Used 2018 Subaru Outback Consumer Reviews
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2018 Outback - Huge Issue with Harmon Kardan Radio
Laura, 12/06/2018
2018 Subaru Outback 3.6R Limited 4dr SUV AWD (3.6L 6cyl CVT)
14 of 16 people found this review helpful
Overall, was happy until 5800 miles and my center display console stopped working. No back-up camera, no maps, no Bluetooth, no radio or CD player. It's a huge KNOWN issue with Subaru. New "radio" is on back order with absolutely no known shipping date. My display tanked on November 13th. If you take your car to the dealer before the radio goes out, they'll do a download to correct the issue. Once the radio goes out, there's nothing that can be done.
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My 5th Outback
Chriss, 02/07/2018
updated 02/08/2021
2018 Subaru Outback 2.5i Limited 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
10 of 11 people found this review helpful
My 5th Outback and 7th Subaru. I have owned a 1997, 2010, 2011, 2014 before this one.By far the most improved and best Subaru I have ever owned. No complaints on this great car. Subaru has done their homework and listened to their customers, unlike many manufacturers that put profits before their customers. I highly recommend Subaru and Outback.
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2018 Subaru Outback for sale near you
3 of 103 listings
- 3.6R Limited 4dr SUVMSRP: $16,99943 mi away
- 2.5i Premium 4dr SUVMSRP: $18,99831 mi away
- 2.5i Premium 4dr SUVMSRP: $12,49523 mi away
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Caroline Burns, 06/23/2018
2018 Subaru Outback 2.5i Premium 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
6 of 6 people found this review helpful
Love this car and the new car smell. I am small (5'2") and the front seat is super uncomfortable where the lumbar hits my back. I now have 1500 miles and still struggling with this problem. Besides this and the heavy weight of the back hatch i absolutely love this car...could use better gas mileage but willing to put up with that for the awesomeness of my new subaru outback!
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2018 Subaru Outback 2.5iTouring
Scott, 08/07/2018
updated 02/25/2019
2018 Subaru Outback 2.5i Touring 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
6 of 6 people found this review helpful
Updated February 2019: Now have over 7,000 miles on the Outback and have had it in lots of snow and rain events. Vehicle handles very well in snow and ice situations. Drove it through a blizzard on I-70 Thanksgiving time and it did fantastic. Have had lots of snow and ice this winter and haven't missed a day of work or any scheduled plans. Very comfortable driving in the Outback. I really like the heated seats and heated steering wheel. No issues to report. Have had it in for its first service visit covered in purchase price. It has been to Little Rock Arkansas and St. Louis as well. I have owned this Outback for one week now and only have driven it about 300 miles, but I am very pleased with the vehicle overall. It is exactly what I expected, not winning any speed races, but feel very safe and it is quiet and drives very nice. Have not had it out in any rain yet (none falling from the sky here) so I can't say how well it does in any kind of inclement weather. Cargo space is great for the vehicle size. Ride is comfortable. Still learning all the bells and whistles. Trying to read through the manual, but life keeps interfering. Overal;l at this point I am very pleased with my purchase.
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Swiss army knife on wheels
Bud, 06/13/2018
2018 Subaru Outback 3.6R Touring 4dr SUV AWD (3.6L 6cyl CVT)
6 of 6 people found this review helpful
This is my fourth Subaru and based upon our initial experience, this is the best yet. While we only have 3,500 miles on the car, we were able to break it in on a long road trip and it was extremely comfortable. Combined hwy/city mileage was 25mpg, it's quiet, the transmission is amazing, there's tons of room and the 3.6R engine is sneaky fast. While this is not a rock crawler, ground clearance and off road capability of the car are exceptional. We bought this vehicle after owning three 4Rnr's and if you are looking for an SUV of any type, I'd highly recommend the Outback.
