Used 2017 Subaru Outback Consumer Reviews
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Exhaustive comparison
My wife and I did an exhaustive comparison between the Outback Limited, KIA Sorrento, Nissan Rogue, Hyundai Santa Fe and the Toyota Rav 4. We test drove each of the models above -some of them two or three times. We compared features, poured over projected reliability data and read countless forums about each model. I even contacted the Service Managers at each dealership in an attempt to gleen information about common problems. In the end, the Subaru Outback excelled in every category, including advanced safety features like the Eyesight technology. Moreover, the ride of the Outback handled better and seemed more comfortable, as well as more responsive in our test drive than the other models. Subaru's Symmetrical All Wheel Drive was also a key factor in our decision. It is a superior system and due to the design, eliminates torque steer due to engine weight displacement during emergency handling. Less important features, like the self-storing roof crossbars, which eliminate drag and wind noise, pointed to the overall intelligent engineering of the vehicle. Little details like that are indications of practical design that I believe extend throughout the car. The comfort and convenience features are as nice as any $40-50,000 car. I should point out that choosing a new car in this category was not easy. Some of the other manufacturers have very competitive cars with outstanding feautures. But in the end, after literally months of research, we chose the 2017 Subaru Outback Limited because it seemed superior and met our needs. We are extremely happy with our decision.
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2017 Subaru Outback 3.6R Limited is great!
I took advantage of the August 2016 Zero down, Zero % APR offer from Subaru to purchase this car. The Outback was on my short list of new cars; I also considered the Kia Sorento, the Ford Edge, the Subaru Forrester, and Toyota Highlander, Mazda CX-5 & CX-9. After test drives, much number crunching and internet research and opinions from friends, I went with the Subaru Outback. I love this car! It is quick, quiet, well-upholstered, and has the active safety features I was looking for. DETAILED REVIEWS Engine & Transmission: I have never had a car with a CVT before and I read lots of articles denigrating CVTs. However, as I do not care if my car makes sports car "vroom vroom" sounds or if it shifts like a Ferrari, I did not care about the presence of the CVT (although almost every "car guy" review does). The CVT in this car is super-smooth, except for a *very* slight stuttering at very low speed (< 5 mph) under low acceleration. Past that, the powertrain is nice and smooth, and the flat 6 does a great job getting the car up to highway speed. If you are happy with a sub-7 second 0-60 time (6.9 sec), then you will be happy with the 3.6R. Fuel economy numbers seem to be as advertised. Most of my driving is "city" driving and I drive fast (trying to change this) so after 1 month of ownership I have been averaging 21 MPG. My previous car was a diesel that averaged over 40 MPG during the summer, but the Outback is larger, more powerful, quicker, much nicer, and the fuel (87 octane) is cheaper so it balances out. Interior Trim: I have nothing but praise for the fit and finish of the cabin. The Trim of the 3.6R Limited Edition is great; smooth and attractive to the eye. The (fake?) wood trim is nice, but I do not feel it adds that much to the car. Interior Comfort: I am 6'-1" and this car has plenty of room, front and back. I love the lumbar support of the front seats, but some reviews called it "aggressive lumbar support. The lumbar support sticks out more than any other car I every had, but MY lower back loves it. My wife, at 5'-6", does not, which does not surprise me. It does not appear that the lumbar support can be lowered enough to accommodate her. She says the back seats are comfortable, so that is nice. The seats are just the right amount of firmness for me. Exterior: My main complaint is driver's side visibility. The visibility out of the driver's side mirror is poor IMHO and leaves a huge blind spot. So much that the active safety features for the left side of the car are NEEDED, otherwise you will strain your neck checking your left. The driver's side mirror is of little help. If you can live with that, everything else is great. I think the styling is very nice, great for a wagon and still distinct from other crossover SUVs. Also, mine is Venetian Red which makes it look even better ;-) Electronics/Infotainment: I do not use Subaru's Navigation system because I have Waze and Google Maps on my smartphone, so I cannot rate that Subaru's system. UPDATE - 9/27/2016: I tried it once and it worked fine although the controls are not intuitive. I believe by 2016-17 most people have a smartphone with some type of navigation app built-in that gets frequently updated, so I do not see much point in the USA for Subaru to put much effort into developing a top-of-the-line navigation system. However, if for some reason your phone is dead/lost, and you do not have paper maps (what's wrong with you?!) then this system would be adequate. My phone is linked via Bluetooth to my car (easy to do) and I exclusively listen to Pandora and Spotify through it. So much that I still have not learned how to fully operate the HD radio, such as setting preset stations, et.! When I get around to checking out the HD radio, I will update this review. Cargo: I have not tested the car's cargo capacity yet, but cargo capacity was one of the main reasons for choosing the Outback so I am sure it will great. The molded Styrofoam compartment underneath the cargo area floor mat has lots of little trays that can be used to hold a surprising amount of supplies in an organized fashion. Right now, I keep a voltmeter, bungee cords, flat repair kit and some other useful knickknacks in there. Also, the center console compartment is deep, great for storing the stuff you will use most often. Safety: The two things I insisted on when deciding on purchasing the 2017 Outback were: a 6-cylinder engine and the Eyesight system. The IIHS gives the Eyesight system its highest rating (Superior), which at the time of my research was only shared with Kia's system. Human error is the overwhelming cause of car accidents, and I believe automated systems that HELP us prevent accidents are highly desirable. The Eyesight system works great, although the lane-keeping sensor is a bit sensitive in my opinion. That's it for now. I am really enjoying this car and I hope you do as well.
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- 2.5i Premium 4dr SUVMSRP: $16,00041 mi away
- 2.5i Premium 4dr SUVMSRP: $13,99526 mi away
- 2.5i Limited 4dr SUVMSRP: $8,67752 mi away
2017 Subaru Outback Touring 3.6R
I bought this for my wife and wanted her to have all the best technology when it comes to safety. We identified the car we wanted and then did a factory order through a dealer for the exact color, trim level and accessories we wished for. The Eye Sight system is amazing and in my opinion worth every penny. We compared this car against the Audi Q5 and Acura RDX, based on everything that was important to us the Outback was just a much better value. One thing I learned early on in my research is that all AWD systems are not the same. Subaru really has a great story to tell regarding their symmetrical AWD system. Acura's new AWD system falls a little short and Audi's AWD is in my opinion the only one that can truly go toe to toe with Subaru on this point. I am very happy with selecting the 3.6R over the base engine as the one constant complaint I seen from hundreds of reviews was related to the base engine being underpowered. I can tell you the 3.6R offers plenty of acceleration, smoother and quieter engine operation and a more satisfying experience. Yes you take a little hit on gas mileage, but if that was my primary consideration I would have bought a small compact hybrid. The touring interior is on par with the Acura RDX and close but a little short of the Audi Q5. The safety technology on this car was much better then the the Audi Q5 and a little better then the RDX. Outward visibility is terrific in this car and ranks among the best of any car we have ever owned. The heated back seats with recline is a nice touch for passenger comfort, wish they would have included seat ventilation also for those days when our temps are in the triple digits. Like other reviewers stated the handling for a SUV/SUW is very good and you feel confidant and in control even when coming into a tighter then expected corner at a faster then desired speed. We have owned many luxury and non luxury cars over the years. While the Subaru brand does not communicate the prestige of some of the German or Luxury Japanese brands. The practicality, safety, resale, reliability and price of the Subaru far out ways any need for pretentiousness on our part. So in summary, if you are looking for a near luxury car for over ten thousand less then comparable vehicles and don't care about the badge on the front, or are looking for a very nice car with the latest and best safety features and technology the 2017 Subaru Outback Touring/Limited should be on your shortlist.
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Outback 3.6R Limited...falling in love...fast!
