I went to buy myself a Forester and ended up with an Outback. After trying the Forester, the second I sat in the Outback, I knew it would be far more comfortable seating for long drives. During several hour drives I start to cramp up, and the Outback seats support your whole body, whereas the Forester was more like sitting on a chair.
Just changed to Outback Wilderness and I love it! Love the big touch screen - takes no time to become intuitive. It's quiet and a very smooth ride and I really love all the safety features. My husband and kids say it's the most spacious and comfy car I've had (Q7 and GL450). The offroad capabilities are fab. I'm happy to have something I can really rely on in the bad winter weather.
it appears Toyota and Subaru are sharing more car features than people really know, or they let on. That 11.9" screen is almost exactly the same one in the Toyota Prius Prime Limited. (and it is now well known that Toyota and Subaru teamed up on the new All electric cars bZ4x and Solterra), so i guess the above may not be that surprising.
I've been driving used Subaru Outbacks for 17 years ( 2001, 2010, 2016 ). Just bought my very first brand new car, 2022 Subaru Forester Wilderness. This is a fantastic car and will do everything and take me everywhere I want to go.
I did choose the Outback XT Touring over the other vehicles. I deal with the screen quirks and we love the car. The ride is far superior to the Toyota and CR-V and the Forester is underpowered. If the Forester had the Turbo we would have probably bought that instead. We have no regrets.
I chose the Outback Wilderness over the Rav4, CRV, and Forester. As a matter of fact, I came to my Subaru dealership looking to purchase a Forester. After sitting in both vehicles and driving around the dealership, I picked the Outback. Why? Overall better value. I drove both vehicles and let me tell you, the Turbo is a must. Strong acceleration and quick off the line. Real punchy yet suprisingly smooth over bumps and potholes. Outback has the much better passenger and rear space. I agree that the infotainment system is a bit too much digital screen and not enough buttons and knobs for simple tasks. The Outback Wilderness is such a good-looking car though with the gold accents, raised platform, gorgeous AT black Wheels, like it or hate it black cladding around the vehicle, Led headlights and foglights, and large strong roof rails that can hold a tent and 4 adults. The vehicle just makes you want to climb in and drive it straight to the mountain. Just my humble opinion. Oh, the other vehicles in my family are the Lexus GX460, Jeep Wrangler 4x4 Unlimited Sahara, Porsche Macan S, and the classic Lexus SC430 convertible.
Wonders of a proper wagon bodystyle vs suvs and crossover which are closer to just lifted hatchbacks. Forester is barely more spacious than Crosstrek for instance. Its just more boxy and taller but pretty much same dimensions otherwise. Outback is legitimately bigger where it matters especially bootspace wise.
For a number of years I thought that once I sold or gave my car to my son that I would for sure buy an Outback. But, the Forester has evolved over the years to make it more compatible with the Outback, but with its own flair and strengths, and I also wanted more of a utilitarian, no-nonsense cross-over SUV that is the Forester, so that's what I bought last week and am loving it!
I chose a 22 OB Onyx XT. On pavement it rides like a luxury touring sedan with a supple suspension that smooths road imperfections without feeling squishy, while the 2.4T makes for a very quiet cabin. 10 way adjustable driver seat (8 way for front passenger) is oh-so comfy. Off road, it glides across washboard gravel and soaks up rutted dirt ones. When the stock Yokohamas wear enough, I'm switching to the Geolandar CVs for an even quieter ride, plus much better winter weather driving and dirt road capability. I LOVE this car. Also, keep in mind that the 22 Outback has had the kinks worked out, that the earlier years had since the last refresh. There're have been zero recalls for the '22 OB so it's actual predicted liability is better than many are giving credit. The last year model before a model refresh/redesign tends to be that model's best example mechanically, since it got advantage of releasing after the others had their recalls. All those recalls are non-factors for this year's model. FWIW. So I expect this 22 OB Onyx XT to be a very reliable car as long as I properly maintain it.
Another great video, Shari. I bought my wife a new Outback last November. We / she absolutely loves it. It’s firmly planted on the road or lack there is. My car is a 11 Rav 4WD Limited with a 3.5 V6. Though the Rav does everything we need it for, the Subaru is just better. After my Rav hits 200-250 miles. I’ll donate it to our church and buy a Forester to replace my Rav. We live in north central WA state, USA so we need either an AWD or a 4WD to get around in the winter months, as we average 4-5 feet of snow. For serious off roading we use our 4X4 pickup.
Subaru’s traction in all driving conditions is superior over any other vehicle on the planet. We always had to put studded snow tires on our AWD and 4WD Toyota’s, but we drove on our factory tires year round and now both of our Subaru’s have Michelin Cross Climate 2 tires. They’re Awesome on dry, wet, slushy and snowy roads with ease. In town we get 27mpg and on the freeway we get 29mpg.
I already chose Subaru outback touring. I didn't choose the turbo because I wanted to save a little more on gas and I think the 2.5L engine is little under powered but still decent. Overall, I would definitely choose the Outback over the CRV, Rav4, and the Forester.
I still have the CRV, and previously had Rav4 but Outback definitely is has better ride quality. I never had Forester but I test drove one and decided that the Outback is better suited for me.
Great video. I just bought the 2023 Outback Legacy. We compared it to the Honda CRV & Rav 4, both are great SUVs too. The reason we chose the Ouback Legacy is that it's the only one in between the three of them that has an 8-way power passenger seat, useful for long-distance drives, heated steering wheel, heated & cooled seats and a front camera to aid in parking (not birds-eye as in the larger Ascent, but good enough). The Nissan Rogue & the Ford Escape have some of those features, but they have reliability issues.
