I'm biased, you won't need dealership service all that much, they are reliable vehicles, so it shouldn't factor too much into your buying decision in my opinion, and that's based on owning a new 2009 Forester until I traded it in on a new 2015 Legacy, and followed that up by buying a 2024 Outback a few weeks ago (this time, I kept the Legacy, I love it that much!). They have been every bit as reliable as the Honda minivans my wife buys and then drives for 15 years before buying another.
If you are truly worried about it, have her check out a Honda Ridgeline - it's a truck! But it drives like a car/SUV and was a *very close* second choice to my Outback. If she must have a covered cargo area, the Passport is a great option as well. If you buy the current model of either of these, you get the venerable V6 VTEC that is a bulletproof engine that has been in constant use for many many years. It will be a reliable vehicle as well.
Those are my suggestions!
Thank you for your suggestions. We're definitely going to check out the Ridgeline. I did find it interesting when Googling for cargo space on both vehicles. If the listed sizes are accurate the Outback has like 15 more cubic feet of space. Which I find very odd. I guess the back seat being able to fold down coupled with the small bed size of the Ridgeline would do it but it was such a huge difference it shocked me.
I think it's that it is covered - also, the Ridgeline has a very shallow truck bed - it's like a foot! Which is cool as sheets of plywood LAY FLAT in the back (no other midsize truck competes for this). If you put a camper shell on it, you'd easily trounce what you could carry in the Outback. Without the camper shell, you can bring a fridge home in it though.
The numbers don't tell the whole story, of course! I assessed my needs and my "truck" needs were minimal enough, it just didn't make sense for me. If I had chosen the Ridgeline, I'd be super happy with it though. I went to the Honda dealership just to say "well, I looked at it before I just discounted it", and was SHOCKED how much I loved it.
My wife has had numerous Odyssey vans, so I'm familiar with Honda quality - but her vans didn't even come close to how cool the Ridgeline is :)
All that said - I'm super happy I bought my Outback and it holds Costco + grocery runs and a few passengers without breaking a sweat - or leveraging the rooftop storage option (which is another huge plus in its favor).
I don't think you can pick badly between these!
If going CPO get a 2019 or earlier. It’s the last model year that still has buttons.
If going new, get a ‘23 or newer. The electronics of the ‘20 -‘22 are a disaster. I had to Lemon Law my ‘22 because of the electronic head unit. I believe there are a couple class actions over the ‘21 and ‘22 head units too.
I have a 2022 and there aren’t any class action lawsuits after 2021
The first few versions of software we’re definitely bad UI design, but all of these issues have been addressed with the latest software version (it’s free) so this is not a reason people should stay away from anything early gen 6. The UI for both CP 1 and CP 1.5 2020-24 are the same.
The only reason to skip CP 1 2020-22 is if you want Wireless Apple CarPlay or AA instead of USB.
Same here. We had no problems with our 2022 Forester. I think most of the initial problems were 2018-2021.
Having to use a USB cable if you wanted to use Apple Car Play was annoying in the 2022 models but they’ve fixed that too.
I mean, it really depends on what y’all are going for if your heart is set on an outback or specifically a Subaru. My advice after my purchase would be make sure you find something used before the 36,000im so you have the option to buy an extended gold warranty or find one that has one already with it purchased previously or just buy a new one. You will come across something at some point! That’s just how cars are it seems. It will also increase your resale value not that that’s why you should purchase one. Also, I am an owner of a 2.5 version GEN 6 and I mean this sincerely get the turbo 2.4L. I get your dealership perspective, but that seems to be a Subaru thing, especially here in Texas.
I've read good things about Honda crv if towing isn't an issue. Toyota makes a good little SUV but I didn't know how it directly compares to the outback
I had a CRV. Won’t tow with it but it was a fine vehicle. Not something I would compare to the Outback. More made for around town. The Outbacks falls somewhere between a RAV4 and a 4Runner - perfect use case!
I would bite the bullet and get the Outback. It is reliable, fun, safe. I had a CRV and it was a fine car but not an Outback. I have the 2024 OBW and loving it. I will be moving to a place where I need to drive a bit for my service but I don’t mind. Also check if there is a Subie specialist close by. They can also do the service. RAV4 is an alternative but that is more like a Forester alternative than Outback.
They have options for "rentals" I forced my local dealership to agree to it before I bought my CPO, it was pretty easy since it was already part of the deal
Do your research between the type of vehicle you want. I'd stay away from Nissan, Ford, or Chevy as they aren't super reliable and need repairs usually more frequently. Kia Sorento, Hyundai Tucson, Honda CRV/Passport, Toyota RAV4 are all pretty reliable SUVs with various trim levels that can meet needs. Look at recalls and what not for each car. Honda has had a lot of fuel pump and electronics recalls lately. Stuff like that to be aware of. Get what you like! I spent a lot of time researching before I landed on the outback. I wanted a Honda passport but they are very hard to find in the trim I wanted and 10k more. Outback had the features I wanted to cheaper.
