what is wrong with this car, but I won't.. This is my first and last Subaru..
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Poor Interior Quality
Michael Siva, 04/06/2015
2015 Subaru Outback 2.5i Limited PZEV 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
14 of 17 people found this review helpful
I'm actually quite disappointed with the interior quality of the 2015 Outback. I got my first one in December 2014 and traded it in for another one in February 2015 because of a clicking sound in the rear driver's-side window that the local dealership couldn't repair, and the 2nd one is driving me insane as well. The interior looks nice but the quality is sub-par. The faux-wood trim and the plastic housing for the Eyesight is cheap and makes noises whenever the car hits slight bumps, and the dashboard isn't solid and every time the car hits a bump it moves up and down against the windshield area which makes a noise. I was really hoping to like this vehicle but I am quite disappointed.
Solid Car with some quirks
Bob Smith, 03/11/2016
updated 08/02/2016
2015 Subaru Outback 3.6R Limited 4dr SUV AWD (3.6L 6cyl CVT)
10 of 12 people found this review helpful
We love driving this car. It is definitely one of the most solid buys out there - I can safely say as we painstakingly researched for months - for a reasonably priced and efficient SUV. The interior is nicely designed, and comfortable in the limited model. And the interior also seems to be durable - although we've only had it a few months. It has great pickup in the 3.6 engine - but the smaller 2.5 engine did not at all - so beware. That being said, the pickup is so great because it has dismal fuel economy - not close to the EPA rating you'll see on the window. We are getting about 20 mpg with all freeway driving - or so it says but even our quick trips are draining the tank faster than any car I've driven. That is one of the few quirks you might want to consider - but remember we found many more quirks in other options. Another oddity is the technology. It is not much of a concern for us but just like all the other car companies out there Subaru has put a ton of new features in the display, climate, and entertainment - and it is mostly worthless. In fact it is so hard to navigate, that I'd say it is unsafe to have in the car at all. Doing something simple like turning on the radio takes four or five clicks which is not something you should be doing while driving. And such a great percentage of the features in there are not valuable so they just make for a crowded screen that compounds the frustration and unsafe factors. Again, this is not different from any other car maker out there except maybe the Tesla or the newest Volvos. Somebody should tell them all to just have Apple design the stuff for them and have them work off our phones which are advancing way faster. Drive train - seems really great - excellent acceleration. The CVT does make for a lot of hesitating and then punching it though - not a smooth accelerating car. And the ride is overly bouncy. I like the higher clearance on this model - the 2015 3.6. It's a great balance between a compact SUV, wagon, and off roader.
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Outback 2015
Jack Vongray, 04/06/2015
updated 04/12/2021
2015 Subaru Outback 2.5i Limited 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
15 of 19 people found this review helpful
The main reason I purchase the 2015 Outback 2.5 was the cargo capacity and the gas mileage 25/33. Fuel economy... initially was poor, but got better over time. Otherwise, great car. The ultimate compliment... I would purchase another one.
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You will love this car
southern_boy, 01/23/2015
updated 01/26/2017
2015 Subaru Outback 2.5i Premium 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
7 of 8 people found this review helpful
This is the first Subaru I have owned and love it. It is comfortable, fuel efficient, quiet, and the build quality is better than anything I have owned. We looked at the Toyota RAV 4, and Honda CRV. Both were loud, under powered and clunky. The Outback drives extremely well, has a good sound system (not great), quiet, and solid. I too have not heard the noises that others have talked about, but would suggest that they not have their roof rack cross bars across the roof. The only Con I can think of is getting used to shifting from reverse to drive takes a second or so. I loved mine so much I recommended Subaru to my wife who ended up getting rid of her Toyota and trading it for a Legacy.