In my opinion, it boils down to what your needs are. For me I want to the highway car with long wheelbase and wide track good stability on the highway in Cruisin comfort. Also we wanted the horsepower that came with the XT version.
The Outback is such a great vehicle. I love that it's kind of an oddball that straddles the line between crossover and wagon. It also has the room of a midsize crossover but doesn't cost much more than a compact crossover, so it's a huge bargain for what you're getting. Personally, I wouldn't bother with the 2.4 turbo engine though. At these current gas prices, it just doesn't make sense to take the fuel economy hit. A lot of turbo Outback owners are also complaining that the mpg in city driving is absolutely terrible, like 17-19 mpg. That's inexcusable when gas prices are this high.
I do like the Subaru Outback and Forester but I chose the RAV4 Hybrid AWD. Almost bought an Outback but then my sister bought one and I changed my mind. Really don’t like the big infotainment centre and it doesn’t have as much storage over the RAV4. Reviewers tend to put down the RAV4’s infotainment centre but having physical buttons for shortcuts and air con control etc is an absolute blessing and safer to use while driving. No fumbling around a full touch screen. The RAV4 Hybrid also drove better overall.
I recently Feb.2021, bought a new Subaru Outback 2022. I agree with you when you say getting use to the console screen took some time. But the safety features with all the cameras etc are great and it does drive well in the snowy, changeable road conditions in Vermont. Thanks for the video.
i purchased the 2022 Outback Limited XT today actually, all review read, all test drives i've done, this was my vehicle of choice over all others mentioned and considered. some of the other benefits is shorter reach when using the roof rack so any type of cargo is much easier to reach vs to foresters/rav/CRV. I am also a big fan of the large touch screen, its a bit laggy but gives that new style sleek look to the interior. Speaking of interior, the amount of extra bells an whistles are beautiful to have as a standard option like the heated seats front and rear, heated steering, moonroof, 8 way adjust drivers seat and power passenger seat, cant complain one bit. will be very hard to change my mind i think after owning a subaru.
I tend to notice that Subaru tends to make cars that do better in the snow and mud than a traditional 4x4, but it can’t crawl rocks and go up grades as good as a 4x4.
Its not a crossover. Its a lifted station wagon. Only one left. Its is a wagon, because its the same exact body as Legacy. Same way it was 20 years ago when legacy itself had the wagon version too. Or How Impreza and XV are. They just dedicated Outback to serve as both wagon bodystyle and lifted suv like car. Legacy is also awd.
Purchased the premium XT wow LOVE it as does my wife. Passenger seat adjustments makes this all the more comfortable. Love the seats and not having any issues with the screen as of yet.
I own a 2019 forester sport, have increased clearances up to 11 inches. I have been using the Yokohama geolanders, that are now on the wilderness, it has been a great overlanding vehicle for me. This model includes the selectable x mode, a must have. But, the 2.5 boxer is way underpowered when loaded with gear and off roading. Subaru missed the mark by NOT making the 2.4 t available in 2022 wilderness models, the extra body cladding and under Armour would be a great upgrade for me.
Had Rav4awd 2015 & 2018. Going for Outback 2022 Convenience. Very excited! I am concerned about maintenance affordability but taking a leap. Thank you for your videos! 😃
Just do some research (via reviews online) and find a reputable private garage and stay away from the Dealerships for anything other than warranty or Recall work. Otherwise you will always pay far more than you should/could be paying for service that's as good or better from a repair shop. Also, never tell any shop that you 'need new brakes' or 'need a new muffler', doing so is basically giving the green light to a less than honest shop/dealership to do exactly that without any troubleshooting. Always just describe the symptoms and let them troubleshoot to find the issue, it's often a lot cheaper than a blanket replacement of something that just needed an adjustment or smaller part.
The Onyx Edition XT is actually nearly $2k less than the Wilderness, at least in the U.S. market, while the Limited trim is a full $1k more, but I get what you're saying about cost effective turbo engine availability.
My wife and I have a well-maintained 2014 Outback, 127,000 miles, of which the transmission gave out. It is $9000 repair it, and all Subaru National Office will do is tell us that the car is out of warranty and that's how things go. Cars made in the 1970s lasted longer than this. Shame on Subaru.
I have a 2014 Forester with 136k miles on it. Transmission went out. Bought a $800 used trans, paid a tech $900 to install. $1700 and I'm back on the road. Your out of warranty, the line has to drawn somewhere.
i had the same experience and issue: transmission on a 2013 outback 119k miles slipping and in need of replacement (cost $12000). i am not sure I understand the statement about subaru’s reliability if most models would have their transmission blown up after 100k...
My wife loves her Outback until I bought my Forester Touring. She has Ivory interior and I have Saddle Brown interior. She loves the height of the seats in my Forester and the size better than her Outback. We’ve heard that Subaru is coming out with a Forester hybrid in 24 / 25, so we’ll sell her Outback and buy her the Forester Touring Hybrid so she can use that as her commuter car. I’m retired so I don’t drive often. I only drive about 6K miles per year, whereas she drives about 10K miles per year.
I can think of a bigger problem than which car to buy..the problem is availability. The ones I really like are not available unless you want to stand in line to pay more than MSRP.
