While the original concept was closely aligned with the Liberty (on which it was based) within a short space of time, Subaru’s Outback concept had gained enough momentum to become a franchise in its own right.
And from there, the idea simply blossomed with more and more discerning families attracted to the Outback’s cross-over appeal that blurred the lines between a station-wagon and an SUV. Somehow, the Outback also managed to merge the best elements of those two designs and became a firm favourite, particularly in Australia, where it’s now also a sought after used-car buy.
We’re dealing here with Outbacks built between the fifth-gen launch in 2014 and the last of the sixth-gen cars sold here last year before the all-new Outback that is still in new-car showrooms was launched.
So, the cars we’re looking at here kicked off in 2014 with a four-cylinder petrol, four-cylinder turbo-diesel and a six-cylinder petrol. All had a Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) although the diesel had the option of a six-speed manual gearbox.
In late 2020, Subaru dropped the turbo-diesel, but bolstered the range in 2022 with the arrival of the WRX-powered 2.4-litre turbo-petrol model. With almost as much power and torque (183kW and 350Nm) as the old 3.6-litre variant, the turbocharged Outback was more efficient, although was still available exclusively with a CVT.
As with all Subarus in recent history, all Outbacks are all-wheel-drive. In line with other Subaru models, trim levels started with AWD, before moving through Sport, Touring and Premium.
That means there’s plenty of range, plenty of options and lots of price-points to suit a wide range of buyers. And because it’s a Subaru Outback, there’s also plenty to like.
Oh, and despite the Aussie name, Subaru North America claims to have invented the Outback concept on the back of the Paul Hogan 'shrimp on the barbie' tourism campaign. Could be…
Subaru Outback 2014: 2.0D
| Engine Type | Diesel Turbo 4, 2.0L |
|---|---|
| Fuel Type | Diesel |
| Fuel Efficiency | 5.7L/100km (combined) |
| Seating | 5 |
| Price From | $13,640 - $17,930 |
| Safety Rating |
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Subaru Outback a good car?
Over the years, CarsGuide has reviewed every model in every generation of Outback. And generally speaking, the vehicles scrubbed up pretty well.
A lot of Aussie families know as much, too, and the vehicle’s wagon utility without the SUV’s bulk is a recurring theme when it comes to heaping praise on the thing. To many eyes it’s a better looker than the often frumpy SUV, too.
Less well received over the years has been the switch to the CVT auto, and the diesel engine option, while a great idea at the time, never lived up to the promise for many owners.
Subaru Outback reliability
Subaru reliability is a strange thing. Many owners report hundreds of thousands of kilometres without hassle, while others have had dreadful experiences with all sorts of failures.
As such, we could only deem the reliability of the Outback to be average; a statement that will annoy the many rusted on fans of the brand who’ve had the opposite experience.
And while all cars require proper maintenance, the layout of the Subaru’s engine seems to be particularly intolerant of skipped servicing. A full service history is a must with any Subaru.
Subaru Outback problems
While the interior plastics of many Subarus are not exactly what you’d call high-end, they do seem to go the distance without disintegrating. The same goes for panel fit and paint quality, and the Subaru doesn’t seem better or worse than most mainstream makes when it comes to inherent problems.
Under the bonnet, however, things change a little. Subaru has always been a bit cutting-edge here, and sometimes that has come home to bite it. Witness the world’s first production horizontally-opposed-piston turbo-diesel engine, the 'EE20' as seen in the Outback 2.0D. Early versions of this engine were pretty fragile and many overseas owners reported catastrophic crankshaft and crankcase failures, thought to be the result of poor machining at the factory.
But the news improves for Australia, because – depending on who you talk to – those problems were fixed by either 2011 or 2013, meaning that the MY2014 cars sold here initially should be free of that problem.
The same goes for the 'FB25' petrol four-cylinder. Early-build overseas cars solved the head-gasket problem of the previous 'EJ' engine series, but then succumbed to a raft of oil consumption issues likely caused by either poor piston rings, bad PCV set-ups or a combination of both. Again, though, those dramas were seen to by 2015, so an Outback with a post-2015 build date should be fine.
The 'EZ36' six-cylinder engine doesn’t seem to have any major flaws, but plenty of owners have complained about oil leaks from the rocker covers and cam cover and timing chain tensioners that fail early in the car’s life. Speaking of which, all three engines in these Outbacks used timing chains rather than rubber timing belts.
The other known problem area for these cars is the CVT. Many owners have reported slow changing and selecting gears which Subaru addressed via a change of transmission fluid and a reflash of the computer. But the CVT can also provide quite a 'lumpy', jerky experience at low speeds and small throttle openings. Again, a software update was issued to try to address this.