It was time to give up the 12 year old daily driver (Jaguar x-type awd with manual transmission - LOVED this car, just did not want to part with it). Needed an all wheel drive car that could fit the family and all of our stuff. Test drove the Range Rover Evoque, Land Rover Discovery Sport, Audi Q5, a couple of Mercedes 4matic vehicles, and my wife has been driving Volvo for over a decade. Each time I drove one those previously mentioned brands there was something that I didn't like, but assured myself that I would get over it. Did a ton of research and kept coming away with the thought that getting over something when paying for a $45,000+ car just did not make sense. On a whim I decided to include Subaru on the last "luxury brand" internet searches...then decided to walk the lot of the local Subaru dealership. So thankful I did! As soon as we left on the first test drive of a 2017 Outback 3.6R Limited I was hooked. Unlike the other brands, there was nothing I did not like. No beeps, no over-technology, the interior trim and leather is Mercedes 350-level-nice, the visibility and sight lines are great, the sound system is awesome and the seats are comfortable. Then, we got to driving...I like to drive...and while it's a big vehicle, it does not drive like a big vehicle. It has an unexpected 4 corner balance to it and, really nice, dare I say "fun" power band. I took the thing through it's paces and didn't want the test drive to end. Went home to "digest" and then went back that night to drive it again...and then bought that very vehicle two days later. Stunned how much I like it...dare I say...love..this wagon? SUV? Cross-over? Don't care what you call it...other than possibly the best, most underrated and unexpected value I have ever come across. To be fair, this is the 3.6R with the bigger wheels. Drove the 2.5 before purchasing just to be sure (some reviews say there is not a big difference unless you are towing...don't believe it, drive them both...), and let's just say the power level of the 2.5 was not my cup of tea. Also, I am not a "technology" guy - all I wanted was Bluetooth and a sunroof - the Limited had both...and while the "Eye-sight" system seems like a great idea, I am anti-beeps and boops coming from the car while I am driving, thus no need for that either. UPDATE: June 2017 - little more than 6 months and 7500 miles later...still love it! Not a single complaint! UPDATE: Dec 2018 - 52,000 miles...still love it. Update: June 2019 - 66,000 miles...yep, still love it...
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Outback Features make my commute easier!
I got the 2017 Outback limited with eyesight. The adaptive cruise control makes my long commute much easier, as it will slow down and speed up to keep my car at a constant distance from the car ahead of me. Even if cars move in and out of my lane (or if I change lanes), the cruise control keeps me safe and less stressed during my 45+ minute commute. And the visual and audible alerts are hugely helpful when a car is in my blind spot as I drive, or when I am getting ready to back up. My family is very happy with our new car!
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Saved Our Lives
In December of 2015, we leased a 2016 Outback. In eight months, from December 2015 through August 2016, we drove the car just over 19,000 miles of Idaho and Nevada roads. On a late August night, just before midnight, driving through central Idaho at at 65 miles per hour, we hit a 500 pound Elk. The Subaru was totaled. The front end was completely demolished. The total damage was in excess of $25,000.00. The passenger cabin was untouched. My wife and I walked away from the wreck with nothing other than sore muscles. Two days later, we drove out of the Subaru dealer with our newly purchased 2017 Subaru Outback. Our Subaru Outback is the best car we have ever owned.
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A Subaru alternative for Allroad, X3, GLC shoppers
My new 2017 Outback Touring has it all. This car feels like a luxury class vehicle but costs 10 grand less than other similarly equipped Audi, BMW or Mercedes. Loving the Java brown leather and wood grain interior. The 3.6 engine is quiet and powerful. The infotainment center and iPhone integration are a big disappointment. Come on Subaru, invest in CarPlay. Leave software development to the specialists at Apple and stick to what you do best, engineering cars. Update after winter driving experience: We've had a big winter in California this year and my new Subaru has proven to be a reliable, capable winter driving machine. On several occasions in heavy blizzard conditions the Suby proved a mastery of traction and control in difficult circumstances. The symetrical AWD system really is superior. I've owned other 4wd vehicles in the past, but the Subaru traction control system is "smart". In once incident I was in heavy ice and snow on uneven terrain. I slowly turned around and gave it the gas in an attempt to pop over some deep snow. But the Subaru AWD "brain" took control over the accelerator and instead of speeding up to pop over the snow as I intended, it slowed the wheels and gradually applied traction with deliberation to the wheels that had traction. This surprised me. The car simply rolled forward over the slippery bits in complete control, applying power to the wheels that had effect. I've also grown very fond of the Eyesight system. Long drives and heavy highway traffic are easier with adaptive cruise control. I use it all the time now. It makes the drive to Tahoe from the Bay area much easier, especially when the traffic slows. I like the way the car matches the speed of the car in front and keeps the distance. I feel safer. I'm happy with my decision to get this car. 2019 update: The CVT transmission seems to be the Subaru Achilles heel. My car developed an intermittent squeal that I’ve dertermined to be coming from the transmission. On cold starts, after about 10 miles of highway driving, the squeal occurs a few times for just a second or so. When the squeal occurs, the tachometer surges about 200 tp 500 rpm and the car shudders slightly. After a trip home to the Bay Area from Tahoe the dashboard lit up like a Christmas tree. The check engine light and the transmission warning light remained on after a restart. Did you know cruise control is disabled if the CEL is on? The dealership read the codes and said the trans. oil pressure was having a problem. After more than a week without my car, the dealer in consultation with Subaru of America, replaced the valve control body of the CVT. But afterward the squeal remained. I suspect the squeal is a slipping CVT chain/belt. But the dealership refuses to replace the entire transmission until they can hear the squeal for themselves. Since it only happens after a cold start and 10 or more miles, this means leaving my car overnight. I commute 36 miles each way to work; so it’s inconvenient. I’m waiting for the symptoms to get worse so I can reliably expect the dealer to be able to witness the behavior. All of this led me to question Subaru reliability so just before I reached the end of the factory warrantee at 36000 miles, I decided to purchase the Subaru Gold Extended warrantee (8 years 120K miles). Even though the drive train is already covered to 100K, I bought peace of mind, just in case. I wish the Subaru had come with a Diesel engine and a DSG dual clutch transmission like we had on our 2013 VW TDI. Beware of the CVT, it may not be as reliable as I had hoped. Subaru extended the warrantee on it to 100k after we bought the car. I think I know why.
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Yahoo Subie-Roo
This a great car and a wonderful alternative to a see-everywhere SUV. It is solid as a rock and definitely feels like a step up from the 2012 Subaru Forester I traded in for it! There are no blind spots and the backup camera shows a very wide field of view...very helpful when backing into my garage. The radio is good but not spectacular, I can live with it. The front seats are very comfortable and are not tiring after driving for several hours. I had my doubts about the CVT transmission, but I am very pleased with it. It shifts like a 6-speed transmission and the gas mileage is spectacular. Acceleration from a standing start is very good with no hesitation. I was concerned about the possibility for "droning" sounds at some speeds, but have not experienced any of that. All in all, I am very pleased with the 'wagon Subaru has built and can't wait for our first long get-a-way trip into New England at the end of September! Have taken two trips, one to New York and one to Florida. Over 3300 miles on the Fla. trip; car was comfortable, roomy and avg. 28 mpg! Very pleased!
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Super Wagon
My car is a black Outback 3.6R Limited with Eyesight, rear cross traffic alert, all the front and rear and lower body plastic protective bits, rubber floor mats, cargo and seat back protectors, homelink, and auto-dimming/defrosting mirrors. Some user details: I've put 6000 miles on this car thus far (purchased mid-october 2017, it is now January 17th). My commute of 25 miles averages 1.25 hours one way through some of the heaviest traffic in the US (Los Angeles), and it handles it perfectly fine, zipping in and out of traffic when I am in a hurry, or safely following the car ahead using Eyesight and nudging me back into lane if I get distracted -although MPG never gets over 20 no matter how I drive. I've taken one road trip of 700+ miles in it with my family of four, two strollers, food, luggage, etc., and I was impressed with the quiet interior at highway speeds, the ability to pack everything we wanted, comfort of the front seats during long hauls, and the rear bench being able to fit my wife between the two child seats. I am coming to this vehicle from a power and suspension modified BMW 335i, so I find the driving dynamics of this Outback to be less than stellar, but that said, I have to say that for such a big, heavy, high ground clearance car, it handles remarkably well and has adequate acceleration at pretty much any speed. I think I will be adding the 19” rear sway bar to firm up cornering characteristics at some future date, but as it is, it performs very well. The CVT is the best I've ever used with none of that weird rubber band lag, making it what I would consider acceptable in most situations, although it does have a bit of a wiggle/shake at lower speeds when quickly modulating the gas pedal. The paddle shifters and manual mode are great for keeping the engine from lugging up long ascents and are also good for getting the car into the optimum rpm range before quick passing maneuvers -but simply mashing the pedal does a quick enough job as well. The nav does a passable job with clear directions, and would be perfectly fine to use for small city, long suburban or rural trips, but in a dense traffic city like Los Angeles, it’s ETA’s are always off by 15 minutes, it can be inaccurate with traffic conditions, and it doesn’t usually give you the fastest route. I prefer using waze during my commute. I have Subaru’s ne plus ultra 12 speaker Harmon-Kardon sound system, and while I’ve seen more than a few complaints about it in the Outback forums, I find it to be pretty good for the price. The highs are clear, the mids are clean, and the there is strong bass. I wish the sound field in the driver’s chair were a bit more spread out, but if I want a stellar listening experience I will sit properly centered in an acoustically damped room using a true hi fi system, not wedged into one corner of a car putting out 65+dB of constant noise at highway speeds. Overall the infotainment system is good bordering on great. There can be a few layers to go through to get to an option you think should be one or two button/screen presses, it can be a bit slow to respond at times, and setting up a nav destination is unnecessarily button-pushy. I think pressing “go” once should be enough, not 2-3 times as it gives you more options or wants to make sure you really want to do it. That said, I love having a touchscreen rather than only a bunch of knobs and buttons, and the touchscreen hides or doesn’t collect fingerprints fairly well. The knobs and buttons offered are appropriate and function well, for example, a long press of the right knob will put you into split screen mode (I have mine set up with nav on left, music on right), a short press puts you fully into radio. Nav has its own dedicated button. In conclusion, after having done a ton of research and test driving several other vehicles (Mazda CX-5, CX-9, Honda CRV, Subaru Forester, and BMW X1, X3, X5, 5 & 3 series), I found the Outback to fulfill all my needs at least adequately if not very well, and a few of my wants in the bargain at a very attractive price. It is a roomy, with excellent safety features, decent tech, and good overall driving dynamics. I haven’t taken any dirt roads in it, but from what I’ve read it is a very capable light to moderate off-roader as well, with higher ground clearance than a Jeep Cherokee. After 3 months, I can say without reservation I am very happy with this purchase, and hope it lasts me a long time.
