Have had a 3.6R since 2016, and now 162000k on the clock. Loved every second in this car, and no issues at all. Love it so much that we’re transferring it to Tasmania for our holiday stay car, and buying our fourth Subaru, to sit next to our Prado caravan tower. Our six cylinder has a lifetime average of 9.3l/100 city and semi rural. On country roads we usually average 7.6. Love it, and the 12 speaker premium Harmon Kardon speaker system is lovely on long trips too.
I concur, owned a 3.6R for 6.5 years from new, 130,000km. Was faultless, just keep it serviced. Great car, if the new outback XT had been available at the time in Australia would have bought one. Not interested in the non turbo 4 cylinder so ended up buying a different brand.
@@angelapotter8332 The Gen5 3.6R is lighter and faster (and IMO rides better) then the Gen6 XT too! Holding onto my 3.6R for a handful more years longer I think - will wait to see what Gen7 offers.
I have a 2011 legacy 3.6r and im not giving it up but.... i have a 2.5 2017 outback and im totally getting rid of it before it hits 100k miles. The 2.5 is garbage.
I bought a 2018 3.6r a couple of years ago, it’s never missed a beat and is as good and solid as the day I got it. No rattles, everything fits beautifully. I’m 30klm outside town on a farm with a fair bit of dirt in between, the outback doesn’t know the difference between dirt and tarmac, it just sticks like glue. It’s fast and direct to drive, I can’t recommend it enough…..
Very thorough and well researched video, nice work! Subies have ALWAYS been maintenance sensitive (Our family has been through 8 of them since 1989 so far), so full service history is absolutely gold. Though you should ignore the Subaru stated service intervals for the CVT (Pretty much every service interval in the booklet says "Inspect". They basically won't touch anything or change the fluid until issues arise after which it's too late). Early (2010's or so) CVT units had issues with the main bearing and some valve body problems internally. The newer ones in these Outbacks have these issues ironed out, though obviously nothing is perfect. Get the transmission serviced and the fluid changed at the same intervals as a regular automatic. A Subaru specialist mechanic or suitably qualified auto transmission specialist can do this easily, just ensure they use the correct CVT fluid from Subaru. I was very sceptical, going from the 5 Speed Auto in my GT to the CVT in my Levorg, but I'd rate the Subaru CVT well above the Jatco junk box Nissan provides, though it too benefits from regular fluid changes. Thanks for the video, I've been considering adding an Outback to our fleet :)
Very good review - honest and fairly thorough. I'm a Subaru Outback owner (I currently own 2 daily drivers, one with 111k miles and the other 183k miles) but the older generation (2010-2014). I've driven the newer generation (2015 -) and prefer my older vehicles; easily upgradeable entertainment systems, no wonky electronic safety nannies, original windscreens, no oil usage between scheduled maintenance periods. As for the CVTs (one of mine has the older unit without the faux "shift points" in the engine computer), it has been completely reliable over 183k miles with only drain/refills of the fluid every 50k miles. I previously owned a 2014 with the current FB-series engine and had the engine short block replaced under warranty due to the excessive oil consumption. This is a sign of the times with vehicles of all brands experiencing excessive oil consumption by using thinner viscosity oils and low-tension piston oil control rings to increase fuel mileage. My old EJ-series engines have no issues of this sort. Cheers, good video.
Had a 1993 Subaru Impreza (manual), after ticking over 620,000km I had to replace the starter motor. The interior was definitely getting a bit on the worn side, but mechanically it just kept going without issue. Upgraded to a 2014 Outback 2.5 which has been fine so far - but I honestly can’t imagine it coming close to matching the reliability of the old school Impreza.
A lot of them are made in Japan entirely from Japanese produced parts, nuff said. I will pay 3000 extra for a Japanese assembled and produced car, so for me these are a great buy.
After owning one from 2011 I would get another one in a heartbeat. If they weren't so darn expensive. The main lesson you need to learn when buying one: maintenance! Keep up on your fluid changes, make sure to replace the gear oil, and diff oil on time and you will have a beast.
Absolutely. Not for penny pinchers. Toyota and Honda is cheaper to own, but they offer less practicality and poor AWD systems. I think Subaru's resale value almost beats theirs as well because of that. I always do oil changes, and I have done CVT transmission fluid changes every 30k miles. I have owned my 2012 Limited 2.5i since 2020, so 3 years, and for a 12 year old car, it holds up pretty well. All electronics work. The sunroof, navigation, backup camera, audio system, electric heaters, electric seats, and windows work. Also, haven't had any other issues related to mechanical. I probably will have to buy new tires and maybe replace the windshield wipers too. Other than that, nothing really went wrong and it is at 113,051 miles.
@@colechapman6976totally agree with you ! I have my third Outback at the moment for five years and nothing went wrong or broke down, normal service costs, that's it. Towing a trailer/caravan with it from 1500 kg,zero issue on gravel roads and in the mountains even in winter,only winter tires. For me no better car for the money.....and I had many.
I purchased a 2016 3.6 a few months ago and don't regret my purchase at all. After a Carplay head unit upgrade and some cosmetic mods, this thing is shaping up to be a fantastic car! Great vid.
Other lesser-known features: All pushbutton-start Subaru's (across all models, all years) can set a five digit PIN code on the tailgate to unlock the car without the fob. Good for rescuing trapped kids and pets without smashing a window, or deliberately locking your fob inside the car when you go to the beach so you don't lose it or the service key. On the Gen5 Outback, you can change the colour of the combination meter rings from blue to one of about 15 or so other colours (red is reserved for EyeSight if equipped, and brown is reserved for indicating Manual Flappy Paddles mode). Sadly this feature was removed in Gen6. 2018-2020 (AU) Premium models got Adaptive Driving Beam (in addition to the Steering Responsive Headlights), also known in other brands as Matrix Headlights, where high beam can automatically turn on, but rather than be all on and all off, breaks the high beam up into three zones, so it only illuminates what is safe to do so via what the EyeSight cameras see. You can, for example, be following a vehicle and have high beam illuminating the left and right sides of the road, but there is a box of low beam tracking the vehicle in front. If an oncoming vehicle comes, the right zone will shutdown back to low beam, leaving just the left side in high beam, etc. 2018-2020 (AU) models received EyeSight 3.0 which switched the black and white cameras for colour cameras that can see and react to brake lights from other vehicles. You can tell a 2.5 apart from a 3.6R by looking at the sideskirt. All 3.6's have a chrome sideskirt.
@@pastorofmuppets8834 There's an extra button to the right of the tailgate release button. You use that to enter the PIN in, old-SMS style. The same button will also lock the car afterwards with a single press. For sedans, the boot release button is also the PIN entry button.
You do not need any tool to resett the oil dilution, after changing the oil youself on 2016 2.0 Diesel Premium,. I do the servicing on my XV car, same mechanics as Outback and Forrester, and have changed the oil every six months, and inbetween dealer services, when it was under warrenty and Subaru serviced it each year. I can get over 60 mpg, and average 47mpg in Scotland in the Highlands. Also I can get 30mpg towing my caravan, although I do change the Havoline engine oil every six months to help keep the timing chain, (no timing belts in the diesels either), and engine clean inside. Here is how to resett the oil dilution counter, and it does work:- start engine depress & hold brake pedal turn heated rear window on turn side lights on turn heated rear window off turn lights off turn heated rear window on (again) turn side lights on (again) turn heated rear window off turn side lights off release brake The glow plug light should blink for 5 seconds to confirm reset has been successful, Job done! I have had the prop centre bearing fail, under warranty, a cast recirculation exhaust component crack, again under warranty and probably because I used to like driving through flooded roads too quickly. But now I know this can happen,(just behind front right wheel area, by thermal shock of cold water), so am more careful now. Other than that it's as fast as a wrx 50 to 70 mph, but only there lol, and is the most economical yet with 350NM of torque, nicest cars I've ever driven. I'm just fitting 225/55R17 101H COOPER DISCOVERER ATT ALL TERRAIN 4X4 TYRES 2255517 to my winter wheels once refurbished.
I bought a 2016 3.6R during Covid (it was freighted from an auction in Melbourne). It has had no problems other than some wind noise in the driver side near the mirror. And the 3.6R can be seriously quick for a large-ish car.
I tried everything to find where that wind noise comes from. It's a little less intrusive when folding the mirrors in at speed, but obviously not ideal. Have taped the panel gaps up and entered from the passenger's side to see if it was there, but alas... conclusion, it's the shape of the side mirror, big boxy wind sail ... 3.6RS with 165k 2017 still going strong except a CVT showing wear groove at 1200rpm on coasting... Use ceratec oil additive and on long open road driving I'm getting 7.5 l/100
Really enjoyed the commentary from the mechanic. I typically purchase cars with around 100k miles on them so the commentary from the mechanic is exactly what I was looking for.
The modern Outbacks are NOT simply jacked up versions of Legacy Station wagons. That is their legacy and DNA, but they are now Outbacks from the new Universal Platform, which is a big deal and upgrade that you didn't even mention, making these newer cars the last 3-4 years depending on model, a lot more stiff and strong, and as I mentioned, the platform and Frame versions are redisigned from the ground up. And there are a lot more deep rooted differences. Of course we could use the word "essentially", but it is no longer true to say that these are just beefed up Legacy Wagons. I had One of those, and I had one of the first Outbacks, and several others. They are a different breed now, despite a lot of the obvious similarities by virtue of being Subaru's.
I brought a 2016 Outback last year after figuring out that paying $65k+ for a Pajero was a stupid idea. I paid $16k because it had some issues that I spent a weekend and about $800 to fix. I hate to say it (I hate Boxer engines) but I don't regret the purchase at all. So comfortable to drive, so much room for family activities and so easy to work on. Only issue I have yet to fix is I believe, the beginning of a front cover leak which is common on these engines, Subaru have just never figured out how much sealant to apply to anything. The actual value for money though is spot on.
Yes its becoming a problem, not just for Subaru, a spec of dust, a fingerprint..couple years later...the lexus 3.5 motor has many issues with this. BTW average life exoectancy for the seal is 8 years 100,000 kms, so if you got near that, not so bad.
I've got a 18 Premium diesel. I live out of Canberra so most of my trips are at least 35 km. I have not had any DPF problems and the car now has about 140,000 km over its 5 years. It averages about 7.2 litres /100km around here and about 6.5 on a longer trip to Melbourne and back. The first set of tyres wore quickly so I had the wheel alignment checked and it was way out. I am very happy with our Subi. It is comfortable, quick enough and has tons of room for large model aeroplanes and camping equipment. Mike in Oz
Just bought a 2018 base model, after a 2009 3.6R. So far, I am really enjoying the experience, reduced fuel cost, base level equipment is excellent, and simply the best CVT I have driven. Yes, I have less power, but most driving I do is around town and the newer car is smoother and nicer to drive daily. I had issues with the older car, probably due to previous owners not doing the correct preventive maintenance. Time will tell how this newer car will age, but I have bought it with lower milage and less age, so the maintenance and ageing well will be on me.