Well done. Listen you are talking to an older retired couple that goes north and south constantly and we have had GM pickups for the last 20 years, 14 of which were with my 5.3 Sierra. I am on my 2nd silverado lease and It will be the happiest day of my life when I get rid of it!!!!!! It runs fantastic but the fear of those stupid lifters goin bad and their transmission too makes me sleepless at night and I'm Leasing the pig! I would buy it if it had my Sierra engine without that stupid lifter, dropping to 4 cylinders thingy! I may even buy a 4Runner with 16/19 TYVM and die with it!! SO we are thinking we can get away with a smaller suv with those folding seats! So keep that in mind when doing videos. We could care less about 0-60 and don't need turbo problems or a Hybrid TYVM!
Outback touchscreen would drive me crazy. Forester gets better MPG. The cargo area is better in Forester is easier to use with a wider entry and a taller roof… really don’t get much more usable space with the Outback. The Forester Wilderness also gets a transmission cooler that I don’t think the Outback gets. The Forester wilderness also has 147 lbs more payload… if your Overlanding you will need the extra payload capacity. That Turbo engine runs the oil in the engine much hotter… be concerned long/ term. The visibility in the Forester is much better. If you watch Sarah n tuned she tested both 22 wilderness’s and the Outback couldn’t climb a hill after several tries and the Forester did it on the first try. Finally the Outback Wilderness is about $4000 more. If you are getting the Wilderness for Overlanding definitely get the Forester. It does just find loaded at altitude and hills. If you love that turbo maybe should consider another vehicle that can really accelerate.
Forester all the way, have a 2021 and we love. Use to be a Honda CRV owner for years but since they went with that Turbo nightmare engine they lost us as a customer.
Delicate. To be kind. As a master mechanic I see Subaru’s with cvt issues constantly. 2016-2019 currently. The cycle is about every 3-4 years I see a massive uptick in Subaru cvt failures.
Okay everyone is saying Subaru is the best here. I was just on Scotty Kilmer channel, almost everyone is mentioning Subaru’s head gasket, oil leaks, windshield breaking, and premature transmission failure. I am serious about getting a Subaru but if they are selling lemon I don’t want to get it. However, the outback looks spacious, luxurious with good feature such as auto seat adjustment with camera tech, and off road capabilities. Car help corner! Can you recite these issues with Subarus in general with another video. Your videos are pin point usually but surprised to hear nothing about Subarus main problems.
Please watch Scotty Kilmer review the Outback. He clearly states that the head gasket issue was fixed in 2012-that problem’s a thing of the past. Scotty doesn’t like Turbos, period, whether in a Subaru or a Rolls Royce. Premature transmission failures happened for people who weren’t taking care of their cars. I haven’t heard about people having windshield breaking, except if you’re off-roading and rocks fall on it. In these modern cars with so much safety tech being sensed by the windshields, you wanna be careful not to break them. If you’re interested in Subarus, listen to the Subaru experts here. Alex in Autos is very good.
The reviewer obviously is not an owner. Long term reliability does not compare with that of a Toyota or Honda. 120,000 miles is pushing it wiithout replacing the transmission, wheel bearings, and probably head gaskets. To say the 2.4 turbo mpg is near that of the regular aspirated 2.5 is a lie. Every Subaru dealership SALES Department says we have customers with the turbo getting 30 mpg. Yes; but only on a full tank of highway driving. Every Subaru SERVICE Department says 1-6- - 17 mpg around town is normal for the XT as this is a heavy full time AWD SUV. I know. I have a 2022 XT and suburb mpg is 15 - 17 mpg and that is babying the throttle and overinflating tires. And yes, on long trips I have exceeded 30 mpg with AC on and 65 mph but long tripsarejust occasuinal. Maintenace costs are very high especially as the car gets older. Do yourself a favor. If it'sjust the driver andonepassenger and you don't mind an underpowered car, get the non-turbo 2.5. If you carry more people, get a hybrid Highlander, or Pilot, Passport, or Telluride.
The wilderness is nothing like a rav 4 trail. Your research is flawed. This and the Jeep Cherokee trailhawk are off road cars. Skid plates, different awd with modes, (in the Jeep Cherokee’s case you get a real mechanical locker in the rear with a better transmission) tow hooks and off road suspension. No rav 4 has that. Any of that. All it says is “trail” or “adventure”. That’s it. The Cherokee is the best off roading suv in the pact but the wilderness is right behind it.
Yeah, but the Outback is more comfortable offroad and better at being a daily driver. They all have their strengths and weaknesses. For most people the Outback is all they really need.
@@bubbalo3388 the outback is not more comfortable off road without some essentials? You need a rear locker for serious terrain and Subaru doesn’t have it. I wouldn’t be comfortable I’d be scared to get stuck! And it’s not better at be getting a daily driver how so? Lol you people just po po any car because it’s a chrysler product. Cut the crap. The Cherokee seats are more comfortable, the Cherokee has more engine options, NO CVT, and has a great ride to it. Where does a Subaru (which it’s only just now being able to off road without mods from the customer) best a Cherokee off road or on? Because it’s a Subaru? Try again.
@@bubbalo3388 “for most people” a Cherokee non trailhawk is all they need. Limited, altitude ETC. People love the v6 and 2.0t engines the Jeep offers them. AND the towing is insane with that v6. Plenty of reasons (if your not hitting the trails) to buy the Jeep over the Subaru as if it’s looks and CVT wasn’t enough of a reason. 😣
@@Natethegreat200c yeah but the Outback handles more like a car for everyday driving. Yeah the first time I drove a car with a CVT I thought there was something wrong and thought the transmission was gonna explode. Haha!
Needs are a significant consideration. Also, how readily are significant parts are available after an accident (all safe afterwards)!? I’ve been waiting for a gear selector assembly for nearly 6 month! Subaru have lost face with me!