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Love my Outback Touring!
Subaru hit a home run with the Touring edition! Quiet, responsive and comfortable to drive. I previously drove a Lexus RX330 and put the Touring edition in the same category as Lexus. Great value! The quality and fit of this vehicle is excellent. Love the EyeSight system. Next week I am looking forward to driving to Indianapolis. Can't wait!
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My 2017 Outback Limited with pizzaz!
Love the mileage after only 1000 mi. The ride is quiet and comfortable. Climate control is great. The only improvements I could recommend at this point is the angle of the screen and the side vents. When the sun sets, the light glare on the screen is awful! I made a cover for those times. Also the metal surrounding the side air vents also reflects the sun and affects the vision in the side mirror. It is spacious, comfortable, and easy to maneuver. The navigation isn't as good as I would like. My google maps is better, but perhaps I haven't learned the correct use. Prior to this I had limited technology, and now have Eyesight, so I am still learning a lot. I made a lot of comparisons before purchasing this car. I would recommend darkening the front side windows a bit to cut the glare from rear headlights. The CVT causes a bit of noteworthy spurts at times. Starting cold causes engine drag until it runs a few minutes. The overlap of roof at the rear makes cleaning the rear window difficult. Overall I am happy with the car.
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A perfect Fit
This vehicle is almost pefect. This is my 9th Subaru, so I am no stranger to the brand. This vehicle is everything I need in a vehicle. It has cargo capacity for my 3 large dogs, is getting 29MPG in mixed driving, and is very, very, very quiet. No irritating rattles and the ride is delightful. I love the fact that it has AWD and that it has high ground clearance. It fits me to a T. It is also a nice looking vehicle, which doesn't hurt. The only things I'd change are the acceleration (though I'm happy to sacrifice a slower start for the mpg I'm getting), and having air conditioning in the rear of the vehicle in addition to the front. Because I'll be hauling my dogs to the dog park a lot and the fact that I live in sunny (and extremely hot) Phoenix, AZ, I'd love to have rear air conditioning. Other than that, I don't have a single thing I'd change. I love my new Outback and will keep it for a long, long, long time. I'd recommend it without hesitation.
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Best Outback Yet!
After two years and a little over 10,000 miles I am still impressed by my 2017 2.5i. It is not the most exciting car to drive nor is it the quietest SUV. The upside of this car is the low total cost of ownership. Depreciation has been about $1000 per year and service under $100 per year. We need to have dedicated snow tires based upon where we live so I was able to purchase a second set of factory wheels so I don’t have to swap tires twice a year. The outback reminds me of my John Deere tractor. Not very exciting but it gets the job done every time and doesn’t depreciate as much as just about anything out there. Now 4 years of ownership. Very low mileage 17000 as I work from home. No problems whatsoever. Averaging 28.3 mpg mostly mountain driving. Great car for anyone who lives in an area which receives snow.
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Addicted to Outbacks.
Can't believe I just traded my 2011 for a 2017 - but all the new safety stuff got to me (see Suburu EyeSight system - it is better than anything else I researched). Am tired of backing into things. Drove some other stuff to do due diligence. Nothing even comes close. Drives like a car but big enough to carry everyone's ski equipment and all the shrubs I keep buying. My repair bills in 5 years on my previous one consisted of oil changes, one set of new wipers, 2 screws in a loose heat shield. New brake pads too I think - but with just 42K miles never needed tires. AWD essential in New England. Never getting stuck in snow is a priority (never have). Can't imagine a better vehicle. Oh - forgot to mention that auto lift and closing gate thing in the back on the new ones! Got tremendous value from the dealer on my 2011. Other dealers were actually in a bidding war. Up here the resale value on a used Subaru is a given. No complaints. Haven't backed into anything! (The 3 stars of "comfort" is for the driver's seat cushion - they can't seem to get one that stays firm after a few years. So spend a few bucks if you need to and get one of those comfort seat cushions to put on top. Or it may just be me. All the passenger seating is great.) 2020 update. Upgraded the driver car seat to 4 stars - either it got used to me or vice verse. And noise and vibration from 4 to 5 stars. Same thing - after being in other people's car/small SUV types I realize how much quieter the Outback is.
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Our First Subaru!
Well, after one month and 1,100 miles on our 2017 Outback 3.6R Touring, I can't say enough great things about this wagon (I know some think it's an SUV, but it's not). No regrets moving from the American Blue Oval (Ford) to the Japanese Blue Oval (our car was made in Lafayette, IN, incidentally - I think all U.S. market Subarus are; I could be wrong). Ford just didn't have what I liked or needed this time around (a Fusion (my previous car) wagon would have gotten my attention if they made one - I liked my '07 Fusion a lot), so for the last year, we've been doing the on-line research and always came back to the Outback 3.6R as the prime choice. At the Chicago Auto Show, we got to test drive one for the first time. We also test drove something we hadn't considered previously and that was the Kia Sorento which is more crossover than wagon, but it had us thinking. In the end, it was the Outback itself as well as Subaru dealers (and the one we bought from in particular) over the Kia dealers that sold us (we didn't get much meaningful response from the Kia dealers (on the phone or internet) - maybe they didn't take us seriously; at least not until after we'd had our Outback for a few weeks!). So anyway, the Outback has been a dream to drive! After less than a week of ownership, we needed to make a 250 mile round trip trek through northern Illinois with a good mix of country road and interstate driving. On the interstate, I got to experience the adaptive cruise control - a gem of a feature in that the car adapts to the distance of the car in front of you; very handy when you get cut off by a slow-poke - no need to hit the brake, the car slows down for you. And when slow-poke moves over out of your way, the Outback smoothly moves back up to your preset speed (or to a safe distance from the next car in front of you). The other feature I experienced with great joy was the blind spot indicators - wow, this is great! On the interstate, it always seems like there's a car driving in my blind spot! Now I don't have to take my eyes off the road ahead to know there's a car invisible to me on my left or right. Out in the country, the Outback is in it's element; not that we've tested it much yet, but we did have some soft, mushy areas to drive through that would have been a challenge to a vehicle without AWD and the ground clearance of the Outback. Other things I've come to appreciate over the last month with the Outback is the CVT - Continuously Variable Transmission. I know it's been around on several cars for years, but it's new to me - and I actually prefer it to the step shifting of the traditional 6 speed I had in my Fusion. I've read lots of car enthusiasts' opinions who won't go near a CVT (favoring a manual transmission), but I think for me (and a lot of people like me) it's a welcome change - though I do have to watch our for speeding since I don't have that step sensation through the gears on a rather powerful 3.6 liter six! Which brings me to another primary reason for going with the six; towing capacity through, potentially, mountains. Haven't tried it yet, but I just couldn't see winding up the 2.5 liter four with 1 1/2 tons of stuff through the Rockies. I know I'm not alone on that assessment either, having read concurring remarks in professional reviews. I have no fears whatsoever with the six. It's a powerful and peppy power plant! The ride of the Outback is smooth and comfortable. The suspension smooths out some of the worst washboards I drive on better than any car I've had before. And because we opted for the Touring sub-model, comfort is better than anything I've owned before (this is the first car I've had with heated leather seats (though my wife had them in a Buick LeSabre Limited more than a dozen years ago) AND a heated steering wheel!). I'm still learning all the electronics - right now I'm happy with just figuring out the radio and how to play my iPod Nano (3rd gen). I was a tiny bit disappointed that my Nano doesn't play well through the iPod function (which displays the information from your iPod on the infotainment screen); it will play a couple songs and then blank out; I've read where this has been happening to many people with even newer iPod equipment than my 10 year-old Nano. So all I do is run it through the Aux function and things are as good as in my previous cars - except for the sound system which is a spectacular Harmon-Kardon layout! I LOVE the sound! The navigation system is super spectacular for me, having come from a 4" screen on a Garmin pasted to the windshield. It's a nice big, 7" display that is very intuitive. Well, I was going to write more, but I guess there's a character limit. Suffice it to say, I love our New Subaru Outback! Today marks seven months since receiving our Outback 3.6R Touring, and with 8,000 miles, two vacations and lots of commuter miles since, I love it even more as I learn what it can do and how comfortable it is!
