Subaru Outback

[gee]

Anyone have one? Likes, dislikes. I am planning on this to be my retirement car and my last car purchase. Wondering about the transmission. Seems like a lot of newer vehicles have that CVT transmission. How different is it from a regular transmission? My current car is a 2001 Nissan Altima, low mileage at 116,000 miles. I bought it as a certified used car. Really no problems but things are starting to wear out and even though it runs great and is reliable, it will be over 20 years old. It is starting to cost some $$$. My engine mounts are stiffening up and even though my mechanic says not really an issue except for the vibration, I am wondering how long before it becomes an issue. I also want to do a bit of traveling and would like to get a small lightweight travel trailer and the Outback has a towing weight of 2700 pounds. I will pay cash for it. This purchase will be made in 2 years. Thanks!

ETA: I also want something that is a little higher off the ground, easier to get in and out of.

[Srhorselady]

I have a 2018 Subaru Forester that I love. I believe the Outback and Forester are very Similar. The the Forester is more vertical in style while the Outback is wider and lower. What I like most is the handling. I can do a u turn on a narrow road with no problem. I frequently overturn to get into parking spots. I chose the Forester over the the Outback due to better Consumer Reports ratings. I’m averaging 31.5 miles per gallon and have only done routine maintenance since I bought it new in April 2018. I’ve taken it on only one long road trip (about 3000 miles) and it was great. Most of my driving is on semi rural roads and freeways with some urban driving since I live out a ways from Phoenix. My previous cars were mostly Toyotas which I was very happy with. In general the Toyota’s have nicer comfort and luxury design features ie cup holders etc than the Subaru. Before I purchased I asked a friend who was a mechanic about the transmission since I wasn’t familiar with it. He said it was just another kind of transmission neither better nor worse. I really DO like most of the safety features. The only thing I’m not crazy about, and could probably do something about, is the back seat safety belts are rigged to the ceiling so loading in some large items (ie a plastic pool for the dog) the safety belts get in the way. I frequently carry six or more 50 lb bags of feed in the back. Since I also have a truck I’ve never towed with the Subaru. BTW I think the. forester has higher off the ground clearance than the Outback. Good luck with whatever you decide.

[heddylamar]

I have driven my dad's (now mom's) 2017 Outback a lot. Pretty sure I'm responsible for about 30k miles.

Visibility is better IMO in the Forester than the Outback. That's not a huge problem because the new Outback has cameras/sensors [does it use cameras or radar?], and incessantly alerts you to anything and everything within about a 1 mile radius Okay, that's an exaggeration. But it's a bit overeager. The adaptive cruise control and lane assist are pretty decent.

As for the CVT itself, unlike earlier versions I experienced in rental cars, the one in the Subaru is smooth and makes for a pleasant driving experience with one exception: I am not a huge fan of merging onto the freeway in it — there's very little "jump" when you press the accelerator at speed. Where my parents are (west Tennessee), that lack of go isn't a problem ... I'd need a bigger engine in the DC area.

[gee]

Thanks for your input. The reason why I am looking at the Outback is because towing is 2700 pounds versus Forester's 1500 pounds. Ground clearance is the same for both. The Outback is heavier and longer and wider, 2 inches shorter in height. This is based on 2021 models.

[StraightForward]

My husband has a 2017 Outback and loves it. Prior, he had a 2011 Outback and had no problems with it at all. He just decided to upgrade to a nicer trim package because the 2011 was a bare-bones model that he ended up with after being in a collision that totaled his RAV-4. What sold him on the Outback vs. getting another RAV was a stunt the salesman did for us, involving accelerating towards a hairpin turn and then cranking the wheel, and not losing a bit of traction and having almost zero body roll on a turn that would probably roll a taller SUV.

He drives it up to McCall in winter conditions frequently to go skiing, and it's great on snow and ice with all the traction control and anti-skid features. Before he bought the 2017, he did test drive the Forester, but said that it was not as nice to drive, and had more road noise so he went for another Outback. It also has tons of room with the back seats down, so it's the ideal vehicle for CostCo trips. On longer trips I think he gets around 30mpg with the 4 cylinder.

A coworker who is kind of a car nut used to have an older Outback and said there were some significant transmission and I think engine block problems? I don't remember the specifics, but I think theirs was like a 2005, so hopefully Subaru has had plenty of time to correct known issues, but maybe something to research.

The other nice thing is that you will have good resale value, as I see you're in the northwest. A downside is that it's hard to find the car parking lots sometimes because there are so many gray Subarus. Maybe get a more unique color.

