Used Subaru Outback 2015-2021 review

If you fancy a rugged, good value off-road car with a huge dollop of practicality, but you don’t want to buy into the whole SUV experience, then you need to take a look at a used Subaru Outback.

It is, in effect, a jacked-up version of an ordinary four-wheel drive estate car with some limited off-road capabilities. It’s a class that’s grown in popularity over the last few years, so much so that there’s now a whole host of similar cars available to the used buyer, from the VW Golf Alltrack and Skoda Octavia Scout right up to the more premium Audi A6 Allroad, Mercedes-Benz E-Class All-Terrain and Volvo V90 Cross Country.

Engines and performance: There are just two engine options with the Outback: a 2.0-litre diesel or a 2.5-litre petrol. The diesel is the slightly better performer and the more economical choice, but it can be unrefined higher up the rev range, a factor made more problematical by the optional CVT auto gearbox, which can keep the revs high when pressing on. The petrol car is automatic-only, but it's generally the quieter of the two options. All versions are four-wheel drive.

Ride and handling: The Outback drives fairly well. It's tidy in corners, but the ride is disappointing. An A6 Allroad is a lot better to drive overall, with its super comfy air suspension.

Interior and practicality: The Outback's interior is a functional, handsomely kitted out and well-screwed together, but the infotainment system falls behind premium rivals. As you'd hope, there's loads of space and a big boot.

Trims and equipment: The most popular trim is SE Premium, which offers climate and cruise control, sat-nav, LED headlights, a rearview camera, heated leather seats and a powered tailgate as standard. At launch there was briefly an option of SE trim, but this was soon dropped.

"You rarely see Subaru Outbacks in urban areas. I think that's a sign of owners using them as rugged, off-road-ready estate cars, which is exactly what they are meant to be." – George Hill, Used Cars Writer

If you'd like to buy a used Outback, or any of the other cars mentioned here, check out our Used Cars For Sale pages.

Prices for a used Outback start from around £8000, but that will get you a 2015 car with more than 100,000 miles on the clock. Upping the cash to £11,000 buys you a lower mileage car of a similar age. For an example from 2018 or 2019, expect to pay around £14,000, while a budget of £16,000 gets you a 2020 or 2021 model.

MPG

Neither the petrol or the diesel are particularly economical, with correspondingly high CO2 emissions figures, so cars registered before April 2017 are likely to attract a high VED annual tax rate. The diesel version with a manual gearbox is the best option for cheaper running costs, with average fuel economy of 50.4mpg under the old NEDC test cycle. The automatic version drops this down to 46.3mpg, while the automatic-only petrol averages 38.7mpg.

Road Tax

Annual car tax (VED) is based upon CO2 emissions for cars registered before April 2017, and is charged at a flat rate for cars registered after that date. The current rate is £195 per year.

Servicing

As far as servicing goes, Outbacks need one every 12 months or 9000 miles, and it could be pricey. Getting to your nearest potentially far-flung Subaru dealer could be an issue, too.

Insurance

The Outback is generally cheaper to insure than the A6 Allroad and V90 Cross Country. Subarus often fall into lower insurance groups than premium rivals due to a focus on safety and practicality as opposed to luxury. The A6 Allroad in particular will be more expensive to insure, because of its higher repair costs and bigger engine options.

Reliability

Owners report that the Subaru Outback (2015-2021) is a fundamentally robust estate, according to real-world feedback from our annual What Car? Reliability Survey. While major mechanical failures are rare for both petrol and diesel models, owners noted occasional electrical niggles with the infotainment screen, flat batteries and fragile windshields. Though the CVT gearbox can be noisy and EyeSight sensors sometimes trigger warning lights, the car remains a dependable choice.

To find out more about used Subaru Outback reliability, head to our dedicated reliability page.

Engine

The diesel engine is punchier and more economical than the petrol, so we'd recommend going for that if you can.

Trims

The entry-level SE trim was dropped soon after launch due to poor sales, so we'd steer you towards SE Premium. It's easier to come by and very well equipped.

Our favourite Subaru Outback: 2.0d SE Premium

There are many alternatives to the Outback, depending on how much you want to pay.

The Audi A6 Allroad is essentially a raised version of the popular but ageing A6 Avant. It’s a quick and well-made car that feels a little bulky to drive, with its high new and used prices perhaps the only real deterrent to buying one.

The Skoda Octavia Scout is a positive bargain in this class, especially as it’s been on sale for a few years now and there are plenty on the used car market. It is, as you’ve guessed, a jacked-up version of the regular Octavia Estate, an all-rounder of supreme ability and an excellent car for families. If it loses a little in on-road driving behaviour as a result of its increase in height it does at least make up for that with some extra go-anywhere ability.

Also look at the VW Golf Alltrack and the VW Passat Alltrack, two beefed-up cars that, despite being pricey, are worth serious consideration for their classy build and practicality alone. If you have more to spend you might consider two more: the competent Mercedes-Benz E-Class All-Terrain is great, but too new to be freely available on the used car market at the time of writing, as is the impressive Volvo V90 Cross Country, and both are pricey options when stacked up against the Outback.

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If you're interested in buying a used Subaru Outback or any of the cars we've mentioned, head over to our Used Cars For Sale pages to find lots of cars listed at a great price.