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Third outback
Henry, 08/22/2015
updated 02/25/2020
2015 Subaru Outback 3.6R Limited 4dr SUV AWD (3.6L 6cyl CVT)
7 of 8 people found this review helpful
Pleasantly surprised by comfort, mileage, and handling of car. Eye sight isc helpful searching blind spots. Good acceleration with 6 cylinder. Comfortable seats. Very good long distance car. Quiet. Still handles well and much better lights then previous Outbacks. The universal criticisms for the clock and outside temp are true, difficult to find. Good bad weather car as advertised. Still happy with car. Drives well. Eyesight clearly helpful. At 43000 miles. No issues with car. Drives well on high way 650 mile road trip. Speed control does well and keeps distances well. No improvement in mileage as engine breaks to keep distance. Overall very happy with car. Eye sight is worth it. At 50,000 miles still enjoy car. No unusual maintenance issues
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POOR FUEL MILEAGE
John, 01/20/2016
updated 08/02/2016
2015 Subaru Outback 2.5i 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
7 of 8 people found this review helpful
There are a few reasons that sold me on my 2015 Subaru out back with 2.5L one of them was the posted 25 city 33 Hyw fuel mileage (its a farce) my average mileage is 23.7 according to the data from the car its self, if I do the math its even worse by a few tenths. I wanted to give the car a chance to break in a little before I wrote about it. I have had the car for one year now and have 10,000 miles on it, just did a 500 mile round trip and got 25 mpg SAD!!!! The other disappointment is the poor sound quality from the speaker phone/bluetooth very difficult to hear the person that is talking in the car. The voice command NAV system also is less than desirable very frustrating to use and most the time can't recognize the command. Just for the record I have a 2014 Chevrolet Silverado that has these features and they work flawlessly. Ok now for the pros... my outback it is very conferrable to drive my wife and I took it on a 2500 mile road trip and did some 8 - 10 hour day's with no problem very roomy, also love the AWD handles great in all conditions, I have the eye sight option love/hate relationship but over all works great with cruise control and on long trips is very nice.
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Too many quality problems
Bill Taylor, 02/21/2019
updated 08/26/2024
2015 Subaru Outback 2.5i Limited 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
7 of 8 people found this review helpful
Beware of potential quality problems. With only 40,000 miles on my 2015 Outback the dealer has made the following repairs: 3 dashboards, 3 driver door panels, replaced drive shaft, replaced front axle, ongoing dashboard rattles, rear hatch failed to open, Vibration at high speeds in spite of new tires and repeated tire balance, unable to fix shutter when turning right, unable to fix vibration noise at 1,800rpm’s. If you buy a Subaru I recommend buying the long term bumper to bumper warranty. UPDATE: I am fortunate to have a great service department at Nate Wade Subaru. They kept looking and attempting to solve the vibration problems. In addition to previous efforts A third set of tires, repeated road force balances. Efforts to work with Subaru of America for the Buy Back Program were a joke. In checking with numerous dealers for used Subarus I was able to find many cars from the Buy Back program for some things as simple as a radio problem or AC problem but with all my problems they wouldn’t authorize my eligibility for the Buy Back Program. Be careful, Subaru of a America does not have your back. As for the vibration problem I reached out to a local tire shop chain I have used for over 20 years. I was told they have heard of problems with transmission mounts, he said he even heard one Subaru service department tell a customer they have had problems with transmission mounts. I went to Nate Wade and told them what I heard. They replaced the transmission mount and what a difference. Within a mile after picking my OB up I first thought they gave me the wrong car. It felt tighter, less engine vibration at idle, less engine shake when starting and a more solid feel. As for vibration, unfortunately with the pandemic unable to take long road trips to check out the vibration. Would I buy another Subaru? Probably since I have read that quality has improved and Subaru is investing a billion dollars in improving quality. Find a good dealer that will have your back, don’t count on Subaru of America.
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Alignment Please!
Markerg, 11/03/2015
updated 08/02/2016
2015 Subaru Outback 2.5i Premium 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
7 of 8 people found this review helpful
Bought new 2015 Outback Premium 2.5i and took it to trusted alignment shop to have better tires installed. Mechanic said car was way out of alignment and adjusted it for me. I really wish Subaru would not have transferred this expense from their factory to me.
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Too many lights coming on!
Brenda Turner, 08/10/2015
updated 02/20/2019
2015 Subaru Outback 3.6R Limited 4dr SUV AWD (3.6L 6cyl CVT)
20 of 26 people found this review helpful
Subaru seem to think that just putting a light on the dashboard means something. We had trouble on a long journey when just about all the lights on the dashboard lit up. On consulting the handbook we discovered that it might be something to do with the X mode. So what does this mean? Contact a Subaru dealer and don't drive it. Great - the nearest dealer was over 120 miles away over a mountain range. Fortunately my husband had the bright idea of disconnecting the battery and leaving it to reset for an hour or so. It worked - nothnig wrong apparently as it has not come on since. Thanks for the scare Subaru! It is also almost impossible to get rid of the low tire pressure light even when all are showing the correct pressure. All in all it seems to be too much technology for the car.
