Used 2016 Subaru Outback SUV Consumer Reviews

Get new Outback

Careful of the dealer insurance add ons when you sit down with the finance guy. They can add up quickly.

My outback

This is our 4th Subaru. We've had 2 Foresters and a Legacy previously. With all the new features we feel safer that we did with the other 3 cars.

Don't Waste Money on a Subaru

I bought a new 2016 Outback 3.6 Limited in 2016 and have been sorry ever since. My newest service appointment is to deal with defect/problems numbers 9 and 10. Problems have included defective fuel filler doors, defective battery, numerous problems with the infotainment system, seat cover failure resulting in the incredibly cheap and poor quality leatherette (dealer had called it "leather") material tearing open, broken lumbar support, etc. Although a dealer service advisor recently agreed with me that the car is a piece of crap, Subaru customer service thinks all of this is normal wear and tear for a car that is now 3 1/2 years old and at 29,000 miles. I'm currently researching other cars and can't wait to trade this lemon in. This is not the first Subaru in the family, but it is definitely the last.

2016 Outback Issues....

Update- May 21, 2017- got rid of the car. Subaru stated the noise was "normal operations" despite being loud enough at times to wake a sleeping 14 month old who can sleep while you vacuum the floor. So needless to say we were a Subaru family and now we are no longer going to purchase. Subaru's only offer to resolve the matter was if I came back to buy a new Subaru they would treat me a loyal customer. From 2016: I purchased my 2016 Subaru Outback in September of 2015. After about 5 months a strange noise started to occur from the back of the car for which I thought was the muffler. The noise was intermittent so the dealership could not diagnose the problem but told me to premium gas, fuel additive as it could be engine pinging. Finally they did hear the noise and stated it was very loud evaporator pump for which they were going to replace. After picking up the car, they had changed out the evaporator valve assembly and added extra insulation. The noise is still ongoing and the noise has waken my baby up from a sleep, made people come outside from their camping trailers where fans were on to heat, but again I am too sensitive and am hearing this. To this point there has been no resolve, and now run the risk of loosing thousands of dollars if I have to get rid of the car. I have reached out to Subaru America with minimal help outside of listening and still no resolve or true assistance. The local dealership is trying all they can but are at the point looking to National Subaru to help diagnose or provide guidance which appears to be lacking. People like the look of the car and the features for which I agreed with but tell them my issues and they have moved onto look at other cars.

Best car for the money on the road, today.

This is my 3rd Subaru. I have only traded an old for a newer one, because the lease ran out. Great value for the money.Like a Timex watch...just keeps on ticking.

Solid choice for versatile vehicle

Positives - great value, simple and logic gauges / controls, great audio system, EyeSIght safety system is top-notch, great gas mileage, easy access in and out Negatives - navigation system not as good at my 6 year-old portable Garmin, Starlink system is worthless, do not like the volume button on steering wheel (not as good as Honda's thumb wheel)

Love it except the MPG: in LA averaging 19.1 city

Comfortable, and still very reliable basic ride. Great in snow. Still not thrilled with the MPG.

Stick to a Toyota!

I actually purchased a 2016 outback 3.6r limited. Have had problems 6 months after got the car. I had to take it for a front pump seal leak 3 times before they finally fixed and replaced the part. The cvt transmission is [non-permissible content removed], in my opinion. These car manufacturers are trying to cut corners by inventing something that saves fuel, where’s they mass produce cars. And the price definitely does not equal the performance of any of these cars. No car should be worth over 30 grand and give you these many problems so early on. For now, Toyota is keeping it real, not this cvt crap. Hopefully they don’t change.

Disappointed

I purchased this car two months ago. The navigation did not work the first time I tried to use it. The dealer replaced it under warranty. The engine noise is unbearable especially when it is a cold start. It sounds like a garbage truck. Accelaration is awful. I am getting 20 mpg average which is very disappointing. The fact that the gas fill cap is on the right caused me to scrap the the side of my car on a low planter at a gas station. I never had this issue when in my previous car which had the gas fill cap on the left. I truly cannot wait to get rid of this car. After doing further research, I found a lot of consumers are complaining about the engine noise issue in other online forums. What I do not understand is how this car is getting very positive rating on Edmunds and other mainstream car review websites. Here is my honest opinion for anyone who is thinking about buying or leasing this car: Go somewhere else. DON'T BUY THIS CAR. After 3,500 mile on the odometer, I am still very disappointed especially with the engine noise and lack of power. This car is seriously underpowered. I still do not understand how anybody thinks this is a good car. I personally do not believe so.