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The OUTBACK TOURING 3.6 is a real WINNER
Ted K, 04/08/2020
updated 06/10/2024
2018 Subaru Outback 3.6R Touring 4dr SUV AWD (3.6L 6cyl CVT)
6 of 6 people found this review helpful
PROS: Drives and rides like very nimble sedan. The 6 cylinder engine has lots of power - accelerates effortlessly. Driver's view is excellent - front, sides and rear. The seats are very comfortable - .well-shaped and expertly crafted. My Outback crosses expansion cracks in the road without feeling them unlike the Ford Edge. Steering and brakes are very responsive. Rides better than a Ford Edge or Lincoln MKX.and with much better visibility all around, even for the second row passengers. Car is very quiet with good sound insulation making 70mph highway cruising a pleasure. Lane departure and blind spot warning systems are very effective. CONS: The car is very stiff in cold weather - the suspension, steering and ride quality is noticeably effected by temperatures below 32F. I have owned a dozen cars in my life and this one is by far the most effected by the cold. After a half hour of driving, it improves substantially but still not as good as it is at 50F or warmer. I am NOT satisfied with the voice command system which is finicky and does not always do what it is told. Entertainment system is okay but playing files back from a USB drive is a little iffy regarding folders and sequencing. The radio plays back incoming text messages and converts text to voice. The CD-MP3 player is fine. Excellent navigation system by Tom-Tom with clear maps that do not keep re-scaling as some systems do. . The headlights are fantastic - they light up suburban streets with a wide angle of light and they are bright. Overall, a great car - highly recommend. 15 MONTH UPDATE: The tinted windows starting on the 2nd row are way too DARK. At night, in unlit areas, it is virtually impossible to see out the rear when you try to back up. After 3 years, I traded in the OUTBACK for the big brother Subaru ASCENT. I bought a used 2020 model with 12,000 miles on it. Bigger more substantial car that rides better and quieter but is not as nimble as the Outback. The Ascent also does not suffer from the cold weather stiffness like the Outback.
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Wasn't really looking at this car at all
Rick, 04/21/2018
updated 10/23/2018
2018 Subaru Outback 2.5i 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
6 of 6 people found this review helpful
I had a 3003 Passat wagon which I really loved until it got too old and too expensive to keep on the road. I had been looking at the new Tiquan but the problems seem to be plenty on the first year model. I saw an add for small discount on some Subaru models so I went to the dealership to check them out. First let me say I'm one of the few people in the US that LIKES station wagons. I went into the dealership and there was a base model in the showroom so the sales guy first had me take a look at it. By the way, It was the best buying expericence I've ever had getting a car. The guy was so knowledgeable about the car it was impressive. Any way to shorten the story, after he showed me what had on the lot, we went back to the base model, I sat it, saw the easy air con controls and the size of the back are with seats down, said this is it!.......never test drove it. as some have said it's a bit jumpy on the gas pedal as the car engages immediatly, the brakes felt a bit mushy but they are very effiecient. ride is comfortable and quiet (to me) gas mileage so far is fairly good aroun 26 average (i live on and island so no freeway driving. Cargo space is fantastic, I got the seat back protectors and when seats folded down, tones of space (i use the care for deliveries) It's no sports car and is not sold as that. engine noise is minimal, road sounds is subdued (better than the passat). I've not put too many miles on it so a later review would be appropriate. the screen did go blank once but i just turned the radio off and back on and that seem to fix it (you should hear the stories on the VW"s!)......so far I'm happy with a station wagon that portrays itself as a SUV.....everyone that I've told I've got a subaru have said "Oh those a great cars" I'm serious not one back personal review. I see some have had problems here, coming from VW this car is a dream! UPDATE: averaging 26 mpg island driving, the car has loosened up a bit so steering isn't so touchy, the gas peddle has either loosened up or I'm used to the car. Had the first oil change at 6 months and it was done quickly probably not longer than an hour and a half which was half a day shorter than i'm used to. Car rides nicely and still happy with the purchase. I think people need to be reminded that Subaru is not marketed as a luxury car, expectation seem to run high. as an aside We drove through Mass, Vermont, NH and Maine on a holiday and I've never seen so many outbacks, foresters and a few imprezza's, crosstrek. very popular car in snow country
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All electronics in this car is messed up
Alec Yarov, 10/17/2018
2018 Subaru Outback 2.5i Premium 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
13 of 15 people found this review helpful
We are leasing Subaru Outback 2018 and this is a horrible car. All electronics inside the vehicle is messed up. Trunk doesnt open from the remote control, when leaving a car with flash lights on you cannot lock it, trunk is not opening from the inside of the vehicle, abrupt stopping if getting closer to the obsticle make even worse the situation etc. We’ve recorded multiple of videos and reported to Subaru dealer center but none of the representatives responded or fixed the vehicle. Horrible customer service. Be aware of those problems and we wouldn’t recommend buying this model.