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Quality Engineer's Review. Oil Eater snd Rattler
Jeff Miller, 03/09/2016
updated 04/11/2024
2015 Subaru Outback 2.5i 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
12 of 15 people found this review helpful
Car traded in on a 24’ Subaru Outback at 225,000 miles. Couldn’t pass up 0% on new ones. Last year for this body I believe. In the end, got a new one because the car is the perfect size for me since Im a mega commuter, 104 miles a day and have to come home and haul 2 small kids and all the junk that comes along. The AWD deals well with the snow, heavy rains, and dirt roads I have to deal with. Final issues with vehicle prior to trade. Both front power windows have failed. Depending upon humidity and temperature changes, the cruise control and all wheel drive warning lights come on. Cruise control will not work when the light is on, assume AWD is dead too. 187,000 mile update. Leaking radiator hard line replaced, radiator flushed Rear wheel bearings replaced Right front passenger window motor controller causes window to stop in halfway up position. Have to return to open and try again. 28 mpg average, still burning thru oil. No other new issues to report. 160,000 mile update. MPG’s back at 28, no explanation. Suspected catalytic converter rattle is severe. Neighbors Subaru has the same rattle on a Crosstrek. Eating oil now at a higher rate, Oil light on this morning only 75 days since last oil change. Gas Cap and Power Window seizure during even mild icing conditions is annoying. Supposed to be a bad weather car made for winter. 150,000 mile update. MPGs still at 25. Eats a quart of oil every 15,000 miles. I suspect its the early generation low friction rings everyone complained about when the engine was first released. Still runs well. No body rust yet, coming up on 6 years old. UPDATE: overall MPGs have dropped to 25.5 mpg and a rattle is now present from the back tailegate when Im stoppedin traffic. Otherwise it is still running well. No new major issues mechanically. Now nearing 4 years old. Still putting 30,000 miles a year on it. At 100,000 miles took to dealer. No major issues other than a physical hole in the Catalytic converter. Most likely road damage. At dealer had them put in factory oil, instead of Amsoil. It lost over a quart in less than a few thousand miles, so switched back to Amsoil. Complaints: Factory tires had poor traction. Front seat now squeaks, 30k miles a year, but still expected more miles before the seat would start giving out. Air con dies on hills, I guess to save gas mileage, but I live In a very hilly area. Heated everything but steering wheel, which is kinda stupid. Speakers make dash rattle already. Overall interior quality is lackluster. Pros: Practical AWD station wagon w reasonable gas mileage and good storage. No oil consumption issues. Love the CVT trans w XMode. Two warranty issues. Defective front glass annealing, never saw safety glass crack that quickly from a minor pebble. Recall for starter relay, apparently it doesnt like cold weather, which is great for a cold weather vehicle. Orig review: Interior, starting to rattle at only 23k. All weather mats are flimsy and cheap. Infotainment is not impressive at all, blue tooth is always confused. Stock tires are downright dangerous in actual snow of over .25" Zero plans to purchase again. Have been around multiple other Subarus, my first.
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Love driving but Navi entertainment Useless!
ellenz1, 04/21/2015
updated 04/24/2017
2015 Subaru Outback 2.5i Limited PZEV 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
9 of 11 people found this review helpful
I purchased my car in December 2014. It's very comfortable and responsive And I love the eyesite safety features. But I'm not sure I would purchase this car again given 2 major issues First the fuel economy is well below rating. I'm in flat Florida, driving slowly for insurance discounts and still my average mpg is only 24-25. Highway about 27-28. Second the navigation and entertainment system is buggy and of low quality. The sound system is terrible. If music is important to you you won't be happy. Navigation is also poor. Directions are never as good as my Garmin or IPhone. More importantly he entire navi info system freezes randomly and the dealer can't fix it! After 2 years I still love my Subaru and still hate the Navigation and entertainment. Sound quality is poor. The navigation system is awful. I'm on the road full time and have tried to use it but keep going back to my iPhone. The system doesn't have many points of interest or businesses so it's hard to program. And the map randomly switches out of the mode I want to another mode. It's sometimes difficult to pair my iPod with true system to listen to podcasts. The dealer told me that Subaru's do not like apple products. If I were to do it again I'd leave out this package and have something else installed at a auto shop
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Excellent car, Poor fuel economy
projectm96, 05/13/2015
updated 08/02/2016
2015 Subaru Outback 2.5i Premium 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
9 of 11 people found this review helpful
I am the kind of guy who can easily average 2-5mpg better than the advertised highway fuel economy in any car, but in the Subaru Outback, I can't even reach 30mpg. The best I got on highway driving is 28mpg. My average in mixed driving was 23mpg. The car is also overpriced. They are selling for over MSRP. Overall it is a good value, but it is still annoying that you can't buy one near MSRP price.
