Used 2015 Subaru Outback Consumer Reviews
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4wd Swiss Army Knife
Ed Fry, 10/03/2015
updated 06/29/2020
2015 Subaru Outback 2.5i Limited PZEV 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
126 of 129 people found this review helpful
Note: I rarely give something 5 stars. For me, 4 is high praise and I quibble about the three choices of poor, OK and great. If I didn't rate something 'great', it's because it was less but certainly more than just OK. That said, I've owned this car for 7 months. I've had to adjust to it rather than the vehicle adjusting to me. But taking the Outback on its own terms, this is what I'd say to prospective buyers: It's been a very competent car. Road handling in all weather, except wind, has been excellent. Because of it's 8.5" ground clearance which is great for loading and unloading, entering and exiting, it can be a handful on windy highways. And while it's notable, it's minor. Electric steering is responsive, making navigating city streets and parking lots easy. Turning radius is excellent. Braking is good. Acceleration is modest in the 4 cyl. Beware. It's fine around town. On the highway, and with people and luggage, it's another story. But once you learn it and adapt, it is fine. Gas mileage started soft but has gotten better and averages around 26, city and town. Highway averages 31 which I think is outstanding for a 'station wagon-y' vehicle with roof rack and 4wd. It's a joy to buy regular gas. Cabin is comfortable, attractive and uncluttered. We like it. Leather seats are quite comfortable on short or long trips. Rear seats have plenty of room. The seat backs adjust, a big comfort plus. And folding the seats down, a 60/40 split, is a breeze - from inside the car or from the tailgate. The tailgate on our car can auto open. It is a bit fussy, a love/hate feature on the car. Visibility is very good. Backup camera is essential and works very well in handling tight spaces. I give it a solid A. Cross traffic warning is a good option. Blind spot detection is OK but the side mirror warning light, no sound signal, is weak, especially in daylight. That's a big negative. Gauges are OK. Lighting is bright and distinct. Time and temp are tiny. Bizarre. Lots of radio and music options. We have iPhones. They work beautifully and are very easy to connect. The technology is definitely better than ever. That said, not all tech is the same. While the interface works, the voice prompt is clumsy with rigid prompts and responses. I find that disappointing but I can easily get over it. The sound/phone system works seamlessly and the sound quality of phone calls to and from the car is quite good. That's basic to the tech and important that it works as well as it does. The touch screen is large, easy to navigate and easy to read, even in bright sunlight. Remote start is really handy in winter but it takes some practice making it work from the key fob. The suspension was VERY stiff when we first got it. It was on the verge of being a deal breaker. I've seen that comment from others, too. But it has softened. It is firm and comfortable and not at all rigid. Road noise is quite modest. Heating and cooling work well, front and rear. Front and back wipers are solid. Best option: dimming side mirrors. I did not get adaptive cruise control and emergency stop. I'm sorry I didn't. I rode in an Outback with that option and thought it was outstanding. Oddity: no heated steering wheel which I miss a lot! Another oddity and major mistake: doors do not self lock above a certain speed. If you don't remember to do it yourself, your doors remain unlocked while you drive. Even our 2003 Passat had self-locking doors. It never occurred to me that Suburu would sell a car without them. Lastly, the most important aspect of any car is its safety - all the things about a car you don't see or care about until you absolutely need them. We were recently rear-ended on a highway while going 50 MPH. The pickup was doing 65. My young son was in the back seat. That could have been a very bad accident. The car performed flawlessly, stayed on center and steered to a perfect stop. Another car could have lost control, hit other cars to the side and caused a deadly pile up. The back is badly bashed in, of course. But despite the damage, all rear lights on the car still worked. Even the back up camera still worked! My appreciation and trust of this car took a big leap. This is not an exciting vehicle to drive. It drives you. If you can adjust to that, this is, as my son says, a "beast" of a car, in the best sense of the word. I like "Ranger". UPDATE: the original tires, Bridgestone Duelers, were very poor. 29,000 and done. Shocking. Advice: on a new Outback, sell them immediately and buy real tires. Shame on Subaru for marring an otherwise solid desi UPDATE 12/18: My appreciation has grown. Added a value star. Reliable car - comfortable, safe, good in all conditions. We've since bought a Lexus, too. In terms of equipment and design, it stands up well, even surpasses the Lexus in some areas. No mechanical failures. UPDATE 6/20: same as 12/18. Love this car.
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Love this Subaru
Janice L Ricci, 04/11/2015
2015 Subaru Outback 3.6R Limited 4dr SUV AWD (3.6L 6cyl CVT)
65 of 66 people found this review helpful
This is our 1st Subaru. Purchased the 3.6, 6 cylinder Outback with Eyesight and Navigation in October 2015. Commute over 100 miles every day between NH and MA. This vehicle performs well in all driving conditions. We have never been stuck in the snow and we had a horrendous winter. It has plenty of power, seats are comfortable, heat and defrost work well. The navigation is very easy to use and the adaptive cruise control is amazing. We use the Mobil 1 synthetic oil and have not had any issues with mechanics or electronics. The computer voice even tells you that the vehicle ahead has moved- if you've stopped and not paying attention. The lane departure warning is a great feature.
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Great Car, Great Value
riverdriver, 02/12/2015
2015 Subaru Outback 2.5i Limited 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
59 of 60 people found this review helpful
We traded our 2014 Outback for a 2015 and it is a completely different car. This car is much closer to the Volvo we traded for the 2014 at a fraction of the cost. Things we like: - It handles and tracks great - No jackrabbit starts like the throttle on the 2014 - No harsh suspension feedback like on the Volvo - Quieter ride - Big improvement in the GPS/infotainment system. Improved ergonomics of controls. - Great fuel efficiency for this sized vehicle - Better than my 4WD truck in snow and slippery conditions. - We continue to find features we didn't realize it had.
2014 Subaru Outback Limited vs 2015
jsaine, 07/01/2015
updated 01/16/2020
2015 Subaru Outback 2.5i Limited 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
33 of 33 people found this review helpful
We bought a 2014 red with black Outback. Really wanted white with black but that combination wasn't available for 2014. Naturally, the 2015 came out with white/black after we had made our purchase. So, in order to get our preferred color, get the new features not available in 2014, and to get back to a zero mileage car, we traded in the 14 on a new 15. While the 14 Limited was/is a great car, the 15 is even better. For prospective buyers, my real time mpg in the 14 was around 28 mpg in mixed driving. 60mph road trips got mpg as high as 33. As the miles increased on the car (traded in with 23000 miles), mpg seemed to improve. No problems mechanically at all. Update: January, 2020. We are still pleased overall with the 2015 Outback. It now has 85,000 miles on it. But we have had issues with the transmission. The CVT is now getting confused. It doesn't seem to be able to down shift to the right gear after coming to a stop and starting up again or when beginning to initiate a highway pass. The lack of power response, which has lasted up to about 3 seconds, can turn a safe passing maneuver into a scary one. We had it serviced, which we were charged for even though there is a Subaru service bulletin on the CVT, and it still has the same symptoms. The combination of poor dealer support and the CVT problem will cause me to buy some other brand of car in the future.
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So Far, So Good
iowasubie, 05/21/2015
updated 08/02/2016
2015 Subaru Outback 2.5i Premium 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
25 of 25 people found this review helpful
I've got just 1300 miles on my 2015 Outback and I'm pretty impressed. I sold my 2010 Forester to my brother and I almost feel guilty in how much nicer the Outback is. Much quieter and much better ride. I think it compares well against my wife's 06 325i (she disagrees). I wasn't going to get the Eyesight but changed my mind after talking with the dealer and I'm glad I did. I got it mainly for the collision avoidance but am really liking the adaptive cruise much more than I thought. I've read quite a few reviews with poor gas mileage but I'm not seeing that. I'm getting around 28 in town and 32-33 on the road at 65-70 mph
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Worth the wait
nchesanow, 11/24/2014
2015 Subaru Outback 3.6R Limited 4dr SUV AWD (3.6L 6cyl CVT)
68 of 71 people found this review helpful
I've only had the vehicle for 4 1/2 days. I was able to mate my iPhone to the car on the first try. I used a voice command to change the temperature on the first try. The radio comes with 36 presets, instead of the usual six. In 28 degrees, the heater heats the entire vehicle in 5 minutes flat. Some auto writers feel its looks are ho-hum. When I pulled into the first shopping mall, three store owners came out to admire it. Great-looking metallic paint is standard ($550 extra on a BMW). The speed appears in large numbers in the dash over the steering wheel, so you don't have to look at the speedometer. The nav system directions also appear over the steering wheel. No need to look at the map.