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Good car but a couple of REALLY STUPID things
Hanx85258, 11/19/2017
2018 Subaru Outback 3.6R Limited 4dr SUV AWD (3.6L 6cyl CVT)
84 of 106 people found this review helpful
I'll get to the good parts about this car in a moment. After all, I did like it enough to buy it. But here are a couple of really STUPID things about the car that Subaru should FIX. 1. The radio does not mute when the navigation voice is speaking. So, if you are listening to the radio or other source at anything over a whisper, you cannot understand the navigation because it is garbled along with the music or talk on the radio. Also, the radio buttons are badly placed. They are at the top of the radio and you have to lean forward awkwardly to get to them. They should be at the bottom so you don’t have to strain (and potentially lose focus driving) to get to the buttons. 2. The digital speed readout is great, so long as you are not on the phone. In that case, you get a stupid little indicator that you are on the phone that replaces the speed readout. Guess what, Subaru, I fricking know I am on the phone. After all, I’m talking here!! What I need to know is how fast I am going while I am talking. And yes, I know I can look at the analog speedometer, but one of the biggest reasons I got this car instead of some others (I talking to you, Lexus) is because of the digital speed readout. You also lose the digital speed readout when you use navigation, but if you are willing to go through the menu using the buttons/levers just below the steering wheel, you can navigate back to the speed readout, but you have to do it after every time the navigation tells you about a course adjustment. 3. The radio turns on when you start the car. Every time. It doesn’t matter if you turned it completely off before you turned the car off. It just comes back on by itself. And sometimes the Starlink system just freezes on startup. There is nothing to do except re-boot by restarting the car. 4. If you are listening to anything other than the radio, say a CD or music on your phone, and the screen has all of the apps showing, there is no way to get to the screen that shows what you are playing. You have to stop listening to what you were listening to by selecting select radio and, once the radio is playing, then you can go back to your selected source and the screen will show what you are playing. 5. You cannot open the trunk unless the doors are unlocked. So, even if you are sitting in the car in park and you push the “open trunk lid” button on the dash, it will not open unless you first press the door unlock button. This also means that you cannot use the button on the trunk itself unless the doors are unlocked. Just an annoying, wasted extra step. 6. The auto bright beam to regular beam function is so sensitive that some street lights, the reflection of the car’s own lights, and lots of lights other than a car coming towards you, will trigger it. It basically just turns your brights off most of the time. You can go off “auto” mode for the lights and manually turn on your brights, but then you are likely to forget to put it back into auto mode to have the lights turn on at all the next time you drive at night. 7. The navigation system gives you waaaaay too little time to spit out an address. Where I live, some street numbers have 5 digits, and the street names are long Spanish derived words (try to say 15343 E Via De La Escuela in 3 seconds). So it is very difficult, if not impossible, to get the whole address out in time. And even when you do, the system more often than not misunderstands you. 8. And speaking of speaking to the system, mine will perfectly do all of the things it is supposed to do except set the temperature. I have tried to set the temperature (using the exact phrasing required by the system) loud, soft, slow, fast, and I have had 4 other people do the same, and it misses it about 90% of the time. I am a very clear speaker with precise enunciation. I have zero problems dictating long letters with Dragon Naturally Speaking and, as I said, the Subaru understands all of the other commands perfectly well. Subaru needs to improve the voice recognition and issue a software update. 9. The windshield wipers do not have a rain sensor mode. 10. Only the front windows are automatic. If you want to put the rear windows up, you need to hold the levers the whole way. The front windows are automatic. Would it have broken the bank to just use the same feature on the rear windows? 11. The interior light is weak, very weak. I guess someone thought using a blueish LED was cool and contemporary, but all it is is a very weak light. 12. And finally, for an even dozen, the garage door opener. Oh, I’m sorry, the HomeLink system. I spent 10 minutes looking through the various manuals for “garage door opener.” Isn’t that what everyone calls it? But no, there is no listing in the contents or index for “garage door opener.” You have to figure out that it is called “Homelink” before you can find it. Would it have killed them to call it by the name everyone knows it by? Or at least
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Practical Utility with Comfort (UPDATE)