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GO FOR THE 3.6R
We traded in a 2015 2.5 limited for a 3.6r Limited. Much better car overall with the six. Smoother, quieter, and definitely faster. We did a recent trip over 2 mountain passes with the 2.5 and it had to work hard to keep up. Gas mileage suffered. The new safety features on the 2017 combined with the 3.6 made for a better driving experience.
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Should have bought one sooner
We have owned our new Outback about 3 weeks now, and with over 2,000 miles on it already, are extremely pleased with it. We have averaged 30+ mpg over two 400-mile round trips. This car is quieter, rides better, and gets much better mileage than my 2012 Veracruz, and the traded in Mercedes convertible. I love the adaptive cruise control, it can control your speed/spacing distance down to 30 mph if you need it to. The eyesight system is something all cars should have! The fit and finish are impressive, controls are pretty well placed overall, and operating the various systems is pretty intuitive. There is quite a learning curve to get all the various system options set the way you want, but once you do, life is good. The CVT is just a touch whiny if you hit the throttle hard from a stop, but the rest of the time, it feels like a standard 6-speed automatic transmission should. It is easy to get in and out of, and visibility is very good. The roof rails are folded into the side rails until you need them, which makes the car quieter. The storage is equal to our Veracruz, with a smaller overall body, a higher road clearance, and a much lower roof rack access, which is a bonus for us. The sound system is one area my wife is disappointed with, but she is comparing it to her Mercede's sound system. As the title says, should have bought an Outback sooner. We now have 89,000 miles on our Outback, and have owned it for four years now. Once we replaced the OEM tires with our Vredestein's, the ride, handling in rough weather, and noise level got better. Subaru has a known issue with oil usage on long extended(several days) highway driving. Ours did that initially, each time we drove back and forth to Florida. Once I stopped using Shell oil and switched to Valvoline, the problem has not returned. No oil added during a 6,000 mile change interval. Once you get used to the quirks of the Eyesight/ACC system, and step in to over-ride the system when necessary, you'll enjoy driving this car even more. I am more relaxed in heavy traffic than I've ever been with any other car. I did have the same problem many owners have complained about, which is the uncomfortable driver's seat. If you have that issue, check into the Subaru owner's forum, there is an easy 10-minute fix for the problem. Now it's much more comfortable in the driver's seat for longer drives. I have now purchased a thin comfort cushion seat pad for the driver's seat, which has increased my range without pain to 8 hours. Just recently drove from Wisconsin to south Florida, and had no pain during any of the drive. Last October we took a 2700 mile week long trip cross country. The drive was through the Appalachian mountains, so we saw some good altitude changes. Overall, we averaged 28-30 mpg fuel economy. And that's manually checking the mileage, not using the car's computer to measure it. Other than to have the dealer do an oil consumption test, which the car passed with flying colors, that's the only time it's been back to the dealer for anything problem related. Even with the two caveats I detailed, we would still consider purchasing another one. But based on the reliability of this one so far, it could be a while before we're in the market for another one We are now at 97,000 miles, and the car is still running great. It's now our second car, not our primary car, which means I will be driving it even more. I fully intend to keep it for several more years, as we did my last car(9 years), because it's been that reliable.
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Extremely well balanced car
Bought a 2016 Hyundai Tucson and had to get rid of it because of dangerous engineering defect of the DCT transmissions. Bought the Outback and wished I had done this in the beginning. We took our first trip and got 30+ MPG. Extremely comfortable ride, takes a n enormous amount of cargo, actually more then the Tucson, feels like a much sturdier car. I was worried about the 4 cylinder engine ,but we were able to keep up with traffic and enter highways with no problems. The GPS worked great as well as the adaptive cruise control. Can not say enough about this car.
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Like it so far, beats my former 2012 OB 3.6r
Drive it and you will see what i mean. I traded my 2012 3.6r Outback with a brand spanking 2017 Outback 3.6r. Main reason was the safety aspect of the Eyesight system. I am really impressed about the handling and quietness of the car. This car is its very-well equipped but someone at Subaru need to explain why things like rain sensing windshield wipers are not standard , seat memory does not include outside mirrors, outside mirrors are not folding, remote start does not include seat heater or cooling, automatic sunroof closing functions and a few more. (even my 2015 Ram truck has most of the mentioned functions). minor issues but i think i mentioned it. I honestly can say that no other car was of any interest for my wife and me when we decided to purchase our new OB. My wife and i love this car.
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Great Value for the Money
My first Outback with the 3.6 liter engine. Drove it back to back with an Acura RDX. Why I chose the Outback: 1. super smooth engine, 2. superior AWD system, 3. surprisingly good CVT transmission to the degree that it drives like a normal automatic transmission, 4. better cargo capacity, 5. superior outward visibility from the driver's seat, 6. less expensive to insure, and 7. at 5'10' and 180lbs, it just fits me well. Unless you are predisposed to measure your self worth by a hood badge or brand of vehicle, you will not regret buying this car. I would recommend however that you ditch the standard Bridgestone tires as they are mediocre. I replaced the Bridgestone tires with a set of Michelin Premier LTX tires, and the difference in grip, handling and road noise was significant. Update 3/5/18 - great ability to handle a highway merge into heavy traffic and pass without drama when needed. Very capable on long grades in the mountains. Update 9/5/18 - my Outback has been problem free. It is a pleasure to not have to endure the constant road noise which I experienced with multiple Hondas. I will however call out the poor wear on my Michelin Premier LTX tires despite routine rotations and inflation checks. Update 3/5/20 - I am greatly disappointed that Subaru has discontinued the 3.6 liter engine. The turbo 4 which is now available is a poor substitute.
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Perfect mix!
I love this car. Great value without compromises around quality or noise level. Very nice handling, especially for the ride height. Superb turning radius, great visibility, plenty of cargo space and front/rear seating space. As a mix of attributes, the Outback nails it.
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Nothing beats it for features and value
I am 6'6" and I fit extremely well in the Outback. It is roomy inside, and it can haul a ton of stuff inside with the second row of seats (easily) folded. The roof racks are great; I like the way they fold away when not in use. The visibility is outstanding. I take it on long trips to our vacation home in Maine and it is a pleasure to drive. Great gas mileage as well! Price shop this against the Volvo wagon or the Audi Allroad for cost and features, and you will find that the Outback is a greater value for your money.
