Used 2022 Subaru Outback Premium 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT) Consumer Reviews
Used Outback for sale
See Edmunds pricing data
Has Your Car's Value Changed?
Used car values are constantly changing. Edmunds lets you track your vehicle's value over time so you can decide when to sell or trade in.
Outback Premium Good Value
William, Reno, NV, 10/25/2021
Subaru Outback Premium 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
223 of 229 people found this review helpful
We looked at a number of smaller SUVs before settling on the Outback. The main thing pushing to the Outback versus others (CR-V was the other finalist) were a) the superior all wheel drive system and the ability to tow. Most small SUV have essentially no towing capacity, Subarus do.. Also all wheel drive is not created equal and we have a steep sometimes snow covered driveway. Reviewing multiple real world tests showed that Subaru really has superior traction management system to most others. So the Subaru won on these fronts. Also helping was that the interior, even on the lower trims, is very nice. The absolute worst was the RAV, it is of the 'ultra cheap' interior trim school. We initially started to buy the Onyx version with the turbo engine since reports said the base 2.5L was underpowered. However neither my wife or I liked the throttle response of the turbo, it was very non-linear in power delivery. So we tried a "premium" with the base engine and preferred it. While some claim the turbo is quieter we really couldn't see that it was any better, both base and turbo engine make themselves heard under load, but in normal conditions they are silent. As to power, we found the base engine to be adequate. No it doesn't accelerate fast but it has enough power and will cross the Sierra Nevada mountains (7000 foot elevation change) at 70mph without trouble. At freeway speeds I don't hear the engine, it's most audible at lower speed accelerations. As to what's good and what's not so good. As stated the power is fine, the car is quiet, rides nicely, and corners well. Seats are comfortable even without all the extra adjustments that the upper models bring. Storage space is very good. It has great outward visibility, a major failing on many small SUVs. It has lots of features even in the premium trim level. Subaru did go overboard in running so much through the central screen. It is annoying to have to access the screen and go down a level just to do things like turn on the seat heaters. The voice control system is a joke, doesn't work at all don't even bother trying it! Subaru has a feature that allows you to wave a hand in front of the emblem on the tailgate to 'hands free' open the tailgate. This is their version on Ford's wave your foot under the bumper. It doesn't really work that well, it takes a long time to recognize the command so we really don't use the feature. Safety systems take some discussion. The blind spot monitoring is great. The lane guidance is fine IF you turn off the steering assist. As it comes from the factory it always has a level of steering assist that makes the car feel like it won't track in a straight line. Turn it off and it tracks perfectly. The adaptive cruise works very well. However with adaptive cruise comes the option of turning lane centering or active steering. My experience with this is very negative, to the point of being dangerous. If you turn on active lane centering the car ping pongs in the lane. If the road turns it will tend to run wide, ping pong, then leave the lane! At that point the system issues a warning and shuts off as it leaves the lane. I guess it was intended only for straight roads but even on straight roads you feel like you're having a tug of war with the system due to the ping pong behavior. While it sounds like a lot of negatives these aren't big issues. The positives far outweigh the negatives. We love the car, for the price it is hard to find something as comfortable, reliable, and capable. If you stay away from the higher models and options it remains a good deal. Like most Subar
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
Not a techie
peashooter, Bethpage, TN, 01/16/2022
Subaru Outback Premium 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
44 of 48 people found this review helpful
I am not a fan of bells and whistles so I turn most off. Too much can and does go wrong. Having worked with electronics for decades I am not fan of having it control everything in a car. I plan on getting 300,000 miles on our Outback. After the warranty runs out I will do my own maintenance. With the way Subaru engines are layed out it will be so much easier to do so. I can reach the most replaced parts. They are easy to get to without too much trouble. Had a 97 legacy wagon with over 300k before it gave up the ghost. Most reliable car we've ever had. Interior has solid looks and feel, appears well made, not cheap. Handles great in curves without too much body lean .Easy to drive 30+ highway/city and lots of room. We can actually get 3 people in the back seat.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
2022 Subaru Outback for sale near you
3 of 251 listings
- Wilderness 4dr SUVMSRP: $32,99811 mi away
- Limited XT 4dr SUVMSRP: $29,48825 mi away
- Limited 4dr SUVMSRP: $27,99811 mi away
See all 251 listings
Great promise but poor delivery
Former Sub Fan, 03/29/2022
updated 09/30/2022
Subaru Outback Premium 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
46 of 51 people found this review helpful