Hi! I own a 97 and I'm thinking on getting a 2013, would you recommend? Is there any difference you noticed? Or which one do you prefer the most in your experience? My 97 has no issues, I would just like a more modern look for city trips (I live in a small city, so for like bigger-cities trips)
2015 3.6R owner. No mechanical issues whatsoever. 6 monthly service is a pain but you get a reliable vehicle. Superb on the open road and very manageable around town. Tons of room inside. Engine is a gem, but the CVT whilst very smooth, dumbs it down. Eyesight on this model is pretty crude, but I believe it improved on later models. Still a great all-rounder. Cheap to insure, too.
Owned 2 Outback’s and 3 Foresters. Never had oil or CVT issues. Frankly, if maintained, you will never have much issues at all. Currently have a 2018 3.6R and loving it.
I`ve had 4. That new car smile you get for the 1st few weeks when you get a fresh, not necessary new car, never leaves you with the Outback. They are intoxicating.
Bought 2015 prem 4 cylinder brand new - serviced on time, premium fuel etc Wouldn't buy a new Subaru again with CVT... Burnt oil Short block replaced under warranty Torque converter replaced Transmission replaced 6 months after warranty expired cost 5k. Asked Subaru if they would cover it, answer was No. Loved the space and wagon but wouldn't buy again after that experience. Love the videos mate 👌
Bought a 2018 outback 3.6r premium. Man this thing is adequately fast. Not supercar, but its very good. Overtaking is a breeze, engine never goes past 2-3k rpm. AC is also very good, cools the cabin fast, high beam assist is really helpful and the AWD is super good! Only issue I had is that the Harman Kardon amplifier stopped working, the radio volume is very low. Dealership wants to charge me 2 grand for it.
I have a 2016 2.5 that I purchased new. So far I’ve driven 96,000 trouble free miles. It feels so solid, comfortable and safe. It never fails to get me through any weather or driving situation. I love this car.
I’ve had 3 Outbacks, a 2012 Gen4 Premium diesel, a 2016 Gen5 2.5 Premium and presently a 2018 3.6R. The 3.6 is my favourite, yes it is thirsty in urban driving, but just better than a 2.5i which can struggle once loaded up. The diesel was good but they (or their DPF in particular) hate extended urban driving. Much better choice if you’re doing bulk highway km’s. The main thing with Subarus is (1) being very particular about servicing them on-time, and (2) treating the CVT kindly i.e. not towing much. I just think they’re one of the best all-rounder vehicles you can buy. I’ve leased a VW Tiguan and RAV4 hybrid, both not bad, but with my own $$$ another Outback was a no-brainer. Waiting now for Australia to get the new Outback Wilderness at last…..mm hmmm 🤔
2018 2.5 Outback owner,you should buy one ! This is my third one and never ever had any costs of problems,don't recognise the mentioned problems...... by the way the mechanic is wrong about the drive belt..... it's a chain,the earlier models do have a belt.
HI! A 97 owner here, looking to buy a 2013 2.5 outback, do you prefer the older versions or do you think it is worth the money to upgrade to a newer-ish car?
We have two Outbacks: 2021 Touring and a 2014 2.5i\. 2014 has over 200k (about 207k)--no real issues in the 10 years we've had it. 2021 is pretty good--the modern traction control is better than the 2014 and the bells and whistles aren't too annoying. They do eat batteries a bit--after 3 years with the auto engine start/stop the 2021 needed a replacement. The 2014 one has eaten a few batteries--say one every two or three years.
To answer your first question Adam the answer is no. If you asked me before I watched this video the answer would be yes but those mechanical and electrical issues puts the Outback in the not to buy category. The Subaru's of the 80's and early 90's definitely were good vehicles. The wagons were quite popular for rural folk as they were a perfect mix of a car that could be driven in tricky conditions ie muddy wet unsealed roads. And the Brumby was a great little ute and if I had the space and time to do up one I'd buy one in a heartbeat. Another thing I would like to mention is that here in Australia we have a consumer law that despite a vehicle being out of warranty, if the vehicle is still under a certain age and has been looked after, the manufacturer is obliged to fix, replace or make a refund.
As an owner of a 2017 2D outback , as far as older being better than newer ; owned an earlier Gen 4 diesel ; my gen 5 - 2D was a fair step up in terms of ride ; handling and road feel etc etc Only had issues with dpf filter ; but that can be managed once you know how . Awesome cars a V good review here btw
I still own my MY2004 Liberty Wagon GT since new. Done almost 250K kms. Replaced the dampers with Bilsteins and new front lower control arms recently. It's still a lot of fun to drive and it goes like a rocket - it's a mature person's WRX I'm told. No major issues with it. I really love the console cockpit, leather Momo steering and Recaro-like seats. I'll probably keep it until one of us fails first. I'm 70.
Awesome thank you. I know the CVT’s aren’t great. We have had ours for over 3yrs and it’s been great. Ours is a 2015 2.5i premium. Sat nav isn’t great.
My neighbors were serial Subaru buyers for decades. They bought their first when they graduated college and owned them almost exclusively since around 1985. They would sing their praises whenever the subject of automobiles came up. Around 2000 or so each new one was more problematic than the one it replaced. Multiple head gasket failures. Oil and coolant leaks. Transmission problems. Leaks. HVAC issues including a complete failure of the A/C while driving across Texas in summer in 43°C heat. Their last Subaru was a Ascent which Subaru bought back under "LEMON LAW". They now have a Toyota minivan and a Lexus SUV.
I was getting my BRZ it’s first service the other day. While at the dealership a guy is absolutely going off because his cvt has failed after 70ks. The workshop guy was telling him the warranty probably won’t cover it. Good times, good times.
That's why you don't listen to the workshop guy - he doesn't care who pays. All cars have a legal requirement to be of reasonable durability in Australia - the warranty is actually not the most relevant factor there. The only caveat is that you need to have kept up with the servicing schedule. If your transmission claps out at 70k, you can have it replaced by citing consumer law at your relevant tribunal. It's worth hiring a solicitor to make sure it's handled properly, but 70k for a transmission is a slam-dunk with at any civil administrative tribunal. The sad part is, so many people are unaware of this, and end up paying for it.
Bought a 2015 Outback 2.5i to do a lot of dirt roads, game reserves, some 4x4 trails and rural parts ("Hey look, no bridge.") of South Africa, as well as long distance road travel. It's half the cost to buy (used) and to drive (9.2ltr/100km sounds about right) compared to a Hilux, Fortuner, Pajero, etc. Doesn't load as much as trucks (bakkies) do of course. Enough clearance and good AWD offroad, comfortable long-distance drive on-road. Plenty space for kid's seats, strollers, etc. Mechanically okay to good, not perfect, having replaced timing belt, radiator, all four tires because of the AWD when one goes bust, broken windscreen, etc. between 100-150.000km. Parts are moderately expensive. I recommend this car as value for money and a great, true crossover between urban and offroad.
I’m in the US loving my second Outback, a 2013 2.5i. It definitely has the oil problem- for most of the time I’ve had it, it would need a quart added around every 1000 miles. Recently it started dropping quickly to about every 300 miles. I am currently undergoing an oil consumption test and I expect I will be replacing the engine. My car is a 6MT and I’ve taken good care of it, so another engine hurts but makes sense since I doubt I could find another 6MT as good as this one. I’m in it for the long haul. This car is so versatile, and fun to drive. And MT just isn’t available so $6-7k USD keeps me on the road and out of the showrooms for years to come, Lord willing.
Bought a new MY15 3.6R to replace a MY06 GT specB Liberty wagon. Miss the Liberty, but love the 3.6R. Apart from regular maintenance, we've replaced a clockspring and the volume controls on the steering wheel are a bit dodgy now. Even managed to get it bogged once going a bit off road😅 Love it!
My workplace has 2 of these. A few issues we've noticed: - The Eye Sight system can be a bit of an annoying backseat driver. The amount of times it alerts me of an imminent collision is ridiculous. You only have to prod (and I mean very briefly) the throttle with another car in front of you and it will go nuts. Also thinks you're going to drive into walls in car parks with right angle corners. Lastly if it rains. The Eye Sight sometimes can't see and cruise control shuts down. I've had to drive 100's of kms on a trip before with no cruise, because it simply refused to work in anything more than light rain. We've got different infotainment systems in both our vehicles (one had a special edition upgrade package) and both of them have played up badly. The smaller screen unit has had multiple updates due to it regularly just freezing the screen or not displaying the full radio interface. The larger unit has started spontaneously generating key presses, and is delaminating, causing all sorts of mayhem. We have been waiting months now for it to be replaced, and Subaru insisted that they needed to see the serial number of the unit (which required pulling it out no less) before they could order another one! -I noted the model on review had a rubber boot liner, which I would strongly recommend, as the boot floor is utter crap. The forwardmost section is a separate piece which is just a flimsy piece with cardboard like backing and a few clips holding it. We've managed to ruin both of these from loading equipment in and out. Something the old VF Commodores never had an issue with. Cargo barriers take up a lot of the boot space and forget about using it in the forward position with the rear seats down, as the setup is an utter joke. Lastly, the boot height is way too low. I personally own a '07 Liberty GT-B wagon, which is much closer to the ground, yet has way more head room with the boot open. I'm 178cm and my head touches the lid on the Outback. They've otherwise been reliable machines. Not stunning in any way. Not a lot of power, but they don't struggle either. I do wish the lower models had a tilt adjustment for the seat base though.
Own one of this since new from 2016 as the family car. It travels 80k already. Heard the cvt solenoids will go bad on early BS9 with miles but completely fine in our one. I installed several JDM Subaru option and I strongly recommend the 'mirror auto folding system'. In normal Outback the mirror will not work after the engine was shut. With this option installed the mirror will fold itself when the car was locked. Fun facts, this models shares a lot of parts with certain Toyota models. For example, the outside handels and ac filters are the same with S200 Crowns. I will retro fit a smart handle to the rear doors so we don't need to unlock from the front doors.
Re: “the cvts in these are arguably the most unreliable of all the cvts on the market………” For once, I’ll disagree. My 3 essential ways to avoid big repair costs are: - 1. Preventative CVT fluid change is essential. Makes for smoother operation too. 2. Yes, a couple of solenoids like to fail. Pretty easy to replace at an independent specialist. Warning: Dealers & some ‘by-the book’ places replace the whole valve body (cost will make your eye's water), when only simple solenoids and a good service was necessary. 3. Don’t tow ‘heavy’ or often. There’s lots more suitable vehicles for towing.
dont now about most unreliable in the market, as far as i heard that goes to nissan.. ive seen at least a few subaru cvts shit themselves for no reason with like 50000 miles, but at that point cars were mostly under warranty and subaru paid for a new gearbox
@@daweigo6851 There's been a fair few Japanese import-only car reviews on the channel already, and you can buy grey imports on the used market here, so it's not an inappropriate request. ^^ I'm actually a big fan of the Toyota Caldina myself and would love to see a review on that. I actually saw one a couple of weeks ago!
I own 2018 3.6 R is good. I can’t complain. I pulled the trailer that Car never let me down. It’s solid and reliable. Of course I change the oil I look after that. And if I had a chance, I’ll buy the other one.
I am loving my Outback XT sport. The turbo gives it oomph. The ride is smooth. The interior is very nice. It is quiet. Because of the turbo the engine isn't struggling.
