Name: Subaru Outback (2021 – present) | Expert Rating | The Car Expert
Item: Subaru Outback
Rating: 64.0

Summary

Described as an SUV by its manufacturer, the sixth-generation Subaru Outback is a high-riding estate car and capable off-roader that first arrived on UK roads in 2021.

As Parker’s Chris William’s comments, the Outback should appeal to a small audience “who demand space, a taller ride height, and a long list of safety and comfort features with some genuine off-road ability”, but the model has a number of drawbacks, starting with its driving dynamics.

“The Outback is pretty easy to drive”, says What Car?’s Steve Huntingford, but “there’s a lot of body lean too” and its suspension is “not as supple as it should be given its jacked-up suspension.” The Carwow team’s biggest issue is the estate’s “drony” gearbox, while Autocar’s Illya Verpraet points out that the Subaru is rather slow off the line.

Besides its family-friendly interior space, the Outback’s key strength is off-roading. As Greg Potts of Top Gear concludes, “the Subaru is a likeable Swiss Army knife and will shrug off anything thrown at it.”

That said, if you are not too interested in taking your family car off the beaten road, automotive outlets generally agree that there are more polished estate options that deserve your attention, like the Skoda Superb and and SEAT Leon.

As of June 2024, the Subaru Outback holds a New Car Expert Rating of C, with a score of 64%. This score is helped by the estate’s excellent five-star Euro NCAP safety rating, and hindered by relatively expensive running costs.

Outback highlights

Spacious interior
Capable off-roader
Well-equipped as standard
Comfortable driving experience

Outback lowlights

Droning automatic gearbox
Poor fuel economy
Uninspiring engine performance
Interior design is a bit dated

Key specifications

Body style: High-riding estate
Engines: petrol
Price: From £36,995 on-road

Launched: Spring 2021
Last updated: Spring 2023
Replacement due: TBA

Image gallery

Media reviews

Reviews, road tests and comparisons from across the UK automotive media. Click any of the boxes to view.

Autocar+

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 7 / 10
“If you’re one of the few people who need a car like the Subaru Outback, then there’s no way around it: you need an Outback. Nothing else on the market combines a large, practical body with genuine capability off the Tarmac – not for this sort of money, anyway. Adjust your expectations slightly, and you will find a car that’s broadly comfortable and intuitive to drive with very few usability quirks.” (Illya Verpraet)
Read review

Model reviewed: 2.5-litre petrol automatic Limited
Score: 7 / 10
“A new platform has brought added chassis sophistication, driving charm and refinement to an already characterful wagon. If you’ve been considering buying a Subaru Outback, now is the time to step in, because the new model is a clear improvement over the old, most notably in its ride and refinement.” (Greg Kable)
Read review

Car+

Model reviewed: 2.5-litre petrol automatic
Score: 6 / 10
“Partly because of its old-fashioned engine and slightly dopey gearbox, the Subaru Outback already feels outdated. It’s a shame because the rest of the car is rather good. It’s spacious without being massive; relaxing to drive without losing engagement; tough without being agricultural; feature-packed without being complicated; stylish without being pompous.” (Chris Williams)
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Carwow+

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 5 / 10
“The Subaru Outback is a tall family car with a spacious cabin and grippy four-wheel drive, but alternatives are better to drive, cheaper to run and come with posher-feeling interiors.”
Read review

Daily Mail+

Model reviewed: 2.5-litre petrol automatic Field
“The Subaru Outback is quite a change from most cars — but in a positive way. I love the rugged look and chunky exterior, which carries through to the solid leather-wrapped steering wheel. It’s a decent drive, accelerates smoothly, and is great at negotiating bumps. But 0 to 62mph acceleration is an uninspiring 10.2 seconds, up to a top speed of 120mph.”
Read review

Honest John+

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 6 / 10
“Competent and comfortable rather than charismatic, the Subaru Outback is easy to drive but offers only modest entertainment on the road.”
Read review

Parkers+

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 4 / 10
“There is a strong case for the Subaru Outback if you genuinely need to go off the beaten track on occasion. It’s a great car for families who are genuinely into activities where the Outback’s space and off-road capability are needed. However, those who will be spending all their time on-road are better served by more conventional options such as the Seat Leon and Skoda Superb. If you do need limited off-road ability and want something plush, Volvo V60 and V90 Cross Country are both worth a look.”
Author: Chris Williams
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Top Gear+

Score: 7 / 10
“The Subaru Outback is a likeable Swiss Army knife. Used to be a bit bland but it now stands out and will shrug off anything thrown at it.”
Author: Greg Potts
Read review

What Car?+

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 6 / 10
“If you’re looking for genuine all-weather abilities, tonnes of safety technology and lots of interior practicality, the Subaru Outback has plenty going for it. It’s not the most pleasant car to drive, though, and high emissions count against it as a company car choice.”
Read review

Safety rating

Independent crash test and safety ratings from Euro NCAP

Overall score: 5 stars
Date tested: September 2021
Read the full Euro NCAP review

Adult protection: 88%
Child protection: 89%
Vulnerable road users: 84%
Safety assist: 95%

Eco rating

Independent economy and emissions ratings from Green NCAP

Model tested: 2.5i Lineartronic Petrol AWD

Overall score: 1.5 stars
Date tested: May 2022
Read the full Green NCAP review

Clean Air Index: 5 / 10
Energy Efficiency Index: 2.1 / 10
Greenhouse Gas Index: 0.7 / 10

The rating above only applies to the 2.5i Lineartronic Petrol, which is currently the only engine option offered across the Outback trim range in the UK. There are no other engine/gearbox combinations available.

Reliability rating

Reliability data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by MotorEasy

No reliability rating

As of May 2024, we don’t have enough reliability data on the Subaru Outback to generate a reliability rating.

The Car Expert’s reliability information is provided exclusively to us using workshop and extended warranty data from our partner, MotorEasy, sourced from both official dealerships and independent workshops.

As soon as MotorEasy has sufficient data on the Outback, we’ll publish the results here.

Running cost rating

Monthly cost of ownership data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by Clear Vehicle Data

Fuel consumption	Average	Score	Variation	Score
Petrol models	33 mpg	E	33 – 33 mpg	E – E

CO₂ output	Average	Score	Variation	Score
Petrol models	193 g/km	D	193 – 193 g/km	D – D

Insurance group	Average	Score	Variation	Score
All models	31	C	17 – 31	A – C

Service and maintenance	Cost	Score
Year 1	£200	B
Year 2	£505	B
Year 3	£932	B
Year 4	£1,094	B
Year 5	£1,505	B
Overall	£4,236	B

The Subaru Outback is a relatively expensive car to own and run, according to whole-life cost numbers provided exclusively to The Car Expert by our data partner, Clear Vehicle Data.

Providing a fuel consumption average of 33mpg, the petrol-powered Outback has more expensive fuel costs than other mid-size crossover options, and its insurance bracket is fairly average when compared to the car market as a whole.

That said, its servicing and maintenance costs over the course of the first five years of ownership are cheaper than the average car, and should be fairly affordable.