Truly a great car
cohmar, 01/18/2015
2015 Subaru Outback 2.5i Premium PZEV 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
22 of 22 people found this review helpful
The 2015 Outback is light years better than the previous generation. I've had mine for 4 months now it it is an incredible car. Great handling, good enough power, excellent on back roads and highways alike. Handles rough roads incredibly well and very quiet at high speeds on the highway. I have not encountered the wind noise that people complain about over 70 mph. This car has a normal amount of wind noise over 70 which seems to come mostly from the roof rail. And for those who live in snowy climates this car deals with snow and ice like no other. I live on a dirt road on a high hill and never worry about getting out to work or home from work in even the most horrid winter conditions.
4 up and one down...well it's better now 8.31.17
Michael, 08/30/2015
updated 09/01/2017
2015 Subaru Outback 3.6R Limited 4dr SUV AWD (3.6L 6cyl CVT)
79 of 83 people found this review helpful
I’ll preface my remarks with the fact that I am a long term Subaru owners who is driving their 5th Outback. My new Outback is a 2015 3.6R Limited with Eyesight. I’ve had this Outback for about 6 months and there are major problems with the electronics. Twice since I got the car the dashboard has lit up like a July 4th fireworks display while I was driving. The Eyesight shut down and every warning light illuminated the brake warning light was blinking red, the check engine light came on and every other icon or warning light was illuminated. The first time this happened I was driving on the highway at about 65 – 70 miles per hour and all these lights came on, the cruise control which is tied into the Eyesight stopped working and I pulled to the side of the road and stopped. I was completely flabbergasted at the event. I called a local Subaru dealer and the service manager said it was too late in the day for me to get into their service department, but if the car seemed to be running ok just drive it home and take it to a local dealer the next day. I did just that and drove for about an hour to my home. The next morning I took the car to the local Subaru dealer at that point the car had about 6,000 miles on it. The next morning the lights were still illuminated and Eyesight was not operational. The dealer was perplexed saying he had never seen anything like what was going on in my car. He said was unable to find any codes that would cause the electronics acting like they had. He told me that he had to reset the computer a number of times to get the electronics to reset and work correctly. Then I was told that my EZ-Pass was causing the problem by its placement on the windshield. I showed him the Subaru TSB that showed where the electronic toll transponder should be mounted and he agreed that it was mounted correctly. He told me that he didn’t know what caused the problem and he would report it to Subaru Technical Assistance. I also called Subaru Owner Technical Assistance who told me that the dealer had entered the problem with the Eyesight and electronics was caused by the placement of the electronic toll transponder. I explained the correct dealer diagnosis should be “I don’t know” but they said that wasn’t what the dealer put on his diagnosis, they would document my problem and let them know if it happened again. Well last week it happened again. This time I was driving on a secondary road at about 45 miles per hour and the same thing happened. The same wild 4th of July display the same Eyesight and cruise control. The same light show with brake warning flashing and check engine and all the icons illuminated. This time I called Subaru Owner Assistance from the side of the road immediately after calling the dealer and making an appointment for the next morning to bring the car in. Subaru Owner contact center was very nice and offered to send me a $100 gift card for my trouble. I told them that was very nice, but a solution to the problem was what I really wanted. They told me to contact them after I brought the car to the dealer. So I brought the car to the dealer early the next morning. All the lights were still illuminated except the brake warning light was no longer illuminated or flashing. The service writer at the dealer said I’ve never seen some of these light I don’t even know what they are. The dealer called me at 3 PM and told me the car was all set. When I got to the dealer I was told that the problem that caused all the lights etc. to illuminate was that the oil was so dirty that it blocked the oil lines/passages and caused the variable valve timing to malfunction and illuminate the Check Engine light which was designed by Subaru to cause all the warning lights to illuminate and the Eyesight system to shut down. This was caused by me not changing the oil at 5,000 mile intervals (the dealer stated 5,000 miles, Subaru’s recommended change interval is 6,000 miles between oil changes) but waiting to 7,500 miles. I was amazed by the stupidity of the explanation. The car has 15,000 miles on it the engine oil was changed at 7,500 miles with Mobil 1 Long Life (guaranteed 15,000 mile change interval) and the oil, which was changed again at the dealer on this visit, was not even dirty when I brought it in. The oil level is checked frequently and I never let it get down more than a ½ quart. I looked at the service writer that was giving me the car back and she was looking sort of sheepish. I said to her that this was the most asinine explanation that I ever heard and it made no sense. I called Subaru Owner Assistance and spoke to the same person I had spoken with the day before and all he could say was we'll put it in your file and let us know if it happens again. I recently changed servicing dealers and guess what? When the problem occurred again the new dealer was able to immediately diagnose and correct the problem. It turned out to be a simple reprogramming of the computer. I love my Subaru
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Different Point of View
molder, 12/21/2014
2015 Subaru Outback 2.5i Premium 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
36 of 37 people found this review helpful
I have always been a GM person. A couple years back I went to work for a supplier to Subaru. It was time to buy a new car and after being involved as a supplier I found just how quality minded Subaru is. Its my job to over see the plastic molding for the doors and dashboards for the 2015 Outback and Legacy. We scrap any molding that has the smallest imprafection. We make 925 car units a day and after multi inspections they are ready to head for the assembly line at the Subaru plant in Lafayette, Indiana. In October I took delivery of a 2015 Outback and its just a very nice car to drive. I have a 16 ft travel trailer weighting 2400 lbs and this car pulls it very well.
Loving this vehicle!
dlw2001, 07/21/2014
2015 Subaru Outback 2.5i Limited PZEV 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
50 of 52 people found this review helpful
This is an early review because i just got my '15 Outback Limited. Have only about 200 miles on it. The car is fantastic. I was afraid of choosing the 4 over the 6, thought i would want more power since i've never driven a car with less than 220 horses or a turbo. Maybe i'm getting old but the power seems just fine, like I don't know when I will really need more, and most of the time one doesn't. On the other hand the gas mileage is what really makes me glad I got the 4. So far just driving the heck out of it including a very long bumpy and hilly dirt road it just keeps creeping upward, now to 26 mpgs... all around the town. It has a pleasant manner and is very quiet. Love the interior.
Best one yet.
gsctht1, 03/03/2015
updated 03/05/2018
2015 Subaru Outback 3.6R Limited 4dr SUV AWD (3.6L 6cyl CVT)
21 of 21 people found this review helpful
This car is awesome. In the last 5 years I Have owned a Legacy and 2 Outbacks each one better than the last. Popular car in my area. I used to rely on pages like this in the past but people just seem to nit pick the heck out of every little thing, some imaginary! Please go try this car for yourself and dont let other people make up your mind for you. You will love it. No car is perfect gas mileage on the 2.5 isnt quite as advertised but whose is? Voice command isnt perfect but better than most. For quality and cost you cant get better than a Subaru! Update: Still have the 15 3.6 and its still awesome, Had to have the infotainment screen replaced under warranty for lines on the screen. Love it so much I bought a 2nd they 18 3.6 Touring, now this is the best one yet!
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4th Subaru, and it won't be the last
lstickle, 03/24/2015
2015 Subaru Outback 2.5i Limited 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
20 of 20 people found this review helpful
Hands down the best vehicle in snow I have ever had. I have had Jeeps, SUVs, 4 Wheel Drive Trucks, nothing can compare to the sure footedness of the Subaru. Prior to this I had a 2001 Outback, 300,000 miles on it and sold it for $6000. These cars are built to last, they hold their value and are as advertised. Great technology is available now that wasn't available back then.