As a current owner of a 2017 diesel, I love this review. Unfortunately, the CVT, in my own opinion, has been the weak link in this vehicle. This is my wife's daily drive and the vehicle we tour with. It is so comfortable to tour in. This was our first Subaru and potentially our last as it has limited towing ability for our next stage of life with a larger caravan. We currently tow a small van with the Outback, and the diesel is a great option. The CVT was serviced around 80K, and it now has 98K. We have the car serviced by Subaru and plan to keep it until about 160K, so I hope the CVT holds out. We have had no issues with the DPF as my wife regularly does a DPF burn off.
If you couls get the manual diesel you would be surprised how good at towing it is. Its underrated on purpose. Braked caravan or big trailer with load can easily towed quite far above subarus conservative specs.
LOVE my 2017 3.6R. Had it over a year, done 30,000km (bought at 55,000) and only had a windscreen replaced (also did $9k worth of collision damage but that wasn't the car's fault!), otherwise it's never missed a beat. Plan on owning it for many years to come yet - with the caveat that I try to be religious with the maintenance and have it seen regularly (10,000kms) by professionals, I barely touch it myself. I upgraded from 2004 3.0R, which I was also VERY fond of. Had it 5 years, bought at 80,000km and sold a bit over 170,000km, that one also gave me virtually no trouble right up to the end, only sold it because I didn't want it in my driveway with that mileage, just in case it started costing me. Personally I don't think there's anything on the road that drives much better than a 6 cly Outback. Love the power (without being ridiculous), love the handling & driving feel, love the practicality, love the comfort. Don't love the ongoing servicing costs or fuel consumption, but to me it's worth the expense to get to drive a car that good every day.
If you want your CVT to last , don't trash it, and change the fluid every ~100k , pretty good chance it will last a reasonable time. That said, I bought a 2013 3.6R with the old 5 speed - primarily because I was on a budget so looking at higher K cars , and also for Offroad, where the 5 speed is pretty bullet proof, and allows quite a bit more low down power - basically just something I don't have to worry about , within reason (any transmission can fail after all - but the 5 speed Jatco is very sturdy) . PS the 3.6R is a gem of a motor . The problems noted for it (idler pulley's and oil leaks) are very insignificant. - Oil leaks don't happen for many Kms usually, espcially if serviced reasonably on time, and Idler pulleys are a 30min $10 fix if you press your own new bearings in ( or your mechanic does!) . I don't get the constant fuel consumption mention's for it either as a negative.. especially in the 'what goes wrong' segment? - it's a 3.6L port injection engine , in a 1600+KG car , with 'proper' AWD to boot. So of course it uses fuel , but no more than any other! (incl toyota's , holden, ford V6/I6s) . and PPS - Great , fair review overall. Not perfect, but do so much right. I'll find it hard to move on from an outback (this is our 2nd) as the daily/family truckster/roadtrip/light off-roader weapon of choice
Having owned the WRX with CVT I would be changing that fluid every 55 to 70,000km, I also had some issues with the CVT as well they extended my warranty on the CVT
Mom has had 3 cvts in a car with only 71k on it 2.5. She is in her 70s and they go out. .. I wonder if the fluid drained out of parts of the cvts as the car sits in the garage a lot.
Weird I'm guessing its a Nissan or Kia. I'm currently 430,XXXkm@@Wrang15 on my 2017 2.5 outback and the cvt is still going strong. Been doing fluid changes every 30k.
Loving the entire channel. Putting a request for used Skoda Superb or Octavia RS circa 2016-2021. Great work guys. Comprehensive advice, one if the best motoring channels I've seen. Please stop apologising for the audio. It's unnecessary, you guys are great.
I have owned 3 Subaru 1st 1999 Forster (500K on the clock still going like 1st day on the road ) 2nd 2006 Outback ( 300k ) and now a 2013 Outback Diesel, they are great cars, yes they have know falls but there have been very minor, As for the CVT in my 2013 been great, just one thing change the CVT oil at a Subaru dealer for just over $ 400 piece of mind no CVT oil last in a transmission. Other than that, I haveeen happy with all Subaruru's I have owned over time with 7.2 L/100ks local and 6.3 l/100ks highway driving and averages 950 to 1000 ks per tank on the diesel. I'm the second owner of this 2013 Outback still feel like it just come off the showroom floor.
I’ve had a 2016 3.6R since new. Love the car and can’t really see a reason to sell for anything else. It’s our everyday family car. Two kids in the back most of the time and very little wear and tear inside. I’ve even camped in the back myself with a little plywood sleeping platform. I have had the issues mentioned such as battery drain, and the air con blower motor failing twice already. Very comfy car that is honestly a joy to drive especially on longer trips. Just feel like I could drive it forever.
Thanks again Adam & Jim - I’ve owned 11 Subarus including a ‘96 Outback which was quite luxurious compared to my ‘81 Leone wagon or my ‘99 Liberty wagon - they’re just very good value for money compared to other makes and have amazing grip on the road in all weather conditions - I sold my ‘98 WRX hatchback to buy a house and still have an ‘06 Forester next to my Hilux as a runabout - I stopped buying Subarus when the problematic CVT was introduced - my last Subaru was a 2010 XT Turbo Forester which I quickly sold after discovering that the new 2008-13 ‘lamb chop’ piston arm/bearing was designed to reduce fuel consumption but inherently produced weakened offset stresses giving rise to many engine failures with rods and bearings.
Yes, the old stuff is better than the new stuff. When Subaru make a wagon that is an improvement on my ‘07 Liberty 3.0R I’ll buy it. Also, a proper Subaru has frameless door glass.
First thing I noticed with today's video was the lack of a 0-60kms and 60-100kms. Did you guys accidentally forget to add it to the video or are you dropping that bit from the videos from now on or can't I see for looking? Lol Stuff the ads on TV and online for Subaru at the moment they should pay you guys to do a bush ballad style ad like the safety features overview and they'd be selling them by the truck loads I think. This has given me a lot of food for thought as I know some people that are potentially looking at getting a new car and this might help them decide or not. Great video as always guys. Have a good weekend and look forward to next week's videos as per usual 👍.
I've got a 2016 3.6R - it's a peach of an engine to drive and it's been our daily for 80,000km's so far. Issues are: a gremlin who seems to jump from window to window and stops the windows rolling down temporarily, they always start working again so been hard to flag with our mechanic. Clear coat paint seems fragile, one door in particular seems to peel whenever anything lightly brushes it! And the plastic on the roof rail is garbage, really cheap and wavy looking. Agree the service intervals at 6 months are pretty short. We've get 9.8l/100km as a lifetime average and we're Sydney based, usual highway k's for school holidays but mostly runabout in town. I'm over 6 foot and I can attest the the low boot opening is annoying, I always hit my head on the hatch. Other than that I am hopeful we will not run into CVT drama that the internet has so much of an opinion about. I recently got my mechanic to do a fluid change even though Subaru say it's a lifetime fluid in there. I did not notice a change at all in how it drives and he said the fluid which came out was fine. I also thought it was interesting Jim said these are the worst CVTs... I thought Nissan's JATCO CVT would have taken that prize. There are certainly more videos of dead Nissan CVT's floating around but I realise that is not a good piece of evidence. Also worth noting that the 4 cylinders have a different CVT to the 6 cylinder but both are made by Subaru and yes, I guess they are still CVTs.
you can reset the oil dilution by following procedure , ignition on ,brake pedal on ,side light on ,rear demist on ,then off in turn , then back on ,then all off in turn . If you have caried this out correctly ,the glow plug light will flash . My Dpf gave me headaches ,and the injectors need reprograming every 6k ,or it rattles like a ba tard . Done 120k ,very happy with my outback ,going to get a newer one
Daniel my ears are so destroyed after 30 years of gigging, I’m not sure if my opinion would be worthy! We’ll try to make a few more comments about it but. - AK
I have a 2014 Outback with the 3.6L engine and the 5 speed automatic transmission, NOT the CVT. I bought it new in late 2013. It has 205,000 miles, I'm in the U.S., or 330,000 km for the rest of the world. Most of the miles are highway cruising. It gets fresh synthetic oil every 5-6 thousand miles, and full fluid replacement every 30-40 thousand miles. I did the spark plugs and brakes at 120,000 miles. The worst mechanical problem I've had was a broken horn button. It still runs like it is new. I have never owned a car, and I am 65 so I have owned quite a few cars, that has been more durable, reliable, capable, useful, and trouble free. I'm going for 300,000 miles. The problem is that Subaru no longer makes this car, except in name, so I can't buy another one. This one has to last.
Just ticked over 200k in my 2016 Diesel Outback today. Perfect long distance touring car on secondary roads. Comfortable as hell and quiet. Diesel can be problematic with DPF issues, mine is no exception. Done two windscreens, but rocks do that! Still tight and rattle free. 2.5 petrol would be the best.
Friend has 10yr old one and no issues with drivetrain that he has mentioned. Great on open road and not bad on fuel considering load carrying capabilities. Given how popular they are why haven't competitors tried to compete instead of making just another SUV. Mazda how about a jacked up Mazda6 with CX5 drivetrain? Saw UA-cam video on demise of wagon/estate in USA, only account for 1.7% of market now with Outback making majority of that, rest are expensive but nice high end euro wagons.
My second car was a Leone 2 door with the short chassis. Fk that thing was wicked, green n cream paint, trident mags n all. Was never road legal but travelled near enough the length of NZ. Screwed the cvs using 4wd all the time, as you do. Chur. These looks awesome, wish I had the cash for the new colours, the green and greys look sick.
In 2012 we cross shopped Subaru and Skoda. A mid spec liberty wagon to a base diesel Superb wagon. We bought the Skoda and have never regretted it. It had more cargo volume and a vast rear seat in comparison. 180,000 kilometres later and it has proved extremely reliable. One headlight globe, brakes at 165,000 and two batteries is all we've done outside of services.
Hey Adam - very surprised you didn’t come across the infotainment systems de-laminating, rendering them unusable… my work fleet are outback’s - at least two of those had to have replacements, as well as my wife’s car also needing it replaced. Thankfully Subaru replaced it for us, with only a $63 labour charge… however we had to wait over 6 months for it to arrive. Love them though!
Had a 2000 gen 2 2.5 auto. Amazing car. Had a 2013 gen 4 CVT diesel. Dpf issues, economical but bigger and just didn’t feel as good as the earlier one.
My parents had an 01 Limited, the 4 speed auto wasn't very fun but I loved the sound of the 2.5L engine. Had to let it go because of a headgasket issue (dad's fault for sending it uphill fully loaded...), though it gave us 220k's of service by the time we parted with it.
That Brown duco and Cream interior looks great. My best mates gen 4 2012 outback got to 400,000 before DPF and CVT issues. however it was a reps car in the city before so fair enough. He spent $1,500 on a replacement DPF and flushed the 'forever' CVT oil and it runs fine now. Keeping it for his daughter. Feels like a vault My work car is this model. in the video but Base with the 2.5. It cruises well - the CVT is much improved. secret to getting big kms is preemptive maintenance.
