Used 2018 Subaru Outback Consumer Reviews
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Cruise Conrol Issue #1!
Ricky Ratliff, 01/01/2018
2018 Subaru Outback 2.5i Limited 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
19 of 23 people found this review helpful
Biggest gripe - and it's a head scratcher! Why, oh why does the cruise control go up or down in increments of 5 mph instead of 1 mph per click like every other manufacturer?!? This alone is almost enough to make me look elsewhere. The adaptive cruise control is gret, as are 99% of the other features of the car. But that cruise control! Sheesh, I have to change the way I use it and it's just silly.
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Bought new Subaru it STILL has issues Subaru not h
Kelly, 10/12/2018
updated 10/16/2020
2018 Subaru Outback 2.5i Touring 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
12 of 14 people found this review helpful
BEWARE Subaru knowingly released 2018 with known issues. We are getting nowhere with Subaru or dealership! Radio and bluetooth havent worked since we got car. We have to get lemon lawyer with new outback we purchased earlier this year.
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2018 Subaru Outback for sale near you
3 of 79 listings
- 3.6R Limited 4dr SUVMSRP: $22,99163 mi away
- 2.5i Limited 4dr SUVMSRP: $20,62740 mi away
- 2.5i Premium 4dr SUVMSRP: $22,99863 mi away
See all 79 listings
Car is much better than the infotainment unit
Lenny, 12/29/2017
2018 Subaru Outback 2.5i Limited 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
15 of 18 people found this review helpful
My last SUV was a 2012 Lexus RX350, so some of my criticism might be harsh. Handling is much better than I thought but the noise level is not as good as a 2017 Mazda CX-5. The CVT transmission has no soul nor better mileage; engine always seems to rev rather high when I put the car in neutral. Ride is soft but firmer than the Lexus. I'm OK with that since it seems to improve handling. The Mazda also has a much nicer interior and material. Only once did I bottomed out, not in the Lexus. Windshield noise is noticeable, but better than the 2017 Honda CR-V. Acceleration is strained but I can deal with it. Mileage is not as good as EPA estimate. Traction is better than Lexus; gives one confidence, especially stopping in snow. Areas for improvement - tailgate is primarily automatic; don't bother to try the manual mode or it might break. I've an Android phone. Though Android Auto/Apple CarPlay was out available in the Imprezza in 2017, for the Outback, it's the first year and it shows. One time my speakers were dead but resurrected after a trip to the dealer to reboot the software; time wasted. They claimed that it's not possible to be done at home. Go to the Subaru Outback Forum, there seems to be alternatives. Default navigation volume was way too loud, but could be adjusted. Tom Tom is a poor navigation package, comparing to Garmin, Waze or Google Map. My impression is that the Infotainment option was not well tested, especially for Android users. The power tailgate sometimes work. Kind of reminded me of my 2001 BMW X5. For the money, it's a solid winter driving SUV. For geeks, the infotainment could be a deal breaker. The Harmon Kardon speakers (optional) are nice, much better than Bose variety or Lexus. BTW, LG owns HK, B&O and JBL.
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Lots of Bang for the Buck
Carpro, 08/17/2018
updated 08/24/2021
2018 Subaru Outback 3.6R Limited 4dr SUV AWD (3.6L 6cyl CVT)
5 of 5 people found this review helpful
The Subaru Outback 3.6R performs very well and offers a lot of premium features without emptying your wallet. It has tremendous cargo rom, is very comfortable, and gives you an unobstructed well lit view of the road. My only problem with this car is the lack of cornering ability due to the high ground clearance. You sacrifice handling for off road capability. Otherwise, this is a great vehicle.
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Get what u pay for
bobby, 05/16/2018
2018 Subaru Outback 2.5i 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
5 of 5 people found this review helpful
It is reasonably priced AWD car but what you get in AWD and safety comes at the expense of technology, materials and engine performance.
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First Subaru - probably not my last
sheehanje, 06/19/2018
2018 Subaru Outback 2.5i Premium 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
5 of 5 people found this review helpful
I initially was looking for a used car for my wife. How I ended up with a brand new 2018 Subaru Outback is still a little tall tale. In searching for a used car for her, I test drove a 2011 Outback, and loved all the boxes it checked for me: excellent cargo room, good roof rack system, decent mileage, good inclimate weather driving, safety, comfort. I just couldn't get over how this car had more cargo room then my Rogue. I decide I'd purchase the 2011 for myself and give my wife the Rogue seeing she likes it. After not getting a good rate or warranty for the 2011, I decided to look new. I ended up with a 2018 Outback 2.5 Premium with Eyesight, Remote Start, and a few other options added in. I love it. My two biggest complaints are the Infotainment system can glitch once in a while, but not catastrophically - and the remote start has the odd "feature" of turning off the car when you open the door. Odd behavior/system, but not enough to deduct a star. Most useful feature I wasn't even look at has to be adaptive cruise control. I use cruise control A LOT - and after a few trips with adaptive cruise control, I'm sold on it. I didn't have to fiddle with the controls once on two 50 mile trips. Seeing it's the middle of summer, other then a camping trip coming up on some pretty easy dirt trails, I won't get a sense of what the Outback can do in a US Northeast winter - but from everything I've heard it's going to be probably the best driving car I've ever owned in inclimate weather. I'm so glad I came across the Outback - it's comfortable, it will do a family camping trip easy, and it has some useful features I didn't even know I was looking for. Oh - roof rack system is great with the swivel crossbars, don't know why more cars don't incorporate that.