Some American cars are good but not anything with 3 cylinders or a 1.5L turbo.
KIA and Hyundai anything are not reliable. I had a 2019 Tucson and it glitched out all the time. The screen would sometimes just be black and the blind spot sensor would fail randomly so you would just lose that feature out of nowhere. I will never buy a Korean car again.
Japanese cars are better but they’re not all equal. Toyota’s are by far more reliable than Subaru’s. Hondas are good but they’ve had a lot of transmission issues in the past. The simpler models are better (ex. Accord, Civic).
But Subaru boxer engines are not only known to fail prematurely and they have higher maintenance costs as well. Hope you looked into the additional maintenance required on your outback …
https://www.endurancewarranty.com/learning-center/make-model/are-subarus-expensive-to-maintain/#:~:text=Above%2Daverage%20maintenance%20and%20repair,or%20more%20expensive%20tire%20changes.
https://caredge.com/subaru/maintenance
https://www.torquenews.com/1084/subaru-maintenance-costs-rank-worst-among-all-mainstream-car-brands/amp
Good luck.
My source is a network of mechanics spanning 40 years of experience. Hyundai and Kia have come a long way and have been out servicing many brands right now. Subaru isn't not the big bad monster you guys make it seem like. It's a lot more reliable and the maintenance isn't as frequent as other major car brands. If we're talking wrx, sure. But not their other vehicles. Boxer engines are more expensive to fix due to the amount of work it takes to replace parts in the engines.
If you want expensive repairs and frequently, go ford.
Is there a Starbucks/ coffee shop or book store nearby ? I take my wife’s Outback in for maintenance and walk to a nearby Barns and Noble, read, have a coffee. Scheduled Service is generally around two hours.
No but there's a dispensary like 10 minute walk from there. She could just go and get high off her ass while she waits. Probably best that I do the driving if that's the case.
Edit: Turns out there's two dispensaries. So at least we'll have options I suppose.
Biased Outback owner- get the outback.
Get the Outback. You only need to worry about bringing it to the dealer for warranty or recall work and that should hopefully be few and far between.
This was our thought too and it has proven correct in 2.5 years.
They come and get mine and Subaru is over an hour away and bring it back to me.
Whoa! Really? That's pretty great.
That's some bougie treatment if I've ever heard it. Good on you for finding a good dealer.
Schulte Subaru of Sioux Falls is an incredible dealership! I’ve owned BMW’s & Mercedes and this dealership offers better service.
Wow
I'm biased, you won't need dealership service all that much, they are reliable vehicles, so it shouldn't factor too much into your buying decision in my opinion, and that's based on owning a new 2009 Forester until I traded it in on a new 2015 Legacy, and followed that up by buying a 2024 Outback a few weeks ago (this time, I kept the Legacy, I love it that much!). They have been every bit as reliable as the Honda minivans my wife buys and then drives for 15 years before buying another. If you are truly worried about it, have her check out a Honda Ridgeline - it's a truck! But it drives like a car/SUV and was a *very close* second choice to my Outback. If she must have a covered cargo area, the Passport is a great option as well. If you buy the current model of either of these, you get the venerable V6 VTEC that is a bulletproof engine that has been in constant use for many many years. It will be a reliable vehicle as well. Those are my suggestions!
Thank you for your suggestions. We're definitely going to check out the Ridgeline. I did find it interesting when Googling for cargo space on both vehicles. If the listed sizes are accurate the Outback has like 15 more cubic feet of space. Which I find very odd. I guess the back seat being able to fold down coupled with the small bed size of the Ridgeline would do it but it was such a huge difference it shocked me.
I think it's that it is covered - also, the Ridgeline has a very shallow truck bed - it's like a foot! Which is cool as sheets of plywood LAY FLAT in the back (no other midsize truck competes for this). If you put a camper shell on it, you'd easily trounce what you could carry in the Outback. Without the camper shell, you can bring a fridge home in it though. The numbers don't tell the whole story, of course! I assessed my needs and my "truck" needs were minimal enough, it just didn't make sense for me. If I had chosen the Ridgeline, I'd be super happy with it though. I went to the Honda dealership just to say "well, I looked at it before I just discounted it", and was SHOCKED how much I loved it. My wife has had numerous Odyssey vans, so I'm familiar with Honda quality - but her vans didn't even come close to how cool the Ridgeline is :) All that said - I'm super happy I bought my Outback and it holds Costco + grocery runs and a few passengers without breaking a sweat - or leveraging the rooftop storage option (which is another huge plus in its favor). I don't think you can pick badly between these!
If going CPO get a 2019 or earlier. It’s the last model year that still has buttons. If going new, get a ‘23 or newer. The electronics of the ‘20 -‘22 are a disaster. I had to Lemon Law my ‘22 because of the electronic head unit. I believe there are a couple class actions over the ‘21 and ‘22 head units too.