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This Outback Fills The Bill
Living in Maine it's important to have a reliable car that can handle all of the various road conditions. Although I have 3 cars (a Lexus ES, a Mitsubishi Eclipse, and the Outback), my vehicle of choice during the winter has always been the Subaru. I previously had a Subaru Baja, but after 12 years it was starting to see the effects of the Maine winters. I recently replaced it with the Outback Limited. Subaru has finally started to add the technology and creature comforts that have been around for many years in the Toyota and other Japanese cars. This car is extremely comfortable to drive. the steering is tight and predictable, the breaking is excellent, and the Navigation and I-sight systems work well. Although I've only had the car for a few months, the more that I drive it the more that I like it. It's not as quiet and doesn't have the soft ride of my Lexus, but it's still very quiet at highway speeds and the road feel is smooth. There is little or no lean going around curves. The various controls, although logically positioned, still took a little getting used to as they are somewhat different than other cars I have owned. However, after driving the car for a few months I've gotten used to where everything is and have no issues. The car has great visibility, an incredible amount of interior space, and several features that I've only seen on some of the more expensive luxury cars, such as heated and reclining rear passenger seats. I anticipate that this car will be trouble free, and the Subaru guarantee is bumper to bumper including "wear items" (such as windshield wipers, break pads, etc.). I would not hesitate to recommend this SUV to anyone.
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Great Car-Update 5
I have had my 2017 Subaru Outback for nearly 5 years and am around 111k miles. I remain extremely happy with the vehicle. I purchased the Outback in Maryland as a commuter vehicle, drove it the entire way to Alaska, spent a winter in Anchorage, and drove it back to the East Coast the following Spring. In both summer road conditions to the more extreme Alaskan winters with ice and snow covered roads, the Outback remained extremely nimble & sure footed keeping me & my family safe. Other than routine maintenance, I have had very few problems with the car. The only exception to that is having to replace the car’s battery every two years. I haven’t pursued the issue issue with a dealership, but I am on my third battery. Gas mileage has remained consistent at about 30 mpg combined. On a few long trips I have gotten as high as 33 mpg. The interior is also holding up as well. Overall, I remain extremely satisfied with my Outback and would consider purchasing another Subaru in the future.
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Heads above the Pilot EXL updated Feb 2020
The only concern I had going from a 2013 Pilot EXL was the cargo room. As a direct sales business woman I have a traveling boutique. So far the decreased area has not been a problem. The controls are not even comparable. The Pilot does not even hold a candle to the Outback in the controls. The only down fall is there is no charging port for the back seat. There is a 12v charger in the cargo area. The Bluetooth system is MUCH clearer in the Outback. My husband said I no longer sound like I am in a tunnel when using the Bluetooth for phone calls. There is ample room for my tall husband. The seats in the Outback are wider than the Pilot. We live on a dirt road that is currently filled with potholes. In the Pilot I felt every bump and dip. The Outback has a MUCH smoother ride. The suspension absorbs most of the impact. Granted I am driving MUCH slower in the new car. I picked the 3.6r because I do not like slow response cars. When you step on the gas you know it right away! There is PLENTY of power in the 3.6. The lane assist takes some getting used to. The review from the editors said there is body roll in the Outback. My husband and I 100% disagree with the assessment. Once you go from the Poilot to the Outback you DO NOT feel ANY body roll. At first I was sad to trade in my Pilot. After I drove the Outback for a little bit and got familiar with the car I am no longer sad. We traded up FOR SURE! This is my forever car! I still own this car as of 2/16/2020. 68,500 current original miles. I still absolutely LOVE my car. However, I have recently noticed some items that could prove to be costly in the long run. Both front regulators and windows are wonky. If you use the auto up the windows they started to go up and back halfway down. This happens randomly. There are times it happens when you put it up slowly. This weekend the automatic unlock function, without touching the buttons on key fob, on the front doors also would not work properly. I figured that it could have been too cold or road dirty, from traveling 2 hours away. Neither were the case. I will have to investigate the locking issue further. The heated seats, all safety features and mechanical items appear to be functioning within their normal limits. My absolute favorite feature on the Outback is the adaptive cruise control. Pair this with the lane assist, and blind spot detection you essentially have a self driving car. I have taken this car on several road trips in 3 years, clearly. When driving from PA to CO we would be going 70-75 mph traffic would slow to a stop. we did NOT have to hit the break at all. Of course, I cover the break just in case. There have been a few times that I have mashed on my breaks only because of my own comfort. I am 100% confident the car would have stopped in time. My husband routinely complains about the body roll and the rear end being "wishy washy" I drive considerably slower than he does. However, I think this is because I drive the car everyday. I am used to the way it handles and have accommodated to it's short comings. The body roll is NOTHING near the Pilot addressed above! Overall, I am extremely satisfied with the Outback. I keep saying I have finally found a car that I LOVE!!!! I truly cannot ever see myself purchasing another brand of vehicle.
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Subaru Outback 2.5i Limited
I traded in my 2014 Cadillac XTS Platinum for this car. I went to Subaru to test out a WRX but realized it was a kid's car and maybe not the best choice with three teenage boys in the house! The "cheap" WRX was the same cost of the Outback Limited 2.5i and it didn't even come with the premium options such as Eye Sight et. al.. Decided to go with the Outback Limited with the 2.5i boxer engine (didn't see that another $3000 for the larger engine was really worth any kind of extra oomph in the car). After coming from a car with 410hp to a car with 175hp is quite a big difference and I am still not used to it (and grumble about it a lot). My aim was to save money and with the Limited and I got what I wanted. My insurance is the cheapest it has been in many, many years and I no longer have to buy premium fuel. Even though I only have 3/4 left the tank maximum mileage seems to stay at 230 mile to empty. So far, and I've had the car a week now, in city driving I have achieved about 18.5 gallons to the mile and it keeps creeping up. Aside from the really anemic acceleration and CVT transmission - which I really detest but they are here to stay with new fuel mandates and will be on all cars soon. I really love this car and it was the right choice and feature-wise it had just about everything my Cadillac did. On that note, the missing features are as follows: no remote engine start, even as an option (just a weird dealer option which I declined), the door locks cannot be programed - meaning once you are in and in-gear doors stay unlocked until someone physically locks them - very odd for such a feature rich vehicle. Same applies when leaving the vehicle and odd for a car that has keyless entry because most cars can be set to lock once you are out of key range which is why the term is keyless - you don't have to have it in hand. Other weird thing is you can't turn on all the interior lights unless you open a door - only map lights are available and I have not found a way to open the rear hatch unassisted (most cars with an auto-hatch have an on/off button). Regardless of this vehicle's design flaws, I still find it a great value and am glad I went with it.
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My choice but not my wife's!
Great vehicle but my wife wants a larger upscale sedan! Still searching for the one that pleases her! She drives no more than 2,000 per year, and I drive 20,000 to 25,000 a year. She even has the nerve of picking the colors. See what 51 years of marriage can do for you!
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3.6R a winner.
I've had my 3.6R for about two weeks now. First impressions are extremely positive. Impressed with the overall fit and finish, electronics are excellent, engine performance better than I expected, at $35k fully loaded, you can't touch this on any other car. The CVT is a better driving experience than I expected. The 6 pulls strongly & has plenty of power & i'm coming from Infiniti so I'm used to a big 3.6 engine. I used the Costco Buying Program for a no-negotiation price of $500 under Factory Invoice + 4 yrs no interest financing from Subaru.
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2017 Outback is best car I've ever owned
The only pet peeve I have is that the doors do not automatically lock when shifting from Park to Drive; I have to remember to lock them by pushing a button. I also do not have navigation and the options that come with it, because it would have added $6000 to the cost. I never have liked built-in navigation, because none of them work as well as my portable Garmin with lifetime map updates. Other than that, and some squirrelly messages on the screen when I'm playing USB music and have paired my phone with Bluetooth. It keeps flashing on/off with "audio device disconnected/connected." This might be because I have set my phone for calls only, not audio. I rarely use the radio; I listen to my own songs on one of two USB drives. As far as the ride goes, it is extremely comfortable once I figured out the seat adjustments. I love the wide angle of the rear camera. The rear storage area is the best I've ever seen, and I love the key-controlled rear cargo door function! Like another review mentioned, you can easily fold down the rear seats, making it big enough to sleep in (with a suitable air mattress or pad). I've owned this car for 14 months, and have taken it on one 600 mile round trip, and got 28 mpg overall; driving locally I get 26 mpg. I understand it takes about 2000 miles for the computer to adjust the gas mileage, whatever that means. I like the option of using a "manual" shift with paddles, because I can actually accelerate better at times with it, and then just flip the gear shift lever back to automatic mode. All in all, I highly recommend this car for everyday use. I traded in a 2015 RAV4 on this car. I do wish the 4-cylinder engine had a little more pep, but it's fine for everyday driving.