I leased a 2022 Subaru Outback Premium here in Canada. This is my fourth Outback and my second brand new model (and my 6th Subaru). For the price of this vehicle and its promises made in its commercials and marketing material, it does not deliver on any of Subaru's promises. When I picked up my new Outback, it had two dents in it which the dealer promised to fix but I had to fix myself in the end (I was eventually refunded for the repair), I added a Subaru trailer hitch for my bicycle rack but it is not pleasant to use as the rear sensor trigger constantly when I am in reverse when the bike rack is on the hitch. The facial recognition system works only 2 out of 3 times at best and the seats and mirrors only adjust automatically inconsistently when it does work. The bluetooth function only works 60-70% of the time and the sound just drops, every now and then, for no reason when it does work. Apple CarPlay only works if you connect the iPhone with a cable to one of 2 USB ports in the dash area so you have wires hanging out near your gear shift (wireless CarPlay has been around for years now but Subaru has not kept up with technology at all). The CarPlay feature, however, sometimes just will not work at all. Sometimes the car will not play any sound at all from any source (radio, Sirius, Media, bluetooth, phone, etc.) and the volume control looks like it is adjusting the volume when you turn it and mute on/off appears to work but zero sound regardless. The car developed a loud rattling noise underneath which comes and goes - no obvious reason why. Connecting the car to WiFi is hit and miss and the car seems to forget any settings you enable or apply. Do not try to change the vehicle's bluetooth name - it does say in the manual that you can do this and it will let you do it but the car, again, seems to only recognize its original name and not the new name that appears in its menu system. this car has "Napa Leather" on the interior, however, this is only on the seating surface - the backs of the seats are vinyl and the vinyl on the front passenger seat was damaged in my new Outback (it was torn at a stitch and you can see the bright white underside of the vinyl. - I had to have the seat replaced). The electronics in this vehicle are not reliable, it seems, at least in my vehicle; the touch screen controls lag in their repose so I often find myself needing to press screen controls multiple times to activate things like the controls for climate control and then the button presses are sometimes queued and then all of them are executed. The gas-saving auto-engine stop feature causes the entire car to lurch when the engine restarts itself while idling at a stop sign or light. My car has less than 200Km on it and these are the issues that I am already experiencing. Subaru Canada was zero help and instead steered me back to my dealership but the dealership did not build this vehicle so they cannot fix fundamental design flaws.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
Solid crossover alternative
SnowinMN, Saint Peter, MN, 12/09/2021
Subaru Outback Premium 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
14 of 15 people found this review helpful
This car has been far and away a more refined driving experience than the 2009 Forester I'm trading it for. That was a good car but the new Outback has more space, a smoother engine and better gas mileage. Since we will be using it as our retirement vehicle for road trips and camping over the next 10-15 years I am happy with the interior comfort as well, I find these seats to be much more forgiving than the hard leather ones in the '09 Forester. The infotainment screen takes some adapting as far as climate controls and the size of the 11.6 inches of area but it is surprisingly intuitive for a person to learn and get the hang of. I do appreciate still having buttons for volume and temperature controls, I still think buttons are better than a touch screen. The safety is unmatched in this thing and with winters and bad drivers I think this gives us some added security. The 2.5 Boxer engine is perfectly adequate for the driving we do, but I can certainly see why some people would want the extra pep of the turbo. The CVT keeps the engine in its power band so it feels peppier than the 2.5 w/ 4-speed we had in the Forester (I don't care what Subaru says though, I will be changing the fluid every 36k miles). The 4-speed was fine but it liked to lug the engine too much. Overall a good wagon with a good balance of tech, comfort, pricing, and MPG. Looking forward to the next 200,000 miles!
Far less than expected quality
Disappointed owner, Hazard, KY, 05/10/2022
Subaru Outback Premium 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
7 of 7 people found this review helpful
A re-occurring water leak in the front floorboard passenger side has resulted in a foul odor. So far dealership has been unable to resolve the issue. X-mode for winter driving is very dangerous, it causes over braking and put us into a side skid on a snowy road almost sending us over a 100' embankment. Safety braking overreacts putting the brakes on when perceived obstacles alongside the road are falsely seen as being in the roadway on very curvy roadways. Lane-keep will not allow driver override to avoid debris in the roadway which could cause accidents and death at worst and severe vehicle damage at best if the debris is large such as rocks or crash debris. The only redeeming qualities are the quiet smooth ride and very good gas milage from the 2.5 boxer in-line 4-cylinder.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value