WOW! Our first Subaru Outback - Three years in
mikeminardi, 08/09/2014
updated 08/10/2017
2015 Subaru Outback 2.5i Limited 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
32 of 33 people found this review helpful
Just passed our three year anniversary with our first Subaru Outback. It is my wife's primary vehicle. She loves it, Coco the Wonder Dog loves it, and her husband loves it. Versatile, practical and surprisingly comfortable. We have our Yakima bike rack on the back during summer months because we go to a local forest preserve several times a week to ride the trails. The only thing I hope Subaru does on the next generation is put a better sound system in the car. The one in it now is not bad, but it could be better. OK, our 2015 Subaru just passed 30K miles. We still love the Outback. As owners already know, it is fantastic in bad weather. Have not had any issues and it remains as solid and comfortable as the first day we brought it home. We just took delivery on our very first Subaru Outback. It is our first Subaru ever. My wife has been driving Honda Odysseys for many years and wanted to down size a bit, but still have room to haul stuff. She does a not of gardening. Our initial impressions of the 2015 Subaru Outback are very good. Comfortable, quiet, great driving position and great visibility. And it has a lot of space for hauling stuff. We purchased the 2.5i Limited. We like the leather seats and the soft touch materials. It seems very solid and refined for a vehicle designed to go off road. The performance of the 4 cylinder engine is just fine and the overall build quality is outstanding.
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Dead battery problem-UPDATE...
Terry, 11/20/2016
updated 05/22/2017
2015 Subaru Outback 3.6R Limited 4dr SUV AWD (3.6L 6cyl CVT)
32 of 33 people found this review helpful
This update is approximately 9 months after my initial post, when I took my Subaru to Walmart and had a new, more powerful battery installed. Walmart did a great job and it cost around $110. A couple of months after I visited Walmart, Subaru Headquarters responded to my complaint, in a spectacular fashion. Subaru paid for the battery and install, and also sent me a cash gift certificate for my pain and strain. The Subaru customer representative was excellent, and I am a happy Subaru owner again! I've had no further problems with the battery and I have left the car sitting in my garage for 20 days. The new battery did get depleted somewhat, but it didn't fail to start my car. Subaru really came through for me.
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2015 Outback Premium
russellm1, 11/12/2014
updated 05/14/2018
2015 Subaru Outback 2.5i Premium PZEV 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
31 of 32 people found this review helpful
This is our 3rd Subaru. This 2015 Outback replaces my wife's 2005 Outback (which needed so much work at 104,00 miles that it wasn't worth fixing, i.e. timing belt, water pump, axles, valve cover gaskets, cat. converter, etc). All is good with the 2015 except for one VERY ANNOYING problem. The small triangular glass in the front passenger door has wind noise above 30 mph. The dealer has no idea how to fix it. It has been turned over to the Subaru engineers. We put clear tape over the outside of the window & that stopped the noise but my wife is embarrassed to have the tape there on her brand new car. Lets see how long it takes Subaru to figure this one out! Update: the factory and dealership fixed the wind noise problem. Car performs up to expectations. Engine has annoying rattling sounds on start up. The all season tires were not good in snow, so we put snow tires on for the winter. New emergency brake recall just issued. Overall a great car. Update: Another recall done. Rear suspension making creaking noises, took dealership two tries to fix it with new parts. Paint is extremely thin & scratches easily. Good gas mileage. Comfortable. Subaru's are great cars, not perfect, but what is? Update: Rear suspension creaking noise (trailing arm). Dealer has installed 2 new ones. The second one creaked the day they installed it. Very annoying when you have to bring the car back 3 times to try and fix. Dashboard airbag idiot light comes on intermitantly. Dealer says bring it right in when it comes on. My wife brought it to the dealership & was told no one was available to look at it until after lunch. (They could have told us that when we called to say we were bringing it in.). My dealership can't seem to fix anything on the car. Considering not buying any more Subarus. May 2018 Update: Had to bring the Outback to the dealer AGAIN to replace the creaking trailing arm in the rear suspension. Dealership told us the car is off warranty but was kind enough to fix for free. (I informed them that is was never fixed after our last visit for the same thing). Front headlight lenses started to fog over, dealer replaced them for free. Dealership is very accomodating, but seems to have a difficult time repairing the car correctly. This Outback seems to have a lot of quirky problems, maybe because it was the first year of the new model. Great car, but I think below average for all the little problems it has. Will look at other brands when ready to replace it.
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Love, love, love my first Subaru!
mkkn, 08/25/2014
2015 Subaru Outback 2.5i Limited 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
43 of 45 people found this review helpful
I had to purchase a car in a hurry, as my previous car was totaled. After experiencing a relatively serious accident in a smaller vehicle, I wanted something more substantial. I drove several compact SUVs, but fell in love when I drove the new 2015 Subaru Outback. The Outback is the perfect combination of "car" and "SUV". It's easy to get in and out of in my work attire, offers a smooth, quiet ride, is comfortable for my daily commute and is easy to maneuver in traffic and my parking deck. Most important, I feel very safe in it! I am 5'3" and my boyfriend is 6'3" and we are both comfortable as both driver and passenger, and have no problems seeing well when driving.
Great Car
vallyo, 11/09/2014
2015 Subaru Outback 2.5i Limited 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
17 of 17 people found this review helpful
I've the car for 3 weeks now and I can tell one thing I don't why so many reviews complain about the 2.5 liter engine. It's working fine for me. my other car is a 2010 Suzuki Kizashi and I am used to CVT it it a little different but still a good transmission. It corners really good for such a tall vehicle and it is almost as fun to drive as the Kizashi. Overall I can't think of something I don't like about the car. I am so happy that Subaru finally realized that the appearance matters.
Great all around car!
retirednavy1, 12/23/2014
updated 06/25/2018
2015 Subaru Outback 2.5i Premium 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
28 of 29 people found this review helpful
Since we purchased our Outback almost 4 years ago, we have taken three long trips. The Subaru has performed flawlessly. The only complaint we have is the passenger seat is uncomfortable. There is very little seat padding and it does not adjust in height. Everything else about our Outback remains excellent!
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Subaru has Lost the Plot!
Stephen Muyo, 12/07/2015
updated 08/02/2016
2015 Subaru Outback 2.5i Premium 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
39 of 41 people found this review helpful
I bought this Outback Wagon thinking it will be as good as my 2002 Subaru WRX but I was wrong. Yes, it's a very comfortable car to drive. I like the room and the space it has and the seats are really quite good. Where Subaru has lost the plot is with reliability. My old Subaru never needed much in the way of repairs and the dealership was always good to me. That dealership has closed and the one I bought from uses every excuse in the book to not fix anything. The first thing that Really chaps my hide is that when you go from Park to Reverse or to Drive or Reverse to Drive the transmission will take almost 2 seconds to go into gear! If you live in snow country you can forget rocking your way out of a snowy problem. Both the Dealer and Subaru say that the car is within spec and that its just a CVT transmission issue. Well I own a Prius which has a CVT and it has zero lag. Subaru refuses to acknowledge there is a problem. Basically you have to live with it, because they say so. The dealership does NOT put anything into their system to avoid the lemon law. Also the Check Engine light keeps coming on no matter what they do. They say it needs to be looked at so they do that and then they say it's the gas cap. They tighten it and then the next day the check engine light is back on again. This will really bite when the snow falls because when the Check engine light is on it shuts off your traction control, cruise control X-Mode and some other stuff. I mean if there was a problem and they genuinely wanted to make it right that would be different. But they don't! It takes 10-14 days to get an appointment for anything including an oil change. Subaru of America is useless and hopeless for getting any help. This is the last Subaru that I will ever buy and I am trading it in at a huge loss to get out of this piece of garbage, unreliable car. Subaru used to be a decent company but they aren't that way any longer. The fuel economy is much lower than expected as well. The only Love you will get from Subaru is when they take your money. I used to be a Subie fan but no longer!