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I will never buy a new car again.
Margaret, 03/13/2019
2018 Subaru Outback 2.5i 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
5 of 5 people found this review helpful
Yes, this is a Subaru and will drive excellent in the snow. That's about how much good I can say for this car. I bought it brand new and right away had issues that the dealership did not want to address. The brake rotors were out of tolerance and caused shuddering when braking at speeds greater then 40 mph. The dealer tried to tell me it was because the brand new machine ground brakes were 'too rough' and that their brake lathe could do a better job. I work in manufacturing and know this is BS, they remove 0.050" of new brakes around 2000 miles and this fixed the problem only now i'll need new brakes before too long. This a real quality control problem and reflects badly on the overall reliability of the cars parts. In addition to having mechanical issues out the box, the head unit is an absolute piece of garbage. I have drives where it turns white and is basically frozen. I have had it 'ghosts' the controls and flip between radio and AUX and then repeat the same part of a song over and over without touching anything. Most dangers and annoying is that the master volume control will randomly lock the music (AKA you cant turn it down) and start only effecting the volume of the GPS voice - even if you aren't using it!! This will happen for a few minutes or a few days - turning the car off and on does nothing but it will go away just as randomly as it starts. The dealership refuses to look into this unless i can re-create it there, and given the nature of the problem- it happens at random - this has not been possible and there is no fix. Basically everything new about this car is terrible. Having owned an older model I am seeing a real decline in quality and performance and considering Subaru of America doesn't care about these issues and likely wont fix them I wish I never bought this car. I would not recommend it.
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Subaru corporate useless
Mep, 01/06/2019
2018 Subaru Outback 2.5i Limited 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
5 of 5 people found this review helpful
2016 outback with 29,000 miles ( bought brand new) has had issues with the windows not working, transmission stutters up hills, battery has been replaced(researched this and it is an on going problem with the 2016’s, but biggest issue is my roof racks began to buckle. You could put your fingers up under them along the seams. It’s now been in my local Subaru dealership, Beechmont Subaru in Cincinnati, Ohio since October. They were supposed to fix the roof racks but instead they broke the sunroof twice, dented the roof, three tries to “repair” the racks, car got hit on their lot and the entire back bumper had to be replaced. My 2018 loaner Outback has a recall which I didn’t know about. The recall is for the gas gage, it reads incorrectly and I ran out of gas. Corporate has not been that much help. As they have said,” Dealerships are not owned by corporate,so all corporate can do is recommend that they make things rt. for the customers”. If the dealership doesn’t then they can’t force them to. Shouldn’t Subaru corporate want good dealerships to represent their products? I bought a Subaru for what the stand for and because they used to have great reliability. Research this they no longer score high in reliability. So frustrated.
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Pleasantly surprised
Laura, 03/24/2018
2018 Subaru Outback 2.5i Touring 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
5 of 5 people found this review helpful
Traded in my 2017 Forester for the 2018 Outback and I am very pleased with the results. Pros for Outback over the Forester: upgraded back-up camera, rear heated seats, easier in/out for those with disabilities, and the mid-cycle refresh has given the Outback Apple CarPlay! Cons: lower roof makes me feel claustrophobic, seat belts are in a weird place when you're trying to reach for them, and peddles feel like they are a mile away unless you put your seat all the way forward (making seat belts even more awkward). Additionally, the Outback has upgraded interior materials making it look and feel top of the line.
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Six months and 6K miles with my 3.6R Touring
Steve, 06/01/2018
2018 Subaru Outback 3.6R Touring 4dr SUV AWD (3.6L 6cyl CVT)
8 of 9 people found this review helpful
I love everything about this car and have no regrets. Other than lacking a big "L" on the grill and swooshy styling that seems to impress my neighbors, this vehicle blows away my wife's Lexus NX200t in almost every way, including fuel costs considering the turbo Lexus' apatite for premium. Power delivery from the flat 3.6 is smooth and always ready, even at 10,000 ft. with a load. Although I was skeptical about the CVT, I've become a believer. The car is eerily smooth and quite. The technology is amazing, especially the Eyesight. Other than three minor encounters with the infamous head unit "freeze-up", this car has been flawless. After 30 years of brand loyalty toward the Japanese big three (Honda, Toyota, and Nissan), I have high expectations for this vehicle and so far have not been disappointed.
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