All I can say is mom's 2014 2.5 has 71k.. it's had 2 cvts put in it. Every thing maintained at the dealer. She is in her 70s so it's not beat on. It sits in a heated, humidity controlled garage most of the time. Goes really good in nasty weather too. Gets good mpg. 27 to 32 for a 10 year old car. Exaust rusted off at 60k.
Probably the fact "mum" throws the car from reverse into drive while still rolling backwards... that'll kill any CVT. It's never the drivers fault, only drivers behavior and ignorance!
@@peterlattimore6013 It says in the Outback manual that when rocking back and forth to get out of a ditch, you shouldn't rev the engine up and down, but rather keep it at a constant low rev and switch back and forth between drive and reverse. So even Subaru recommend going from reverse into drive while rolling backwards in certain situations, so it can't be that bad.
@vink6163 try doing that day in day out and then get back to me on the results... If only occasionally, sure, no issue, but if you're get stuck on a daily basis 🤔 I'd suggest a different vehicle.
@@peterlattimore6013 Fair point. I suppose that's another plus for electric drivetrains that I hadn't thought about before - they don't care what direction you run the motor in.
My wife's '17 3.6R premium(?) has been good outside of the cooling fans screws letting loose and the AC compressor failing. I like the motor and trans is OK for a CVT. Not as fun as my '02 WRX was but pretty good for a family wagon. Better than her previous '13 2.5L Outback. The only other problems are random failures of the back hatch to open. Don't buy it for fuel mileage.
I had the 2011 and one problem kept coming up it was the radiator.. every 8 months it was leaking had it replaced under warranty 3 times 😮 till I sold the car and the parts were more expensive than other cars I had. Design and practicality was very good 😊
Yes!! I'm so glad to see some reviews on wagons! Well, Subaru Australia may market the new Outback as a SUV now (and it's certainly become a pretty huge vehicle), but it'll always be a wagon in the hearts of its buyers.
Mate, we prefer to call wagons Carriages in Australia. And look apart from it being very expensive to replace the horse (some say they are less reliable than a CVT, but I disagree) and the aircon being a bit rubbish on a hot day, look, a wagon can be a good buy. There you got another wagon review.
I just purchased a 2016 OB 3.6r with 110k miles on it and the only weird issue is the CEL came on randomly and was probably the gas cap, that went away, seems to be a great car so far.
So yes the 16-19 Crosstrek Automatic transmission had major CVT issues. Rather than Issue a recall Subaru chose to extend the warranty and replace them without making updates to the transmission. So when you see people complain it’s not about your old 2010 cvt nor are they complaining about your manual sti. It’s a real issue that exists and seems to be more isolated with the crosstrek than it is with other models.
I had a Levorg and now a 2017 Outback Diesel. The Outback is not perfect , neither was the Levorg. I like the Outback. The only thing that Subaru can not do right are the front seats. With both the Levorg and now the Outback , I have to use a small pillow and get it firmly stuck where the back and the bottom of the seat joins. Otherwise , it just doesn't work for me.
Have had my 2016 3.6R since new in May 2016 has done just over 130,000km Mechanically have not had any major problems. The car was almost written off twice .. Once due to horendous hail damage but new boot, new bonnet new doors x 2 and a new roof... then full respray. Second time I lent it to a mate who was side=swiped whilst towing a boat at 100km/hr... Another new boot, another 2 new doors and new wheels. (Mate was fine luckilly) It still drives like new.|Regularly serviced by Subaru for 5 years then by local mechanic. Subaru declined to check CVT when asked before warranty ran out(5yr warranty) that was the last time they got the car to service.. Local mechanic has checked the CVT and all OK. I tow a 4.5 alloy boat with it and it pulls the boat with ease. Yes it is more thirsty than my Mazda 6 wagon but it never feels like the boat will pull it down the boat ramp.. I'll keep driving it having it regularly serviced till it dies.
I am from Norway and own 2.0 Diesel from 2015 which i purchased brand new. As of writing this it has 331'000km on it and the only problems I have had so far is 1x DPF (200'000km), 1x Exhaust "brake" valve about 250'000km, a couple of shock absorber bushings, one rear wheel bearing and now after 320'000km 1x EGR valve (solenoid problem) and the dynamo free clutch and belt tensioner. In addition to this one weakness of the Subaru is the CV joints, but except that this car has (for me) been near flawless. I have a steep and rough road to my home, after I started buying Subarus I never had any problems getting home. Other cars (even full 4WD) sometimes get stuck , but the Subaru gets me home everytime (exceptions are if my tires are badly worn of course). That being said - quite honestly: If my previous Subaru Forester 2005 model would have had individual breaking on every wheel, I think it would have been a much superior car to the 2015 outback when it comes to off road capability. To get the similar effect out of the 2015 you need to 1. Turn off anti-skid (ESP), 2. Put it in 1st gear (i Know it is as CVT, but do it anyway), 3. Enable X-mode. It is not perfect, but if you do these three things and have just a little bit of momentum this is the closest thing you get to a tractor... unlike the old 2005 model which IS a tractor ;)
I’ve had 2008 and 2011 2.5 litre Premium Touring Wagons, both bought second hand with about 100K on them. The 2011 had more problems than the 2008, the build quality was not as good and then it was in an accident and never the same again so I have gone to a 2016 Mazda 6 wagon. I miss the AWD occasionally but that’s about it, the Mazda does what I need it to do and it’s still enough fun to drive. The customer service from the Mazda dealer I go to for servicing is much better than any Subaru dealer I have experienced. Would I buy Subaru again? I’d never say never, but at this stage probably not.
Thank you this was very helpful. I have owned a car that had major CVT issues, cost me heaps over and over. So tis a No taking the Outback unfortunately off my list
A friend wanted one of these, found her a nice premium 4cyl. One of the issues I encountered was many of these are ex rental. Moral of the story, get the logbook, see who was the first owner.
@@melissabarrett9750 true. It’s a good place to start, I’m sure the ReDriven websites would already have this information, I haven’t read them as of yet
I would have thought, going by sheer volume of failures, that Nissan's CVT was much worse than Subaru's. They both suffer the same sort of problem though: "sealed for life" which is of course manufacturer speak for "sealed for the warranty period, then it shits itself."
Have a 2020 OB XT turbo onyX...73K miles...excellent...and it handles much better than an SUV,,,4 inches longer Wheel base than the Forester. No issues, other than the usual crappy info system. thanks.
Old stuff for sure… still driving my Liberty 3.0R Wagon ~200Km, and i’ll keep it as long as i can, i honestly just can’t find anything else that interests me, AWD, Wagon load space, the leather is still in great condition, sure it’s got the odd rattle these days, but it’s 20yrs old now. I’d love an outback 6cyl but i’m a little sceptical of the CVT.
I saw some Renault cars on the back in some of your videos . Please tell people to " never ever buy those". I am french, i know what i am talking about ! Vous faites d'excellentes videos très utiles, merci.
Some advice, I learned to my cost I did not remove the underbody plastic trays. On my VX they were full of crap and EVERY cable/brake pipe hanger was destroyed by rust, the factory rust protection was non existent. It's cost me a fortune. RUST! #ReDriven
I really like the Outback but that CVT put me off. I was cross shopping the Outback with a AWD CX-5 and decided that the Mazda would be better in the long term.
in Kenya, its a to go with sub SUV and man that thing is reliable..being a purist i`d vouch for a traditional auto trans more than a CVT bt anyway😁😁😁😁 the 2023 is a tank 😎😎😎😎
I'm in the US and 2 years ago bought a 2016 Outback wirh 112,356 mines (180,972km?). And it feels as solid as a brand new car. Now to talk my wife into a '90s Isuzu Vehicross
I own this thing and had a Lexus RX400h before. The Lexus was more quiet, stronger and comfy, but the Subaru is by far the best family car I ever owned. It combines all you need for a family car. And climbs snowy roads in the Swiss Alps, where I often am without any effort (no chance for the Lexus RX400h there).
@@nairolfnednilruz Thanks for the info. I'm in AU with no snow. We can get the 3.6. I had the H6 3.0 years ago before my 6.0 V8 wagon and it was great but a little small inside, thankfully they are bigger now. I love wagons, just so versatile. Think I'll take the 3.6 for a test drive.
@@nairolfnednilruz Oh, one more question. How smooth is the RX suspension compared to the Outback? I care more about a smooth ride these days, my old back disks like the closest thing to a cloud. My 2004 3.0 Outback was a bit firm thinking back.
I own a 2019 2.5 Premium in the UK. I’m really pleased with the car, it does have an annoying and occasional glitch with the tailgate - which occasionally refuses to open automatically with either key, handle on tailgate or button on dash - just beeps and flashes three times. The tailgate will force open by holding handle for 10 seconds- manually operated. There’s no logic to when this fault happens - occasional - making it difficult for the garage to repair, if the problem doesn’t occur. Anyone else have similar problem?
Nice review. I have the 2019 2.5 Outback. I love mine. Enjoyed your review. The only thing is that I think your steering wheel is on the wrong side but otherwise good ;)
Have had a 3.6R since 2016, and now 162000k on the clock. Loved every second in this car, and no issues at all. Love it so much that we’re transferring it to Tasmania for our holiday stay car, and buying our fourth Subaru, to sit next to our Prado caravan tower. Our six cylinder has a lifetime average of 9.3l/100 city and semi rural. On country roads we usually average 7.6. Love it, and the 12 speaker premium Harmon Kardon speaker system is lovely on long trips too.
I concur, owned a 3.6R for 6.5 years from new, 130,000km. Was faultless, just keep it serviced. Great car, if the new outback XT had been available at the time in Australia would have bought one. Not interested in the non turbo 4 cylinder so ended up buying a different brand.
@@angelapotter8332 The Gen5 3.6R is lighter and faster (and IMO rides better) then the Gen6 XT too! Holding onto my 3.6R for a handful more years longer I think - will wait to see what Gen7 offers.
My 3.6R just needed a gearbox rebuild at 170,000ks which cost me AU$5000
Plus other repairs on alternator etc at $2000
Other than that no real issues
I have a 2011 legacy 3.6r and im not giving it up but.... i have a 2.5 2017 outback and im totally getting rid of it before it hits 100k miles. The 2.5 is garbage.
My 2017 3.6r is like 11.2L/100kms (if driven conservatively) for city driving.
I bought a 2018 3.6r a couple of years ago, it’s never missed a beat and is as good and solid as the day I got it. No rattles, everything fits beautifully. I’m 30klm outside town on a farm with a fair bit of dirt in between, the outback doesn’t know the difference between dirt and tarmac, it just sticks like glue. It’s fast and direct to drive, I can’t recommend it enough…..
Very thorough and well researched video, nice work!
Subies have ALWAYS been maintenance sensitive (Our family has been through 8 of them since 1989 so far), so full service history is absolutely gold. Though you should ignore the Subaru stated service intervals for the CVT (Pretty much every service interval in the booklet says "Inspect". They basically won't touch anything or change the fluid until issues arise after which it's too late). Early (2010's or so) CVT units had issues with the main bearing and some valve body problems internally. The newer ones in these Outbacks have these issues ironed out, though obviously nothing is perfect. Get the transmission serviced and the fluid changed at the same intervals as a regular automatic. A Subaru specialist mechanic or suitably qualified auto transmission specialist can do this easily, just ensure they use the correct CVT fluid from Subaru. I was very sceptical, going from the 5 Speed Auto in my GT to the CVT in my Levorg, but I'd rate the Subaru CVT well above the Jatco junk box Nissan provides, though it too benefits from regular fluid changes.