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wind / mirror noise
elantra6, 09/07/2014
updated 09/07/2016
2015 Subaru Outback 2.5i Premium 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
39 of 41 people found this review helpful
overall -great car- great value. Love the space and safety. Gas mileage is great
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So happy.
amanda9822, 11/19/2014
2015 Subaru Outback 2.5i Limited PZEV 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
16 of 16 people found this review helpful
I've had my Outback Limited for almost a month and I am super happy with it. I was looking at a ton of different cars, the Mazda 3 5-door, Honda Fit, Honda CRV, and the Subaru Impreza 5-door. I really wasn't looking at the Outback at all until I decided the Impreza was going to be too small for my aging dog. I couldn't have made a better choice. The Outback is roomy and feels like it was made just for me, it's so comfortable. I love all of the electronics and the sound system is pretty darn great. It could use a iittle more pep on acceleration, but I guess that helps the gas milage. I highly recommend this car-it will suit all of my possible future needs: kids, big dogs, stuff...anything.
Traded in our 2012 Outback for a 2015
rweller49, 10/11/2014
2015 Subaru Outback 2.5i Premium PZEV 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
16 of 16 people found this review helpful
I read a lot about how the 2015 Outback was improved over the 2014 and earlier versions. We decided to take a look and drove off the lot with a new Premium model (4 cyl). Everything is better on the 2015. Stereo, speaker quality, suspension/handling and interior materials have all been upgraded. Most importantly the CVT auto trans is greatly improved. The car's acceleration is far more responsive and that horrible CVT engine drone and "mushiness" is gone.
Nice car with small irritiations
fladabosco, 01/13/2015
2015 Subaru Outback 2.5i Premium PZEV 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
36 of 38 people found this review helpful
It's a nice, solid, comfortable car and gets amazing mpg considering how big the car is. The CVT transmission takes a little getting used to. The paddle shifters are a fun toy but if you think you can drive this thing like a Lambo you are crazy. Three complaints - the computer system is poorly designed. If you have your phone plugged in and do anything it turns the radio on! If you are in reverse you can't turn the radio off or down! The whole thing is unnecessarily confusing and complicated. It's like Windows from 1994. The keys really suck. They are huge and sharp and cost $430 to replace! There is no reason for that other than being a rip off.I
First Subaru hits the mark
trublusubaru, 11/22/2014
updated 11/22/2017
2015 Subaru Outback 2.5i Limited 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
14 of 14 people found this review helpful
This vehicle is basically the luxurious athlete of the crossover crowd. 2015 styling and consumer features are superior to 2014 and new CVT tuning is excellent. Quiet ride, lots of technology including Eyesight adaptive cruise control and lane departure/collision avoidance feature. Also got the blind spot detection. We added popular package 5 which amps up the utilitarian touches of an already practical design. After 20,000 miles the highway mileage exceeds 30 mpg at 75 MPH. One Tank got 34 MPG with all day highway travel without cross winds. Cross wind and hilly conditions on cruise can cut MPG to 28. Had to have rear hatch struts replaced at only 30 months..the electric lift gate was not opening or staying open. Subaru has been good on extension of transmission warranty and took care of the rear lift gate problem at no cost ( inside 36 months ownership, although at 37,000 miles service).
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I traded it in
dismi, 06/29/2015
updated 07/05/2017
2015 Subaru Outback 2.5i Limited PZEV 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
22 of 23 people found this review helpful
I traded my outback as I had brought it in twice for a leaking moon roof at the carwash. They ordered and installed a new moon roof and it still leaked. also me left leg was freezing as I had air coming in at the bottom. I had to wrap something on my leg when I drove. For those reasons I was fed up and traded it in. I was considering a crosstrek, but after that experience I went with a different make.
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The best car I've ever owned
cohmar, 03/22/2015
2015 Subaru Outback 2.5i Premium 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
13 of 13 people found this review helpful
I have a 2015 Outback with Eyesight, Moon roof etc. Fully loaded. I don't like leather seats and I'm so grateful to Subaru that you can get the latest safety gear without leather. I live in Vermont on a long steep dirt road with a steep dirt driveway. This car has handled all condition on all types of roads with a perfect blend of comfort and handling. We had the worst winter of ice, snow and cold in 25 years. I have not once gotten stuck, have not once even slipped in driving through all kinds of ice and snow. I've had other 4wd/AWD SUVS and nothing has come even remotely close to this Outback. Mud season is starting and it's handling slick mud and deep ruts with near perfect performance.
Fun car except window noise at right side
stlfun, 10/20/2014
2015 Subaru Outback 2.5i Premium 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
13 of 13 people found this review helpful
I have this car ~2,000 miles for about 6 weeks now. I noticed the annoying noise problem, that seems from right side of quarter panel window. Took the car to dealer, they confirmed it, tighted the dash board, DIDN'T resolve the issue. Second time to dealer, they said they just had another '15 Outback with same problem. This time the technician ordered the window deal, still waiting for the part. It is not very loud noise, usually lower frequency than typical outside wind noise. It is getting very annoying, especially at night and quiet country road, it is a shame for such a nice and quiet vehicle. Love the gas mileage, I am getting 28-29 mpg on average of 70:30 highway/city mix.
Windshield problems
Diane Melia, 11/03/2015
updated 08/02/2016
2015 Subaru Outback 2.5i PZEV 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
12 of 12 people found this review helpful
This is my first Subaru purchase in my 61 years of life. Being self employed driving an average of 25,000 miles per year, I have never had to replace a windshield. Six weeks ago while driving my windshield developed a crack coming up from the passenger side just under the wiper blade for now reason. I must say Subaru replaced it for free, but a huge inconvenience. Last week a rock kicked up on windshield and immediately got started cracking where it was hit. My insurance covered this one, had it done at my house, but with the eyesight technology I had to go to dealer today to get it recalibrated. Drove the 40 minute ride home and now the car says eyesight not working. I love the eyesight technology, but it had a recall in August and now this. It seems like I am spending way too much time at the dealer.
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Best car in class for the value
aemadian, 05/27/2015
updated 08/02/2016
2015 Subaru Outback 2.5i Limited PZEV 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
12 of 12 people found this review helpful
I decided to buy a new outback after checking out Toyota 4runner, Jeep Grand Cherokee and Ford Explorer. You will not find any cheap rattling hard parts on the inside unlike toyota, jeep and ford. I was disgusted by the interior quality of Toyota 4runner, all hard plastic. Jeep Cherokees interior felt like everything was already going to fall apart. The interior of outback is all soft touch and solid. The gas milage is quit impressive for a huge AWD, unless you drive it very hard. The engine is solid and proven to be reliable. Lots of options and features included that other brands charge for. good looking car which won't go out of style anytime soon. lots of space inside for a big family. Update I love the car so much that I bought an older outback too. I loved the older one also.
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Battery Problems
David Chapman, 03/09/2015
2015 Subaru Outback 2.5i Limited 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
109 of 122 people found this review helpful
I have had persistent problems with a dead battery. If I don't drive the car for at least one-half hour each day,the battery will be dead the next day. So far Subaru Roadside Service has jumpstarted my 2 1/2 month old car (1850 miles) three times. The poor quality battery has changed the way I use the car. I am looking into either getting a replacement heavy duty battery or carrying a portable battery jumper in the car. I have read the manual to be sure I have not left some on. I verify each time I turn the car off that all internal lights and power is off. I sometimes do not use some of the equipment because it might drain the battery. I would not buy this car again.