I have been driving Subarus since 1984 and raised my 3 kids on them....lots of Subarus! But No More! Their CVT transmissions are not reliable. 110k on my 2013 and an $8,000 repair bill means I will try a Rav 4.
Barb...I had a 2009 Rav-4 Limited (6 cyl., 269 hp, 270 torque). That thing only lasted 3 years before it crapped out-and I drove Toyotas for 25 straight years. I upgraded to a Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo EX (5.7 liter Hemi, V-8) in 2012. Have had that vehicle for almost 10 years and now due to a broken #3 camshaft at 118,245 miles have to look at a new vehicle. It's either $4-8k to do a rebuilt engine or $3k to just fix camshaft and keep my Jeep running until I decide what to get. I love the Outback, but compared to my JGC, it's just too underpowered in the engine and only has half of the towing capability that I currently have (7400 lbs). I live on a 2-acre ranch, get real weather where I live and need power and towing features. I'll pass on Toyota and Honda (maybe Jeep, too) and just look at getting a truck instead....
Stay away from turbos. Really strains those small engines and require much more oil changes. My 2017 Honda CR-V with turbo kept having problems. Honda finally said because of the turbo now they recommend changing the oil every 3k miles. Ever since then it has stopped giving me problems but I drive a lot. Not worth it.
Can u post the link to the video where you talk about trade ins ? I remember something about you saying don't tell them you are buying a new car, but just want to sell a car.
I had a hard time paying attention. I kept looking at the beautiful houses in the background. Was that done on purpose? You kept driving in front of the same houses. Lol
@@timothyj.2937 Randomly. My outback was parked. I turned away for a second and when i looked back the crack was there. I think the windshield has to be under some kind of stress to crack by itself like this.
Forester 🚙 Touchscreen is horrible and a major safety issue. Extra submenus to reach common buttons make it very dangerous. Nice Houses very distracting 🏠
I doubt it is cheaper than real controls. Just like phones in order to maximize the screen real estate, the physical buttons have to make way for extra screen, but the tradeoff is that some functions are harder to access and utilize. Can't say whether than tradeoff is worth it on this car until I use the GPS and and see that larger map. That and some of the cameras views are the only reason I can see having such a large screen. I am glad they did not have the screen extend over the dash like some.
What is the Towing Rating for the Forrester/Wilderness? You should include that aspects in your Reviews, include all reviewed vehicles in this video. It's an unfair review on your part to omit these features!
I wanted a comparison between an Outback and a Rav 4, not someone who is in love with the wilderness trim of the outback. Save that BS for another video on different trim levels in a Outback. I rate dislike for the video
So, basically near the end of the video, he says, if you want long term reliability than Rav4 and CRV are your better bet, bwhahah! I'll stick with Toyota.
I went to buy myself a Forester and ended up with an Outback. After trying the Forester, the second I sat in the Outback, I knew it would be far more comfortable seating for long drives. During several hour drives I start to cramp up, and the Outback seats support your whole body, whereas the Forester was more like sitting on a chair.
Just changed to Outback Wilderness and I love it! Love the big touch screen - takes no time to become intuitive. It's quiet and a very smooth ride and I really love all the safety features. My husband and kids say it's the most spacious and comfy car I've had (Q7 and GL450). The offroad capabilities are fab. I'm happy to have something I can really rely on in the bad winter weather.
it appears Toyota and Subaru are sharing more car features than people really know, or they let on. That 11.9" screen is almost exactly the same one in the Toyota Prius Prime Limited. (and it is now well known that Toyota and Subaru teamed up on the new All electric cars bZ4x and Solterra), so i guess the above may not be that surprising.
I've been driving used Subaru Outbacks for 17 years ( 2001, 2010, 2016 ). Just bought my very first brand new car, 2022 Subaru Forester Wilderness. This is a fantastic car and will do everything and take me everywhere I want to go.
I did choose the Outback XT Touring over the other vehicles. I deal with the screen quirks and we love the car. The ride is far superior to the Toyota and CR-V and the Forester is underpowered. If the Forester had the Turbo we would have probably bought that instead. We have no regrets.
Agreed. The Forester still needs to bring back the turbo motor
Just bought a 2023 Outback. Have a 12 year old Forester also. I like Subaru!!
I chose the Outback Wilderness over the Rav4, CRV, and Forester. As a matter of fact, I came to my Subaru dealership looking to purchase a Forester. After sitting in both vehicles and driving around the dealership, I picked the Outback. Why? Overall better value. I drove both vehicles and let me tell you, the Turbo is a must. Strong acceleration and quick off the line. Real punchy yet suprisingly smooth over bumps and potholes. Outback has the much better passenger and rear space. I agree that the infotainment system is a bit too much digital screen and not enough buttons and knobs for simple tasks. The Outback Wilderness is such a good-looking car though with the gold accents, raised platform, gorgeous AT black Wheels, like it or hate it black cladding around the vehicle, Led headlights and foglights, and large strong roof rails that can hold a tent and 4 adults. The vehicle just makes you want to climb in and drive it straight to the mountain. Just my humble opinion. Oh, the other vehicles in my family are the Lexus GX460, Jeep Wrangler 4x4 Unlimited Sahara, Porsche Macan S, and the classic Lexus SC430 convertible.
Wonders of a proper wagon bodystyle vs suvs and crossover which are closer to just lifted hatchbacks. Forester is barely more spacious than Crosstrek for instance. Its just more boxy and taller but pretty much same dimensions otherwise.