[heddylamar]

The mileage improvements are pretty great in the newer Outbacks.

I had an early WRX, and, yeah, even driving like a granny my mileage was only around 21-24 mpg. The ground clearance was useless for anything over 5" snow But it hugged the ground through turns no matter road conditions, and was a dream to drive in the icy conditions we get here in the DC area.

[Moutaineer]

SF, yes, I had that 2005 Outback--total POS. I'd had two before that I'd driven to death and enjoyed, but by golly I hated that last one. Built out of plastic and so light the canyon winds would lift it up and change lanes for you on the freeway, craptastic acceleration, weird transmission. A strange combination of boring and terrifying at the same time. Now I'll admit I'm a bit of a car nut too and like some serious oomf, but that thing was ridiculous.

I'm assuming they've sorted it out a bit since then, though, as they are still quite popular around here in the land of ice and snow, though no longer every second car you see as they used to be.

We also had some trouble with another one my husband owned which had a turbo that blew up during the warranty period. Subaru, and the local dealership, from whom we had by then purchased 4 cars, were really difficult and unpleasant to deal with.

[gee]

SF, thank you. I am definitely taking color into consideration with the new car. I have a silver care now. Wanna know how may silver cars there are out there?! When I visit my brother in So. Cal, white seems to be color of choice down there. I am leaning towards the blue one. They have a green but to me it's a little muted and I wish it was a little more green. As for the engine problems, I had heard about them, blown gasket, etc. I was worried to say the least, but I did a little research and apparently that was an issue with the earlier cars and in 2012 they made corrections to the design and supposedly eliminated the problems they were having.

[heddylamar]

Head gaskets were a problem from the mid-90s through mid-2000s. All the Subarus my parents owned after that were fine. The original Scooby turbo charged horizontal boxer engine was a mess. Subaru used it in the turbo Foresters of that age too. Lots of blown head gaskets, overheating, clutch problems, and radiators dying. I went through 3 radiators, 1 clutch, and 1 transmission in 300k miles. The first radiator went at about 30k. Subaru did fix the problem ... but it was a mess for a bit.

[Canyon]

One of my besties is on her second or third Outback. So obviously, she loves them!

My sister has a T@B teadrop camper that she towed with an Outback. She did major trips (Wisconsin to the Maritimes, then to BC). She ended up trading the Subaru in for a small SUV before her trip to Alaska. I can't remember the reasons, but I can ask her if you want more info.

[Rosie B]

I have a 2014 outback that I’ve been driving for 3 years now and I absolutely love it. Roomy enough for the whole family, the dog, and a month’s worth of feed and shavings.

[lorilu]

Thanks for your input. The reason why I am looking at the Outback is because towing is 2700 pounds versus Forester's 1500 pounds. Ground clearance is the same for both. The Outback is heavier and longer and wider, 2 inches shorter in height. This is based on 2021 models.

Be sure to pay attention to the hitch weight. My 2017 Sub Outback only has a 200# limit, which limited my choices for travel trailers. The newer ones have a higher rating, but it is still lower than some other SUVs.
ALso, if you will need a 7 pin conx, you will have to have it done elsewhere. Subaru will not install one. They wont put trailer brakes in either. Just be aware, that's all. I understand that if you get a brake controller you will need wireless (that's what I have) for some reason. Not sure about the newest Outbacks, might be different.

That said, I LOVE my Subaru Outback. I HATE my dealer, but that's another thing.

[LeoApp]

I have a 2017 Crosstrek and love it!! Subaru's have a good reputation for lasting a long time. The symmetrical AWD is fantastic in the snow. Good outward visibility front and back, and the interior is nice. Good mpg too. CVT's are in all of the cars now if you don't get a manual. A lot of cars now do not come with a spare, which quite honestly is a deal breaker for me. A crappy tire repair kit will not help if you get a blowout! My car has a spare.

[quinta]

I had a 2007 Outback Sport (Impreza wagon with beefed up suspension) and then traded that in for a 2017 Crosstrek. I am a huge fan of the AWD as well as the high clearance. The Outback took us into all sorts of crazy wilderness camping adventures in the southwest, and now the Crosstrek is making Ontario winter driving much better. I can't say anything about the CVTs, because mine have both been manuals. We looked at a few other cars when we bought the Crosstrek, but it is the only car you can get with AWD and manual transmission. Everything else, gettting the AWD / 4WD option only means bumping up from the base package into one with an automatic transmission.