Excellent car
frank_, 03/17/2015
updated 10/11/2016
2015 Subaru Outback 2.5i Limited 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
19 of 20 people found this review helpful
Love the car! Good mpg. I used to drive manual transmission and was always able to achieve better mpg than advertised, but not wtih this CVT. I average 28.5 with 100% city driving, just as advertised. I cannot understand how people get mpg's much lower than mine, must has to do with driving style. update Oct 2016, a year after my original review: When I had a summer trip in 2016 to Canada, I average 42 miles/gallon. I thought the car's calculator malfunctioned. Turns out it did not, I calculated manually, and it is 41 miles/gallon. Unbelievable! But when I'm back in the States doing mostly highway driving, the MPG came down to about 35. (In the winter, it lowers to about 30 with mixed city/highway driving.) Not sure why Canada's gas is so much better than that of the US--that is my only explanation for the exceptional MPG in Canada.
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Never owned a Subaru before
Dick, 04/10/2016
updated 11/04/2024
2015 Subaru Outback 3.6R Limited 4dr SUV AWD (3.6L 6cyl CVT)
11 of 11 people found this review helpful
I'm finding the basic car a great value. I drive mountains a lot and the 3.6L motor just purrs along. OK mileage (23mpg for first 2K miles. Long trips about 28 mpg) but have to expect that with the typical driving I do and AWD. Entry and exit are superb. Seats are comfortable. The flat panel display is somewhat of a pain but at least there are steering wheel control for much of it. And, at least, there are a couple dials to use instead of the very stupid Honda approach. Blue tooth is excellent. The backup camera is very good...especially at night. There isn't a convenient place to hold a cell phone except for a rectangular hole which precludes attaching a charging cord. The remote key needs work (have to press the lock button three time to get a confirmation beep and can't unlock all doors at the same time with the option package that came with it). Great visibility from inside the car after I added a pair of $2.99 convex mirrors the exterior mirrors to improve close in visibility. Overall I'd say I've found the car quirky in the good sense of the word that will take some getting used to. Update after 6 months and 11000 miles. Still have a great impression of the car. Very comfortable on road trips and always a pleasure to drive. The 6 cylinder motor is wonderful. Two minor irksome things 1) Have to press the remote key three times to get a confirming chirp 2) Can't lock or unlock all doors with one click on the remote key. No rattles or squeaks in car. One potential safety thing...on cold starts in reverse, when coming to a stop the engine increases 300 RPM. When I visited with the dealer they said they would need the car overnight to verify the problem. And that they may need to adjust the bands in the CVT. With the computer technology available nowadays, this seems very primitive. Why not look at the on board log and/or use an "inflight" computer monitor which provides all the various readings at the same time. This was available in 1986 for a Pontiac I was having problems with...why not now? Finally, the gauge package, while attractive, is not well done ergonomically. One has to look down to check the time or outside temperature. And the backlighting is different on the time/temperature readouts than on the dash. In my humble opinion, time and temperature ought to be at eye level on the instrument panel. And the cylinders surrounding the clusters are non-functional and not needed. Would I buy the car again? In a heartbeat. These criticisms are minor, but irritating, in nature but would not impact my buying decision. One year update: Now have 17000 miles. Driving mountain passes is a breeze with the 6 cyl. engine. Enjoy the feel of the vehicle very much. Had some mild snow to deal with...no problem. Also had a very icy morning and had to slow considerably to maintain directional control. The feeling I had was that the AWD had no impact during that icy morning trip. The most irritating thing remains the instrument cluster. To have designed the outside temperature and clock displays in such a way that the driver has to turn his/her head and lower their eyes in a field of similar digital readouts is an egregious error resulting in a safety hazard. Nevertheless, I would buy the car again. In fact, I love the Outback which is why the unsafe time and temperature readout is something I have trained myself on workarounds. 40,000 mile update. I still like the car but now have reservations because of electrical system. Had significant battery problems. The original battery had a bad cell and had to be replaced at about 30,000 miles. The replacement battery lasted less than a year. It turns out the small original battery size makes it prone to rapid discharge (read other comments on this issue). Replaced it with a larger size non-Subaru battery and so far all is fine. The battery tray was large enough to take the aftermarket increased size battery (Hmmmm). Why Subaru used a smaller capacity battery is befuddling. Additionally, the instrument panel doesn't have a gauge to check charging and discharging. There is significant battery usage even after the car is turned off! Subaru's decision to use a small battery is a terrible error. After a year the second factory battery failed to retain sufficient charge even for a week. Think about leaving your car at the airport and returning late on a rainy night after a two week trip and the Subaru is dead because of the low capacity battery. Even the remote won't work. There are lots of unpleasant scenarios in this situation.
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Lots of research paid off. Very impressed
flfoofighter, 10/25/2014
updated 10/25/2017
2015 Subaru Outback 2.5i Premium PZEV 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
11 of 11 people found this review helpful
Before I ever saw the 2015 Outback in person, it was at the top of my list when comparing all the features for the price. The model had a history of safety, reliability, good resale value, amongst the most room, best gas mileage, and best all-wheel drive system. In most comparisons, it was actually the best price too. The ground clearance was also the highest. When I went in for a test drive, the first thing that struck me was the quality inside and outside and the attention to detail. It could easily be confused for something more expensive than a luxury Acura. It drives very much like a car and only when fully loaded with friends do you notice its size. Very happy with this purchase. Update after 2 years: Love the car still. I do get zapped when getting out of the car and touching the outside but that apparently is normal according to the dealer. Gas mileage is phenomenal. In the Florida heat with A/C on, I consistently see the MPG stay above 50 when driving 45-50MPH. I think for what was paid for the car, it is an incredible deal. No other issues other than the rear hatch needed to be adjusted by the dealer. Update after 3 years: Still running great. Drove up and down some of the very steepest hills and mountains in Georgia , NC, and Tennessee and finally got to try out it's 4WD prowess when climbing up at 30 degrees on loose gravel driveway about 200 feet in length. Very confidence inspiring with X-Mode and Hill Descent mode. Really couldn't imagine trying the same drive in a non-all-wheel-drive car. I never lost traction which made the experience pretty fun despite the awkward sitting angles when climbing and descending. Engine wasn't screaming either which worried me since I have the 2.5 4-cylinder engine. Quietly hummed along at the normal 2000 rpm range.