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A Great Vehicle!
Terry H., 10/26/2016
updated 11/02/2023
2015 Subaru Outback 2.5i Premium 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
4 of 4 people found this review helpful
After over 50 years of driving, I can say that my 2015 Outback Premium 2.5 is overall the best vehicle I've ever owned. I've owned Volvos, Mercedes, Lincolns, Cadillacs, and Suburbans. I was a used car dealer for 30 years. So I've driven them all. My wife and I purchased two 2015 Outbacks new in 2014. In 6 years of driving, we have not had one problem with either one. There have been a few recalls....all but one minor enough to where I waited until the next complementary dealer service to have them done. When we had both our cars in for complementary oil changes & tire rotations, I was informed of a recall just announced on both. The recall included replacement of the exhaust manifold which included the catalytic converters. We had no operational problems before the recall was done and notice no difference in operation after the work was done. We have also received notices from Subaru on both Outbacks that there have been transmission problems on a few vehicles made about the time ours were made. No repairs were made. Subaru did extend the manufacturer's warranty to 100k miles or 10 years. Both or our vehicles have the Eyesight system -- it works great. My wife's is a Limited. The thinner tires on the Limited give better handling, but a little rougher ride. Personally, I prefer my cloth seats. I do wish that the Premium trim included rear A/C vents. Why pay more for a less dependable vehicle -- we'll stick with Subaru. We've now owned our two Outbacks 6 years. Our Limited has push-button start. We have had a problem with dead battery twice. I left the car at Subaru of Port Richey several days. They could not find a problem. With the help of New Port Richey Subaru Service Writer Brian, we suspect that the problem comes from leaving the fob in the car after shutting the car off. Apparently after pushing the button to shut off the car, she must be taking her foot off the brake pedal and hitting the button again. The engine is off, but the car is in an auxiliary setting so the navigation and radio are operating. Should she happen to have hit the button twice without her foot on the pedal, the instrument cluster lights up. With the fob left in the car, the car assumes you are also in the car wanting the accessories on. The batteries on these cars run down very quickly. In fact, I left the dome light at the rear hatch on overnight, and the battery was dead in the morning. I think, regardless of the cause of battery drain, the car should shut itself off to prevent the battery from going dead. It could signal a warning or in some way alert someone sitting in the car or nearby of the situation. If no one does anything, then shut itself off to prevent draining the battery. The last time I took my Premium to Subaru of Port Richey, my service writer, Brian, told me that there was a software update which lengthens the time the alternator charges the battery. Perhaps this is the cause of the battery problems. I'm having it done to both our Outbacks. Since replacing the batteries in both our Outbacks, we have had no problems. At this update point we’ve owned our Outback’s nine years. Finally replaced the front brake pads on my premium at 90k miles. Wife’s limited still has original pads at 60k! Still can say these are the best cars we’ve ever had. The only other suggestion I could make would be to enable you to press the radio button to turn off the volume after putting the car in reverse. If you want the volume off, you can manually turn the volume button down.......not something you need to be doing while backing up. Another option would be to have the radio sound go off automatically when you put the car in reverse and the backup camera comes on. In all, the cars still get 5-star ratings from us both!
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Love it but grossly disappointed in windshields.