Outback is legitimately bigger where it matters especially bootspace wise.
Yes 👍
For a number of years I thought that once I sold or gave my car to my son that I would for sure buy an Outback. But, the Forester has evolved over the years to make it more compatible with the Outback, but with its own flair and strengths, and I also wanted more of a utilitarian, no-nonsense cross-over SUV that is the Forester, so that's what I bought last week and am loving it!
I chose a 22 OB Onyx XT. On pavement it rides like a luxury touring sedan with a supple suspension that smooths road imperfections without feeling squishy, while the 2.4T makes for a very quiet cabin. 10 way adjustable driver seat (8 way for front passenger) is oh-so comfy. Off road, it glides across washboard gravel and soaks up rutted dirt ones. When the stock Yokohamas wear enough, I'm switching to the Geolandar CVs for an even quieter ride, plus much better winter weather driving and dirt road capability.
I LOVE this car. Also, keep in mind that the 22 Outback has had the kinks worked out, that the earlier years had since the last refresh. There're have been zero recalls for the '22 OB so it's actual predicted liability is better than many are giving credit. The last year model before a model refresh/redesign tends to be that model's best example mechanically, since it got advantage of releasing after the others had their recalls. All those recalls are non-factors for this year's model. FWIW. So I expect this 22 OB Onyx XT to be a very reliable car as long as I properly maintain it.
Another great video, Shari.
I bought my wife a new Outback last November. We / she absolutely loves it.
It’s firmly planted on the road or lack there is.
My car is a 11 Rav 4WD Limited with a 3.5 V6.
Though the Rav does everything we need it for, the Subaru is just better.
After my Rav hits 200-250 miles. I’ll donate it to our church and buy a Forester to replace my Rav.
We live in north central WA state, USA so we need either an AWD or a 4WD to get around in the winter months, as we average 4-5 feet of snow.
For serious off roading we use our 4X4 pickup.
Subaru’s traction in all driving conditions is superior over any other vehicle on the planet.
We always had to put studded snow tires on our AWD and 4WD Toyota’s, but we drove on our factory tires year round and now both of our Subaru’s have Michelin Cross Climate 2 tires. They’re Awesome on dry, wet, slushy and snowy roads with ease. In town we get 27mpg and on the freeway we get 29mpg.
I already chose Subaru outback touring. I didn't choose the turbo because I wanted to save a little more on gas and I think the 2.5L engine is little under powered but still decent. Overall, I would definitely choose the Outback over the CRV, Rav4, and the Forester.
I still have the CRV, and previously had Rav4 but Outback definitely is has better ride quality. I never had Forester but I test drove one and decided that the Outback is better suited for me.
Great video. I just bought the 2023 Outback Legacy. We compared it to the Honda CRV & Rav 4, both are great SUVs too. The reason we chose the Ouback Legacy is that it's the only one in between the three of them that has an 8-way power passenger seat, useful for long-distance drives, heated steering wheel, heated & cooled seats and a front camera to aid in parking (not birds-eye as in the larger Ascent, but good enough). The Nissan Rogue & the Ford Escape have some of those features, but they have reliability issues.
In my opinion, it boils down to what your needs are. For me I want to the highway car with long wheelbase and wide track good stability on the highway in Cruisin comfort. Also we wanted the horsepower that came with the XT version.
The Outback is such a great vehicle. I love that it's kind of an oddball that straddles the line between crossover and wagon. It also has the room of a midsize crossover but doesn't cost much more than a compact crossover, so it's a huge bargain for what you're getting. Personally, I wouldn't bother with the 2.4 turbo engine though. At these current gas prices, it just doesn't make sense to take the fuel economy hit. A lot of turbo Outback owners are also complaining that the mpg in city driving is absolutely terrible, like 17-19 mpg. That's inexcusable when gas prices are this high.
I do like the Subaru Outback and Forester but I chose the RAV4 Hybrid AWD. Almost bought an Outback but then my sister bought one and I changed my mind. Really don’t like the big infotainment centre and it doesn’t have as much storage over the RAV4. Reviewers tend to put down the RAV4’s infotainment centre but having physical buttons for shortcuts and air con control etc is an absolute blessing and safer to use while driving. No fumbling around a full touch screen. The RAV4 Hybrid also drove better overall.
I have a 2021 Subaru Outback limited and love it. Like the looks of the outback over the Forester is too boxy looking to me. Just my opinion.
2022 Outback is the perfect crossover for the money! Plus 32 mpg
Do you really own the 2.5 ltr. Naturally aspirated engine?
I recently Feb.2021, bought a new Subaru Outback 2022. I agree with you when you say getting use to the console screen took some time. But the safety features with all the cameras etc are great and it does drive well in the snowy, changeable road conditions in Vermont. Thanks for the video.
i purchased the 2022 Outback Limited XT today actually, all review read, all test drives i've done, this was my vehicle of choice over all others mentioned and considered. some of the other benefits is shorter reach when using the roof rack so any type of cargo is much easier to reach vs to foresters/rav/CRV. I am also a big fan of the large touch screen, its a bit laggy but gives that new style sleek look to the interior. Speaking of interior, the amount of extra bells an whistles are beautiful to have as a standard option like the heated seats front and rear, heated steering, moonroof, 8 way adjust drivers seat and power passenger seat, cant complain one bit. will be very hard to change my mind i think after owning a subaru.
PS - The green OB they show gliding quickly along a dirt road @ 3:05 is the Outback Onyx Edition XT. It's a luxurious and capable beast.