Not feeling the love

Technology is outdated! Really sorry I didn't pay closer attention before buying. Voice commands have very spotty performance. Very hard to adjust heater/defroster controls while driving. Clock is barely noticeable and poorly located. Maps radio and other controls on Starlin/GPS control panel are useless when the sun reflects on the dash. The garage door opener/Home link is poorly designed. When I pull up to the garage at night there is no lighting on the mirror. So you need to grope around your mirror to locate the button to open the garage door. The Forester has a much better instrument panel /Starlink interface. The dealer misinformed me about the abilities of eyesight. I was initially told the car will stop on its own when an object is in front of the car and moving slowly. I have since found out that is not the case. Do yourself a favor stay away from this one!!! Unless something amazing happens this will be my first and last Subaru!!! Do not buy this car!!!!!1 After 2 years I am ready to dump this piece of garbage. Valve tapping engine was determined normal by Subaru Rep from factory. Gas mileage is barely 22 mpg. Intermittent problems with electric window control. Does not hold a hill when at an incline and stopped or backing in reverse. Run as far as you can from your Subaru dealer and never look back!! Never again will I buy a Subaru. Buyer beware. Traded the outback on a Ford Edge. What a difference very happy with the Edge.

2016 Outback--my 2nd Outback

Tough to find the base model. Great car for the money. Sound system is great. Position of exhaust below rear diff is poor--will catch on a rock or ice for sure (but not a darn thing one can do about it other than to note how vulnerable it is).

Meh

I was so excited to get my Outback in red! Even named her, and I never name my cars. Now I'm just feeling "meh" about driving. The seats are so uncomfortable, hard and tiny. The headrest provides no neck support and gives me terrible headaches, so I have to use a neck pillow. In order to drive without cramping my legs, I have to adjust the seatback uncomfortably upright to reach the steering wheel even when it's fully extended. At first the automatic cruise control was nice and sensitive, handling rush hour traffic perfectly. Then gradually the automatic cruise control just doesn't seem to be as accurate in terms of slowing and braking in time. The crash warning even sounds when there is plenty of time to slow down and stop. So annoying. It was so much less stressful not to be continually braking or accelerating. The infotainment system with 12 Harmon Kardon speakers was a huge disappointment, the sound system sounds like an old 50's car with a crappy speaker in the dash. There's so much road and wind noise that volume needs to be turned up so high, that it's earsplitting upon slowing down and getting less road/wind noise. Exiting the vehicle is a chore, every time, the seat has to be lowered and pushed back and the steering wheel pushed all the way in. Then there's not enough space to get my feet past the door without contorting my body. The back seat is even worse, with no room at all to exit the vehicle. I had a luggage barrier installed to create more space for a long trip and ended up with actually less space. What a waste of time and money. They battery was so undersized that it would be dead if the car wasn't driven for 3 or 4 days. Just too much stuff always on. It didn't help that the rear cargo area light was easy to accidentally push on, and then wouldn't automatically turn off. Finally I just replaced the battery with some big monster and signed a waiver that I understood it was outside of the specifications for the car. I have around 10K miles on the car and am already looking around for something more comfortable with a better infotainment system. So annoying.

1 year in

I am still a happy camper with my Outback. The undersized power is still a bother at times, but I have to admit it is quick to pick up initial speed, but not the best when wanting to go from 45 to 60. No quality issues with the car. However, the front seat bottom is not very soft and can yield some issue with my nerve issues in my legs.