Jonathan, 01/26/2016
updated 08/02/2016
2015 Subaru Outback 2.5i 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
4 of 4 people found this review helpful
We are preparing to install what will be the third windshield. As my wife said she has driven for 33 years and she never had to replace a windshield until this 2015 Outback. One cracked in the heat of night driving across Nevada/California with no recollection of anything hitting the windshield. Same problem driving to Idaho last Month. Now a new crack. Our dear ski friend also has a 2015 Outback. He is preparing for his third windshield as well. When we went to replace the first windshield the wait time was six weeks. Independent windshield installers did not have any in stock. The dealership was verbally kind and made a concession and only charged about $160 labor. Not likely after it is out of warranty. At this rate we will spend about $1,280 on windshield labor assuming they do not charge for the glass if we keep the vehicle for 80,000 miles. Without the consideration from the dealership, each windshield alone is over $600 each. Our other concern is if it spider cracks when we are traveling we do not want to wait weeks for a replacement. We were preparing to purchase a second Outback. That is on hold as we consider trading our existing vehicle in. We are not confident this problem is remedied.
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I don't see what all the hype is about...
Gordy McMilkshake, 10/03/2018
2015 Subaru Outback 2.5i Premium PZEV 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
4 of 4 people found this review helpful
On paper it seemed like the perfect vehicle, but in actuality it really does nothing for me. There's really nothing wrong with it, but it just is unremarkable in almost every way. Let's talk performance first. Acceleration is adequate at best, and that is if you are driving by yourself. If you have a few passengers and/or cargo, it'll leave a bit to be desired. I've also found this to be the case when merging into traffic. I usually just have to pray there isn't a long string of cars I need to gas it to get in front of. Braking is nothing special either, though not awful. One area that is remarkable is handling in the rain. I do not need to slow down on the highway at all. I expect this to be the case in snow, too. Even though that is a good perk, it's not enough to get me excited about this crap wagon. I'm also not sure what they were thinking with the design. I have a family member who has a previous generation Outback which I really liked. I didn't realize how different the designs really are until after I got mine. from the side it looks like they tried to rip off a Volvo crossover but didn't succeed very well. The grill is obviously stolen from Ford. Not sure what to say about the back. If it were a beauty contest between this, a Ford Aerostar, and a Chevy HHR the Outback would clearly win, but this one's appearance is forgettable at best (which is true of most Subarus). The interior is nicer than the previous generation, I'll give it that. Seat comfort leave a bit to be desired, though, and the glare from the center console is very oppressive if driving the wrong direction on a sunny day. Interior materials aren't bad, with window switches being among the most solid I've ever had and seat fabric being pretty nice. Again, that's not enough to get me excited about this car. Others praise the visibility and again, I feel it's barely adequate. Yes, there's a camera, but dependency on this isn't ideal. This car does handle well on back roads for as large as it is - it pulls off more of a car-like feel, though during turns at low speeds it definitely feels more like you're driving an SUV. The luggage rack on top with the movable bars appears to be a good concept but I've not had the chance to test it yet. The climate control and audio are definitely an upgrade from my old car, which give me some comfort about trading in my much more fun old car. Fuel economy is also pretty good, with 26-28 mixed driving and 33 out on the road. I'll give it to Subaru...that's impressive for such a large AWD vehicle. My much older Honda Accord used to get that same mileage. To sum up, it's not really a bad vehicle, but just nothing special. Don't waste money on a stamp to write home about this one. I don't see what all the Subaru hype is about. It's a very okay car. It meets my needs on paper, but I just can't get excited about it. If I were in a very snowy climate it might be easier. I'd definitely look at competitors before jumping into any Subaru purchase.
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Disappointed compared to my other 8 subarus
Michael Rollins, 01/25/2016
updated 08/02/2016
2015 Subaru Outback 2.5i Premium 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
4 of 4 people found this review helpful
We have owned Subarus for years and currently have 4 of them in our driveway. I always thought we would own one because we live in the mountains of Va. We have had the car for 16 months and have 16k miles. Several things work sparatically(back up monitor and opening of rear hatch with key,) also has never gotten gas mileage they claim. BUT my biggest disappointment by far is it's lack of ability to get traction in the snow. Last winter, we had a fairly significant snow. We were able to drive our other 3 Subaru's out of the snow with no digging. We had to dig and dig to get the 2015 Subaru out. Yesterday we had a 12" snow. I had cleaned my driveway. When I backed my 2015 Subaru back into the driveway, I got one rear wheel over in the snow bank. The other 3 were on plowed ground. I thought I was going to have to have it plowed out. My other Subaru's have 210 k miles, 190k miles, and 65k miles. I would trust any of them in snow more than this one. After more than 25 yrs. of being a loyal Subaru owner, my next new car probably won't be a Subaru.
