2024 Subaru Outback Onyx Edition XT 4dr SUV AWD (2.4L 4cyl Turbo CVT) Consumer Reviews

Overpriced and Underwhelming

Coming from a 2018 Volkswagen Alltrack SE, 6-speed manual, APR Stage 3 tune with an IS20 turbo, the Outback XT Onyx has been nothing short of a disappointment. My Alltrack cost me $29k new; the Subaru cost $41k. For the extra $12k, I got less power, worse handling, worse gas mileage, and technology that feels like it belongs in the last decade. The VW was quick, nimble, and efficient, easily returning 28 mpg even with the tune. It handled beautifully and, most importantly, everything just worked. Plug in Android Auto? Instant connection. Navigation? Seamless. Acceleration? Immediate. The Subaru, on the other hand, is plagued with issues. On a good day, I wait 2–3 minutes for Android Auto to boot up. On a bad day, it just does not connect at all, whether wired or wireless. The XM radio seems possessed, defaulting to the “No. 1 Hits” channel every time, no matter what I was actually listening to. These quirks might sound small, but they add up, especially in a car at this price point. And then there is the dangerous part: the acceleration delay. From a dead stop, the car hesitates a solid second or more before responding. Subaru calls this “turbo lag.” It is not. Turbo lag happens when the car is already moving and the turbo takes a moment to spool up. This delay is something else, and in traffic it is not just frustrating, it can be unsafe. I had read about Subaru’s infotainment issues before buying, but the sales rep assured me they were fixed in the 2024 model. They were not. The service department told me it is “normal” and even tried to blame my brand-new Samsung phone. That kind of excuse-making is hard to swallow when my 2018 VW never once had these problems. To be fair, the Outback has positives. The seats are extremely comfortable, the interior is roomy, and the rear heated seats were a big factor in my purchase. I also like the styling, especially in white, and the ground clearance is impressive, though I will probably never need it. But those perks do not make up for the day-to-day frustrations. If I could do it again, I would either still be driving my Alltrack or I would have gone with something like the Volvo V60 or V90, or even the Mazda CX-50. Subaru simply does not deliver what I expect for the money, and I will not be buying another one.