Drowning car

We were very satisfied with our car until May of this year, when we found 2 inches of water in the car with all windows and skylight closed. Upon starting the car water poured down from under the dashboard and clearly the computer system was compromised! The car had to be totaled. We were told that the drainage systems were clogged. The roof rack had separated from the car creating another Avenue for water to leak in. It was evident to us that there was a defect or design flaw. In addition to the loss of the car, we had just put 4 new tires on and a trailer hitch which amounted to $1,000. Our total loss after having to purchase a new car is $11,000. We took our complaint to Subaru of America expecting reparations. They reimbursed us $1500. Thanks alot Subaru!! (not)

Subaru Outback good buy for great vehicle

There is not much wiggle room negotiating the sticker price no rebates but vehicle has good resale value

poor quality car

The subarus have a great many electronic problems which can't seem to be fixed. Headlights randomly quit, windows randomly quit, back hatch randomly quits, errors in the security system, battery randomly goes dead for no reason, tailpipe or muffler vibrates LOUDLY, stitching on interior coming unraveled, instruments randomly quit working. I used to love a Subaru, now they're just a pile of garbage on wheels.

Let go of my key!

I purchased my 2016 Outback about back in Nov. 2015. About 3 months ago, my key got stuck in the "on" position as I was turning off the car. I tried pushing the key in, jiggling the steering wheel, and it still wouldn't move. So, I shifted the gear lever a little bit, and was able to get the key out. This happened to me about 2 or 3 times a week. Sometimes, I would have to shift the car in and out of park to get the key to turn and take it out. I've taken it in to the dealer twice so far. The 1st time, they adjust a cable and thought it was fixed. Nope. The second time I took it in, they changed out the lock assembly. Did that fix it? Nope. Ok, so now I'm waiting on the tech rep to call me back, after he makes his inquiries up the chain to see what to try next. Very frustrating!! Apparently, they've never dealt with this problem before. The only other thing with the car, is the delay in going into gear. There has always been about a 3 second delay when I shift from park to reverse, or reverse to drive. I told the dealer about that when I first bought the car, and he told me that was "normal". So, I'm used to that now. Other than the key issue, I'm happy with it.

Excellent choice

My only complaint is that the heater could be quicker to kick in.

From Mini to this

Big, agile, but a little slow with 2.5. Not bad thou.

Snazzy!

Neat car with great features. On our first road trip we got 26 plus mpg.

Great Safety Features

Purchased the 2016 Outback Premium 4-cyl in Jan. Very impressed with the safety features (have Eyesight). Talked with about 5 Subaru owners before purchase...all were very pleased. The vehicle is great in almost every way . Had difficulty with drivers seat for a while.... Found the drivers seat more comfortable when moved my shoulders as far back as possible. Had a 1550 mile round trip and did ok. Believe the Outback is a very good value for the $$$.

I really wanted to love this car, but....

At speeds between 58 and 62 miles per hour, the various components and parts that make up the car we know as the Outback produced harmonized to create a low frequency pulsation that never went away. It was not a tire issue, nor was it an airflow issue; this was, simply, an Outback that reacted like a tuning fork at certain speeds. My service center could not isolate or identify the source, and not all drivers were sensitive to the frequency. However, after experiencing throbbing headaches as a result of driving this vehicle, I had to walk away from it after only 4,000 miles.

Nice Vehicle

Storage for things like jumper cables and other bulky items cannot be placed out of site.

New 2016 Subaru Outback. DON'T BUY ONE!!!!!

I ordered a new Subaru Outback 2016 fully loaded with everything! I have had it for two weeks and it has already been back into the dealership here in NW Montana several times. Here are my complaints. It is a VERY VERY VERY COLD car to drive in the winter! Heated seats are lukewarm even on full for hours. Cold air leaks through every crack it can find in the dash and door. My feet freeze as there is no heat in the floor vent if the floor and dash vents are on. And VERY little lukewarm heat if just the floor vents are on. The dealership's response and their service dept's response after several trips in is that I have to drive this car 6000 miles before the heat and heated seats will work. Whaaattttt!!!! This is a bunch of crap! Also, the light colored leather seats look like they were done on a late Friday night in a drunken stupor! Lots of wrinkles and folds and gaps in the seams. Punctures too. Again, I was told that light leather was harder to work with and that it wouldn't be any different in any of the other Subarus. All our vehicles have had leather seats and I have never seen such poor workmanship before! On top of everything else, when I ordered the car we had reached a price. However, when the Subaru arrived hundreds and hundreds of dollars were added to the cost. I was told it was absolutely nonnegotiable. Theses hundreds of dollars that were added were to pay the dealership's secretaries. Again, unbelievable!!! Pay the dealership's secretaries??? The bottom line is that this brand new 2016 fully loaded Subaru Outback is the WORST car for this skier in NW MONTANA! It is one hell of a VERY COLD car!! I plan to sell it and take the loss. Ford and Chevy here I come!! Loved my well heated and fully loaded with leather seats Tahoe!!! NEVER WILL I EVER BUY A SUBARU AGAIN! Technology on car is HORRIBLE!! Dealer even admitted. Does not work with IPhone! BEWARE! Not heat or cooling to the back seats. Passenger seat in front does not adjust at all. VERY VERY uncomfortable to ride in the passenger seat! Tires had to be replaced after two months!!! After 6 months, I can confirm that I would NEVER EVER EVER buy a Subaru Outback again!!!! Even when mine is fully loaded. HATE THIS CAR!!! I drive it as little as possible! Getting rid of it soon!