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I like it...but
GK, 10/07/2016
updated 04/10/2020
2015 Subaru Outback 2.5i Premium 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
18 of 19 people found this review helpful
A fuddy duddy's complaints: lift struts, not a prop rod for the hood. Electronic parking brake -- lose the battery and you can't disengage the brakes. No way to open the rear hatch from the outside without electricity -- dead battery and you're going to have to crawl into the back and remove a panel on the inside of the hatch. This would be a major pain if the rear was filled with suitcases and gear and you needed to get to the jumper cables that were stored down with the spare tire. And it's not a full-size spare tire. And there's not much storage space for tools -- yes the tray above the spare tire and below the rear area's floor has some room to lay things flat, and that is working for me, but forget trying to store a decent-sized tool box anywhere. That's the ugly, now for the good. The car's handling is much better than I expected. I LOVE the AWD. My previous Saturn Vue (FWD) had problems getting up a nearby hill when the road was wet. The Outback charges up snow-covered hills like "What's the problem? Did you think there was going to be a problem? I don't see a problem. It's just a little ol' hill with a little bit of snow. What's the big deal?" The gas mileage is out of sight. On road trips I'm getting 33 MPG and more. Even driving though mountainous Colorado I got 33 MPG. I love the paddle shifters! There's always a "gear" available to maintain the speed I want when going downhill. Dropping down the 3000 or so feet from Wolf Creek Pass to Pagosa Springs was no sweat and didn't require ANY brake-riding. Coming down Pike's Peak was easy as cake. (This is the main reason I bought the Outback instead of the Forester: nothing but LOW and DRIVE on the Forester the year I bought my Outback. I wanted some more choices.) The engine is adequate. I'll admit that I would have liked to have tried the six-cylinder version, but the dealer didn't have any, and the salesman said (what a surprise -- he was a salesman), "You don't need a six-cylinder." And he was right. The four has definitely been adequate. I can take on snowy hills with ease, but it would be pretty embarrassing if I were to try to take on a Camaro or Mustang...or, okay, almost any vehicle with a six- or more cylinder engine. I've made three many-thousand mile trips in the Outback. Last year I took a 4000 mile trip through the western United States -- lots of twisty, mountainous, high-altitude driving. The car performed flawlessly. I never felt the need for more power, so, considering the fantastic gas mileage, I'm glad I didn't get the six-cylinder engine. Update 2018: Still love the car. Not happy about the cost of updating the built-in navigation system -- haven't done it, and won't do it unless I take it on another long road trip . . . which, by the way I didn't do last year. The car is now being used more for short city trips, so the gas mileage has gone down. Still not comfortable with the only way to open the rear hatch without electricity is to do so from the inside, after removing a panel. Wish the hood had a prop rod instead of the lift struts. Found out that the heated seats don't reset to OFF when you turn the engine off. The heated seat function doesn't stay on with the car turned off, but the next time you turn the car on, if the seat heat was previously on, it's going to be on again. I don't like heated seats, so I never use them, but my wife does, and she doesn't remember to turn the heat off when she gets out. I've finally gotten used to locking the doors before I put the car in gear. All of my recent GM vehicles automatically locked the doors when you started moving, and, though I'll admit that I generally don't like too much automation, I did like that feature on my GM cars. Oh, and now that the free maintenance is up, I'm changing the oil and filters myself. Much easier than taking it to the dealer...at least for me. (I ordered drain plug washers from Amazon and I put on a new one at each oil change.) Changing the cabin air filter is a bit of a pain, since you have to remove the glove box, but all in all, this car is SOOOoooo much easier to work on than other cars I've had. The oil filter, as an example, is "right there" when you open the hood. Update 2020: I really love this car. I bought a Chevy Colorado Z71 4x4 pickup several months ago (to replace two other vehicles that I owned), and while the pickup is supposed to be a big-dog, take on anything vehicle, I've got to admit that I feel more confident in the Subaru Outback when taking on slippery, steep, and rocky trails. I LOVE the paddle shifters on the Subaru Outback. And I love how smooth the CVT transmission is. It wasn't until I bought and spent time driving the Z71 Colorado that I realized how much I like the handling of the Subaru Outback. The steering wheel feel is "just right" in the Subaru. I'm telling you, I love this car. Note: There is a service bulletin for the accordion-shaped exhaust pipe. Need to do that.
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I LIKE IT, WIFE LOVES IT!
Rick, 07/13/2015
updated 08/02/2016
2015 Subaru Outback 3.6R Limited 4dr SUV AWD (3.6L 6cyl CVT)
25 of 27 people found this review helpful
We traded in our 2011 3.6R Outback wagon for the 2015 3.6R Outback wagon and are both impressed with the many design improvements, particularly the new technology features. Our favorites we didn't have in the 2011 are: - Eyesight Driver Assist - Blind Spot Detection and Rear Cross-traffic Alert - High Definition Back-up Camera - Pushbutton start - Rear seat heaters and A/C vents and controls - Two-position driver's seat memory - Power opening rear gate with remote feature. Interior comfort is greatly improved all-around with more room and reduced road noise at freeway speeds. Utility is greatly enhanced by the ability to lower and flatten the rear seat backs with release levers in the rear cargo compartment, and the addition of tie-down lugs integrated into the roof rack system. The exterior redesign gives the vehicle a much-less-boxy look compared to our 2011, and we appreciate the better visibility provided by relocating the side mirrors further back along the front doors. However it's not perfect and here's what needs to be improved: - The new CVT (transmission) still needs work. After the first start of the day in the garage when backing out, the CVT seems to search for the right gear ratio. That results in repeated drops of about 200 RPM that jerk and almost stop the car. This behavior seems to be related to using the brake pedal to control backup speed, and it doesn't behave this way on subsequent back-ups after the engine and transmission have warmed up. We've had the car to the dealer and they couldn't find any indication of what might be causing it. I've reported it to Subaru and they said it was the first they've heard of the problem. Since almost everything else in the vehicle is software driven, we're hoping for some sort of software update to address this annoying issue. - Front passenger seat needs height adjustment capability. Why not just give that seat the same adjustments as the driver's seat? Come on Subaru, why not?? - While I personally love the Starlink Infotainment system, it has so many features many owners will never take the time to figure out how to use them. The interface needs to be redesigned and simplified so "non-techies" can feel more comfortable with it and will be able to enjoy all it has to offer, which is a lot - Blind Spot Detection should have an audible alert in addition to the indicator light on the outside mirrors. Overall, we feel the engineers at Subaru have done a masterful job redesigning the vehicle and then implementing the many new features into the Outback wagon for 2015. And, it seems they've not stopped; the Summer 2015 issue of Drive, the magazine for Subaru owners, talks about several safety and security features coming to the Starlink system for "select 2016" models. They are: - SOS Emergency Assistance, Automatic Collision Notification, and Enhanced Roadside Assistance. These will come in the form of new buttons on the overhead console panel that will connect the driver with a Subaru Starlink advisor who can dispatch help based on the GPS position of the vehicle. Sounds a lot like GM's OnStar system. - Monthly vehicle health report and diagnostics with notification via email of detected problems. - Stolen Vehicle Recovery allowing a Starlink advisor to work directly with police to help find and recover a stolen vehicle. - Remote Services via Starlink to help locate and unlock the vehicle, activate its horn and lights, and help find a lost key fob. These features can be activated from a PC or mobile device. Looks to me we have lots more to love about a new Subaru. Now, I wish we had waited for the 16's! Happy driving!!
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WoW, Wow, Wow!!
Nostalgia, 11/07/2015
updated 08/02/2016
2015 Subaru Outback 3.6R Limited 4dr SUV AWD (3.6L 6cyl CVT)
17 of 18 people found this review helpful
I usually don't write reviews but I felt I had to write a review about this car. It is awesome. I recently purchased the 3.6 R (6 cylinder). I am so glad I did. The car drives smooth and acceleration is wonderful. The engine is super quiet and you can hardly hear the engine when you drive the car. The ride is very comfortable and the leather seats make you feel like you are sitting in a leather recliner (firm yet comfortable). The interior layout is nice and easy to read. Cargo space is more than adequate. This car feels solid and "sure footed" in all types of conditions. I drove my outback in very muddy conditions and it rolled through the mud without one tire slipping. Others vehicles got stuck in the mud but not the outback. Acceleration onto the the interstate while merging into traffic was a breeze. The outback 3.6R performed extremely well. Others talk out the lower MPG for the 3.6 compared to the 2.5. My mileage was 23 city and 29 Highway. I don't think it was bad especially for a 6 cylinder. Overall I am extremely happy with my purchase. If you can afford to get the 3.6R, I would urge you to get it. You will not be disappointed.
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The great and the not so great
Scott, 04/26/2016
updated 08/02/2016
2015 Subaru Outback 3.6R Limited 4dr SUV AWD (3.6L 6cyl CVT)
17 of 18 people found this review helpful
We have leased our Outback 3.6R for 16 months and are overall very satisfied with the car. Previous car was a Toyota Sienna minivan and a Dodge Grand Caravan before that. In regard to the Subaru, I should mention that we had an unfortunate encounter with a deer who tried to become our hood ornament, nine months into the process, but after $14K of repairs (thank you insurance company) the car seems like it was before the accident. The deer... not so much. Having our first experience with the airbag system was spooky when it happened but reassuring after the fact. It's nice to know the system works so quickly and really keeps you cushioned during a collision. On the plus side, the 3.6R is a joy to drive - super easy to get on the highway and able to accelerate quickly even at high speed to pass cars etc. It's a quiet engine, but you do get just enough of that nice throaty rumble when accelerating, a reminder of the VW GTI I had when I was in college. The automatic setting shifts at the right time to make accelerating smooth and easy unless you really jam the pedal down in which case the car can make you feel a little like you're getting shot out of a cannon - not something you often feel in a wagon. I love the handling and the seats and cockpit are pretty comfortable. The instrumentation is attractive, well thought out and placed and the car is very easy to see out of, with few blindspots. Even those are helped by the digital warning system and the rearview camera provides a nice hi def image. On the negative side, gas mileage is not good - much lower than what was promised by Subaru - but I've never owned a car that has matched the MPG number on the sticker price. We do A LOT of local driving in Brooklyn, NY traffic, so we don't expect much, but during a year and a half driving this car we have averaged just over 16 MPG for our entire usage. That's the average for both local and highway driving. On long highway trips we are in the low 20s. That is disappointing but not surprising for the size of the engine and weight of the car (not to mention my heavy foot on the gas pedal). One other design flaw, at least in our car, the safety belt does a poor job of retracting when you unbuckle it, so I've slammed the door on the belt more times than I can count. All things considered we really love this car and will probably re-up after the 36 month lease is up unless something comes along that suits our needs while offering better gas mileage. I like the convenience of a wagon and the 3.6R allows me to have the performance of a sportier sedan. I guess I'm willing to put up with the poor gas mileage trade off. I suppose I should feel guilty about that, but after twelve years of minivans (the mileage is about the same) I get to enjoy driving again for the last few years we have kids in the house, while still transporting them in a comfortable and convenient way.