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First Subaru and it will be my LAST
lbeck, 10/17/2016
updated 04/18/2018
2015 Subaru Outback 2.5i Limited PZEV 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
4 of 4 people found this review helpful
Only a little over a year old, 7720 miles and God knows if it will start when I want to go somewhere. The last two months I have had to jump start my car FOUR times. It sits in my driveway dead. Dealer ran diagnostic when I brought the car back for the third recall! They found nothing. Dead a few weeks later. Drove it on a Sunday, was dead on that Wednesday. Back at the dealer since Thursday (it is now Monday.) They still claim that they have found no drain on the battery. Was told by a tech that I should start the car every two days when I know I am not going to drive it. That is ridiculous. Then was asked if I keep the keys too close to the car when it is parked. What!? I purchased this car based on the claims that it is a reliable brand and that that has proven to be a fallacy. I guess if I have to go away and leave the car I should hire someone to start it every few days? Or I could just turn it in on the lemon law...? This has been a truly frustrating experience. Would not recommend this car, unfortunately, unless you are looking for a really expensive lawn ornament. UPDATE. Still not very happy with this car. Now the car's front windshield gets condensation on the interior. I have never in my life seen this before. There are spots all over and I have to clean the inside before I drive. Seems to me the seal on the windshield has a leak. great. really looking forward to dealing with that. Thanks Subaru...
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Great value
David Kostrikin, 09/09/2018
updated 03/16/2020
2015 Subaru Outback 3.6R Limited 4dr SUV AWD (3.6L 6cyl CVT)
4 of 4 people found this review helpful
Love the car, it was a choice between an Audi all road at over $60 or it’s closest competition the 3.6 limited outback. The great quality for such a low price (our price new was below msrp @ $34k) is amazing. Drives easily, good handling, comfort and roominess. The mpg is not the best but relative to the size and power of this vehicle. Now for the negatives,,,the road line sensor warnings nonstop beeping is annoying plus there isn’t an obvious way to turn it off. The factory battery is weak and small. The battery needs to be replaced long before it fails and upgraded to a unit with more reserve capacity due to the self diagnosis the car does every night. This self diagnosing uses up too much power and drains down the battery also if you put a front window shade in you can accidentally hit the map light during daylight hours and kill your battery that way too. Lastly I don’t know if it’s low quality factory tires or the Subi AWD system but the tires were completely wore out and not safe after only 45k miles of regular mixed city/freeway driving. Our other AWD cars factory tires last 65-70k miles so we were amazed. Over all this is a great, dependable and comfortable car especially after the tire and battery upgrades we did. Also love the free lifetime oil changes our dealer gave us. Long term update- car is doing well all except for the drivers seat fabric which is literally falling apart. Then there are the electronic issues IE. the front passenger power window refuses to close. Also the rear tail gate either will it open or,will not close.
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Buy Carefully!!!
Ashley Wilson, 07/03/2016
2015 Subaru Outback 2.5i Limited 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
4 of 4 people found this review helpful
I bought my 2015 Subaru Outback new in 2014 and it was great at first. As time went on everything that could go wrong did. It kept stalling and every time I took it in to be repaired or it was towed in I kept getting the same response "we can't duplicate the problem." Not to mention they had to replace all my keys for it because when I would lock it the alarm would go off or it wouldn't unlock. I had to get rid of it because it became too much of a liability and safety hazard for my family and me. At the end I would hold my breath hoping it would start and I would fear that it would stall in the middle of traffic or something.
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Traded up from a '14 to a '15
cornpuff, 11/01/2014
2015 Subaru Outback 2.5i Limited PZEV 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
4 of 4 people found this review helpful
We drove a '14 Limited Outback for a year, our first Subaru, and we loved it. When the '15s came out, I was intrigued by the new features and positive reviews. We are not the kind of people who trade up this quickly, but we wanted a push-button start and power lift gate to help my wife, who suffers from RA. We loved the push-button parking brake in the '14. Bottom line: this car is quieter, more powerful, more solid and way more luxurious than previous Outbacks. Features galore, right down to LEDs and ambient interior lighting! Awesome stereo, beautiful night time display. Our '14 was noisy at high speeds; not so, this one. Honest! Yes, trade up! It is SO worth it!