Nice car wrapped around stinky infotainment

Nowadays, the infotainment system is a key part of the car. I've got the latest generation (2016 Outback - Limited) system. It reeks of promise and delivers none. In fact, IT IS A ROAD HAZARD. Fiddling with the phone and the infotainment system will definitely cause frustration and I predict accidents. You can see glimmers of hardware capability. For instance, the AM radio has dynamic IF bandwidth control. (If the signal is good, the audio bandwidth opens up and sound much better.) But then alas, the software overcompensates for ruining the experience. For instance:L 1. Bluetooth gets confused and does not properly function. 2. The "tone control is bass, mid and treble" (should have been a full equalizer) 3. The APPS are trite and not updated. There are only 6 of them. 4. Mirrorlink offered promise, but their offerings miss the mark. Certainly not lastly, a phone screen CANNOT be cast onto the infotainment screen. I complained to the President of Subaru. He pushed it off on to a lower management person, who, (accolades to him) called me on the phone to resolve the issues. After our discussion, he said the radio software would not achieve the things we discussed for 2 years. He explained that new apps would be released April 15, 2016. None did. I'd really like my money back. So, if you are looking for a car and infotainment is important. Shop elsewhere for the next 2 years. (I'd give it three, based on the tardiness of releasing simple apps.) 12/16 Car has not started twice - just cranks. Eventually does start. Very alarming. Infotainment firmware updated, but no better than before. Still hate the system. Still want my money back. 1/22 Still own this car. Long term problems. 1. Slow pickup 2. Eats tires even after alignment 3. CVT thumps at traffic lights. 4. I still hate the infotainment. 7/23 Still own the car. CVT axles needed replacement at 90K miles. Still hate infotainment.

Okay Vehicle

We’ve owned our Outback for six years. The seats are very uncomfortable; however, this has been resolved with cushions. Several of our senior friends, 55 years+, have difficulty getting in & out of the car. The acceleration is slow & noisy, but the vehicle is pretty quiet once a steady speed is reached. It gets 21 mpg in the city & 23 mpg on the highway, which is disappointing. The rear side windows are TOO small & make it difficult to see other cars, especially in parking lots & also when changing lanes. The exterior mirror indicator lights & backup camera are vital, due to the poor view from narrow rear windows. We don’t like to drive the Outback in the winter, due to the choppy brakes when driving in the snow. A button to quickly check current mileage from point A to point B is needed in this car. We’d also appreciate WORDS instead of pictures on the instruments. We had to look up where several features were, including the emergency brake & flashers. On the positive side, we like the automatic trunk release button on the key fob, which is used daily. It’s extremely convenient to press the button from a distance & have the trunk already opened, so packages can be quickly placed inside. The back seat folds down so long items can be transported in the car. Overall, this car is okay.

Ain't what they used to be

Overall ride is rather bumpy and stiff. Backing up is difficult even with the camera. Engine is under-powered and slow on acceleration. Takes a very long time before the interior warms up when you put the heater on. Earlier Subaru's had much better storage spaces. Rear window hard to keep clean (poor design). Electronics confusing and some difficult to operate. It is apparent that Subaru has gone from providing great value and instead has become greedy and cheap. I now have over 92,000 miles on my car and the gas mileage is way below what the company advertises. I am amazed how quickly it gets so cold in the cabin if I turn off the engine and park, especially on my feet and legs and, it seems to be very drafty (in the area) when I drive here in PA. This was my fifth Subaru but I think it will be my last.