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Fantastic car
budrew, 08/27/2014
updated 02/28/2017
2015 Subaru Outback 2.5i Limited PZEV 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
23 of 25 people found this review helpful
I have previously owned Outbacks: Gen 1, 2, 3 (turbo). I skipped Gen 4 as I did not like the styling at all. In the interim I leased a VW GTI, a very different (fun) car. However, it did not fit our lifestyle and made my family car sick, so I longed for a return to the Outback. The 2015 Outback is simply amazing - it seems to surpass all previous Outbacks in most every way. The styling is vastly improved, sharp in fact. It is a very comfortable car with a great ride. Acceleration is perfectly fine, steering is nice and tight, CVT is better than expected. Audio is very good if not fantastic, nav and other "tech" work great. Twilight Blue Metallic with dark interior - super sweet! UPDATE February 2017 - The car still impresses me! I love it. All kinds of weather, it can handle anything. A true family and outdoor person's car. The electronic steering does not feel electronic at all and the acceleration/transmission feels very natural. Niggles: I just replaced the stock tires and I wish I had done that earlier. The new ones, Continentals, drive much better. The automatic hatch is slow but fine. However, in cold weather in the mountains it is finicky - it will start to open then close again or not open at all. Supposedly, they fixed this for me in the past, but apparently not. Gas mileage is poor, but I live around hills, which will impact it.
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Great Value - Wondeful Handling
jillgirl, 03/03/2015
updated 09/05/2017
2015 Subaru Outback 2.5i Limited 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
10 of 10 people found this review helpful
We LOVE our new 2015 Subrau Limited Outback ..... This car is very well thought out and the handling and comfort are the best money can buy in this price range or any as far as the handling on snowy roads goes the best in any price range .... You get use to driving certain roads in different cars / trucks / suv and this car handles and takes those turns like no other and we've had several jeeps, cr-v, 4x4 trucks, pickups and a couple front wheel drive grocery getters .... The Outback out corners all of them and the grip on icy roads is unbelievable, finally I feel wife is safe driving ..... Color us SOLD! 20,000 mile update, WE LOVE IT - Mileage is a remarkable 29.3 mpg lifetime for our 20,000 miles that is 80 percent suburban driving and 15 percent highway! Eyesight technology works, stopped car before we hit car running red light.
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Made the Right Decision
mstrongin, 03/18/2015
2015 Subaru Outback 2.5i Limited PZEV 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
10 of 10 people found this review helpful
Test drove many cars before trying out the Outback. Last Subaru I had was a 1992 Loyale (predecessor to the Outback) stickshift. Was a great vehicle, though I think it only had 100 hp. Really liked the new design and all the technology. Also very comfortable front and rear seats, as well as generous cargo space in the rear. Was pretty sure I would get the 3.6, but tried both and while the 3.6 was definitely faster/quicker, it was not sufficiently so and I opted for the lower price and better gas mileage. I'd say for 90 to 95 % of my driving, the 2.5 is either great or fine. Very happy with my decision.
So Good We Bought 2
Joe P, 07/28/2015
updated 08/02/2016
2015 Subaru Outback 2.5i Premium PZEV 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
21 of 23 people found this review helpful
Had a 2013 Outback that was loved by all and performed well. It had a stiff ride though, handling was just OK and the interior was so so. The 2015 is a night and day improvement...... to the point we went back and bought a 2nd. Ride quality is supreme and the power-train is quiet and smooth. The 2.5 engine has plenty of pep for most uses and the CVT is really well tuned for around town and highway use. MPG is as advertised. Handling is surprisingly agile. The height of vehicle will always limit its sportiness but I am shocked out much I can hustle the car through back roads. Steering in precise and road grip is abundant. Back road gravel/dirt roads are handled like a champ and X mode helps when going down steep muddy declines. The car will control braking and throttle so you only need to steer. No experience with snow yet. The 2013 performed well but the tires that come with the outback are crappy for winter use. I would suggest upgraded all seasons or dedicated winter tires/rims. The interior is plush and well fitted with solid materials front to back. The tan interior now comes with black door sills and door trim which hides all the dirt. Love the auto/auto front driver/passenger windows but i wish they would just make all 4 of them auto. The cloth is grippy and well made unlike the last gen cloth. Cargo storage under the hatch floor has been decreased which is sort of a bummer but there is now more room in the rest of the car. Get the accessory cargo nets as they are a real help.The power lift gate is super handy but i wish you could operate it manually. The premium trim stereo is no show stopper but when the EQ settings are tuned correctly it pumps out pretty decent sound for all genres. Hopefully they bundle the harmon kardon unit into one of the premium trim option packages down the road.The roof rack now has tie down hooks which are great for gear and im really liking the steps that are integrated into the door sills for an easy step up to the roof. IIHS safety scores are top notch and reliability flawless. Skip the hype of honda/toyota and grab a subie.
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Good and bad
Eric, 01/29/2016
updated 03/05/2018
2015 Subaru Outback 2.5i 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
9 of 9 people found this review helpful
So there are many nice things about the vehicle. A couple of long road trips with and without the luggage carrier on top. (We got about 28pg highway) The road noise is louder than I'd expect. The acceleration is SLOW, but is steady and isn't that big of a problem once you get used to it. Just don't jump out in heavy traffic, give yourself some room. The active safety "eyesight" is a love hate relationship. If you're following someone faster on the freeway you can set your cruise to 90 and it'll just maintain the speed and appropriate distance from the vehicle in front of you, which is nice. The lane sensors on the side view mirrors seem to work well, although they take a little getting used to. It is comfortable enough, although nothing I'd shout about. We did drive for several hours on the highway with up to 6" of snow before the plows came and had no problems, although we were only going about 35mph. It handled snowy driveways with some elevation change just fine as well, nothing crazy. The car is roomy enough and it's easy to get a car seat in and out of the back. There's also enough room in the cargo area to put the dog (we keep her on a doggy car harness tethered to the rear cargo hook) and a large stroller with no difficulties. The comfort level of the seats is adequate with nothing to complain about or rave about. Now for my complaints. The entire electronics package sucks. I hate it. Nothing is intuitive. I'm comparing this to both a BMW, where I can control everything with one little knob in the center console, and a dodge ram, which is super simple and intuitive. Changing anything requires a lot of taking your eyes off the road. The clock is tiny and requires looking at the console a couple of times to find where it is (it's my wife's daily driver, not mine). I had to pull over and screw with the radio for several minutes to figure out how to manually change a station, it only wanted to work on pre-sets. The voice commands are horrible. If you want to input something in the navigation, forget it. It requires pulling over. My wife driving and me entering an address.... not a safety issue. Maybe subaru should change the sensor and let you put in the address on the go if there is someone in the passenger seat. There's already a sensor there as the car yells at you for not being buckled up. I'm glad this is my wife's car, I would not own it myself simply because of how much I despise the electronics package.