Thanks for the video, I've been considering adding an Outback to our fleet :)
Very good review - honest and fairly thorough. I'm a Subaru Outback owner (I currently own 2 daily drivers, one with 111k miles and the other 183k miles) but the older generation (2010-2014). I've driven the newer generation (2015 -) and prefer my older vehicles; easily upgradeable entertainment systems, no wonky electronic safety nannies, original windscreens, no oil usage between scheduled maintenance periods. As for the CVTs (one of mine has the older unit without the faux "shift points" in the engine computer), it has been completely reliable over 183k miles with only drain/refills of the fluid every 50k miles. I previously owned a 2014 with the current FB-series engine and had the engine short block replaced under warranty due to the excessive oil consumption. This is a sign of the times with vehicles of all brands experiencing excessive oil consumption by using thinner viscosity oils and low-tension piston oil control rings to increase fuel mileage. My old EJ-series engines have no issues of this sort. Cheers, good video.
From europe and not even in the market for a car right now, but these videos are just so entertaining 😁
Had a 1993 Subaru Impreza (manual), after ticking over 620,000km I had to replace the starter motor. The interior was definitely getting a bit on the worn side, but mechanically it just kept going without issue. Upgraded to a 2014 Outback 2.5 which has been fine so far - but I honestly can’t imagine it coming close to matching the reliability of the old school Impreza.
Wow 620k is impressive
A lot of them are made in Japan entirely from Japanese produced parts, nuff said. I will pay 3000 extra for a Japanese assembled and produced car, so for me these are a great buy.
After owning one from 2011 I would get another one in a heartbeat. If they weren't so darn expensive.
The main lesson you need to learn when buying one: maintenance!
Keep up on your fluid changes, make sure to replace the gear oil, and diff oil on time and you will have a beast.
Absolutely. Not for penny pinchers. Toyota and Honda is cheaper to own, but they offer less practicality and poor AWD systems. I think Subaru's resale value almost beats theirs as well because of that. I always do oil changes, and I have done CVT transmission fluid changes every 30k miles. I have owned my 2012 Limited 2.5i since 2020, so 3 years, and for a 12 year old car, it holds up pretty well. All electronics work. The sunroof, navigation, backup camera, audio system, electric heaters, electric seats, and windows work. Also, haven't had any other issues related to mechanical. I probably will have to buy new tires and maybe replace the windshield wipers too. Other than that, nothing really went wrong and it is at 113,051 miles.
@@colechapman6976totally agree with you ! I have my third Outback at the moment for five years and nothing went wrong or broke down, normal service costs, that's it. Towing a trailer/caravan with it from 1500 kg,zero issue on gravel roads and in the mountains even in winter,only winter tires.
For me no better car for the money.....and I had many.
I purchased a 2016 3.6 a few months ago and don't regret my purchase at all. After a Carplay head unit upgrade and some cosmetic mods, this thing is shaping up to be a fantastic car! Great vid.
What head unit did you get?
Also enquiring about the head unit
Same, how is it
Other lesser-known features:
All pushbutton-start Subaru's (across all models, all years) can set a five digit PIN code on the tailgate to unlock the car without the fob. Good for rescuing trapped kids and pets without smashing a window, or deliberately locking your fob inside the car when you go to the beach so you don't lose it or the service key.
On the Gen5 Outback, you can change the colour of the combination meter rings from blue to one of about 15 or so other colours (red is reserved for EyeSight if equipped, and brown is reserved for indicating Manual Flappy Paddles mode). Sadly this feature was removed in Gen6.
2018-2020 (AU) Premium models got Adaptive Driving Beam (in addition to the Steering Responsive Headlights), also known in other brands as Matrix Headlights, where high beam can automatically turn on, but rather than be all on and all off, breaks the high beam up into three zones, so it only illuminates what is safe to do so via what the EyeSight cameras see. You can, for example, be following a vehicle and have high beam illuminating the left and right sides of the road, but there is a box of low beam tracking the vehicle in front. If an oncoming vehicle comes, the right zone will shutdown back to low beam, leaving just the left side in high beam, etc.
2018-2020 (AU) models received EyeSight 3.0 which switched the black and white cameras for colour cameras that can see and react to brake lights from other vehicles.
You can tell a 2.5 apart from a 3.6R by looking at the sideskirt. All 3.6's have a chrome sideskirt.
Now that should have featured in this video, done with a Slim Dusty voice. AK, addendum please.
The other way to spot a 3.6 is look for an exhaust pipe on each side, but really the exhaust is fairly well hidden on any recent Outback.
Where do you put the pin in?
@@pastorofmuppets8834 There's an extra button to the right of the tailgate release button. You use that to enter the PIN in, old-SMS style. The same button will also lock the car afterwards with a single press.
For sedans, the boot release button is also the PIN entry button.
@@fluffypuppy1040 They face downwards with no bumper cutout rather than backwards through a cutout in the bumper too.
Yay I've been waiting for this video. I have a 2017 Outback. My Subaru Mechanic has recommended that I change the CVT oil every 50,000km.
You do not need any tool to resett the oil dilution, after changing the oil youself on 2016 2.0 Diesel Premium,. I do the servicing on my XV car, same mechanics as Outback and Forrester, and have changed the oil every six months, and inbetween dealer services, when it was under warrenty and Subaru serviced it each year.
I can get over 60 mpg, and average 47mpg in Scotland in the Highlands. Also I can get 30mpg towing my caravan, although I do change the Havoline engine oil every six months to help keep the timing chain, (no timing belts in the diesels either), and engine clean inside.
Here is how to resett the oil dilution counter, and it does work:-
start engine
depress & hold brake pedal
turn heated rear window on
turn side lights on
turn heated rear window off
turn lights off
turn heated rear window on (again)
turn side lights on (again)
turn heated rear window off
turn side lights off
release brake
The glow plug light should blink for 5 seconds to confirm reset has been successful, Job done!
I have had the prop centre bearing fail, under warranty, a cast recirculation exhaust component crack, again under warranty and probably because I used to like driving through flooded roads too quickly. But now I know this can happen,(just behind front right wheel area, by thermal shock of cold water), so am more careful now.
Other than that it's as fast as a wrx 50 to 70 mph, but only there lol, and is the most economical yet with 350NM of torque, nicest cars I've ever driven. I'm just fitting 225/55R17 101H COOPER DISCOVERER ATT ALL TERRAIN 4X4 TYRES 2255517 to my winter wheels once refurbished.
I bought a 2016 3.6R during Covid (it was freighted from an auction in Melbourne). It has had no problems other than some wind noise in the driver side near the mirror. And the 3.6R can be seriously quick for a large-ish car.
I tried everything to find where that wind noise comes from. It's a little less intrusive when folding the mirrors in at speed, but obviously not ideal. Have taped the panel gaps up and entered from the passenger's side to see if it was there, but alas... conclusion, it's the shape of the side mirror, big boxy wind sail ... 3.6RS with 165k 2017 still going strong except a CVT showing wear groove at 1200rpm on coasting... Use ceratec oil additive and on long open road driving I'm getting 7.5 l/100
Really enjoyed the commentary from the mechanic. I typically purchase cars with around 100k miles on them so the commentary from the mechanic is exactly what I was looking for.
The modern Outbacks are NOT simply jacked up versions of Legacy Station wagons. That is their legacy and DNA, but they are now Outbacks from the new Universal Platform, which is a big deal and upgrade that you didn't even mention, making these newer cars the last 3-4 years depending on model, a lot more stiff and strong, and as I mentioned, the platform and Frame versions are redisigned from the ground up. And there are a lot more deep rooted differences. Of course we could use the word "essentially", but it is no longer true to say that these are just beefed up Legacy Wagons. I had One of those, and I had one of the first Outbacks, and several others. They are a different breed now, despite a lot of the obvious similarities by virtue of being Subaru's.
I brought a 2016 Outback last year after figuring out that paying $65k+ for a Pajero was a stupid idea. I paid $16k because it had some issues that I spent a weekend and about $800 to fix.
I hate to say it (I hate Boxer engines) but I don't regret the purchase at all. So comfortable to drive, so much room for family activities and so easy to work on.
Only issue I have yet to fix is I believe, the beginning of a front cover leak which is common on these engines, Subaru have just never figured out how much sealant to apply to anything.
The actual value for money though is spot on.
Yes its becoming a problem, not just for Subaru, a spec of dust, a fingerprint..couple years later...the lexus 3.5 motor has many issues with this. BTW average life exoectancy for the seal is 8 years 100,000 kms, so if you got near that, not so bad.
bought not brought
I've got a 18 Premium diesel. I live out of Canberra so most of my trips are at least 35 km. I have not had any DPF problems and the car now has about 140,000 km over its 5 years. It averages about 7.2 litres /100km around here and about 6.5 on a longer trip to Melbourne and back. The first set of tyres wore quickly so I had the wheel alignment checked and it was way out. I am very happy with our Subi. It is comfortable, quick enough and has tons of room for large model aeroplanes and camping equipment. Mike in Oz
The reason why you don’t have DPF issues is because you travel 35kms at highway speeds
@@alfstewart22 The diesels are definitely country cars. Not the least suited to mum's suburban taxi.
Just bought a 2018 base model, after a 2009 3.6R. So far, I am really enjoying the experience, reduced fuel cost, base level equipment is excellent, and simply the best CVT I have driven. Yes, I have less power, but most driving I do is around town and the newer car is smoother and nicer to drive daily. I had issues with the older car, probably due to previous owners not doing the correct preventive maintenance. Time will tell how this newer car will age, but I have bought it with lower milage and less age, so the maintenance and ageing well will be on me.
I just bought a 2010 Outback 3.6R nearly 2 weeks ago, drives like a new car and so comfortable, love it. This is my 5th Outback, 1998 till now
Hi! I own a 97 and I'm thinking on getting a 2013, would you recommend? Is there any difference you noticed? Or which one do you prefer the most in your experience? My 97 has no issues, I would just like a more modern look for city trips (I live in a small city, so for like bigger-cities trips)
2015 3.6R owner. No mechanical issues whatsoever. 6 monthly service is a pain but you get a reliable vehicle. Superb on the open road and very manageable around town. Tons of room inside. Engine is a gem, but the CVT whilst very smooth, dumbs it down. Eyesight on this model is pretty crude, but I believe it improved on later models. Still a great all-rounder. Cheap to insure, too.
any CVT issues so far? how many kms?
Owned 2 Outback’s and 3 Foresters. Never had oil or CVT issues. Frankly, if maintained, you will never have much issues at all. Currently have a 2018 3.6R and loving it.
I`ve had 4. That new car smile you get for the 1st few weeks when you get a fresh, not necessary new car, never leaves you with the Outback. They are intoxicating.
Bought 2015 prem 4 cylinder brand new - serviced on time, premium fuel etc
Wouldn't buy a new Subaru again with CVT...
Burnt oil
Short block replaced under warranty
Torque converter replaced
Transmission replaced 6 months after warranty expired cost 5k. Asked Subaru if they would cover it, answer was No.