Our dream car!

It's not HUGE.. feels like it though. Don't buy a Subaru if you must have fancy electronics or luxury. It's bare necessities just enough to make it a 2016 vehicle. Safety, reliability and value is why we got this. AWD, road control, off-road capability enhances the value from just being a commute car. I personally prefer Gen 4 design, but Subaru made the Gen 5 more polished and refined looking. We have had it only for 3-4 weeks but already took it to the mountains once.

Never again

Entertainment and navigation systems are very difficult to use. Salesperson did not understand it either. Should have known right then. Many problems —- side stripping fell off within a week. Mounding fell off within the first year. Battery dead 3 times, replaced. Again dead 3 times. Service is unacceptable. I make appointments for service to be turned away or am told, the part that I scheduled the appt. for was not ordered.

Very Noisy and Missing Key Feature

Outback has proven to be fuel efficient and very reliable. No complaints. I would buy another one when the time is right.

Dislikes

Road noise isn't as bad as previous vehicle but still leaves a lot to be desired. At thruway speeds you really have to turn up the radio to be able to hear it. Steering responsive fog lights are a joke as they don't really light up that much when making a turn. Would much prefer a set of good driving lights / fog lights that illuminate the road on low beam.

Will last longer than you!

I’ve owned this car for 2 years now and I’ve put about 60k miles on it. The car currently has 100k and hasn’t had a single problem yet! All I’ve had to do is oil changes and tire rotations, I did do all new pads and rotors but I did that because I wanted to I was told all 4 brakes were fine still. My only complaint would be that I wish it had a little more get up and got but it does the job, I’ve been averaging about 28-29 mpg and getting about 550 miles per tank of gas. My favorite part about this Outback is that it’s an absolute tank in the snow I have yet to get stuck and believe me I’ve tried… Subarus AWD is unbeatable.

Very satisfied

Money well spent

What a great vehicle all around !!! Unbeatable !

What a beautiful car!! Best for the money. Great mpg! Best in the snow. Look beautiful. Subaru reliability! Cheap cost. Cheap to maintenance. Super happy with purchase and great to be a Subaru owner. Will be keeping this car until end of time.

Lives up to the hype

The 4cyl engine is surprisingly good with great acceleration, and fuel economy closer to the published EPA than any other vehicle I've owned. The electronic safety package came with the vehicle I purchased. It's worth the investment. Also, great cargo space for a vehicle that appears smaller. The all wheel drive is most appreciated in rainy and windy conditions as the Outback handles almost as well as driving in normal weather. It also has a tight turning radius for an SUV. Once learned, the navigation system is easy to use on the road with directional info displayed on both the driver's gage panel and on the center console screen. I also like the dynamic Cruise Control with automatic speed adjustment for slower traffic. It's a fun car to drive on the highway. My only negative so far is the basic level entertainment system that came with my vehicle. It may be the worst stereo that I've ever had in in fifty years of driving. The mid and high range sound is garbled and the base is at best poor. The sound adjustment features are almost non-responsive. I had it checked out by the dealer and I'm told that it is functioning properly. The upgrade to a Harmon Kardin package is almost a necessity. Otherwise it's a great value. My vehicle came fully equipped except for leather seats and the high end entertainment package. In 2017 I replaced the speakers and added a pre-amp which significantly improved the entertainment audio (around $500 at Best Buy) except that I get full volume with limited adjustment on the computer audio features (GPS, phone, etc). The upgrade also interfered with the computer health report which I can live without. I lost full functionality in Aug. 2018 of Sirius XM due to a software problem between Sirius and Subaru. It still hasn't been resolved, but I have learned that there are other travel radio options that do not involve a $200/yr subscription fee. Mechanically, going on 3 years, the vehicle has required nothing more than standard maintenance. It's still a good value.