Subaru Outback recall
Backing up the sometimes sketchy reliability record of this car, the Outback over the years has been the subject of quite a few safety recalls. Electronics have been a major cause of these, including recalls to address potential problems with the reversing camera and lights, stability control failures, faulty trip computers and unexpected interventions of the autonomous emergency braking system.
Mechanical recalls have included the ignition switch, park-brake, brake booster, fuel pumps, turbocharger units and even failures of front driveshafts.
You can check out the car’s recall history at www.vehiclerecalls.gov.au/ or tap into a Subaru dealer with your car’s VIN to see if there are any outstanding recalls for it.
Subaru Outback years to avoid
Subaru was constantly chasing improvements to the Outback, particularly under the bonnet. So, the latest example you can afford will likely provide the best service with the least hassle.
The one we would avoid is a 2.5-litre petrol version with a 2014 build-plate. These were still under a cloud for oil-burning engines, and it wasn’t until 2015 that the fix was finally put in place.
The other Outback (or any Subaru, really) to avoid is one with gaps in its service history. These engines don’t like patchy maintenance and will suffer greatly reduced lifespan if a previous owner has been slack. The layout of the engine means it’s a fairly complex piece of work with small oilways, that just won’t tolerate dirty oil.
Subaru Outback how many kilometres
Very early Subarus (think the original Brumby ute) were renowned for being able to cover huge distances. That changed as the brand aged and some later Subarus were simply not as robust.
With that in mind, an Outback with fewer kilometres will always be better than one with more, particularly when it comes to the models (like these ones) with the CVT fitted. But even with that in mind, it’s not uncommon to see Outbacks of this era with more than 250,000km on board and still going strong. You would have to imagine, however, that you’d be taking something of a punt on such a thing second-hand, and the price should reflect that.
At the other end of the mileage scale, you’ll still see 2025-plated Outbacks at dealerships being sold as demonstrators with seriously low kilometres showing. Some of those can be great bargains if you don’t have to have the very latest generation car.
Subaru Outback best model
The 2.5-litre petrol version as the most popular Outback over these two generations, but that’s partly because it was on sale the longest. To be honest, a six-cylinder version with its extra performance would be temping also.
The one we’d skip would be the turbo-diesel which had driveability issues (turbo-lag, mainly) from day one. You’re also looking at higher maintenance costs with a diesel and (right now) higher fuel costs.
The later 2.4-litre turbocharged variant with its WRX-derived engine is good fun, but a lot more expensive to buy, and hobbled somewhat by its CVT auto as a truly sporty drive.
Subaru Outback resale value
Early Outbacks (from, say, 2014 or 2015) with the 1.5-litre petrol engine can be had privately from under $10,000. At that price, they’ll all be showing at least 200,000km, but if the car in question comes with a clean service record, it could be worth a shot.
Early turbo-diesels start at around the same money but, to be honest, the petrol is probably the nicer car to own and drive and will be cheaper to service.
The performance-oriented 3.6-litre version starts at closer to a couple of grand more, although they’re rarer and harder to find. That said, the 3.6-litre Outbacks tend to be well looked after and some have covered more modest distances. The very best 3.6s should be around for low-$20,000s and remain decent buys even though that engine was discontinued here in 2020.
From there, prices go all the way to the low-$60,000s with minimal kilometres, the turbocharged engine and lots and lots of factory warranty remaining.
Subaru Outback parts
Subaru Australia has been around since 1973 and the early adopters were often those in regional areas who appreciated the optional four-wheel drive models. As such, there’s a good dealership network which is still visible in some of those regional centres. Australia has 120 authorised Subaru service centres, almost all of which are dealerships.
Service and repair parts are plentiful and easy to obtain whether though traditional parts stores on an army on online sellers.
Subaru Outback sales
Some estimates put the number of Outbacks (across all generations) sold in Australia at about 150,000. That’s possible, too, and in 2023 alone, Subaru retailed almost 13,000 Outbacks. That backs up the model’s popularity and makes it a safer second-hand bet than a car that was shunned or overlooked by new-car buyers in the first place.
Verdict
When first responders such as rural fire services and paramedics take a make and model to their heart, it’s usually a good sign. That’s precisely what’s going on here, too, and many first responder fleets have had the Outback as their default purchase for several generations.
Long after the questionable interior trim has been forgotten, it seems the Subaru is still able to deliver. Our only concern would be in the case of a really high-mileage example, or any Outback without a complete and full service history. Beyond that, the Subaru emerges as a safe, convenient way to get around with plenty of price-points along the way. Not to mention the safety and gravel-road abilities inferred by its all-wheel drive platform.
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