Used 2016 Subaru Outback SUV Consumer Reviews
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No complaints. Whaaaat?
Rusty Castleman, 07/22/2016
updated 01/23/2017
2016 Subaru Outback 2.5i Limited 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
23 of 23 people found this review helpful
As an engineer, I expect a lot from a vehicle and am hard to please. We traded a Volvo XC-90 which I never liked because so much about it "doesn't make sense." So far, I've not uttered that phrase a single time about our Outback. Engine is very smooth and quiet, ride is great, very quiet inside and well appointed. The Eyesight system is phenomenal! The adaptive cruise control is amazing; works so well that in stop-and-go traffic the car will drive itself almost - you only need to lightly touch the accelerator to make it move once it stops. Fuel mileage is great at 33 mpg on the highway. With the 4 cyl engine and CVT transmission, it is a little sluggish at slow speeds, but you need only to downshift with the paddle shifter for the extra power you need - as soon as you let off the gas, it shifts right back into 'Drive'. Of course you can move the shifter to 'M' to shift manually. The only thing I find lacking is the navigation system, which like every one I've ever seen is hopelessly outdated from day one. (Why don't they just link to Google Maps and be done with it?) Other than that, it's everything we hoped for.
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Outstanding in all respects.
Steve Ratcliffe, 04/13/2016
updated 10/13/2017
2016 Subaru Outback 2.5i 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
22 of 22 people found this review helpful
I was downsizing from SUVs since I don't need the third row and don't tow anymore. I studied and drove the Volvo, Mazda, Honda, Toyota, Nissan, and Hyundai. The Subaru Outback beat them all "Hands-down". I bought the Outback Limited 2.5 with the "Eye Sight" system on it and find it to be far superior to any other make for excellent setting options and comfort in using it. I also like the multitude of options with the audio and map controls. The back seat is also comfortable and has adequate leg and hip room. I highly recommend this car.
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Very Subaru
Bon Voyage, 07/23/2016
2016 Subaru Outback 2.5i Limited PZEV 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
18 of 18 people found this review helpful
I've owned my '16 Outback limited with eyesight for about three months/ 3000 miles. It is my second Outback (non consecutive). Overall, this is a great utilitarian family car, and if you have owned an Outback before, you'll recognize its strengths and weaknesses. The car offers great utility, use of space, and overall function. It's not sporty by any means, but it is great at getting me and all my stuff (including a one year old and all his stuff) where I want to go comfortably and safely. It's a fantastic road trip car, with incredible back seat comfort. The adaptive cruise control included in the Eyesight package was worth every penny. I never used to use cruise control, but I use the adaptive cruise control on almost every trip. The gas mileage is also very good for the weight of the car. I have generally experienced 30 mpg average when driving 75 on the highway. There are downsides. First, don't buy this car if you're looking for sporty handling. This should immediately be clear from a test drive, but acceleration, road holding, and "feel" are not sporty. However, they are in line with reasonable expectations. The only surprise I have had from a handling perspective is how much the car jumps/skips when it hits a bump, especially when going around a curve. My '01 Outback did this a bit, but I was surprised to experience it in my 2016. The outback holds the road over imperfections far worse than other cars I've driven in this price range. Secondly, the entertainment/nav is a massive point of frustration. It has a lot of functionality, but it is hard to navigate and overly complex. While the navigation is nicely integrated into the sound system and dashboard. However, Waze and Google Maps outperform the navigation so profoundly that I don't even use the integrated navigation. After running Waze in parallel with the Nav for a few months, the Subaru navigation has so consistently provided sub-optimal or confusing directions that I prefer to just use my phone. This leads me to my other complaint about the the system. It works pretty well over Bluetooth, but as soon as you plug the phone into the USB, the system wants to treat your phone as an iPod and the whole experience gets disrupted. Overall, the entertainment system is super clunky and hard to use. I cannot for the life of me figure out how to save preset stations (have not yet opened the giant manual) and the system is heavily integrated with Sirius, which really undermines the system if you don't buy a subscription. With all this said, I'm very happy with the car.
