Used 2018 Subaru Outback SUV Consumer Reviews
Used Outback for sale
2018 Outback a great ride!
David Scherb, 12/26/2017
updated 06/26/2018
2018 Subaru Outback 2.5i Limited 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
Have had some issues with entertainment system but believe it's Sirius issue. Other than that I'm very pleased with the car. 6 months in: Still occasional issues with entertainment system and iPhone interactions. Other than that love the Outback.
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Quirks aside
Chuck, 01/27/2021
updated 08/05/2024
2018 Subaru Outback 3.6R Touring 4dr SUV AWD (3.6L 6cyl CVT)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
I bought my 2018 3.6r outback new. It is now 2021 with 32000 plus miles. Mechanically, handling, comfort, convenience, driving, aesthetics and overall fit and finish have been excellent. Some of the software and electronics have been quirky. Battery and radio failed early but subaru was great about replacing both and upgrading software. Quirks now are mainly in the head unit software. Voice recognition is horrible. Interface with apple good but only fair with android. You can't use address function in navigation while driving. Other minor software/ electronic quirks with hatch opening and windows and unlocking rear doors. Some are safety things for children i suppose. All in all great car with tremendous safety features. Just needs a little upgrade on infotainment and navigation system. My biggest surprise with many was the negatively on seat comfort. I find it to be excellent and have gone on numerous 10 hour drives. The seat has a lot of adjustments I'm a normal sized guy at 5 foot 11 and 200 pounds. No issue with seat comfort. Second Update 8/3/24 56,500 miles. I know, low miles for a 2018. I have had zero issues since original update on infotainment system. It appears that software updates have taken care of freeze ups. My replacement battery has been great since replacement early in first year of ownership. Zero charging issues. Mechanically, the car still operates like new for motor and transmission and i am very pleased. I have had to reprogram the passenger electric window once. Easy enough but a nuisance having to go on line to figure that out. My only outstanding isdue with the car is the rear lift gate. It has a glitch in the electronics that has to be reset about once a week. I probably should take it back to dealership but just have procrastinated. I got really good tire wear/ life and just replaced my tires ar about 50k. They wore really evenly and still had life left in them but i just wanted new tires. Other than that, just normal maintenance on vehicle.
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2018 Subaru Outback for sale near you
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- 2.5i Premium 4dr SUVMSRP: $16,99019 mi away
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Electrical Nightmare
CaptMG, 02/01/2020
updated 02/04/2021
2018 Subaru Outback 2.5i Touring 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
I bought my first 2018 Outback Touring late in 2017, I had so many problems with the radio not working and then the window would go down by itself, in the summer of 2018 Subaru took it back and gave me another Outback, that had the same problems with the radio and it was replaced twice and needs it again. Now last week I got in my car after work and it would not start, it did not recognize the key fob. After about 10 tries it finally started but still did not recognize the fob, it will start with the other fob but dealer does not know why and the fob battery is fine. I am thinking I will trade it in and get something else, I need a car I can depend on.
Comfortable, quiet, reliable. GPS is different
DTS, 12/18/2019
2018 Subaru Outback 2.5i Limited 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
I chose the Outback because I needed something smaller than my pickup. I looked at the CRV, RAV4 and other comparable small SUVs. None of them had the towing capacity, and I have a lawn tractor I periodically want to take up to the shop. We've owned 4 CRVs and they were good, but their towing capability is just not there. I got the 4cyl Outback Limited. The seats are remarkably comfortable, even for someone 6ft or taller. My 6ft3 son fits sufficiently well in the back seat, but he does prefer the minivan for longer trips. In Washington DC traffic I'm getting typically 27mph. The car is not zippy. I like to say it will to zero-to-sixty some time this week, but I didn't buy an Outback because it's a sports car. I bought it because it's fuel efficient, good in snow, reliable, fits in a city parking garage, and had all the bells and whistles. Our 2012 Forester has been bulletproof and the Outback is following along nicely. For the price, you get a remarkably well equipped car that can go full-nanny on you if you want. It has ALL the safety feasures and the EyeSight system is remarkably reliable. So why 4 stars instead of 5? InDash GPS. They use a TomTom-powered system that is nearly useless. The system cannot calculate for traffic, often seems to get lost on straightaways (no joke - you'll find yourself wondering why TomTom is telling you to take a certain exit, only to have it tell you to get back on the highway. Since any model that offers in-dash GPS also has Android Auto or the Apple equivalent - those systems are so much better. Don't waste a dime on their dismal in-dash GPS.
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Highs and Lows
john, 03/18/2019
updated 10/21/2019
2018 Subaru Outback 2.5i Premium 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
The Eyesight System adds some safety enhancing features (lane depart alert), but I have found 90% of its features to be redundant ("sway" is a repetition of "lane depart alert") or to give too many false positives. Eyesight operates off the assumption that enough relevant information to take actions is in the Eyesight data. There is a lot more information in the context of that data and used by the driver. I have only lane depart alert and forward collision alert still on, the latter because it can only be turned off trip by trip, not permanently. My wife, who is extremely risk averse and wanted it all now agrees to disable most of it. Not worth the bucks unless you plan to sleep at the wheel a lot. Paddle shifting down helps make the 4 cyl engine adequate for on ramps and similar situations. The 6 cyl is unnecessary for almost all drivers. The fact that the warranty on the CVT (continuously variable transmission) was made twice as long to calm concerns about it should tell you something. I have had hints of CVT trouble in a year of ownership, and my wife verifies there are "hiccups." In the year I have had three versions of the Infotainment control software and I, and several people we steered toward Subaru Outback, still hate (really hate!) one easily changed feature of the software does not speak well of Subaru, nor the fact that we had to have an update of the buggy gas and mileage remaining software. That should have been tested to bits before going into production! Below the highest trim the front passenger seat is crappy. It is too low, too little side support, and 1960's controls. There is a cushion available through Amazon that is specifically mentioned for the crap seat. It does a good job. Subaru has the potential to make a great car of the Outback. Mostly it's there. Details need attention. I dealt directly with Subaru Customer Service (corporate) trying to get someone to understand what is making people angry about the Infotainment system software. Congrats, they asked questions and listened. Not so good, nothing came of having shared the problem with corporate. Here's the Issue: All components of the Infotainment system (am radio, fm radio, xm radio, usb source, cd source) retain the state they were in when the driver last set them (on/off) so the same state is in effect when the driver returns to the car and turns on the ignition system, except one --- speakers default to "on" every time you start your car, no matter what you want. You can't change this. None of the software updates has addressed the speaker=on problem. Can it be so hard. I am among many owners who hate this aspect of the system. Maybe this is a generational imperative for young people that the audio should always be on - always. Subaru could make a setting available through the "Settings" app to choose. Still really irritated if more used to the issue.
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