Best Car I've Ever Had

I purchased my Outback 3.6R Limited in July of 2016 and it has been the absolutely best car I've ever had. I've racked up 63,000 worry free miles. The Eyesight safety system has worked admirably and the AWD is absolutely class-leading. I'm now a official Subaru for life mender!

great value-more of the same- only better

we recently bought a 2016 outback( our 4) and could not be more pleased ..I like the subtle differences /features vs. older models (pre 2015) like starlink, updated dash, option to collapse rear seat from the back of the car/appreciate a more quiet ride..but miss a compass ,electric passenger seat adjustment, eye sight adjustment compared to later models ..overall good value -expect we will keep this car for a long time...this model unfortunately lacks the latest safety features of later models

2016 Outback limited

We purchased this Outback to replace our 2009 Rav4 Sport (a great SUV) but the ride was a little stiff this Subaru has a ride of a car and is so comfortable i would recommend it to anyone

Love my Outback

Own two Outbacks (2008 & 2016)now and love them both. For our use, they are the best car on the road. The 2016 has a nicer interior and ride than the 2008. Finally found a great dealership to buy from (Classic Cadillac & Subaru in Atlanta). They were easy to deal with at the point of purchase and provided wonderful service for the recent sterring column recall.

Highly recommend

Great car, I heard many good comments from my colleagues in past few years and finally bought it. I'd recommend highly. Both I and my wife love this car.

Just the right mix

Outback brings all the good factors of a wagon and a suv into one platform. The safety features are without peer. The handling on the road says its ready for long distance excursions. The visibility exceeds other cars we have owned. Looking forward to many road days in the years to come.

2016 Outback MD

Larger Engine is a plus!!

Great so Far!

So far so good, glad I bought the 3.6R!

Disappointed with so much

Before you consider a Subaru Outback there are some issues I experienced that you may want to consider. It's a good thing that the warranty is three years because I had an issue in the first year. It was covered and the service was great. They tout safety, but I take issue with a few safety things about the car. First, I was used to being able to touch the driver's door handle twice to open all doors. When I asked if there was a setting that would allow for this amenity I was told it was for my own safety that you must open the drivers door and hit a button to open the other doors. First, I think it should be an option what I want to do because perhaps I have a child who I would like to be safe as well and it would be important that she get into the car as quickly as I do. Also, very unhandy to have to go through this to put anything in the back seat. I know I can press the key fob, but that's if I can find it in the bottom of my bag. Second safety issue is the back up camera is terrible in anything but pretty, sunny weather. Snow, forget about it. Rain, even worse. Worst backup camera I've ever had. The back hatch doesn't respond consistently. When I complained about it at the dealership they said, "Yeah, we know." The navigation is super hard to program and doesn't recognize voices. I tried three different friends and finally we gave up trying to program it. Overall, it's an okay car, but it ain't all that. Good gas mileage. Oh, and the seats are pretty low for people with long legs. I won't buy another one.

Subaru review

Scoobaroo

Further improvement of noise-isolation.

They must check noise isolation and automatic door lock. When i drove on the road , the more foreign noise is heard inside the car. We all expect 2017 new noise isolation improved one and manuel locking looks like 15th century ago , its better to replace with AUTOMATIC LOCK . All the best . thanks.

Best used car I ever bought!

I ended up with this car after the dealer made a faulty repair on my Toyota and wanted me to pay 3,000, to fix it. This car was on their lot. At first I missed my Highlander but this car grew on me more and more. Along with the luxurious interior, the seats are very comfortable. I made a 2,000 road trip with two other people a few months ago and they couldn't believe how fuel efficient and smooth it was. Five Stars+

the worst car ever

The worst car and the worst company support .Please look elswere and don.t buy any subaru .Our car has very bad steering and no held but alot company b-s.Kelly and megan are a company [non-permissible content removed] and won.t buy back our car that we call a skate board. Do yourself favor and don.t buy a subaru.Jim Yerks. Subaru let us have to sell at a large loss.There is alot on the road can figure out what is wrong. We are lucky that our new mercedes e-350 wagon is a great car.

Test Drove Everything!

We test drove 23 vehicles. This was the only one that 100% of my family of 6 agreed on for comfort. Most other vehicles for comparable features wear 10K more. Hyundai Santa Fe Sport was a close second choice. Cargo space was rock-in but ultimately backseat comfort and gas mileage of Subaru won out.