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Happy owner so far
Acceleration feels a little sluggish, but it is enough, if you press the pedal like you mean it. The car is very comfortable and fun to drive because of the great handling. Fuel economy is excellent for the size of the car. I don't like the exterior look too much, especially the roof rack rails, but that's not a surprise. Interior is great. One (small) disappointment is that the USB charging ports delivers very little current, probably under 1A, which is too little for the latest smartphones.
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Navigation Poor - Otherwise Good Vehicle
Buyers beware. Although the 2017 Subaru Outback is a good vehicle - better than good - if you plan to use the Navigation system it is ill advised to believe everything it tells you. Fujitsu-10 is the manufacturer of the Head Unit, which is the heart of the navigation system. The dealership at which I purchased my Outback tells me they have many complaints of this navigation system giving incorrect and sometimes dangerous directions, and I am one. This nav system is so poorly programmed it told me to drive into a northbound exit ramp of Route 95, a major interstate highway, to go south (I took a picture of the nav screen and provided it to Subaru of America as proof). One of their Field Service Engineers inspected the nav system and said the cause was a defective head unit. The head unit was replaced with apparently another defective head unit because the problems were not resolved. Subaru of America is aware of the problem, and has been for at least 5 months, but thus far they have no solutions for the dysfunctional navigation system. I simply cannot rely on the Subaru navigation system I paid upwards of $2,000 for, and must use Google Maps to obtain reliable and accurate navigation information. Now doesn't that defeat the purpose of having a $2,000 navigation system installed? ONE OTHER NOTEWORTHY POINT. The CVT (Constant Velocity Transmission) is a bit unusual. This is the 3rd vehicle I have owned with CVT and none have had the idiosyncrasy of thistransmission. When you transition from park to reverse or drive, or from drive to reverse and visa versa, this transmission has a 3 second delay before it engages. If one backs out of a driveway into a busy street, one must leave additional spacing because drive will not engage for 3 seconds after moving the shift lever from reverse to drive; you can sit there helpless because the car will simply not engage drive for 3 seconds. Could be dangerous if not careful.
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El. Power managment?
Battery isto small. Lack of better power protective battery charge managment system make your great car unrelible in some cases even unsafe. Imagine remote places with drained battery.
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Small and big enough....
Debated between an Outlook and a 4Runner. In the end the Outlook just made more sense. Debated between the 4 and 6 cylinder. Went with the 6 as I make frequent trips to the mountains and snow. The 6 is smoooooth... much more than my daughters 4 cylinder Forester... and I still get decent mileage, currently averaging around 30. If you need more power than this 6 then you are at a race track. There is plenty of room in the car. Very reliable. No mechanical issues at all...Nothing negative to say after 25500 miles except... for the StarLink/entertainment system. The voice/map interface is totally worthless and the voice recognition is horrible. There is, really, no voice recognition. The overall user interface must have been written by a 5 year old. Very poorly done. Subaru needs to offer current owners a refreshed and updated user interface. Overall, still very satisfied with the only exception being the radio/entertainment/Sirius XM system. Would I buy this vehicle again.... absolutely.
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Our 3rd Subaru - LOVE LOVE LOVE!
This is our 3rd Subie. We have had two WRXs (still have one now, the other was destroyed by a bad driver that ran over our car). I have a free company vehicle that is just a year old with free gas and I choose to drive my Outback EVERY chance I get. I just love everything about it. The vision outward is phenomenal, the interior layout has everything placed just where it should be. Today I drove in the snow for the first time with it and I have never felt so safe in my truck or another vehicle. It's hard to put into words just how great this car is. Subaru is a great company and builds a fantastic car. For the money one spends on a Subaru, you get the quality engineering and craftsmanship that Other company would charge nearly twice as much for. One test drive and you'll see why this is a wonderful vehicle. 1/2018 update - car is fantastic. I love everything about it!
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First 3000 miles - not perfect but would buy again
Switched to this after 10 years in an Acura MDX. Kids are older, wanted better gas mileage and the latest safety stuff. In some ways not fair to compare this with a 50K+ SUV, but mostly we are pleased. Some thoughts. First, test drive all the trim levels. We got the cloth version as a loaner while we had some accessories installed. The smaller wheels made it ride a little better, and the cloth seats were as comfortable or maybe more so. Also, the tan leather we got is already turning gray. Its not a great material. The manual says not to put any kind of seat cover on it, too. Second, the steering wheel gets REALLY cold. I've never had a heated steering wheel but never really noticed the steering wheel being cold in cars before. The touring model has a heated steering wheel. If you live somehwhere cold, that'd be really nice to have. That model also comes with darker leather which might wear better. Second - I am in Seattle, and we have had snow and rain like crazy this winter. The Subaru is simply awesome in the elements. Nothing could be better. With the Eyesight system, we feel really, really safe in this vehicle. Our MDX had a great all-wheel drive system too but the Outback is every bit as good or maybe even better in the snow and heavy rain. Third - does it sit high enough if you're downsizing from an SUV? Yes. This vehicle sits higher than the old, car-sized Outbacks, and as high as a lot of crossover SUV's. The slightly lower height from the MDX has not bothered me. Would we buy this again? Absolutely, but maybe in either the touring or the cloth. We are also probably going to buy the new Impreza as a second car, to get the Eyesight system in both of our vehicles. Once you have that, you won't want to go without it. And if you want AWD and that suite of safety systems at a reasonable price, Subaru has no competition. Good luck in your car shopping!
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Review after 33K miles
Ok, so I bought this Outback brand new in 2017. It's Tungsten with Ivory interior. Looked more of a silver in the showroom lights. A little more gold silver when I got home. Positives - Good in the snow or when the roads aren't so great. Excellent gas mileage. Comfortable ride and spacious back seat. Good resale value. Negatives - Acceleration is so, so with the CVT trans. Marketed as a vehicle for outdoorsy, active people but interior plastics scratch easily. Carpet is terrible and very cheap. It holds hair and dirt and it doesn't vacuum well at all. My previous Xterra and Tacoma came with a much better quality carpet. Kind of odd since Subaru uses dogs in a couple of their advertisements. Dog hair in the Outback is the worst! Same for the ivory interior. Not a great color option. Just too light. Wish a medium grey or darker beige would've been available. Not a fan of the infotainment system. It's distracting to use the touchscreen while driving. Same for the climate control system. Stock Bridgestone tires only lasted about 30K miles. I've had similar experiences with those on other new vehicles. You think they'd last longer. Just something to be aware of. The Outback is a good vehicle and a good value at the Premium trim level. Would I buy one again? Probably... it's safe, drives pretty well, and I appreciate how Subaru runs their company and what they support. What I would do is purchase one with the black or the new grey interior, or maybe splurge for leather if the price was right. Would not get the Tungsten color. If you need something more off road worth or capable of towing, I'd consider a 4runner. More space, more capable. If something smaller will work, the Crosstrek is worth a look and is fund to drive. 2019 update. Trading the 2.5 for a 3.6.
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Initial impressions - some surprises after 300 mi
With several hundred miles on the vehicle, I am surprised by a few things. First, when pulling up to other vehicles, you realize that the seating position is as high as some SUV's, and the vehicle is as long, also. It looks like a car, and I think the older versions were more car-sized, but its bigger than I thought, which for me is great. The seats are comfortable, but the heated area doesn't extend out to my outer thigh area which is weird and kind of uncomfortable. It did snow the week we got the car and I have been able to test out the x-mode, which supplies downhill engine braking and other assists - very awesome performance even without snow tires. Speaking of which - you may not be able to use chains even if you want to, due to lack of space between the tires and the vehicle, so if that's critical to you, Google that before you buy. Here in Washington state, if you drive a Subaru, the DOT apparently lets you pass when chains are required if you have a Subaru and you have chains somewhere in your vehicle for one set of tires (don't rely on this but that is what owners are saying online). You'll probably want unstudded snow tires if you're planning to ski a lot where conditions can get rough, especially if you can't find chains that work with the Outback. Remember even the awesome Subaru AWD system does nothing to help you stop the car on snow and ice. As for the navi and entertainment system, the new Impressa is apparently getting Apple Carplay so that system must be newer. It all works ok, especially the nice bluetooth pairing system, and you can use Siri through the system if you have that on your phone, but its not a great navigation system. Especially annoying is that you can't do much with the navi when the vehicle is moving. But, bottom line so far - its surprisingly comfortable and feature-packed in the Limited configuration and most of the surprises have been positive. Not a luxury vehicle, but close, and very practical as well. We were able to beat the Costco price by about $500, but I don't think any of the Seattle area dealers are having any problems selling these cars so you're prob not going to get a great deal on your trade-in. The vehicle is priced great already for what you get, in my opinion, and resale in my area is very high. You can sell a Subaru in 5 minutes around here if you don't like it, with little depreciation. But based on what we think so far we'll probably want it for a long time.
