Used 2021 Subaru Outback

Winner: 2021 5-Year Cost to Own Award
Winner: 2021 Best Resale Value Award
#2 in Best 2-Row Midsize SUVs for 2021

The Subaru Outback continues to be a smart and practical alternative to sedans and SUVs. With more cargo space and ground clearance than a car plus some off-road capability, as well as more sportiness than a larger 3-row SUV, this rugged half-wagon, half-crossover-SUV has become the company’s best-selling model.

Beneath the skin is a rugged chassis that was all-new for 2020. Buyers have a choice between a 2.5-liter flat-4 engine with 182 horsepower or a turbocharged 2.4-liter flat-4 with 260 horsepower and a deep well of torque. Both Subaru engines work well have that distinctive flat-4 character, but the turbo would be our choice if we lived in, say, Colorado.

The Outback’s standard 2.5-liter flat-4, with 182 horsepower, provides satisfactory acceleration, even when there’s a pair of passengers in back. The engine is aided in its duty by a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) with eight preset steps that feel like the shifts of a conventional automatic transmission. The 2021 Subaru Outback is not sports-car quick, but it’s amply powered and rewarding to drive.

The steering is tight and responsive, and the suspension is tuned for excellent composure in the twisty bits without sacrificing ride comfort. Thinner windshield pillars, made possible by the stronger structure, make for a great outward view.

We are also impressed by the Subaru Outback’s trail prowess. With standard all-wheel drive and 8.7 inches of ground clearance, the Outback made quick work of some moderately rough trails in Northern California. Our one complaint: The long hood makes it hard to determine where the nose of the Outback is, but the 180-degree front camera solves that problem.

RELATED: Best 2-Row Midsize SUVs for 2021

The Subaru Outback’s interior is upscale, with attractive, high-quality materials and an optional 11.6-inch vertical-layout touchscreen that dominates the center stack. While there are still some button controls, other controls like fan speed and seat heat are on the screen no matter what else is being displayed. Auto-stop/start is standard; we found the restarts to be a bit rough, so we shut off the system via the touchscreen menu.

The rear seats are roomy, providing plenty of head-, leg-, and shoulder room. The rear seats are firm and a bit higher than the fronts. A pull handle on each side of the cargo area makes it easy to lower the Outback’s rear seats. There are 32.5 cubic feet behind the rear seat when it’s up, and 75.7 when it’s folded.

Cautiously redesigned for model-year 2020, the Subaru Outback still looks fresh and familiar for 2021. It’s a successful formula, and major changes to the Outback’s design approach aren’t necessary.

In addition to full-LED headlights with automatic high-beam operation, the base Outback is equipped with 17-inch alloy wheels shared with the popular Premium trim level. The Premium trim is distinguished by its LED fog lights and body-color side mirrors with integrated turn signal indicators.

If you order an Outback Limited, it comes with 18-inch alloy wheels and active LED headlights that swivel their light into corners at night. Outback Touring models get shiny trim on their door handles and mirror caps.

The Onyx Edition XT, with metallic black paint on the side mirror caps, comes with black alloy wheels.

ACTIVE TORQUE-SPLIT ALL-WHEEL DRIVE (AWD)
Subaru’s symmetrical AWD system is standard. It continuously adjusts to driving conditions, sending power from the wheels that slip to the wheels that grip, powering all four of a Subaru’s wheels at all times. In good, high-grip conditions, most of the engine’s power (about 90 percent) goes to the front wheels, but it can be sent automatically to the rear wheels as conditions demand.

TURBOCHARGED ENGINE
The turbocharged 2.4-liter 4-cylinder engine makes more power and torque than the 3.6-liter flat-6 in the previous Outback. What’s more, it comes alive in mountain elevations, making good power in areas where the Outback’s normally aspirated standard 2.5-liter 4-cylinder feels winded.

Along with go-anywhere goods like all-wheel drive, a functional roof rack, and a high stance, the 2021 Subaru Outback has EyeSight Driver Assist Technology with adaptive cruise control, lane centering, and automatic emergency braking. The standard infotainment system uses dual 7.0-inch screens. The upper screen controls the audio, and you use the lower screen for climate control and systems, including EyeSight and X-Mode. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard.

If you want a blind-spot monitor on the 2021 Subaru Outback Premium, it’s available as a part of a $1,400 option package that also includes rear cross-traffic alert, push-button start, and a hands-free power tailgate.

The Outback Premium is also available with a more comprehensive $2,995 option package that includes the blind-spot monitor, rear cross-traffic alert, push-button ignition, and a hands-free power tailgate, plus a power moonroof, and an 11.6-inch multimedia navigation screen.

On the Outback Limited, a similar package is available. For $2,045, it includes a power moonroof, a heated steering wheel, and the 11.6-inch navigation screen, plus Driver Focus, a distraction mitigation system.

Lastly, the Outback Onyx Edition XT can be ordered with a $1,845 option package that includes the power moonroof and the 11.6-inch screen, plus reverse automatic braking.

The standard Outback engine is a 2.5-liter 182-horsepower naturally aspirated flat-4. Powering the Outback XT models is a turbocharged 2.4-liter flat-4 with 260 horsepower and a healthy 277 lb-ft of torque.

With the turbo flat-4, there’s a surge of power off the line and excellent midrange pull, but the base engine works a bit more smoothly with the CVT. The CVT, as noted, simulates the action of a conventional 8-speed automatic to lessen engine droning.

2.5-liter flat-4
182 horsepower @ 5,800 rpm
176 lb-ft of torque @ 4,400 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 26/33 mpg

2.4-liter turbocharged flat-4
260 horsepower @ 5,600 rpm
277 lb-ft of torque @ 2,000-4,800 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 23/30 mpg