Turp, 04/13/2018
updated 10/20/2020
2018 Subaru Outback 2.5i Limited 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
9 of 10 people found this review helpful
Before taking delivery of our this 2018, we drove an 2017 Outback 2.5 on a 350mi trip in the mountains. The 2018, for us, is much improved in the area of noise insulation, ride, and brake pedal feel. As far as the Outback model, this vehicle is in the sweet spot of utility, comfort, and price. We bought this because we wanted more comfort than a compact SUV and less size than a mid or large SUV. The Outback fits this well. The passenger space is ample and all seats are very comfortable. The electronics are user friendly. This is my first tech laden car and I've achieved proficiency without the owners manual. The ride and handling is well controlled and predictable. Cabin noise from road surface is insulated nicely and wind noise is also muted very well. Engine, we bought the 2.5. In town and highway it gets in and out of traffic without any concern or real lag. Where it shows it's short coming is extremes; mountain curves with speed changes and acceleration exiting curves. That said it gets it done and manages to maintain speed without pushing high revs excessively. In town, which is my 99% driving, it quickly gets to 25-40ish and so well that I have no regrets of not getting the 3.6. Highway driving, it also does a very good job cruising and easily maintaining speed. Where I'd consider a 3.6 is frequent towing or frequent heavy packed trips in the mountains. That said, the 2.5 and CVT operate quietly. Even pushing them some, they never sound or feel like they are overly taxed by the load. The CVT barely ever indicates a change. Interior quality, wow. The interior and design just nails it for the Limited. The Limited interior sold me on that trim level. The grey leather blends well with the other interior trim and exterior. The feel and look in the interior is high quality and great fit and finish. It does compete here with luxury vehicles I've experienced. There's a lot of competition for the Outback, but in the price range, I think it edges the rivals for comfort and utility. (UPDATE) We've now owned this car 2 1/2 years, and put about 18K miles on it. We still enjoy it and believe it checks the boxes we need; utility and comfort. As for how the vehicle is "wearing"? Overall very well, but there are some areas that are seemingly just some quirks, but, Ill mention them. 1 The paint is soft. Modern paint is more environmentally safe, but on the Outback it seems prone to damage physically and chemically from bird droppings. Paint is just that and any paint can be damaged, but I've found this car is more vulnerable to bird droppings and shows some very slight etching from it if not addressed in a timely manner. That said the car still looks new 2. There is a issue with the driver side passenger seat latch pushing into the seat back when folded down. This has pushed the foam in that area of the seat. The latch does not recede enough into the seat bottom pocket. I noticed it early after a couple trips, so now I lay a sheet of hi-density foam over the latch before I fold the seat. 3. The right side suspension is developing a little more detectable sound that occurs on rough pavement or surface. I haven't noticed any difference in handling or ride but the front passenger suspension sounds a little like there is some play or slack in the suspension, like a worn bushing, when that wheel is going over rough patches. The rear passenger side does it very infrequently. I had it checked out at the dealership and I've checked the front. I didn't see or feel any issues. It's a "minor quirk" and I'll monitor it. 4. I had a squeak in the driver seat. It's common issue related to a bushing. I found the problem area and sprayed some silicone; hasn't squeaked since. The car's performance is still good for us. I've packed this car for vacations and one trip with a canoe and paddleboard on top, and bikes on the back. This was a mountain vacation and the car pulled the hills and tight twisty roads great. Sadly, I've only had it in one snow. It was buried in 14” of snow. When I went to move it the next day, it also had to climb out of the mound of snow I had cleaned off the day before. It literally felt like it popped out of the hole and came out much better than my Jeep did. The Outback feels very sure footed driving in bad road conditions. What is exceptional- The Seating: when I drive this car on a trip, I don't experience travel fatigue like I have with SUV's, and some cars I've owned. This is also a testament to the ride and cabin noise isolation. The Stereo- Awesome: In my youth, I put together auto and home/AV sound systems. The Harmon Kardon system is powerful, clean, and balanced. The Subaru Outback is not a luxury vehicle, but is equipped with and demonstrates luxury qualities. If I couldn't have the Outback, I'd consider a Toyota Highlander,or Lexus RX350. However, those are priced into another league, but I think that's where you have to go to find a real challenger for the Subaru Outback Limited.
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