Great review with respectful accurate comparisons 👍🏼!
I tend to notice that Subaru tends to make cars that do better in the snow and mud than a traditional 4x4, but it can’t crawl rocks and go up grades as good as a 4x4.
Its not a crossover. Its a lifted station wagon. Only one left. Its is a wagon, because its the same exact body as Legacy. Same way it was 20 years ago when legacy itself had the wagon version too. Or How Impreza and XV are. They just dedicated Outback to serve as both wagon bodystyle and lifted suv like car.
Legacy is also awd.
Purchased the premium XT wow LOVE it as does my wife. Passenger seat adjustments makes this all the more comfortable. Love the seats and not having any issues with the screen as of yet.
I got the XT Touring! The leg extender and ventilated seats are a game changer!
ABSOLUTELY … I’m on my 5th!
I buy the Limited trim, best vehicle I’ve ever owned.
I own a 2019 forester sport, have increased clearances up to 11 inches. I have been using the Yokohama geolanders, that are now on the wilderness, it has been a great overlanding vehicle for me. This model includes the selectable x mode, a must have. But, the 2.5 boxer is way underpowered when loaded with gear and off roading. Subaru missed the mark by NOT making the 2.4 t available in 2022 wilderness models, the extra body cladding and under Armour would be a great upgrade for me.
Just bought my 2nd Subaru. Went with the outback 2024 limited xt to replace my 2010 outback 3.6 R
Had Rav4awd 2015 & 2018. Going for Outback 2022 Convenience. Very excited! I am concerned about maintenance affordability but taking a leap. Thank you for your videos! 😃
Just do some research (via reviews online) and find a reputable private garage and stay away from the Dealerships for anything other than warranty or Recall work. Otherwise you will always pay far more than you should/could be paying for service that's as good or better from a repair shop. Also, never tell any shop that you 'need new brakes' or 'need a new muffler', doing so is basically giving the green light to a less than honest shop/dealership to do exactly that without any troubleshooting. Always just describe the symptoms and let them troubleshoot to find the issue, it's often a lot cheaper than a blanket replacement of something that just needed an adjustment or smaller part.
The Onyx Edition XT is actually nearly $2k less than the Wilderness, at least in the U.S. market, while the Limited trim is a full $1k more, but I get what you're saying about cost effective turbo engine availability.
My wife and I have a well-maintained 2014 Outback, 127,000 miles, of which the transmission gave out. It is $9000 repair it, and all Subaru National Office will do is tell us that the car is out of warranty and that's how things go. Cars made in the 1970s lasted longer than this. Shame on Subaru.
I have a 2014 Forester with 136k miles on it. Transmission went out. Bought a $800 used trans, paid a tech $900 to install. $1700 and I'm back on the road. Your out of warranty, the line has to drawn somewhere.
i had the same experience and issue: transmission on a 2013 outback 119k miles slipping and in need of replacement (cost $12000). i am not sure I understand the statement about subaru’s reliability if most models would have their transmission blown up after 100k...
How often did you change the cvt fluid and differential fluid
My wife loves her Outback until I bought my Forester Touring. She has Ivory interior and I have Saddle Brown interior.
She loves the height of the seats in my Forester and the size better than her Outback.
We’ve heard that Subaru is coming out with a Forester hybrid in 24 / 25, so we’ll sell her Outback and buy her the Forester Touring Hybrid so she can use that as her commuter car.
I’m retired so I don’t drive often. I only drive about 6K miles per year, whereas she drives about 10K miles per year.
Without any doubt, the Outback is my one and only pick.
I can think of a bigger problem than which car to buy..the problem is availability. The ones I really like are not available unless you want to stand in line to pay more than MSRP.
Well done. Listen you are talking to an older retired couple that goes north and south constantly and we have had GM pickups for the last 20 years, 14 of which were with my 5.3 Sierra. I am on my 2nd silverado lease and It will be the happiest day of my life when I get rid of it!!!!!! It runs fantastic but the fear of those stupid lifters goin bad and their transmission too makes me sleepless at night and I'm Leasing the pig! I would buy it if it had my Sierra engine without that stupid lifter, dropping to 4 cylinders thingy! I may even buy a 4Runner with 16/19 TYVM and die with it!!
SO we are thinking we can get away with a smaller suv with those folding seats! So keep that in mind when doing videos. We could care less about 0-60 and don't need turbo problems or a Hybrid TYVM!
I want the limited 2.5 with tan interior and sunroof. Red or green, can't decide.
All your videos are extremely informative. Thank you for all your content and insight.
The Forrester just looks like every otherSUV. Give me the Outback any day.
Outback touchscreen would drive me crazy. Forester gets better MPG. The cargo area is better in Forester is easier to use with a wider entry and a taller roof… really don’t get much more usable space with the Outback. The Forester Wilderness also gets a transmission cooler that I don’t think the Outback gets. The Forester wilderness also has 147 lbs more payload… if your Overlanding you will need the extra payload capacity. That Turbo engine runs the oil in the engine much hotter… be concerned long/ term. The visibility in the Forester is much better. If you watch Sarah n tuned she tested both 22 wilderness’s and the Outback couldn’t climb a hill after several tries and the Forester did it on the first try. Finally the Outback Wilderness is about $4000 more. If you are getting the Wilderness for Overlanding definitely get the Forester. It does just find loaded at altitude and hills. If you love that turbo maybe should consider another vehicle that can really accelerate.
I did, 2020 Outdoor XT
I have to laugh my 2016 Outback Wagon has 210,000 Miles on it. Reliability🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Reliability indeed!!!