Loved the space and wagon but wouldn't buy again after that experience.
Love the videos mate 👌
Same here!
Bought a 2018 outback 3.6r premium. Man this thing is adequately fast. Not supercar, but its very good. Overtaking is a breeze, engine never goes past 2-3k rpm. AC is also very good, cools the cabin fast, high beam assist is really helpful and the AWD is super good!
Only issue I had is that the Harman Kardon amplifier stopped working, the radio volume is very low. Dealership wants to charge me 2 grand for it.
I have a 2016 2.5 that I purchased new. So far I’ve driven 96,000 trouble free miles. It feels so solid, comfortable and safe. It never fails to get me through any weather or driving situation. I love this car.
Great Cars we bought a 3.6r new in 2017 it now has 120,000km on it with Zero issues, excellent car that’s great to drive👌
I don't like Outbacks but I really enjoy your content guys - getting more slick all the time and glad to see your views are going up all the time too!
Thanks so much mate. - AK
I’ve had 3 Outbacks, a 2012 Gen4 Premium diesel, a 2016 Gen5 2.5 Premium and presently a 2018 3.6R. The 3.6 is my favourite, yes it is thirsty in urban driving, but just better than a 2.5i which can struggle once loaded up. The diesel was good but they (or their DPF in particular) hate extended urban driving. Much better choice if you’re doing bulk highway km’s.
The main thing with Subarus is (1) being very particular about servicing them on-time, and (2) treating the CVT kindly i.e. not towing much. I just think they’re one of the best all-rounder vehicles you can buy. I’ve leased a VW Tiguan and RAV4 hybrid, both not bad, but with my own $$$ another Outback was a no-brainer.
Waiting now for Australia to get the new Outback Wilderness at last…..mm hmmm 🤔
2018 2.5 Outback owner,you should buy one ! This is my third one and never ever had any costs of problems,don't recognise the mentioned problems...... by the way the mechanic is wrong about the drive belt..... it's a chain,the earlier models do have a belt.
HI! A 97 owner here, looking to buy a 2013 2.5 outback, do you prefer the older versions or do you think it is worth the money to upgrade to a newer-ish car?
We have two Outbacks: 2021 Touring and a 2014 2.5i\. 2014 has over 200k (about 207k)--no real issues in the 10 years we've had it. 2021 is pretty good--the modern traction control is better than the 2014 and the bells and whistles aren't too annoying. They do eat batteries a bit--after 3 years with the auto engine start/stop the 2021 needed a replacement. The 2014 one has eaten a few batteries--say one every two or three years.
To answer your first question Adam the answer is no. If you asked me before I watched this video the answer would be yes but those mechanical and electrical issues puts the Outback in the not to buy category.
The Subaru's of the 80's and early 90's definitely were good vehicles. The wagons were quite popular for rural folk as they were a perfect mix of a car that could be driven in tricky conditions ie muddy wet unsealed roads. And the Brumby was a great little ute and if I had the space and time to do up one I'd buy one in a heartbeat.
Another thing I would like to mention is that here in Australia we have a consumer law that despite a vehicle being out of warranty, if the vehicle is still under a certain age and has been looked after, the manufacturer is obliged to fix, replace or make a refund.
Subaru agreed to replace the transmission for free for 2016 outback this year as the car was always serviced at Subaru dealers. Good well 👏
As an owner of a 2017 2D outback , as far as older being better than newer ; owned an earlier Gen 4 diesel ; my gen 5 - 2D was a fair step up in terms of ride ; handling and road feel etc etc
Only had issues with dpf filter ; but that can be managed once you know how .
Awesome cars
a V good review here btw
I still own my MY2004 Liberty Wagon GT since new. Done almost 250K kms. Replaced the dampers with Bilsteins and new front lower control arms recently. It's still a lot of fun to drive and it goes like a rocket - it's a mature person's WRX I'm told. No major issues with it. I really love the console cockpit, leather Momo steering and Recaro-like seats. I'll probably keep it until one of us fails first. I'm 70.
Awesome thank you. I know the CVT’s aren’t great. We have had ours for over 3yrs and it’s been great. Ours is a 2015 2.5i premium. Sat nav isn’t great.
My neighbors were serial Subaru buyers for decades.
They bought their first when they graduated college and owned them almost exclusively since around 1985.
They would sing their praises whenever the subject of automobiles came up.
Around 2000 or so each new one was more problematic than the one it replaced.
Multiple head gasket failures.
Oil and coolant leaks.
Transmission problems.
Leaks.
HVAC issues including a complete failure of the A/C while driving across Texas in summer in 43°C heat.
Their last Subaru was a Ascent which Subaru bought back under "LEMON LAW".
They now have a Toyota minivan and a Lexus SUV.
Mate, there is a TV show in that. Did they live on Ramsey St or were they more Summer Bay?
No one cares about the 'story' of your 'neighbors'.
@@ravingmad765that's when oil and coolant... become...good friends
I was getting my BRZ it’s first service the other day. While at the dealership a guy is absolutely going off because his cvt has failed after 70ks. The workshop guy was telling him the warranty probably won’t cover it. Good times, good times.
That's why you don't listen to the workshop guy - he doesn't care who pays. All cars have a legal requirement to be of reasonable durability in Australia - the warranty is actually not the most relevant factor there. The only caveat is that you need to have kept up with the servicing schedule. If your transmission claps out at 70k, you can have it replaced by citing consumer law at your relevant tribunal. It's worth hiring a solicitor to make sure it's handled properly, but 70k for a transmission is a slam-dunk with at any civil administrative tribunal. The sad part is, so many people are unaware of this, and end up paying for it.
Bought a 2015 Outback 2.5i to do a lot of dirt roads, game reserves, some 4x4 trails and rural parts ("Hey look, no bridge.") of South Africa, as well as long distance road travel. It's half the cost to buy (used) and to drive (9.2ltr/100km sounds about right) compared to a Hilux, Fortuner, Pajero, etc. Doesn't load as much as trucks (bakkies) do of course. Enough clearance and good AWD offroad, comfortable long-distance drive on-road. Plenty space for kid's seats, strollers, etc. Mechanically okay to good, not perfect, having replaced timing belt, radiator, all four tires because of the AWD when one goes bust, broken windscreen, etc. between 100-150.000km. Parts are moderately expensive. I recommend this car as value for money and a great, true crossover between urban and offroad.
I’m in the US loving my second Outback, a 2013 2.5i. It definitely has the oil problem- for most of the time I’ve had it, it would need a quart added around every 1000 miles. Recently it started dropping quickly to about every 300 miles. I am currently undergoing an oil consumption test and I expect I will be replacing the engine. My car is a 6MT and I’ve taken good care of it, so another engine hurts but makes sense since I doubt I could find another 6MT as good as this one. I’m in it for the long haul. This car is so versatile, and fun to drive. And MT just isn’t available so $6-7k USD keeps me on the road and out of the showrooms for years to come, Lord willing.
Bought a new MY15 3.6R to replace a MY06 GT specB Liberty wagon. Miss the Liberty, but love the 3.6R. Apart from regular maintenance, we've replaced a clockspring and the volume controls on the steering wheel are a bit dodgy now. Even managed to get it bogged once going a bit off road😅 Love it!
My workplace has 2 of these. A few issues we've noticed:
- The Eye Sight system can be a bit of an annoying backseat driver. The amount of times it alerts me of an imminent collision is ridiculous. You only have to prod (and I mean very briefly) the throttle with another car in front of you and it will go nuts. Also thinks you're going to drive into walls in car parks with right angle corners. Lastly if it rains. The Eye Sight sometimes can't see and cruise control shuts down. I've had to drive 100's of kms on a trip before with no cruise, because it simply refused to work in anything more than light rain.
We've got different infotainment systems in both our vehicles (one had a special edition upgrade package) and both of them have played up badly. The smaller screen unit has had multiple updates due to it regularly just freezing the screen or not displaying the full radio interface. The larger unit has started spontaneously generating key presses, and is delaminating, causing all sorts of mayhem. We have been waiting months now for it to be replaced, and Subaru insisted that they needed to see the serial number of the unit (which required pulling it out no less) before they could order another one!
-I noted the model on review had a rubber boot liner, which I would strongly recommend, as the boot floor is utter crap. The forwardmost section is a separate piece which is just a flimsy piece with cardboard like backing and a few clips holding it. We've managed to ruin both of these from loading equipment in and out. Something the old VF Commodores never had an issue with.
Cargo barriers take up a lot of the boot space and forget about using it in the forward position with the rear seats down, as the setup is an utter joke.
Lastly, the boot height is way too low. I personally own a '07 Liberty GT-B wagon, which is much closer to the ground, yet has way more head room with the boot open. I'm 178cm and my head touches the lid on the Outback.
They've otherwise been reliable machines. Not stunning in any way. Not a lot of power, but they don't struggle either. I do wish the lower models had a tilt adjustment for the seat base though.
Own one of this since new from 2016 as the family car. It travels 80k already. Heard the cvt solenoids will go bad on early BS9 with miles but completely fine in our one.
I installed several JDM Subaru option and I strongly recommend the 'mirror auto folding system'. In normal Outback the mirror will not work after the engine was shut. With this option installed the mirror will fold itself when the car was locked.
Fun facts, this models shares a lot of parts with certain Toyota models. For example, the outside handels and ac filters are the same with S200 Crowns. I will retro fit a smart handle to the rear doors so we don't need to unlock from the front doors.
Any chance for link etc to parts,description of this upgrades??
@@user-uq7io2os3r I'm planning to make videos as tutorials but I don't know when :(
Re: “the cvts in these are arguably the most unreliable of all the cvts on the market………”
For once, I’ll disagree. My 3 essential ways to avoid big repair costs are: -
1. Preventative CVT fluid change is essential. Makes for smoother operation too.
2. Yes, a couple of solenoids like to fail. Pretty easy to replace at an independent specialist. Warning: Dealers & some ‘by-the book’ places replace the whole valve body (cost will make your eye's water), when only simple solenoids and a good service was necessary.
3. Don’t tow ‘heavy’ or often. There’s lots more suitable vehicles for towing.
dont now about most unreliable in the market, as far as i heard that goes to nissan.. ive seen at least a few subaru cvts shit themselves for no reason with like 50000 miles, but at that point cars were mostly under warranty and subaru paid for a new gearbox
loving these videos on more versatile cars, more reviews on wagons please!! 🔥🔥🔥 especially the Toyota crown Estate Athlete V
They were never sold in Australia unfortunately, nice car
@@daweigo6851 There's been a fair few Japanese import-only car reviews on the channel already, and you can buy grey imports on the used market here, so it's not an inappropriate request. ^^ I'm actually a big fan of the Toyota Caldina myself and would love to see a review on that. I actually saw one a couple of weeks ago!
I own 2018 3.6 R is good. I can’t complain. I pulled the trailer that Car never let me down. It’s solid and reliable. Of course I change the oil I look after that. And if I had a chance, I’ll buy the other one.
The cvt in the 3.6r is a heavy duty one compared to the 2.5. Never had a problem with mine.
