Used 2015 Subaru Outback Consumer Reviews
Used Outback for sale
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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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.
Smooth operator after 7 years
Bob Cox, 12/22/2017
updated 07/14/2025
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. We now have 8 years and 66K on the Subaru and it continues to be trouble free. Average fuel economy has risen to 29 mpg. It continues to be my wife's favorite car to drive. We have no body rust and it was never Ziebarted.
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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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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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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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