Used 2023 Subaru Outback SUV Consumer Reviews
Used Outback for sale
Honestly impressed - too early to tell?
RichW in Miami, FL, 02/25/2023
2023 Subaru Outback Limited 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
7 of 8 people found this review helpful
Recently received 2023 OB Limited is coming in as top-of-the-line in my book. Quite a learning curve required to understand all that is available. Having said that, there are so many safety features built in that I imagine the one “behind the wheel” is the most crucial. I’m a little leery concerning how this 11.6” tech-screen is going to hold up years ahead, and that has me considering an extended warranty. Be that as it may, I realize that it is a mass-produced, highly technical vehicle with lots of software and it’s naive of me to think it’s going to work perfectly forever. However, it’s a pleasure to drive and feel the love of the protective systems. I believe it’s a keeper!
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Short Of Perfect, But Still Excellent
Kasper David, 02/17/2023
updated 08/25/2025
2023 Subaru Outback Touring XT 4dr SUV AWD (2.4L 4cyl Turbo CVT)
30 of 40 people found this review helpful
Having driven the 2022 Outback Touring Turbo for three years now, I can attest to its reliability. The weak points continue to be the electronic functions. The information screen will frequently flip to something no one asked for, completely unbidden, and that is irritating. I might be listening to a song from the music collection on the iPhone when suddenly a list appears on the screen inviting me to sort by artists or to perform some other operation for which I have no desire. Not wanted; not needed. The appearance of the vehicle exterior remains satisfactory after 43,000 kilometres/27,000 miles. One quirk occurred during that time when I was unable to start the vehicle for a bit although the battery appeared to be in working order. This has been a nonce occurrence to date, so, has not repeated. Subaru could - must - improve the quality of the electronic functions on its vehicles. The tires delivered with the vehicle were substandard. The tires supplied on this vehicle for this supposedly top-of-the-line Outback were positively unacceptable. They're discount-store quality tires on a vehicle touted for quality and safety. Shame, Subaru! Whilst Subaru touts the safety function of their all-wheel drive, their top-of-the-line Outback All-Wheel Drive vehicle is delivered with tires rated B for traction. B. Not A. B. There was one instance of the vehicle's losing traction at low speed rounding a curve in gentle rain with temperatures around 25º C / about 75º F. Tires that are delivered with a new automobile are typically not excellent quality, but I did not expect to spend $46,000 on a vehicle highly touted for safety but delivered with B-rate tires which have already caused one concerning loss of control of the vehicle. When I phoned Subaru's customer care center, the agent was rude, off-putting, and condescending. Their behaviour was unacceptable and did not come close to meeting the level of service one expects from Subaru. It's an insult to the customer to equip a vehicle touted for safety with tires that are markedly unsafe. One might expect such on a lower-end vehicle, but not on Subaru's top-of-the-line Outback. Our 2023 Outback Touring Turbo is a good trip car, reasonably comfortable for long drives. Aside from the electronics system having its occasional quirks, it is unacceptably slow to respond to commands at times. For instance, one might press the button to de-select the system that idles the engine at stoplights. Nothing. Then, press a button again, and then - after a while - it pops off, and then back on again. This is beyond irritating. This occurs especially when the vehicle is in the first five minutes of being cranked. The sound system functions reasonably well. Road noise is acceptable with the current tires. Cabin comfort is very good for the driver, but the front passenger seat should be equipped with the same positioning functions as the driver's seat. There is no reason not to do so. The pocket (glove box?) is only big enough for one glove. It is a major Fail on this model. One service tech had the temerity to chastise me for not carrying along all of the manuals supplied with the vehicle; however, when I asked him where those manuals should be stored given that the pocket/glove box had been reduced to a ridiculously small size, he had no answer. (Note: another service tech previously advised that I carry only the main start-up manual and that I store the others at home). This redesigned dashboard is a travesty. Space within the pocket has been reduced by adding an open ledge above the pocket (for what purpose?). This is a design muck-up, a solution desperately seeking a problem to solve, and Subaru needs to restore the previous functional-sized pocket/glove box. Subaru: Get RID of that useless ledge on the dashboard and restore the full-size pocket/glove box. Although the vehicle has a relatively low number of miles on it, a tear in the Napa leather seat has already occurred. The tear is approximately 8 cm / 3 inches. A tear such as this has never happened with any other Subaru I've owned with more standard leather seating.
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2023 Subaru Outback for sale near you
Showing 3 of 124 listings
- Premium 4dr SUVMSRP: $20,16616 mi away
- Limited 4dr SUVMSRP: $30,73836 mi away
- Touring XT 4dr SUVMSRP: $30,79211 mi away
See all 124 listings
Love my Outback
AJ, 11/05/2023
2023 Subaru Outback Premium 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
4 of 4 people found this review helpful
The Outback is great to drive. It handles curves well, and has good acceleration. The interior is nicely crafted and the way you fit into driver’s seat makes you feel like you’re in a cockpit - it just feels good. The back seat area has good leg room and the cargo area is very generous. I absolutely love my Outback! There are only three things that I wish Subaru would improve - 1 more storage space. The glovebox is tiny and there is no where to store extras like napkins, straws hand sanitizer. The door pouches are tiny as well. 2 no armrest. This makes my neck feel absolutely miserable after driving long distances. I bought an elevated arm cushion to attach to the top of the center console, which definitely helps. Problem 1 and 2 could be solved by making the center console taller - you would have more storage and an armrest if this was done. 3 the temperature controls should absolutely not be in the touch screen! It is dangerous for them to be hidden all the way on the bottom of the touch screen. You have to take your focus off the road, all the way to the bottom to change the temperature, it is dangerous and not a good design at all! Temperature controls should be knobs, something that is easy to reach over and adjust without taking your eyes off the road. Those three things are the only thing I would change about my Outback. It is a great car that I love!
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5th Subaru!
Solocanoe , 10/11/2023
2023 Subaru Outback Limited XT 4dr SUV AWD (2.4L 4cyl Turbo CVT)
4 of 4 people found this review helpful
I am 65 years old. My last Subaru lasted 14 years and over 200k miles! I live in New England and my cars have got me through many a winter where my other family members have failed- including a BMW SUV. Reliable is a gross understatement.
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Outback reboot!
ZeroVelocity, 04/12/2023
2023 Subaru Outback Touring XT 4dr SUV AWD (2.4L 4cyl Turbo CVT)
23 of 31 people found this review helpful
2023 Touring XT - I am a wagon fan and like the get-up and go of the XT, but Subaru is not making the same product it used to!!! Have been in many of Outback's over the years, had a 2021 XT Touring that had electrical gremlins with the infotainment system that were terrible and unfixable (shorting, dropped calls, no music, black screen, etc...), and after the dealer replaced the oil pan gasket the CVT system started to make noise. The dealer took the car back and helped us with a deal into a new 2023 Outback Touring XT. The infotainment system is better with some added hot buttons for heated seats and fan, but still, the system is NOT user-friendly! The storage compartment between seats is pitifully small (wife can't even fit her wallet in there)! There is way too much black plastic on the car. The plastic will not look good without a lot of work cleaning it and just cheapens up the car that used to look really nice! The paint is crap! It is super soft, and scuffs and scratches easily (Dark Mahogany Pearl). Cat walks on the car and scuffs the paint - no kidding! I would not buy another Outback. Our 2018 CRV is a much better car and will out lasts this Outback and look better! Very disappointed at this point. Subaru needs to get back to what put them on the map! :( There are better vehicles that fill this slot.