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Gas mileage does not come close
A. Fleck, 01/30/2016
updated 08/02/2016
2015 Subaru Outback 2.5i 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
9 of 9 people found this review helpful
The purchase of a new car is a huge deal to us, since we are not wealthy by any means. After two years of research before buying our 2015 Outback, one of the main selling points was the advertised gas mileage. We drive the car carefully, so it is not an issue of how we drive. It gets 20 mpg city and, if we are lucky, 26-27 highway. A huge disappointment. How can they get away with lying like this?
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DEAD Batteries - Subaru finally replaced battery
Jon Fish, 11/14/2015
updated 08/02/2016
2015 Subaru Outback 2.5i PZEV 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
31 of 35 people found this review helpful
New Battery solved problem - Battery has died 11 times in 9 months I have owned 2015 Outback Wagon. Three visits (7 days without car) to Dealerships have not detected any electrical problem (other than replacing alternator on second visit ). Still the car dies. Several instances seem to result from short trips to do errands. Also extended period of open power lift gate will deplete battery even with dome light off. Would love to remove power lift gate, but dealer says it will cost several 1,000's of dollars. Best feature is Eye Sight. Blind spot warnings work well and makes one feel much safer. Have had several occasions when Eye Sight failure light up, but restarting car several times has caused problem to go away. Battery failures are so pervasive that I have no confidence that car will start and constantly have to plan where I park so I can get jump start. I do appreciate the kindness of strangers who have helped. Suspect there is a design problem with undersized battery. Attempting to return car under Calif Lemon Law. This car is not anything like previous Subaru I have owned
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Drive it weekly or have a dead battery
William Wehner, 07/30/2015
updated 08/02/2016
2015 Subaru Outback 2.5i PZEV 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
36 of 41 people found this review helpful
This is my first Subaru. Overall I love the car and everything about it... with one major exception. After parking the car for just over a week, the battery was DEAD. I called the dealership and was told, "all of the onboard computer systems will drain the battery if the vehicle sits for over a week." The dealership offerred a solution to solve the problem. Open the hood and disconnect the battery ground when the vehicle is to be left for a week. This is unacceptable to me. A car with the level of sophisticated electronics present in the 2015 Subaru Outback should be able to measure battery level and automatically shutdown unnecessary electronics and go into hibernate mode. The low level solution might be a battery disconnect switch (pre-installed). I have yet to convince my wife that she needs to become a mechanic and disconnect the battery ground when she is away for a week and the car is left at the airport.
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A Lot of Bang for the Buck
Arthur Dresser, 11/27/2015
updated 11/29/2016
2015 Subaru Outback 2.5i Limited PZEV 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
14 of 15 people found this review helpful
We now have 12,000 miles on our car and it has been operating flawlessly. Other than a couple of oil changes there has been no reason the take it back to the dealer. The car is very comfortable to drive with great visibility, great tracking and very little road or wind noise. The drivers seat has plenty of adjustment and fits both my wife, who is petit and me at 6'2" just fine. The CVT transmission is a little noisy when accelerating before things have warmed up, but is fine after that. I really like how the CVT performs in cruise control when you are in hilly terrain as there is no downshifting, the engine speed just keeps changing as necessary to keep the car speed up. We live in a rural area and don't need a lot of power or acceleration to merge and keep up with traffic and find the engines power level is just fine. Fuel economy on summer gas is great. If we cruise at 65-70 we get 32 mpg and if we boost the speed up to 75-80 is drops to 29 mpg. My wife uses the power lift gate several times a day getting the dog in and out of the car and it working great. This feature was one of the reasons we traded our 2014 Subaru in as the manual gate unlatched and latched too hard. Other reasons for trading were the style of the new front grill is much more appealing and it is noticeably quieter with better visibility. Although the drivers seat is quite comfortable, you can feel the lumbar support as a lump centered on your back at times. The passenger seat has limited adjustments and is positioned in the car too low for our liking. The car handles great and has a sporty feel, especially as compared to our old Volvo XC70. Bluetooth and the phone interface are excellent with great call quality. The navigation system is not worth the investment, especially as compared to Google Maps. The voice interface is frustrating and the interface, although improved over the 2014 Subaru is still difficult, especially if you don't use it often. I wish Subaru would update the software to implement Google Auto. Owners today need to expect software updates on vehicles, especially with the premium paid for some of the features and the speed at which they become obsolete. We continue to be pleasantly surprised with the engineering of this vehicle and are always finding little features we didn't know we had that make the car easier to use. For example it pauses the radio station when you get a call and picks it back up after. 24,000 mile update: The car continues to run flawlessly. Tire wear is even and there is still a lot of tread left on them. They have been rotated every oil change.
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MPG not what advertised
kseibel, 05/16/2015
updated 08/02/2016
2015 Subaru Outback 2.5i Premium 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
19 of 21 people found this review helpful
We like our 2015 Outback but had issues with MPG when we first received the vehicle. We experienced 18 MPG overall initially and an intermittent hard start condition. After several trips to the dealer and observing a recommended break-in period of 3K miles a firmware/software update was performed and our car and MPG improved to 23 but still not close to the advertised mileage (why we purchased). We were still disappointed but were told by dealer and subaru of america this was "normal and satisfactory condition" for our region. Not happy with MPG and the response by Subaru at this point. I would caution anyone who is buying for "advertised" MPG and to expect no assistance .
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Want to love this car, but...
Jason Hitt, 12/23/2015
updated 08/02/2016
2015 Subaru Outback 2.5i Limited 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
8 of 8 people found this review helpful
First off, I commute 65 miles each way to work, best mpg average on a tank was 27 with 90% + freeway. i normally range in the 25mpg avg. - Strike one. I love the interior and Harmon Kardon Sound system except for the random blown speaker like sounds that occur from time to time. The Car has a lot of wind noise and annoying rattles. Saying the car is underpowered in the 2.5i motor is an understatement. Somthing I was willing to sacrifice for the sake of fuel economy(that I never really got). Be careful on cold mornings qhen the vehicle is still warming up, the sluggish motor runs in limp mode and could put you in a dangerous situation if expectations aren't realistic while pulling into oncoming traffic. What really drove me to write this poor review was from today's near death experince(s). I slid off the road in plowed,wet, snowy conditions. I did not have snow tires, just the factory set. I can't completely fault the vehicle, I know the tires come into play, but it was the realization of what the AWD is not. There isn't enough power generated to turn the tires in a situation where you need to pull out of a mess. Likewise, the awd senses tire slip and shuts down. There is no way to shut off the system and let me spin my tires until I get down into some dirt. My near death experience with a guard rail and once again avoiding a head on are enough to make me not want to take the outback out anywhere in the snow.
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The Eyesight is a must have option.....
Subaru convert, 07/21/2015
updated 08/02/2016
2015 Subaru Outback 2.5i PZEV 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
13 of 14 people found this review helpful
I have the fully loaded Subaru Outback. Any shopper that does a lot of freeway driving like me needs to upgrade (1800) to get the eyesight technology. It works great and has helped my right leg pain reduce because my foot is not always on the accelerator. While other cars have cruise control, the Subaru has the technology that makes cruise control driver friendly with the car tagging and adapting speeds to the car in front of them. My family felt the Subaru was a downgrade from my explorer. Within 2000 miles or 2 weeks, they all say, now I get it, what a great car...
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First Subaru 4me
charlieofbc, 06/15/2015
updated 08/02/2016
2015 Subaru Outback 2.5i Limited 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
13 of 14 people found this review helpful
Always have had Hondas and Toyotas. My last Honda, 2013 Pilot Touring was a big disappointment, very clumsy handling, and ate gas like crazy. The Subaru reminds me of a nicer CRV crossed with a smaller Highlander. The ride and handling are amazing. The engine/cvt combo works well, and mileage is very good if you drive reasonable.Have approx 9k miles and only 1 issue, the auto tailgate does not always respond to the button on the tailgate. Very comfy vehicle, I am 6'4 and plenty of room. The dog is very happy with the move to the Subie....
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