I am loving my Outback XT sport. The turbo gives it oomph. The ride is smooth. The interior is very nice. It is quiet. Because of the turbo the engine isn't struggling.
As a current owner of a 2017 diesel, I love this review. Unfortunately, the CVT, in my own opinion, has been the weak link in this vehicle. This is my wife's daily drive and the vehicle we tour with. It is so comfortable to tour in. This was our first Subaru and potentially our last as it has limited towing ability for our next stage of life with a larger caravan. We currently tow a small van with the Outback, and the diesel is a great option. The CVT was serviced around 80K, and it now has 98K. We have the car serviced by Subaru and plan to keep it until about 160K, so I hope the CVT holds out. We have had no issues with the DPF as my wife regularly does a DPF burn off.
If you couls get the manual diesel you would be surprised how good at towing it is. Its underrated on purpose. Braked caravan or big trailer with load can easily towed quite far above subarus conservative specs.
LOVE my 2017 3.6R.
Had it over a year, done 30,000km (bought at 55,000) and only had a windscreen replaced (also did $9k worth of collision damage but that wasn't the car's fault!), otherwise it's never missed a beat. Plan on owning it for many years to come yet - with the caveat that I try to be religious with the maintenance and have it seen regularly (10,000kms) by professionals, I barely touch it myself.
I upgraded from 2004 3.0R, which I was also VERY fond of. Had it 5 years, bought at 80,000km and sold a bit over 170,000km, that one also gave me virtually no trouble right up to the end, only sold it because I didn't want it in my driveway with that mileage, just in case it started costing me.
Personally I don't think there's anything on the road that drives much better than a 6 cly Outback. Love the power (without being ridiculous), love the handling & driving feel, love the practicality, love the comfort. Don't love the ongoing servicing costs or fuel consumption, but to me it's worth the expense to get to drive a car that good every day.
If you want your CVT to last , don't trash it, and change the fluid every ~100k , pretty good chance it will last a reasonable time. That said, I bought a 2013 3.6R with the old 5 speed - primarily because I was on a budget so looking at higher K cars , and also for Offroad, where the 5 speed is pretty bullet proof, and allows quite a bit more low down power - basically just something I don't have to worry about , within reason (any transmission can fail after all - but the 5 speed Jatco is very sturdy) . PS the 3.6R is a gem of a motor . The problems noted for it (idler pulley's and oil leaks) are very insignificant. - Oil leaks don't happen for many Kms usually, espcially if serviced reasonably on time, and Idler pulleys are a 30min $10 fix if you press your own new bearings in ( or your mechanic does!) . I don't get the constant fuel consumption mention's for it either as a negative.. especially in the 'what goes wrong' segment? - it's a 3.6L port injection engine , in a 1600+KG car , with 'proper' AWD to boot. So of course it uses fuel , but no more than any other! (incl toyota's , holden, ford V6/I6s) . and PPS - Great , fair review overall. Not perfect, but do so much right. I'll find it hard to move on from an outback (this is our 2nd) as the daily/family truckster/roadtrip/light off-roader weapon of choice
Having owned the WRX with CVT I would be changing that fluid every 55 to 70,000km, I also had some issues with the CVT as well they extended my warranty on the CVT
Mom has had 3 cvts in a car with only 71k on it 2.5. She is in her 70s and they go out. .. I wonder if the fluid drained out of parts of the cvts as the car sits in the garage a lot.
Weird I'm guessing its a Nissan or Kia. I'm currently 430,XXXkm@@Wrang15 on my 2017 2.5 outback and the cvt is still going strong. Been doing fluid changes every 30k.
Loving the entire channel. Putting a request for used Skoda Superb or Octavia RS circa 2016-2021. Great work guys. Comprehensive advice, one if the best motoring channels I've seen. Please stop apologising for the audio. It's unnecessary, you guys are great.
Thanks so much for the kind words!
We’ve got some Skodas at the very top of our list!
@@ReDriven Sweet, can't wait!
I have owned 3 Subaru 1st 1999 Forster (500K on the clock still going like 1st day on the road ) 2nd 2006 Outback ( 300k ) and now a 2013 Outback Diesel, they are great cars, yes they have know falls but there have been very minor, As for the CVT in my 2013 been great, just one thing change the CVT oil at a Subaru dealer for just over $ 400 piece of mind no CVT oil last in a transmission. Other than that, I haveeen happy with all Subaruru's I have owned over time with 7.2 L/100ks local and 6.3 l/100ks highway driving and averages 950 to 1000 ks per tank on the diesel. I'm the second owner of this 2013 Outback still feel like it just come off the showroom floor.
I’ve had a 2016 3.6R since new. Love the car and can’t really see a reason to sell for anything else. It’s our everyday family car. Two kids in the back most of the time and very little wear and tear inside. I’ve even camped in the back myself with a little plywood sleeping platform. I have had the issues mentioned such as battery drain, and the air con blower motor failing twice already. Very comfy car that is honestly a joy to drive especially on longer trips. Just feel like I could drive it forever.
Thanks again Adam & Jim - I’ve owned 11 Subarus including a ‘96 Outback which was quite luxurious compared to my ‘81 Leone wagon or my ‘99 Liberty wagon - they’re just very good value for money compared to other makes and have amazing grip on the road in all weather conditions - I sold my ‘98 WRX hatchback to buy a house and still have an ‘06 Forester next to my Hilux as a runabout - I stopped buying Subarus when the problematic CVT was introduced - my last Subaru was a 2010 XT Turbo Forester which I quickly sold after discovering that the new 2008-13 ‘lamb chop’ piston arm/bearing was designed to reduce fuel consumption but inherently produced weakened offset stresses giving rise to many engine failures with rods and bearings.
I don't think the EJ engines had that asymmetrical rods. That was for the FA series
@@santouchesantouche2873 OK thanks SS - looks like my mechanic had an agenda then when he bought it off me.
@@johnnumbat9782 Ooft I think you may have busted him. Time to find a new mechanic methinks...
Yes, the old stuff is better than the new stuff. When Subaru make a wagon that is an improvement on my ‘07 Liberty 3.0R I’ll buy it. Also, a proper Subaru has frameless door glass.
First thing I noticed with today's video was the lack of a 0-60kms and 60-100kms. Did you guys accidentally forget to add it to the video or are you dropping that bit from the videos from now on or can't I see for looking? Lol
Stuff the ads on TV and online for Subaru at the moment they should pay you guys to do a bush ballad style ad like the safety features overview and they'd be selling them by the truck loads I think.
This has given me a lot of food for thought as I know some people that are potentially looking at getting a new car and this might help them decide or not.
Great video as always guys. Have a good weekend and look forward to next week's videos as per usual 👍.
Heya mate!!!
No performance times thanks to bloody Sydney traffic. - AK
@@ReDriven good thing it wasn't during the Newcastle 500 then lol 😆
I've got a 2016 3.6R - it's a peach of an engine to drive and it's been our daily for 80,000km's so far. Issues are: a gremlin who seems to jump from window to window and stops the windows rolling down temporarily, they always start working again so been hard to flag with our mechanic. Clear coat paint seems fragile, one door in particular seems to peel whenever anything lightly brushes it! And the plastic on the roof rail is garbage, really cheap and wavy looking. Agree the service intervals at 6 months are pretty short. We've get 9.8l/100km as a lifetime average and we're Sydney based, usual highway k's for school holidays but mostly runabout in town. I'm over 6 foot and I can attest the the low boot opening is annoying, I always hit my head on the hatch. Other than that I am hopeful we will not run into CVT drama that the internet has so much of an opinion about. I recently got my mechanic to do a fluid change even though Subaru say it's a lifetime fluid in there. I did not notice a change at all in how it drives and he said the fluid which came out was fine. I also thought it was interesting Jim said these are the worst CVTs... I thought Nissan's JATCO CVT would have taken that prize. There are certainly more videos of dead Nissan CVT's floating around but I realise that is not a good piece of evidence. Also worth noting that the 4 cylinders have a different CVT to the 6 cylinder but both are made by Subaru and yes, I guess they are still CVTs.
My 2017 Outback is awesome!..very happy with it!
you can reset the oil dilution by following procedure , ignition on ,brake pedal on ,side light on ,rear demist on ,then off in turn , then back on ,then all off in turn . If you have caried this out correctly ,the glow plug light will flash . My Dpf gave me headaches ,and the injectors need reprograming every 6k ,or it rattles like a ba tard . Done 120k ,very happy with my outback ,going to get a newer one
Love your work lads, would still love to grab a few second thoughts on the audio system, especially with a musicians ears!
Daniel my ears are so destroyed after 30 years of gigging, I’m not sure if my opinion would be worthy!
We’ll try to make a few more comments about it but. - AK
I have a 2014 Outback with the 3.6L engine and the 5 speed automatic transmission, NOT the CVT. I bought it new in late 2013. It has 205,000 miles, I'm in the U.S., or 330,000 km for the rest of the world. Most of the miles are highway cruising. It gets fresh synthetic oil every 5-6 thousand miles, and full fluid replacement every 30-40 thousand miles. I did the spark plugs and brakes at 120,000 miles. The worst mechanical problem I've had was a broken horn button. It still runs like it is new. I have never owned a car, and I am 65 so I have owned quite a few cars, that has been more durable, reliable, capable, useful, and trouble free. I'm going for 300,000 miles. The problem is that Subaru no longer makes this car, except in name, so I can't buy another one. This one has to last.
Just ticked over 200k in my 2016 Diesel Outback today. Perfect long distance touring car on secondary roads. Comfortable as hell and quiet. Diesel can be problematic with DPF issues, mine is no exception. Done two windscreens, but rocks do that! Still tight and rattle free. 2.5 petrol would be the best.
Friend has 10yr old one and no issues with drivetrain that he has mentioned. Great on open road and not bad on fuel considering load carrying capabilities. Given how popular they are why haven't competitors tried to compete instead of making just another SUV. Mazda how about a jacked up Mazda6 with CX5 drivetrain?
Saw UA-cam video on demise of wagon/estate in USA, only account for 1.7% of market now with Outback making majority of that, rest are expensive but nice high end euro wagons.
My second car was a Leone 2 door with the short chassis. Fk that thing was wicked, green n cream paint, trident mags n all. Was never road legal but travelled near enough the length of NZ. Screwed the cvs using 4wd all the time, as you do. Chur.
These looks awesome, wish I had the cash for the new colours, the green and greys look sick.
In 2012 we cross shopped Subaru and Skoda. A mid spec liberty wagon to a base diesel Superb wagon.
We bought the Skoda and have never regretted it. It had more cargo volume and a vast rear seat in comparison.
180,000 kilometres later and it has proved extremely reliable. One headlight globe, brakes at 165,000 and two batteries is all we've done outside of services.
Hey Adam - very surprised you didn’t come across the infotainment systems de-laminating, rendering them unusable… my work fleet are outback’s - at least two of those had to have replacements, as well as my wife’s car also needing it replaced. Thankfully Subaru replaced it for us, with only a $63 labour charge… however we had to wait over 6 months for it to arrive. Love them though!
Had a 2000 gen 2 2.5 auto. Amazing car. Had a 2013 gen 4 CVT diesel. Dpf issues, economical but bigger and just didn’t feel as good as the earlier one.