Another "my face" review instead of the cars.
Forester all the way, have a 2021 and we love. Use to be a Honda CRV owner for years but since they went with that Turbo nightmare engine they lost us as a customer.
I have heard a lot of bad things about the Boxer engines as well.
What’s wrong with crvs turbo? Is it not reliable?
@@agpawpaw5912 oil dilution issue mainly in cold weather conditions. Just type in oil dilution issue with honda crv earth dream engines.
@@victorbarranca2910 Thanks
Can’t blame you. You made the right decision. Boxer engines better then Hondas
How is the CVT in this vehicle? This is the only thing that keeps me from buying one.
Delicate. To be kind. As a master mechanic I see Subaru’s with cvt issues constantly. 2016-2019 currently. The cycle is about every 3-4 years I see a massive uptick in Subaru cvt failures.
Subaru fixed the Head Unit and made it more intuitive in the 2023. There is a new OS coming this month for the 2020 I'm told.
I prefer the forester sure
2022 Outback Wilderness. Period
I have a subaru imprezza wagon. It's a great car.
Okay everyone is saying Subaru is the best here. I was just on Scotty Kilmer channel, almost everyone is mentioning Subaru’s head gasket, oil leaks, windshield breaking, and premature transmission failure.
I am serious about getting a Subaru but if they are selling lemon I don’t want to get it.
However, the outback looks spacious, luxurious with good feature such as auto seat adjustment with camera tech, and off road capabilities. Car help corner! Can you recite these issues with Subarus in general with another video. Your videos are pin point usually but surprised to hear nothing about Subarus main problems.
Please watch Scotty Kilmer review the Outback. He clearly states that the head gasket issue was fixed in 2012-that problem’s a thing of the past.
Scotty doesn’t like Turbos, period, whether in a Subaru or a Rolls Royce.
Premature transmission failures happened for people who weren’t taking care of their cars. I haven’t heard about people having windshield breaking, except if you’re off-roading and rocks fall on it. In these modern cars with so much safety tech being sensed by the windshields, you wanna be careful not to break them.
If you’re interested in Subarus, listen to the Subaru experts here. Alex in Autos is very good.
The reviewer obviously is not an owner. Long term reliability does not compare with that of a Toyota or Honda. 120,000 miles is pushing it wiithout replacing the transmission, wheel bearings, and probably head gaskets. To say the 2.4 turbo mpg is near that of the regular aspirated 2.5 is a lie. Every Subaru dealership SALES Department says we have customers with the turbo getting 30 mpg. Yes; but only on a full tank of highway driving. Every Subaru SERVICE Department says 1-6- - 17 mpg around town is normal for the XT as this is a heavy full time AWD SUV. I know. I have a 2022 XT and suburb mpg is 15 - 17 mpg and that is babying the throttle and overinflating tires. And yes, on long trips I have exceeded 30 mpg with AC on and 65 mph but long tripsarejust occasuinal. Maintenace costs are very high especially as the car gets older. Do yourself a favor. If it'sjust the driver andonepassenger and you don't mind an underpowered car, get the non-turbo 2.5. If you carry more people, get a hybrid Highlander, or Pilot, Passport, or Telluride.
Oh hell no. If you do, expect heavy oil usage. Expect to receive about 20% MPG below what the window sticker indicates.
The wilderness is nothing like a rav 4 trail. Your research is flawed. This and the Jeep Cherokee trailhawk are off road cars. Skid plates, different awd with modes, (in the Jeep Cherokee’s case you get a real mechanical locker in the rear with a better transmission) tow hooks and off road suspension. No rav 4 has that. Any of that. All it says is “trail” or “adventure”. That’s it. The Cherokee is the best off roading suv in the pact but the wilderness is right behind it.
Yeah, but the Outback is more comfortable offroad and better at being a daily driver. They all have their strengths and weaknesses. For most people the Outback is all they really need.
@@bubbalo3388 the outback is not more comfortable off road without some essentials? You need a rear locker for serious terrain and Subaru doesn’t have it. I wouldn’t be comfortable I’d be scared to get stuck! And it’s not better at be getting a daily driver how so? Lol you people just po po any car because it’s a chrysler product. Cut the crap. The Cherokee seats are more comfortable, the Cherokee has more engine options, NO CVT, and has a great ride to it. Where does a Subaru (which it’s only just now being able to off road without mods from the customer) best a Cherokee off road or on? Because it’s a Subaru? Try again.
@@bubbalo3388 “for most people” a Cherokee non trailhawk is all they need. Limited, altitude ETC. People love the v6 and 2.0t engines the Jeep offers them. AND the towing is insane with that v6. Plenty of reasons (if your not hitting the trails) to buy the Jeep over the Subaru as if it’s looks and CVT wasn’t enough of a reason. 😣
@@Natethegreat200c yeah but the Outback handles more like a car for everyday driving. Yeah the first time I drove a car with a CVT I thought there was something wrong and thought the transmission was gonna explode. Haha!
CVT and no reducer box is good for off-roading?
I don't see a problem with the infotainment center.... It might be a tad slow but who cares it works very well
Subaru outback 😍😍😍♥️
I would defiantly buy an outback. You can’t beat the amount of cargo space for the price.
Why defiantly? Does your spouse not approve of your preference for the Outback?
@@Jose_hernandez970 haha no, she doesn’t care what I’d buy. The outback has the most features and room for the price
Just sold my 2018 Subaru STI and bought the Wilderness
But the problem of Subaru is if ever anything breaks it's a bank breaker to repair
True. Valve replacement at 100k miles = $2,000+.
