2025 Subaru Outback

The Outback is a bit of an outlier. In the Subaru portfolio, it sits between the compact Forester and midsize 3-row Ascent, both more easily perceived as regular SUVs. This midsize 2-row vehicle has a fairly elevated ride height, as well as plastic cladding like an SUV. And its interior is eminently practical. But the Outback also has a wagon vibe.

Comfortable, sturdy, and dependable (according to Subaru, 97% of Outbacks sold in the last 10 years are still on the road), and handling more like a car than an SUV, we like the Outback. We’ve also noticed in our owner reviews that many are serial Outback buyers or always go back to their Subaru dealership for their latest vehicle purchase. It takes something special to create that kind of loyalty.

We’ve logged hundreds of hours driving and evaluating this generation of 2-row SUVs, including the Subaru Outback.

The Limited trim gains previously popular options as standard equipment this year. This includes a powered moonroof, heated steering wheel, heated outboard rear seats, leather-trimmed upholstery, power-adjustable front seats (driver: 12-way; passenger: 8-way), blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert and lane-change assistance, reverse automatic braking, 18-inch alloy wheels, and a Harmon Kardon audio system upgrade.

One thing to ponder: Since this generation of Outback launched for the 2020 model year — and Subaru has announced the discontinuation of the Legacy sedan after the 2025 model year — there’s a good chance an all-new Outback might come along for 2026.

Before buying a new Outback, check the Kelley Blue Book Fair Purchase Price to know what you should be paying. The Outback’s resale values are above average for the class. Recouping more money when selling a vehicle can mean a bigger down payment and lower monthly payments on the next one.

If we’re being kind, we’d point out that the base 182-horsepower engine is workmanlike and returns respectable fuel economy (see below). If we wanted to be less generous, we’d mention that it takes about 8.5 seconds to go from standstill to 60 mph — quick enough, but not even a sloth’s idea of fun.

Drivers hankering for more muscle will prefer the 260-horsepower turbocharged 2.4-liter engine in the XT and Wilderness models, which can hit 60 mph in less than six seconds. This would be preferable for those who often drive to higher elevations and need the power to deal with steep climbs. On one 700-mile trip to the mountains, this engine didn’t just deliver ample oomph from start to finish, it also returned about 28 mpg over the entire trip. That’s better efficiency than most vehicles this roomy and powerful, hybrids notwithstanding.

We don’t need to be so careful with our words when describing the Outback’s easy ride quality and the tidy handling. In slick conditions, we’ve found it to be sure-footed and unflappable, thanks to that standard all-wheel-drive system.

We’re always impressed when we have the pleasure of driving a Subaru Outback off-road. Its ground clearance, plus the favorable approach and departure angles, make it slightly more off-road-able than the average SUV. It’s especially adventurous in the Wilderness trim with higher ground clearance, all-terrain tires, and an enhanced all-wheel-drive setup.

Regarding driver assistance features, the adaptive cruise control is good, but we were disappointed by the lane centering system.

Fuel Economy

The base engine achieves 28 mpg in combined city/highway driving. The turbocharged unit is predictably thirstier at 25 combined mpg, or 23 mpg in the Wilderness model.

As a midsize wagon with an SUV attitude, the Outback comes with space, versatility, and practicality. Materials vary depending on the trim. Cloth upholstery is standard, leather is optional, and durable StarTex water-repellant upholstery comes with the Onyx Edition and Wilderness models. The Limited trim offers extendable thigh support on the driver’s seat, which is uncommon outside of luxury vehicles. Subaru’s execution results in a bit of a disjointed seat bottom, but we’ve found the seats exceptionally comfortable overall.

We can also confirm that the rear seats will accommodate adults, with 39.5 inches of rear legroom. And cargo space is abundant: 32.6 cubic feet behind the rear seats, or 75.6 when they’re folded.

Subaru is quite happy to admit that the Outback’s exterior design was inspired by a hiking boot. And looking at it in those terms, we’d say yeah, we can see a certain intrepid air. Yet also protective and sensible. A lot of plastic cladding is applied to the sides, pushing the Outback away from a station wagon style and closer to a more rugged SUV look.

The Wilderness has its own thing going on, with ride height raised from the regular Outback’s 8.7 inches (still not bad for a dirt road) to 9.5 inches (now we’re talking minor rocks). It also comes with a matte black hood decal and trim-specific bumpers.

Standard all-wheel drive
In the usual Subaru tradition, all-wheel drive is standard with every Outback, giving it the capability to back up its go-anywhere attitude. We salute Subaru for still keeping costs competitive against rivals with front-wheel drive.

Infotainment system
The Outback’s infotainment system is available with an 11.6-inch screen, plus features like satellite and HD Radio, and wireless Android Auto/Apple CarPlay.

EyeSight driver assistance technology
Every Outback has a comprehensive set of driver assistance features and safety technology, including automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane-keeping assistance, automatic high beams, and adaptive cruise control.

Turbo power
In our experience, the turbocharged engine in the XT and Wilderness variants makes the Outback much more exciting to drive whether there’s a tarmac road or not.

X-Mode
X-Mode comes standard in every Outback, maximizing traction whenever the driver is adventuring off-road. The Onyx Edition and Wilderness models have a more advanced Dual-Function X-Mode with extra off-road drive modes.

Wilderness version
The Outback Wilderness is more than just an appearance package. It expands the vehicle’s off-road abilities with higher ground clearance, all-terrain tires, improved approach and departure angles, and Enhanced X-Mode.

The base engine in the 2025 Outback is a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder unit making 182 horsepower and 176 lb-ft of torque. The alternative, available in XT and Wilderness versions, is a turbocharged 2.4-liter 4-cylinder engine developing 260 horsepower and 277 lb-ft of torque.

All-wheel drive is standard across the 2025 Outback lineup.

3-Year/36,000-Mile Warranty

Subaru’s new-car warranty is for three years or 36,000 miles, whichever happens first. Powertrains are covered for five years or 60,000 miles. This is all typical for the class. Subaru also offers free scheduled maintenance for the first two years or 24,000 miles.

Safety Ratings

This generation of Outback has been named a Top Safety Pick by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), its second-highest accolade. It also earned a maximum 5-Star overall score from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).