I AM AFRAID OF MY 2015 OUTBACK
larren davis, 06/05/2018
updated 12/07/2018
2015 Subaru Outback 3.6R Limited 4dr SUV AWD (3.6L 6cyl CVT)
11 of 14 people found this review helpful
I bought my 2015 Subaru Outback 3.6R Limited new SUV with 24 miles on the odometer ( I put14 miles on while test driving). I paid CASH. 39,296.66$. I had done my Due Diligence, researching every vehicle I was interested in owing as my " Last or Forever" Auto. Subaru's Outback statistics were impressive, winning many prestigious awards, and held the Best SUV Title for 2015. Every auto critic liked her but didn't have a longevity study for the redesigned Subaru. After my test drive, I too was a fan. UNTIL NOW!!! It is now almost three years to the day that I drove this beast off the dealer's lot in Las Vegas. I have had Four (4) RECALLS and a 'Voluntary Warranty Extention Program' as it applies to the New Car Limited Powertrain Warranty covering defects to the Continuously Variable Transmission(CVT). Subaru preemptively offered this gesture of a Warranty Extension before an official recall took place. My Outback has 24,200 miles on the Odometer today. I EXPERIENCED A TREMENDOUS MACHINAL FAILURE THAT IS BEING COVERED UP! I had already been dealing with the only Subaru Dealership here in Las Vegas regarding another recall, this time on the Transmission for a Leak. This involved: CVT CHAIN COVER RESEAL, WITH RING SEAL, SUPER THREE BOND, CVTF-II, GSKT EXH PIPE F, GASKET (CR), and two days to service my Outback. Exactly One Week Later, and the first time that I drove FASTER THAN SURFACE TRAFFIC SPEEDS, the DRIVETRAIN FAILED. Four minutes earlier I was doing 80 miles per hour on a very fast-moving stretch of the Interstate 215. Instinct told me to exit the dangerous traffic conditions. As I slowed to normal surface street speed limits, making the green signals at two major intersections, I, fortunately, made my turn onto a side street when the metallic sounds filled the space within my SUV. It was so loud that it made me flinch! As I collected my breath, then came huge sounds of metal crunching and twisting under my wheels, the car jerked forward as though I went over a speed bump and I was able to stop. I honestly thought that I had run over a child on a bicycle who must have darted out between cars as I was distracted by the original metal event. I knew that this child had to be dead! I jumped out of the Outback, and to my astonishment, there was nothing under the car; nothing hanging down, no liquid leaking, no dents, no nothing! That evening I had TWO REPUTABLE MECHANICS THAT WERE WITNESS AND INVOLVED WITH THIS EVENT. I WAS TOLD BY BOTH, WHAT HAPPENED AND THE SUBSEQUENT EFFORTS TO MOVE THE AUTO, PROVED THAT IT WAS A MAJOR DRIVE-TRAIN FAILURE. It would shift into gear and want to go, but the wheels didn't move round and round. Ultimately, she got wrenched onto a flatbed. Now, SUBARU IS LIEING ABOUT THE EXTENT OF DAMAGE "THEY STATED", only willing to replacing transmission!
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Great vehicle, still lacking on hwy mpg
T Jones, 07/14/2015
updated 07/18/2019
2015 Subaru Outback 2.5i PZEV 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
6 of 7 people found this review helpful
For the first time in my life, I have failed to achieve the Hwy mpg on a new vehicle. Normally I surpass the mpg by at least 1 or 2 mpg. However, on a long distance trip, I was only able to achieve 31 mpg on the highway. Otherwise, I thoroughly enjoy the vehicle. Average mpg is running about 26-28. Just recently starting getting a popping sound from the drivers seat from movement in the seat. I asked the dealership if they had received any complaints or if Subaru may have put out a bulletin on it, but they have not. I'm no longer under warranty so I'm just dealing with it.