@@RT-vw6yw wait really? That's my 2 months salary...
Most cars now are pricy to fix regardless
Don't go to the dealer for repairs other than recall work or warranty work. Otherwise you will pay way more than at a reputable garage.
outback interior design is good except infotainment system is NOT.I like outback if they change this.
2021 Subaru Outback Outdoor XT aka the sleeper wagon
I have been waiting for this car in turbo version here in Oz. Unfortunately, it's not coming. I am thinking Mazda CX-5 now.
for a family of 4 that does frequent road trips and lives in Canada where we have long, cold winters, should I go for the Outback or the Ascent?
Outback all day
@@JGPT-wp6mj I ended up getting a 2023 mazda cx 9
@@jldkrank gross...terrible decision
@@JGPT-wp6mj you clearly have no clue what you're talking about.
@@jldkrank of course I do
Needs are a significant consideration.
Also, how readily are significant parts are available after an accident (all safe afterwards)!?
I’ve been waiting for a gear selector assembly for nearly 6 month!
Subaru have lost face with me!
How many miles are on your Outback?
I have been driving Subarus since 1984 and raised my 3 kids on them....lots of Subarus! But No More! Their CVT transmissions are not reliable. 110k on my 2013 and an $8,000 repair bill means I will try a Rav 4.
Barb...I had a 2009 Rav-4 Limited (6 cyl., 269 hp, 270 torque). That thing only lasted 3 years before it crapped out-and I drove Toyotas for 25 straight years. I upgraded to a Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo EX (5.7 liter Hemi, V-8) in 2012. Have had that vehicle for almost 10 years and now due to a broken #3 camshaft at 118,245 miles have to look at a new vehicle. It's either $4-8k to do a rebuilt engine or $3k to just fix camshaft and keep my Jeep running until I decide what to get. I love the Outback, but compared to my JGC, it's just too underpowered in the engine and only has half of the towing capability that I currently have (7400 lbs). I live on a 2-acre ranch, get real weather where I live and need power and towing features. I'll pass on Toyota and Honda (maybe Jeep, too) and just look at getting a truck instead....
Stay away from turbos. Really strains those small engines and require much more oil changes. My 2017 Honda CR-V with turbo kept having problems. Honda finally said because of the turbo now they recommend changing the oil every 3k miles. Ever since then it has stopped giving me problems but I drive a lot. Not worth it.
Yeah, not a fan of turbos also. More things can go wrong and even more $$$ to fix.
Thank you for convinced me into buying a Santafe. Much appreciated.
I have a 2007 Santa Fe with 130,000+ miles. I bought it in 2012 and was getting 24 mpg. Now I get 17 mpg. I’m very happy with it.
Can u post the link to the video where you talk about trade ins ? I remember something about you saying don't tell them you are buying a new car, but just want to sell a car.
I had a hard time paying attention. I kept looking at the beautiful houses in the background. Was that done on purpose? You kept driving in front of the same houses. Lol
He's just using stock footage, not his own.
@@MrBobbyBrown2006 I’m referring to the footage where he’s talking inside the car. Not the stock footage.
This is a lazy trash review of a borrowed car with a zero first hand experience. The houses in the background is the best part of this.
What about spontaneously cracking windshields and dying batteries, did Subaru finally fix those?
Woah is this a thing? My windshield cracked today
My windshield spontaneously cracked last year.
@@dimdim3490 from rocks or just randomly?
@@timothyj.2937 Randomly. My outback was parked. I turned away for a second and when i looked back the crack was there. I think the windshield has to be under some kind of stress to crack by itself like this.
@@dimdim3490 ah maybe your windshield does fit well with th glass
OBW FTW
Forester 🚙
Touchscreen is horrible and a major safety issue. Extra submenus to reach common buttons make it very dangerous.
Nice Houses very distracting 🏠
good job
cant stant touch screens in the car, bad idea
Forester
Touchscreen controls way too complex. I'm sure it's cheaper for company than real controls.
I doubt it is cheaper than real controls. Just like phones in order to maximize the screen real estate, the physical buttons have to make way for extra screen, but the tradeoff is that some functions are harder to access and utilize. Can't say whether than tradeoff is worth it on this car until I use the GPS and and see that larger map. That and some of the cameras views are the only reason I can see having such a large screen. I am glad they did not have the screen extend over the dash like some.
Wanna compare forester wilderness too?
I have to respectfully disagree. I prefer the Forestor.
He also😁
You obviously didn’t watch the video, redpilled
Well considering it has a cvt no go with a rav4.
What is the Towing Rating for the Forrester/Wilderness? You should include that aspects in your Reviews, include all reviewed vehicles in this video. It's an unfair review on your part to omit these features!
Ok
Forester is better. Outback is just a station wagon, no thanks!
CVT is a big NO
I wanted a comparison between an Outback and a Rav 4, not someone who is in love with the wilderness trim of the outback. Save that BS for another video on different trim levels in a Outback. I rate dislike for the video
CVT transmission. Yuck.
Too expensive 😪
RAV4 Prime is way more fuel efficient and powerful as well.
Is it same price?
Not sure about that
Apples and oranges, dude.
Europeans only get the gay, non-turbo versions ... ha ha!
Infotainment is horrible.
So, basically near the end of the video, he says, if you want long term reliability than Rav4 and CRV are your better bet, bwhahah! I'll stick with Toyota.
AND MAGICAL BOXER PETROL ENGINE🦾🦾🦾. NO COMPETITION AT ALL 👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