Subaru Outback test drive

Make and model: Subaru Outback
Description: Estate
Price range: from £36,990

Subaru says: “The latest Subaru Outback SUV has received updated styling as well as new safety features and in-vehicle technologies.”

We say: It sits in its own class and, apart from calling itself an SUV, doesn’t try to double as anything else. Functionality and comfort are at the core of the Outback.

• Subaru Outback (2021 onwards) – Expert Rating
• More Subaru new car reviews, Expert Ratings, news and features

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Introduction

The Outback has been a mainstay in Subaru’s lineup for 30 years. Launched in 1994, the model is now in its sixth generation. Like most of Subaru’s range, it mainly sits in its own category. Its closest competitors were the Audi A4 allroad and the Skoda Octavia Scout, neither of which are still on sale. 

Subaru’s range features the small hybrid SUVs Crosstrek and Forester, the all-electric SUV Solterra and the Outback. As of June 2024, media reviews of the Subaru Outback have earned the car an overall New Car Expert Rating of C with a score of 64%. This gets it a C in our scoring system and for a used buy it’s closely rated at 63%. 

What is it?

While Subaru calls the Outback an SUV, it’s more like a jacked up estate. Its body shape is almost identical to an estate car but the ride height is a bit higher to give it good ground clearance off road. This means it has competition from SUVs and estates alike but few new cars on the market match this crossover body style. 

Subaru says the Outback offers a mix of SUV capability and car-like ride and handling thanks to its four-wheel drive system which comes as standard. The key market for the Outback is people who have ‘active lifestyles’. Essentially, Subaru wants its customers to use the Outback as a workhorse and get the most out of its functionality, carrying paddle boards and canoes on the roof rack for instance.

First impressions

Initially, the chunky estate styling doesn’t make much sense but after getting inside it’s very spacious. The estate body means there’s plenty of room in the back and the driving position gives a good view of the road. Apart from owners looking to utilise the Outback for activities, it could be a good middle ground for older people who don’t want to step up into a car but equally don’t want to step down.

The black plastic exterior trim is supposed to be a nod to its ruggedness but it might look a bit more attractive without this around the wheel arches. This would be a subtler look to make it blend in as an everyday car when you’re driving on tarmac. Inside, there’s a large screen and on the Touring trim Outback we tried, there was a good mix of soft touch materials, shiny black finishes and hard wearing plastics.

We like: Functional aesthetic inside and out
We don’t like: Plastic wheel arch surrounds

What do you get for your money?

There are three trim options available: Limited, Field and Touring. Entry-level Limited starts from £36,990, Field begins at £40,990 and Touring is from £42,490. This makes it a bit more pricey than the Skoda Octavia Estate which ranges from £27,775 to £33,285. The Audi A4 Allroad was discontinued in 2022 so used examples with fewer than 20,000 miles on the clock now sell for around £36,000. 

As standard Limited trim comes with roof rails, fabric seats, heated front and rear seats, keyless entry, rear parking sensors, analogue reverse camera, rear seat release lever in the boot, 11.6-inch central screen, Apple Carplay, Android Auto and four USB ports. Safety equipment includes lane keeping assist, blind spot monitoring, intelligent speed limiter, traffic sign recognition and a driver monitoring system. 

Field trim adds black door mirrors instead of body coloured ones, a black ladder with the roof rails, 18-inch alloy wheels with a dark metallic finish, synthetic leather seats, electric tailgate with hands-free function and sat nav. 

Touring trim includes satin chrome door mirrors which automatically fold when the car is locked, a sunroof, roof rails with built-in silver cross bars, Nappa leather seats, digital reversing camera and 11 Harman/Kardon speakers, up from the standard six. Special paint finishes for all trims are extra at £595. 

Subaru sells the Outback with a three-year / 36,000 mile warranty and a five-year / 60,000 mile powertrain warranty which covers the engine and associated components. 

We like: Entry-level spec is very well equipped
We don’t like: A little pricey compared to closest rivals

What’s the Subaru Outback like inside?

The Outback interior seems to strike the right balance between modern and functional. There’s an 11.6-inch touchscreen display in the centre with large buttons which makes it easy to select the right one on the move. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto come as standard and are simple to connect and operate. 

Climate control is operated partly through the screen and partly using buttons either side of the screen. Temperature is controlled using buttons while fan speed and heated seats controls are housed in the touchscreen. Above the temperature buttons are shortcuts to clear the windscreen or rear window, then two knobs, one for volume and the other to tune the radio. The hazard light button is next to the top right of the screen. 

The rear seats fold down and can be released from the boot which makes it quicker to open up the boot space for larger items. In the back seats there’s plenty of leg and headroom for tall passengers and the higher ride height makes it convenient to get in and out of. 

We like: Comfortable, functional interior space
We don’t like: Climate controls mostly in the touchscreen

What’s under the bonnet?

All three trim options come with the same 2.5-litre petrol engine. City and highway driving combined offers fuel economy figures of around 33mpg. All versions come with all-wheel drive and have an unbraked towing capacity up to 750kg. The Outback can tow braked trailers up to 2000kg, making it a good pick for caravanners.

Power is rated at 167bhp and 252 Nm of torque to provide a 0 to 60mph time of 10.2 seconds and a top speed of 120mph. It isn’t particularly quick but the driving experience is mostly focused on good handling at low speeds over uneven terrain rather than straight line speed.

What’s the Subaru Outback like to drive?

On the road the Outback is a bit slow off the mark. It’s not set up to be sporty but it can feel underpowered if you try to pull away more quickly than the car wants to. It runs very smoothly if you don’t drive it with a lead foot. Due to the type of gearbox the Outback has it can also be noisy when the car is accelerating. Again, smoother inputs result in a better driving experience. 

There is a bit of body lean because of the ride height but this affords the car ample clearance over more difficult terrain. Three driving modes are available depending on the conditions: normal, snow/dirt, and deep snow/mud. The vehicle has to slow down enough to select a different driving mode and there’s a noticeable difference in handling in each mode. 

In the Touring version we tried it had the advanced driver monitoring system fitted. This analyses your face every time you get in the vehicle and bings at you audibly and with a warning on the dash if it thinks you’re not paying attention to the road. 

The blind spot warning is very user friendly and unlike other cars that show an amber warning on the outer edge of the wing mirror, Subaru’s illuminates on the inner side of the mirror. This makes it obvious when there is a vehicle in the blind spot without needing to look over at the mirror.

We like: Great safety equipment
We don’t like: Noisy and underpowered

Verdict

The Outback is a highly practical SUV estate crossover. Like most cars that have a niche target market, it has to fit into the owner’s lifestyle. This might be frequently making use of the roof rack, travelling off-road, packing the car with passengers and luggage, or towing. If these activities aren’t in your usual remit then competitors might be able to offer better value for money while stripping back on the rugged specification. 

As an alternative to the usual SUV body style, Subaru offers what feels like a robust and well put together car. On the road it can feel a bit sluggish which lets it down but it’s not designed to be a sports car. If the Outback seems like it could be a good option for you, we always recommend going for a test drive to get a feel for the car. 

• Subaru Outback (2021 onwards) – Expert Rating
• More Subaru new car reviews, Expert Ratings, news and features

Similar cars

If you’re looking at the Subaru Outback, you might also be interested in these new and used alternatives

Audi A4 allroad | Skoda Octavia Scout | Subaru Levorg | Vauxhall Insignia Country Tourer | Volkswagen Passat Alltrack | Volvo V60 Cross Country

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