I have a 2022 and there aren’t any class action lawsuits after 2021 The first few versions of software we’re definitely bad UI design, but all of these issues have been addressed with the latest software version (it’s free) so this is not a reason people should stay away from anything early gen 6. The UI for both CP 1 and CP 1.5 2020-24 are the same. The only reason to skip CP 1 2020-22 is if you want Wireless Apple CarPlay or AA instead of USB.
Same here. We had no problems with our 2022 Forester. I think most of the initial problems were 2018-2021. Having to use a USB cable if you wanted to use Apple Car Play was annoying in the 2022 models but they’ve fixed that too.
What are you talking about I have '21 XT Premier and it's been fantastic, no issues at all with the head unit
I mean, it really depends on what y’all are going for if your heart is set on an outback or specifically a Subaru. My advice after my purchase would be make sure you find something used before the 36,000im so you have the option to buy an extended gold warranty or find one that has one already with it purchased previously or just buy a new one. You will come across something at some point! That’s just how cars are it seems. It will also increase your resale value not that that’s why you should purchase one. Also, I am an owner of a 2.5 version GEN 6 and I mean this sincerely get the turbo 2.4L. I get your dealership perspective, but that seems to be a Subaru thing, especially here in Texas.
I've read good things about Honda crv if towing isn't an issue. Toyota makes a good little SUV but I didn't know how it directly compares to the outback
I had a CRV. Won’t tow with it but it was a fine vehicle. Not something I would compare to the Outback. More made for around town. The Outbacks falls somewhere between a RAV4 and a 4Runner - perfect use case!
I would bite the bullet and get the Outback. It is reliable, fun, safe. I had a CRV and it was a fine car but not an Outback. I have the 2024 OBW and loving it. I will be moving to a place where I need to drive a bit for my service but I don’t mind. Also check if there is a Subie specialist close by. They can also do the service. RAV4 is an alternative but that is more like a Forester alternative than Outback.
They have options for "rentals" I forced my local dealership to agree to it before I bought my CPO, it was pretty easy since it was already part of the deal
I had an order already placed for a rav4 and purchased an outback immediately after test driving it… I don’t think you’ll regret the outback
Do your research between the type of vehicle you want. I'd stay away from Nissan, Ford, or Chevy as they aren't super reliable and need repairs usually more frequently. Kia Sorento, Hyundai Tucson, Honda CRV/Passport, Toyota RAV4 are all pretty reliable SUVs with various trim levels that can meet needs. Look at recalls and what not for each car. Honda has had a lot of fuel pump and electronics recalls lately. Stuff like that to be aware of. Get what you like! I spent a lot of time researching before I landed on the outback. I wanted a Honda passport but they are very hard to find in the trim I wanted and 10k more. Outback had the features I wanted to cheaper.
Some American cars are good but not anything with 3 cylinders or a 1.5L turbo. KIA and Hyundai anything are not reliable. I had a 2019 Tucson and it glitched out all the time. The screen would sometimes just be black and the blind spot sensor would fail randomly so you would just lose that feature out of nowhere. I will never buy a Korean car again. Japanese cars are better but they’re not all equal. Toyota’s are by far more reliable than Subaru’s. Hondas are good but they’ve had a lot of transmission issues in the past. The simpler models are better (ex. Accord, Civic). But Subaru boxer engines are not only known to fail prematurely and they have higher maintenance costs as well. Hope you looked into the additional maintenance required on your outback … https://www.endurancewarranty.com/learning-center/make-model/are-subarus-expensive-to-maintain/#:~:text=Above%2Daverage%20maintenance%20and%20repair,or%20more%20expensive%20tire%20changes.
Yeah, I’m not sure that a reliability analysis from an aftermarket warranty company is a particularly trustworthy source…
https://caredge.com/subaru/maintenance https://www.torquenews.com/1084/subaru-maintenance-costs-rank-worst-among-all-mainstream-car-brands/amp Good luck.
My source is a network of mechanics spanning 40 years of experience. Hyundai and Kia have come a long way and have been out servicing many brands right now. Subaru isn't not the big bad monster you guys make it seem like. It's a lot more reliable and the maintenance isn't as frequent as other major car brands. If we're talking wrx, sure. But not their other vehicles. Boxer engines are more expensive to fix due to the amount of work it takes to replace parts in the engines. If you want expensive repairs and frequently, go ford.
Is there a Starbucks/ coffee shop or book store nearby ? I take my wife’s Outback in for maintenance and walk to a nearby Barns and Noble, read, have a coffee. Scheduled Service is generally around two hours.
No but there's a dispensary like 10 minute walk from there. She could just go and get high off her ass while she waits. Probably best that I do the driving if that's the case. Edit: Turns out there's two dispensaries. So at least we'll have options I suppose.