My parents had an 01 Limited, the 4 speed auto wasn't very fun but I loved the sound of the 2.5L engine. Had to let it go because of a headgasket issue (dad's fault for sending it uphill fully loaded...), though it gave us 220k's of service by the time we parted with it.
That Brown duco and Cream interior looks great.
My best mates gen 4 2012 outback got to 400,000 before DPF and CVT issues. however it was a reps car in the city before so fair enough. He spent $1,500 on a replacement DPF and flushed the 'forever' CVT oil and it runs fine now. Keeping it for his daughter. Feels like a vault
My work car is this model. in the video but Base with the 2.5. It cruises well - the CVT is much improved. secret to getting big kms is preemptive maintenance.
All I can say is mom's 2014 2.5 has 71k.. it's had 2 cvts put in it. Every thing maintained at the dealer. She is in her 70s so it's not beat on. It sits in a heated, humidity controlled garage most of the time. Goes really good in nasty weather too. Gets good mpg. 27 to 32 for a 10 year old car. Exaust rusted off at 60k.
Probably the fact "mum" throws the car from reverse into drive while still rolling backwards... that'll kill any CVT. It's never the drivers fault, only drivers behavior and ignorance!
That’s because at 70k, a subaru is usually near the end of its lifespan
@@peterlattimore6013 It says in the Outback manual that when rocking back and forth to get out of a ditch, you shouldn't rev the engine up and down, but rather keep it at a constant low rev and switch back and forth between drive and reverse. So even Subaru recommend going from reverse into drive while rolling backwards in certain situations, so it can't be that bad.
@vink6163 try doing that day in day out and then get back to me on the results... If only occasionally, sure, no issue, but if you're get stuck on a daily basis 🤔 I'd suggest a different vehicle.
@@peterlattimore6013 Fair point. I suppose that's another plus for electric drivetrains that I hadn't thought about before - they don't care what direction you run the motor in.
My wife's '17 3.6R premium(?) has been good outside of the cooling fans screws letting loose and the AC compressor failing. I like the motor and trans is OK for a CVT. Not as fun as my '02 WRX was but pretty good for a family wagon. Better than her previous '13 2.5L Outback. The only other problems are random failures of the back hatch to open. Don't buy it for fuel mileage.
I had the 2011 and one problem kept coming up it was the radiator.. every 8 months it was leaking had it replaced under warranty 3 times 😮 till I sold the car and the parts were more expensive than other cars I had. Design and practicality was very good 😊
Yes!! I'm so glad to see some reviews on wagons!
Well, Subaru Australia may market the new Outback as a SUV now (and it's certainly become a pretty huge vehicle), but it'll always be a wagon in the hearts of its buyers.
Mate, we prefer to call wagons Carriages in Australia. And look apart from it being very expensive to replace the horse (some say they are less reliable than a CVT, but I disagree) and the aircon being a bit rubbish on a hot day, look, a wagon can be a good buy. There you got another wagon review.
@@ravingmad765 I can say I've now been sassed in ReDriven comments for liking both SUVs and now wagons. Thank you for this.
@@rexthesheep LOL I'm a wagon fan too mate.
@@ravingmad765 Yeah i'm laughing with you just to be clear.
2015 3.6 owner here. Sell your diesel ute and get this car. You will not regret it. They are awesome!
Own a 2015 Subaru Outback premium 227,000 Mi no issues best car I've ever owned
I just purchased a 2016 OB 3.6r with 110k miles on it and the only weird issue is the CEL came on randomly and was probably the gas cap, that went away, seems to be a great car so far.
Im looking into buying one exactly like yours. Curious what gas mileage do you get
So yes the 16-19 Crosstrek Automatic transmission had major CVT issues. Rather than Issue a recall Subaru chose to extend the warranty and replace them without making updates to the transmission. So when you see people complain it’s not about your old 2010 cvt nor are they complaining about your manual sti. It’s a real issue that exists and seems to be more isolated with the crosstrek than it is with other models.
I have had 3 subarus.... reliability and getting parts is making this no longer an option in South Africa
I had a Levorg and now a 2017 Outback Diesel. The Outback is not perfect , neither was the Levorg. I like the Outback. The only thing that Subaru can not do right are the front seats. With both the Levorg and now the Outback , I have to use a small pillow and get it firmly stuck where the back and the bottom of the seat joins. Otherwise , it just doesn't work for me.
Have had my 2016 3.6R since new in May 2016 has done just over 130,000km
Mechanically have not had any major problems.
The car was almost written off twice .. Once due to horendous hail damage but new boot, new bonnet new doors x 2 and a new roof... then full respray.
Second time I lent it to a mate who was side=swiped whilst towing a boat at 100km/hr... Another new boot, another 2 new doors and new wheels. (Mate was fine luckilly)
It still drives like new.|Regularly serviced by Subaru for 5 years then by local mechanic.
Subaru declined to check CVT when asked before warranty ran out(5yr warranty) that was the last time they got the car to service..
Local mechanic has checked the CVT and all OK.
I tow a 4.5 alloy boat with it and it pulls the boat with ease.
Yes it is more thirsty than my Mazda 6 wagon but it never feels like the boat will pull it down the boat ramp..
I'll keep driving it having it regularly serviced till it dies.
I am from Norway and own 2.0 Diesel from 2015 which i purchased brand new. As of writing this it has 331'000km on it and the only problems I have had so far is 1x DPF (200'000km), 1x Exhaust "brake" valve about 250'000km, a couple of shock absorber bushings, one rear wheel bearing and now after 320'000km 1x EGR valve (solenoid problem) and the dynamo free clutch and belt tensioner. In addition to this one weakness of the Subaru is the CV joints, but except that this car has (for me) been near flawless. I have a steep and rough road to my home, after I started buying Subarus I never had any problems getting home. Other cars (even full 4WD) sometimes get stuck , but the Subaru gets me home everytime (exceptions are if my tires are badly worn of course).
That being said - quite honestly: If my previous Subaru Forester 2005 model would have had individual breaking on every wheel, I think it would have been a much superior car to the 2015 outback when it comes to off road capability. To get the similar effect out of the 2015 you need to 1. Turn off anti-skid (ESP), 2. Put it in 1st gear (i Know it is as CVT, but do it anyway), 3. Enable X-mode. It is not perfect, but if you do these three things and have just a little bit of momentum this is the closest thing you get to a tractor... unlike the old 2005 model which IS a tractor ;)
In my youth hitched alot in Norway (E6 ), so easy to camp. Greetings from Australia.
Totally agree with you RE buttons.
I’ve had 2008 and 2011 2.5 litre Premium Touring Wagons, both bought second hand with about 100K on them. The 2011 had more problems than the 2008, the build quality was not as good and then it was in an accident and never the same again so I have gone to a 2016 Mazda 6 wagon. I miss the AWD occasionally but that’s about it, the Mazda does what I need it to do and it’s still enough fun to drive. The customer service from the Mazda dealer I go to for servicing is much better than any Subaru dealer I have experienced. Would I buy Subaru again? I’d never say never, but at this stage probably not.
It would be great if you can find a first or second generation Outback to review, just to compare with this one.
Working on exactly that mate. - AK
I have had 4 Subaru outback’s now 2015 and beyond. All great no issues.
Thank you this was very helpful. I have owned a car that had major CVT issues, cost me heaps over and over. So tis a No taking the Outback unfortunately off my list
A friend wanted one of these, found her a nice premium 4cyl. One of the issues I encountered was many of these are ex rental. Moral of the story, get the logbook, see who was the first owner.
Surely that goes for all used vehicles...
@@melissabarrett9750 true. It’s a good place to start, I’m sure the ReDriven websites would already have this information, I haven’t read them as of yet
Subaru cvts worse than the Nissan ones? I find that hard to believe
That's just a completely false statement, plain and simple.
Always a good day when these guys put out a new video 😃
I would have thought, going by sheer volume of failures, that Nissan's CVT was much worse than Subaru's.
They both suffer the same sort of problem though: "sealed for life" which is of course manufacturer speak for "sealed for the warranty period, then it shits itself."
You thought correctly.
Have a 2020 OB XT turbo onyX...73K miles...excellent...and it handles much better than an SUV,,,4 inches longer Wheel base than the Forester. No issues, other than the usual crappy info system. thanks.
Old stuff for sure… still driving my Liberty 3.0R Wagon ~200Km, and i’ll keep it as long as i can, i honestly just can’t find anything else that interests me, AWD, Wagon load space, the leather is still in great condition, sure it’s got the odd rattle these days, but it’s 20yrs old now. I’d love an outback 6cyl but i’m a little sceptical of the CVT.
I saw some Renault cars on the back in some of your videos . Please tell people to " never ever buy those". I am french, i know what i am talking about ! Vous faites d'excellentes videos très utiles, merci.
Some advice, I learned to my cost I did not remove the underbody plastic trays. On my VX they were full of crap and EVERY cable/brake pipe hanger was destroyed by rust, the factory rust protection was non existent. It's cost me a fortune. RUST! #ReDriven
I really like the Outback but that CVT put me off. I was cross shopping the Outback with a AWD CX-5 and decided that the Mazda would be better in the long term.
I have a 2005 Outback XT manual with a 1” (254mm) lift and Method rims with Falken AT tires.
in Kenya, its a to go with sub SUV and man that thing is reliable..being a purist i`d vouch for a traditional auto trans more than a CVT bt anyway😁😁😁😁 the 2023 is a tank 😎😎😎😎
"Life's Filth" is my new band name.
I'm in the US and 2 years ago bought a 2016 Outback wirh 112,356 mines (180,972km?). And it feels as solid as a brand new car.
Now to talk my wife into a '90s Isuzu Vehicross
I own this thing and had a Lexus RX400h before. The Lexus was more quiet, stronger and comfy, but the Subaru is by far the best family car I ever owned. It combines all you need for a family car. And climbs snowy roads in the Swiss Alps, where I often am without any effort (no chance for the Lexus RX400h there).
What was wrong with the RX400h power wise? I thought they had heaps. I'm actually considering the 3.6 outback or a 2020 RX450h.
@@nairolfnednilruz Thanks for the info. I'm in AU with no snow. We can get the 3.6. I had the H6 3.0 years ago before my 6.0 V8 wagon and it was great but a little small inside, thankfully they are bigger now. I love wagons, just so versatile. Think I'll take the 3.6 for a test drive.
@@nairolfnednilruz Oh, one more question. How smooth is the RX suspension compared to the Outback? I care more about a smooth ride these days, my old back disks like the closest thing to a cloud. My 2004 3.0 Outback was a bit firm thinking back.
I own a 2019 2.5 Premium in the UK. I’m really pleased with the car, it does have an annoying and occasional glitch with the tailgate - which occasionally refuses to open automatically with either key, handle on tailgate or button on dash - just beeps and flashes three times. The tailgate will force open by holding handle for 10 seconds- manually operated.
There’s no logic to when this fault happens - occasional - making it difficult for the garage to repair, if the problem doesn’t occur.
Anyone else have similar problem?
Nice review. I have the 2019 2.5 Outback. I love mine. Enjoyed your review. The only thing is that I think your steering wheel is on the wrong side but otherwise good ;)