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Repeat Outback Owner
No mechanical issues, just regular maintenance. The entire vehicle runs as it did new. Still love this car. This version of the Outback is a significant upgrade from my 2012. The biggest change I notice is a vastly improved transmission. Modern tech, information, entertainment make rides more enjoyable. UPDATE: No mechanical issues- just scheduled service and wear & tear items to replace. Versatile family vehicle that great in the rain and snow. Comfortable on road trips. Update: Now over 160,000 miles. Only scheduled maintenance and minor suspension repairs. Some upholstery issues with front seats. Runs strong, no hesitation jumping in the car for road trips.
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Subaru Wins The Pennant!
This is my Third Subaru. My first was a base model 2011 2.5 Pzev Outback, my second was a 2014 fully loaded 2.5 Limited Outback. This one is by far my favorite! I have done quite a bit of test driving before I bought my first Outback, but given we wanted the 3.6 this time I did some more. It came down to the 3.6 or the Highlander and the Subaru won out. I LOVED my previous two Outbacks but to be honest I wanted the technology and the comfort so we moved up. Moving to the 3.6 was also for the towing capability (small utility trailer type) but it was mountain driving so the 4 cylinders gave it a champion effort but just didn't do very well. My 3.6 makes it in STYLE AND SPEED. Handles very well with or without the trailer. The safety features are super, the eye sight I can't live without now and I love the lane change feature. I'm still learning all the other technology on the car but I can live with that. The stereo is awesome, especially with my Ipod and Sirus XM. It is comfortable and beautiful. I'll be honest the 4 cylinder Outbacks I had were a bit noisy due to the CVT but the 3.6 purrs like a kitten. It is a VERY solid car. My gas mileage did suffer a bit but the extras on the car and the fact that we can make it up the canyon in under an hour with the fully loaded utility trailer makes it worth it. My Basset Hound can easily get up and down from my Subaru, and loves the cargo area in the back when we travel. We do have a hard time with the Navigation. It isn't all that intuitive or easy to put in addresses and when I try to use my phone the Bluetooth feature in the car won't let it come through. (The tech guy at Subaru says he can help me with that so I'm going to go back there and have him walk me through it. Subaru backs their products. You can't do any better than a Subaru and this one hits it out of the park every turn at bat. Still feel exactly the same way after driving it for 2.5 years. I will never drive anything but a Subaru.
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Caveat emptor! Not your Father's Subaru
Multiple annoying failures with this our 4th Subaru and 3rd Outback force us to look for a replacement. Since first bringing it home the passenger side window will randomly fail to close completely (distracting when driving on the interstate!). Each time we re-program it according to the owner's manual it will work for a few months then fail again. The dealership has no permanent fix although this bug is so well-known that it is documented in the manual. Fix it FFS! Secondly the battery has failed twice in 2 years. Completely and without any warning. The car is garaged when not driven and has less than 20,000 miles but again this morning we went out to start it and it is dead. Battery reads 0V DC. Then there's the annoying clanking noise that randomly occurs when backing up at slow speeds. The dealer could not find a cause and we live with it but really it is unacceptable. At this point all signs point to the Toyota RAV4 as the replacement since they've removed the absurd spare tire from the rear gate and our experience with Toyota trucks has been truly outstanding.
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We still love this car!
Another update - 15 month into ownership. Not much has changed in our minds compared to what Iast wrote. The Info system is still a bit quirky and at times difficult to use. One very frustrating item is that the passenger cannot access the GPS system unless the car is stopped. Couldn't they use the airbag detector to know that the passenger is seated and using the system - not the driver? One new issue is that I have noticed is that all the interior plastic trim seems very vulnerable to scratching. Since the color is dark the least little rubbing against the plastic seems to leave a lighter colored scar. The plastic seems a lot softer than other Subaru's I have owned. UPDATE: Now that we have owned this car for at least 6 months we still love it. However, we are a little frustrated with the sometimes quirky nature of the info & entertainment system. Nothing is a show stopper, but it does some weird things that are hard to understand and explain - like updates at unfortunate times while navigating, the Nav system not supplying accurate info at times, the overall tactile feel of the display panel is not always responsive to our touches. Another quirky thing is that both front windows operate very erratically when the car is first started - we can't seem to get them to stay in one position. After a minute they calm down and we can set the windows where we want them. We have not been bothered enough to return to the dealer because of these issues. Yet another possible issue is that the paint seems to be very "soft" or "thin" and more susceptible to scratches then any other car I have owned. On the plus side the gas mileage just keeps getting better. We seem to be averaging 30mpg in mostly around town driving and as much as 35mpg when driven carefully on the highway. The drive ability and safety features are still excellent and working well. This is the original review: To be fair I need to state that this Outback is my 6th Subaru. It's obvious that I like them and gravitate to them. We love Subaru AWD and dependability. Our previous car was a 2008 Legacy Ltd which we really liked and never had any trouble with it, but it was coming up on 9 years - time for something newer. We went to Quality Subaru - our nearest dealer - and were made to feel very comfortable. This time my wife wanted a higher ride height and better visibility than the Legacy. The obvious choice was the Outback. We test drove the Premium model and several Limited models. When we saw how well equipped the Limited was there was no turning back. We really liked all the safety features offered in the Limited model. The test drives of several Limited's revealed a very quiet and very responsive car that felt absolutely solid. Driving this car gave one a feeling of confidence. So what started out as my wife's must have moon roof turned into us getting a very capable car with many cool safety and tech features. After 4 months of ownership we are still learning the full extent of all the car's features. Handling is excellent for a car with this much ground clearance. The ride quality is somewhat firm and still somewhat supple - a great balance. The transmission is a bit noisy under initial or hard acceleration. We feel the car has adequate power under acceleration and passing. Gas mileage has ranged from 22mpg around town to 31mpg on the highway. Road noise is minimal. The Harmon Kardon sound system is excellent. We also like the voice command capabilities. The information display provides way information than we could normally use, but it is nice to know it is available. We have not had opportunity to use the automatic distance control while set in cruise. We do not like the fact that you have stop the car to initially access the navigation system. We have not driven the car in much snow, but we expect it to perform well based on our past experiences. It took a while to get used to the keyless start and also how the key fob works, but now we like it. We are starting to use the back up camera more and more - it came in handy when I messed up my back and could not turn. Our passengers love the heated back seats. I love the comfort of the seats, the perforated leather will be nice in hot weather and we both like the seat position memory function. The headlights are awesome - very good visibility at night. Sometimes the cornering light is helpful too. Environment controls are easy to use and work well - even the voice commands. Another cool feature is that the oil filter is on top of the engine right near the dipstick - it will be easy changing it. I usually can't wait to drive this car - technically it is my wife's and she drives it the most. This is the first new car that we both actually love. The very few things we do not care for pale in comparison to all that we do like. Our dealer - Quality Subaru and our salesman - Mike - both treated us well. Mike was very thorough, patient, and knowledgeable.
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Subaru 3.6 Limited - not at all limited!
I am over the moon about this car. Previously had a 2014 3.6R limited, the upgrades in the 2017 are brilliant without a big price tag. The utilitarian interior of the 2014 has been significantly upgraded. The driver information center is greatly improved. Now provides speed and turn directions in addition to lane departure warning. Eye sight system and automatic rear braking are superb, as is the adaptive cruise control. I drove over 100 miles on the highway without touching the accelerator. At 22.6 mpg this is not the most economical small suv but the power of the 3.6 liter boxer engine is immediate and more than adequate. Cargo capacity is great and easy to access.
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We bought two.