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Ski car
Peter Phares, 02/05/2016
updated 08/09/2018
2016 Subaru Outback 3.6R Limited 4dr SUV AWD (3.6L 6cyl CVT)
27 of 28 people found this review helpful
The Outback was purchased as a ski-commuting vehicle (for usually no more than 2-3 passengers, including driver). I've had it 2 year, 8 months and driven 22,000 miles- 90% highway (200 miles each way to skiing). Overall, good cargo capacity, loading/unloading of cargo, and equipment (fold down half of the rear seat and putting skis inside in ski bags). The ride is comfortable, and I use the dynamic cruise control a lot- which works well, even in heavy traffic or slow traffic. It's a generally a fairly quiet vehicle with muted road and wind noise (except side mirrors- see below). GREAT snow traction! I haven't had any issues getting moving in 8"+ of fresh snow, and have never gotten stuck. The 6 cylinder motor has good power, and the CVT works well generally- but reverse responsiveness is a bit uneven, and strange compared with a standard automatic (but hasn't been a big deal). The paddle shifters are very helpful on downhill grades. Fuel economy is ok, not great. Highway fuel economy is much better if you keep it under 70 mph on the freeway (which can be slow on some CA freeways)--- keep it 2-3 MPH under 70 and I get 26-28 MPG. Avg 70 MPH, and I get no more than 26 MPG. If you average 75 on the freeway, you'll get 24 mpg max. I don't jackrabbit start or use heavy throttle, mostly drive with eye-sight cruise control on. Currently, I'm not using the roof rack and don't have a cargo box- so loading the roof would reduce mpg further. I would have preferred a turbo 4-cylinder option to the 6 cylinder. My biggest complaint about the car is driver seat comfort. I am 6'1", and 210 lbs. The seats are not large enough for someone over 6' tall, and it's difficult to find a comfortable driving position for longer trips. The view of the instruments for taller drivers isn't great. If I had the ability to change the car, I would create a longer seat cushion for more thigh support, add more bolstering on the sides of the seats (almost none there now, not good in corners), improve adjustment range of seat tilt, and increase the steering wheel telescoping length. I have a 2009 Honda Accord coupe and a 1999 VW Passat, and in both cars I find several comfortable seating positions for long trips--- not so in the Outback.... I'm constantly adjusting the seating position, but nothing feels quite right. The center console intrudes too much into the leg space. I'm not uncomfortable in the car- but never very comfortable either. It also could use a center armrest which adjusts up/down. Wind noise with side mirrors is bad, in anything more than a light cross-wind you get some significant rumble coming off the mirrors (guessing 10 mph+ cross winds it gets rumbly). The door storage pockets don't work well for water bottles. MirrorLink never worked (connect to phone for phone based apps)- from what I've read, I need an older version of the app on my phone (which is not compatible with my newer Samsung phone). This is a joke that Subaru didn't update the MirrorLink to work with newer phones. The App menu still prominently displays 'MirrorLink', yet the functionality isn't there- horrible to sell the feature they never planned on supporting. One other complaint is the quality of the lower body cladding--- it pits very easily. My VW Passat with 180K miles on it has much less pitting on the lower cladding from snow and sand coming off the tires than the Outback with 4500 miles. The front splash guards need to be bigger and the cladding plastic a higher quality. Overall, I'd give the car a "B" grade. The jury is out on whether I keep it long term or sell in a few years (I normally like to keep a car for 8-15 years) Too early to tell on reliability (no repairs thus far at 22K miles). Friends with Subarus have had good luck with reliability- other than the older models with known head gasket issues.
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Outback Shine Again
Barry Hecht, 02/22/2016
updated 02/23/2017
2016 Subaru Outback 2.5i Premium PZEV 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
16 of 16 people found this review helpful
Consumer Reports Loves this Car, and so do it. I have yet to experience all of its features, so this is an early review. The instrumentation and infotainment/navigation/active safety systems are particularly well laid out. Ergonomics are exceptional, always a Subaru plus. I have only the 2.5 l engine, which is exceptionally vibration free and quiet. Acceleration is OK...not great, but certainly adequate. I can get better acceleration when I really need it with the paddle shifters. Benefit is very good gas mileage. I expect the CVT to be a real plus. I bought the car with the "eyesight" (active safety) and Nav packages. It is close to an autonomous car. I can travel highways without using the gas or brake pedals (careful...this is a double edged sword, but it works!) Note: No experience on reliability; car is too new. However, this is my fourth Subaru Outback (or predecessor), over 31 continuous years, and the others have been great in reliability. Second Review, 13 months: There are a few items on the technology side that are either difficult to work, or I have not learned them yet. Voice commands are 80% NOT reliable, and I speak clearly. Very difficult to control radio while driving ---(touch controls on screen for 36 stations). Autonomous cruise control was dangerous to use in a snowstorm in mountainous Vermont, but using Paddle Shifters worked great to control car on hills.
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