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4 stars but disappointed in OEM tires - update
Jim Lennington, 01/31/2016
updated 02/01/2018
2015 Subaru Outback 2.5i 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
6 of 7 people found this review helpful
"Our Outback came with Bridgestone Dueler H/P Sport tires. One of the main reasons we purchased the vehicle was the reputation Subaru has for safety and traction on snow and ice. Imagine our surprise when the first snow came (in North Dakota) and we found it to have less traction than expected. In comparison to our previous front wheel drive vehicle I'd say that it has better traction but not so much with braking. When we started investigating we realized that issue was the OEM tires. Going to Tires.com website we found these are not tires anyone in a northern climate would ever buy again. Other owners I have spoken to around here (this is a popular vehicle where we live) have said the same thing and most replace the tires in the first year. This is simply unacceptable. Everything else about the car is as expected or better. If i'd known what tires it was coming with I would have held out with the dealer to change them before I bought the car." Update: This turned out to be an issue with the new vehicle having misaligned rear wheels. Once this was corrected the issues we had went away. And...we also replaced the tires. All is better now. The misalignment is not something you would expect in a newly purchased car. I personally know of another Outback owner who had the same problem with a new purchase.
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Update on the wind noise
elantra6, 10/24/2014
updated 10/25/2016
2015 Subaru Outback 2.5i Premium 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
17 of 23 people found this review helpful
I talked to Subaru of America and the dealership- they both admit that MOST 2015 Outbacks and Legacy have loud wind noise coming from the front windows. They HOPE to have a solution soon??? They suggest putting masking tape on the seal??? So you buy a $30,000 + car and than go tape it with masking tape... nice! I feel sorry I bought this 2015 Outback. Better alternatives: Toyota Venza AWD , Nisan Rogue, Honda CRV, Toyota RAV 4 , Acura RDX even Hyundai Santa FE.
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2015 Outback not what it is advertised
Jim Lykins, 02/25/2015
2015 Subaru Outback 2.5i Limited PZEV 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
23 of 32 people found this review helpful
This is my fourth Outback and the first one I have not been happy with. I have a limited and felt that I have been duped. When I was shown the car minus the GPS because they didn't have them yet the salesperson raved about how great is was, voice activated and intuitive. The voice activation is a joke, the voice recognition is a horrible. When I took it to the dealer to complain all they could do was say I was right, it didn't live up to the hype. It only give four preloaded catagories to use the voice recognition on. Also the emphasized the improved gas mileage over my previous Outbacks (2010, 2013). It is at least 3 mpg less.
It's got some faults
jimincinci2, 12/20/2014
2015 Subaru Outback 2.5i Limited 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
10 of 13 people found this review helpful
Stereo in the LTD is plagued by poor bass and speakers set in cheap plastic door panels. Gas mileage is average at best despite advertised claims. I get 24 mpg during mostly highway travel. Wind noise is horrendous at 70 mph. One recall on trailer hitch and battery died for unknown reason at 10K miles. Could use a trip computer to track mpg. And for pete's sake, add more interior color options. I got the fawn and it shows dirt big time.
Electric Parking Brake Failure
Joe P, 07/29/2015
updated 08/02/2016
2015 Subaru Outback 2.5i PZEV 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
25 of 35 people found this review helpful
I would not recommend buying this car if you're looking for an adventure-mobile. Subaru no longer offers a mechanical parking brake and has removed the manual release mechanism on the electric parking brake in the 2015 Outbacks. If either of the two parking brake actuator motors malfunctions, it completely disables the vehicle. The only option is a tow to the Subaru dealer. This happened in my car, resulting in a 140 mile tow. This is especially frustrating as a non-safety-critical system malfunction can result in being stranded if it happens outside of cell phone service. I am disappointed that Subaru made this design decision in a car which is heavily marketed towards adventurous people. Another thing to note is that the car does not come with a full size spare tire, which is another important consideration if you're planning on using dirt roads or going off-road.
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Consumes oil.
Monica, 08/31/2015
updated 12/29/2022
2015 Subaru Outback 2.5i PZEV 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
14 of 19 people found this review helpful
Besides the wind noise issue, this is what has transpired as the car has aged. Very disappointing. This 2015 Outback, 2.5, PZEV has 160k miles, mostly highway. At 100k, this vehicle starting needing a quart of oil just as the oil change was due (about 6,300 miles). Now, it needs a quart of oil at 5,100 miles. Beware! The quality of these vehicles does not seem to be what it was. Read up on the oil consumption issues. This is definitely NOT a low environmental-impact vehicle!
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