My wife and I car shopped for two months and nothing compares to the '17 Outback Touring. She decided on the Touring, not me. Since it was "her" car, I didn't drive it a lot (my daily driver was an '05 Chrysler Crossfire SRT-6 that has 14k on it. I am the original owner.) We live very close to Sequoia National Park. What I fell in love with about her car is that you can throw any road condition at it with no complaint or hesitation. Through all of this, you can balance a dime on the dashboard. It's basically a Legacy 3.6r chassis with a wagon-ish body. The Forester is a bit too tall for us. Rather a bit ungainly (just my humble opinion). Soon after we bought the Touring, we took it on a weekend to Monterey/Carmel. Old money is there. They can buy anything. Guess what? we saw a lot of new Outback Tourings with the 3.6r. Wow! Ferraris, Maserati's, and 3.6r Tourings. Crazy. So I told my wife that I was totally sold on the 3.6r Touring. We proceeded to buy another. Now that one is my daily driver and I placed the SRT-6 in mothballs. I've owned over 50 cars in my life and this one is my favorite. Having 2, obviously I have no complaints. Extremely well designed and engineered. A bargain compared to the competition. From a die-hard Toyota customer, Subaru now has my business. Lastly, the only vehicle that Toyota makes that is truly comparable is the Land Cruiser and that is waaaay more expensive. Just my 2 experienced cents.
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Starlink needs improving
This is our first Outback (Limited 2.5i). We really do like the car but Subaru needs to work out a few bugs first. We would buy again if we could have the black interior and Starlink is improved. We wanted the Lapis Blue Pearl color with the Slate Black Leather Interior. Not an option. The Lapis Blue Pearl is only available with the Warm Ivory Leather interior which shows dirt and scuffs. At about 4900 miles the interior started showing wear. I did purchase the protection package but still not happy. The interior of the car is very roomy and the backseat legroom is comfortable. There is a fold down armrest in the back with two cup holders. Each door has a water bottle holder compartment. The glove compartment is small and barely holds all of the manuals for the car. The manuals are informative and important to read for several of the features. The storage compartment between the driver and front passenger is okay in size but was larger in my Vibe. There is also a compartment in the overhead for sunglasses but it is much too small for mine. Almost kid sized. The display panel is well designed and you can change viewing options with a tap on a steering wheel lever. Seats have great adjustment and you can easily store settings for 2 drivers. The steering wheel is also adjustable. A great feature for our northern climate is heated front AND rear seats. Very nice and warm. Dual Zone temperature control allows the driver and passenger to obtain their comfort level. The rear seats split 60/40 and fold flat easily (no removing a headrest). You can even pull levers in the trunk to fold them flat while loading cargo. One of the features I wanted, the 120 Volt Power Outlet (standard plug in) is not available with Eyesight. It has 2 USB ports but charging a cell phone takes forever (8% an hour). I purchased a power adapter and that speeds up the charging process but it is bulky to store in the vehicle. Transmission Paddle Shifters on the steering column allow you to manually shift the car. I really miss a manual transmission but all this does is allows you to manually control the process if you need it, i.e. in the mountains. Wish it would allow you to shift from the console. Gas mileage has been less than listed. We are averaging 23.5 for a 50/50 mix of city and highway. We live in a rural area so even our city driving should boost the mileage but it hasn’t done so. Our best mileage has been 25.5 but that was only once. Acceleration is sluggish and for this price range it should be faster and smoother. My Vibe GT was much better at acceleration and was only 180hp compared to the Outback 175hp. The upgraded stereo system is great and I like the option to store channels seamlessly in one list from FM/AM radio, Pandora, Sirius XM, etc…. My biggest complaint is the mapping system is very obsolete. Restaurants appear that have been closed for over 2 years, streets that were built over 5 years ago don’t show up, etc… Subaru has an update available now BUT you need to have a code if you want the free update. Then you have to take out the micro SD card and place it into a computer to update the data and then replace it in the car. There are no instructions for this and it took a lot of research to get that far. I had to purchase a SD card sleeve to accommodate the micro SD so that it would fit in my computer. *** UPDATE *** I ended up purchasing the 3 year updates and Subaru reimbursed me. It didn't make any difference. The MSP area is not being updated. In the Starlink system you also have access to vehicle settings and you can change some vehicle responses, i.e. when you push the trunk button in the rear it can unlock all of the doors for you or just the driver’s door. Most vehicles lock the car doors when you either start the engine or shift the car into drive, but the Outback doesn’t have this option. Starlink also will read text messages from Android and Apple phones. If someone sends a series of text messages it may only read the last text. And there is no way to voice reply. You can use a pre-canned text message but I haven’t figured out if you can change them. You can make a call by pushing a button on the steering column and then requesting to “call Sue Peterson.” But you cannot ask to call the nearest Home Depot. If a number is not stored in your cell phone contacts, you cannot voice dial it. It really needs to be able to look up numbers for nearby businesses and dial them. Our vehicle insurance cost was less than insuring the old Vibe. The safety features (see below) are wonderful. 175 HP 18.5 gallon fuel tank capacity (87 octane) Keyless Entry System High Beam Assist Blind Spot Detection with Lane Change Assist and Rear Cross Traffic Alert: Using radar sensors, the Blind-Spot Detection system warns you with a visual indicator in each side mirror if it senses a vehicle in your blind spots. Rear Cross-Traffic Alert can help warn you of traffic approaching from the side
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Excellent acceleration!
This is a great car with super acceleration and tons of safety features. I love the lane assist, adaptive cruise control and all of the safety features. It does not sit as high up as my previous Toyota Highlander but I have a clear good view of the road. The backup camera and light is very good however note that the Reverse Braking Assist does not recognize everything . I am happy but it is hard to see some things on my screen and controls. I really have a hard time reading the temperature outside.
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Subaru ignores oil consumption problem
In April 2017 I bought a 2017 Outback from Dave Wright Subaru in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. After about 5000 miles it became obvious to me that the vehicle had high oil consumption. I carefully measured oil consumption from 7000 to 12000 miles and found consumption to be 1/3rd quart oil per 1000 miles. I contacted the customer loyalty manager, sales manager and a few others at the dealership. One person responded, saying that it was too close to a weekend for anyone to answer me. So I waited. After one week I contacted the same people again and received no answer at all. Subaru settled a class action in 2016 over oil consumption, and agreed to fix the affected vehicles if oil consumption was greater than 1/4 quart per 1000 miles (as I recall). But now the policy is to refuse to answer complaints? I have written to SoA Corporate HQ but will be amazed if I get a response. Given Subaru's other major engine issue of leaking head gaskets (which most owners can expect to experience at around 90k miles), I am done with the brand.
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10,000 mile review
The best all-around vehicle we've ever owned. The active cruise control and lane assist (along with a 400 mile/tank range) make long hauls a breeze. There's so much cargo space that we decided to skip a rooftop carrier/basket, everything fits. The ride is smooth, and the sound system more than overcomes the moderate road noise at low speeds, and even the roof-rack wind noise at high speeds. The AWD handles everything from snow & ice to dirt tracks like a champ. (We swapped the OEM wheels and tires for Method rally wheels and AT tires.) In the daily commute the car is smooth and comfortable, easy to maneuver in heavy traffic, easy to park, and (thanks to the rear cross-traffic alert and camera) no problem when having to back out of parking into traffic. This replaced a Prius, so we wish the MPG was better...but the upside of a vehicle that is at home in both the city and backcountry takes a lot of the sting out of the cost at the pump.
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On-going Windshield breaks with no compensation
Love the car, but after Subaru Company denying warranty coverage 22,000 miles, in a broken windshield due to the rear view mirror falling off & taking the windshield with it, I am done with this company. Check this out and read the comments. https://www.torquenews.com/1084/subaru-loses-lawsuit-over-faulty-outback-windshields
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Wintertime Driver
Seems to be the official vehicle of northern New England with so many on the road. Only valid complaint at this time is the poor performance of the navigation software. Will not allow update for 18 months; meanwhile, road speed limits change, routes are modified and the "voice" will not warn of turns until it is too late. Update 10/3/17: No improvement with nav system. Unable to communicate with "Starlink" web page in order to change personal preferences. Update, 10/02/18, Navigation software, unless it it improved, will prevent me from purchasing another Subaru. Update, 4/5/19, unless Subaru improves the current Navigation software and electronics, I would need to consider a future trade carefully. When using trip navigation the driver is not notified of route changes with sufficient advance warning.
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most versatile economical car on road today!
I wanted a vehicle where I could actually see out of the windows, had some off road capabilities, comfortable on the highway, got great gas milage, high safety ratings, great resale value, low maintenance costs. I live in the west (as do most Subaru vehicles), and I have not found any problem driving up steep passes and passing cars. I have the 2.5i prez engine, which some have complained has lackluster performance. No mistake, it is not a Ferrari or anything close. But I have found the engine to do everything I want it to with great fuel economy in a high altitude environment. The all wheel drive system works very well. I highly recommend this vehicle. If you want something that is very fast it isn't for you. But if overall value and safety are your game, this car nails it.
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