Subaru Outback

Model Years Produced: 2020 to Current

Summary

The Subaru Outback has long been the king of practicality, and the latest iteration of it just makes everything that little bit better. Despite looking somewhat like a lifted station wagon, the Outback embarrasses many SUVs when it comes to interior volume and ground clearance. The interior materials are a step up from the previous generation, especially on the top “Touring” trim, although build quality still isn’t on the level of its other Japanese competitors. The turbocharged engine is the one to get – not only is the base engine quite slow, but it’s unrefined enough to make the car feel generally worse just for having it.

The primary sore point of the vehicle is the infotainment system. It looks high-tech, but the implementation leaves something to be desired – nearly every media outlet covering the Outback has complained about infotainment lag.

Subaru is giving the Outback a mid-cycle refresh for 2023 with a facelift that makes it uglier, plus “Automatic Emergency Steering” for vehicles equipped with blind spot monitoring.

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Verdict

Pros

• Turbocharged engine is properly fast
• Ride and seats are very comfortable
• Extremely practical, down to small touches like the roof crossbars being integrated into the rails
• Excellent visibility
• Slow depreciation

Cons

• Infotainment is very laggy
• Build quality isn’t great – squeaks and rattles should not be unexpected
• Base engine is glacially slow and feels unrefined
• Significant throttle delay from the CVT, compounded by turbo lag on turbocharged models
• Factory warranty has subpar benefits compared to competitors (short term length, no trip reimbursement, no rental car reimbursement, no service loaners, no accessory coverage, no complimentary maintenance, etc.)

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Reviews

Consumer Reports

• URL: https://www.consumerreports.org/cars/subaru/outback/2022/overview/
• Overall score: 85/100
• Road test: 91/100
• Predicted reliability: 3/5
• Predicted owner satisfaction: 4/5

SavageGeese

Other Outlets

• Car & Driver: https://www.caranddriver.com/subaru/outback
• Motor Trend: https://www.motortrend.com/cars/subaru/outback/

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Specifications

All figures are as of 2022 model year.

• Transmission: Subaru CVT
• Drivetrain: AWD standard
  • 2-speed transfer case not available
  • Electronically locking center differential not available
  • Electronically locking rear differential not available
• Base curb weight: 3637 lbs
• Max cargo capacity: 75.7 cu ft
• Seating: 2 rows
• Rear leg room: 39.5 in
• Towing capacity: 2700 lbs

Engines