2022 Subaru Outback / Stay Gold, Please

The 2022 Subaru Outback won't get your blood pumping, but it walks a different past than just about any crossover. Whether you compare it to a Toyota Rav4 or a Honda Passport, the Outback provides an relaxed approach to a practical vehicle.
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Thank you, Royal on the Eastside, for letting me test out an Outback!
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[@colechapman6976]

It seems like every type of person drives an Outback. From what I've seen, it really runs the gamut of demographics. I've seen 20-year-old women, 40-year-old men, 60-year-old grandparents, young professionals, some college students, outdoor enthusiasts, city/suburban dwellers, families, single people, skiers, hikers, and the list goes on. I myself am a 22-year-old senior in college and I bought a 2012 Outback Limited because of its space, comfort, ground clearance, and AWD.

[@Doc1855]

That’s why we bought a new Outback last November. Our private road and the county road has deep snow in the winter.

[@ddhsd]

Suburu has always been that way I'm 60 now and yet when I was your age it seemed to be the same wide mix in demographics. Suburu has intnensly loyal owners who like the little quirks and differences in the way the vehicles look and perform compared to bigger brands like Toyota and Honda.

[@hanswolff4539]

I am a sportbike rider from 1989. Usually have a dualie pickup with an enclosed trailer as my large setup. But by far, by far, thee Subaru Outback is the best daily driver out there, hands-down.

[@train5402]

As an owner of a 2022 Subaru Legacy XT Touring, I can vouch for the accuracy and commentary on your video. Comprehensive and well done! I also appreciate the gun show and my favorite “giant in the trunk” demonstration. 😁

[@Doc1855]

I’d love to have a Legacy, but it doesn’t have the ground clearance we need for our deep snow covered roads in the winter. Our Outback does a great job, however.

[@MaxFromSydney1]

Great review! Thanks for discussing reliability and issues on previous gens. Not many other car reviewers seem to discuss these things.

[@Doc1855]

I bought my wife a new Outback last November in Limited trim, as we wanted the Ivory leather interior. We’ve already have 15K miles on it. It’s my wife’s commuting car as well as our road car. We LOVE it.

[@Realistick]

Congrats!

[@mervstone17]

I’ve got the 2021 Touring XT. A truly versatile sleeper. Use the manual mode / paddle shifters to override the CVT, support the revs and turbo and make the best progress from a dead stop. (5.7 seconds) Voice controls and STARLINK remote start is wonderful for a desert climate as is the ventilated front seats (although the ventilated seats is not an option on this mode !) . Comfortable, good handling, standard fuel grade, good sound system and large google maps on the sometimes laggy infotainment. I have camped (“Glamped” as it’s leather seats !) in the back and it’s spacious for that purpose . I am worried about the longevity of the CVT but so far it’s proved to be one of the best value options. I got a great finance deal before the craziness kicked in and even today Subaru one of the only brands sticking to MSRP and not price gauging it’s customers plus allowing custom orders . My first Subaru and I’m impressed _ Good review by the way

[@Doc1855]

We live in north central WA state in the mountains. We use the paddle shifters in the “S” curves, especially while driving in snow or ice covered roads

[@jeffmorse645]

Late comment, but my 2021 Legacy Touring XT was in the shop for nine days chasing a number of rattles (guess the assembling line workers and robots were drunk that day). Anyway, they gave me a loaner - 2023 Outback Premium with the standard engine. While my car is much faster for 99% of the driving I did during that time the base engine was completely fine. It can get on the freeway without drama, get away from stoplights as fast as any other car around me. Plus the handling was excellent - better than my Legacy. That really shocked me being it sits up higher. It didn't sacrifice ride quality or quietness either. I was really impressed. Plus even though it only had 350 miles on it and was not broken in it still got 5-6 miles a gallon better than my Legacy with its turbo. That's like 100 more miles out of a tank of gas. Plus it had the added bonus of being able to slide right in thanks to the extra ride height. I told the tech in service I wished I'd bought an Outback with the base engine instead.

[@mblunt9521]

I'm new to this channel but as a car fanatic, I love this review. Enough humor to keep it light, good points made and great visuals.

[@Realistick]

Thanks, glad you enjoyed it!

[@Chris0-58]

"The Outback 2.5 accelerates with the sound and gusto of a self-propelled lawn mower. Oh yes, sing to me baby." ~Realistick

[@aldo90731]

Yeah, that was classic!

[@Doc1855]

Hahaha. Yep

[@mauriciomiranda220]

I just subscribed, you know what I enjoyed about your video, the details. I didn't know about the outback roof rack rails go in and out. And that's such a cool feature when you're driving long drives. I guess that's what separates you from the rest, keep up the good work congratulations. You just got a new subscriber.

[@Doc1855]

We own a 11 Rav 4WD Limited (my car) and a 19 Outback (my wife’s car). Our Outback is GUTLESS with the 2.5 liter. My Rav has the 3.5 V6 with 269hp which absolutely gets up and moves. My wife uses her Outback as her commuter car and we use it as our road car for our yearly 12 hour drive to her family farm in MT, or our trips to ID, OR or CA. The Outback is very comfortable and feels more secure on the road, no matter what season it is. We’ve found that even though the Rav is very capable in all season driving, the Outback is superior. When my Rav wears out we’ll either replace it with a Lexus NX hybrid, a Toyota Venza Limited or an Outback Touring XT. The Venza Limited is as plush as any Lexus, but the rear visibility is low. It’s too bad that Subaru won’t make a reliable Outback hybrid. After all Subaru and Toyota are in bed together now.

[@ingenunis5003]

❤️ Your Reviews~ I am considering OUTBACK when lease is up on VW Tiguan. BEST GROUND CLEARANCE👌🏼 And they still offer a CD player in some models😬.

[@uvmale01]

One of the best reviews on 2022 Subaru Outback👏. Common youtube you got to recommend this one to more folks 🤦 Covers almost everything you'd want to know about the 2022 and 2023 outbacks if you're considering one.

[@Realistick]

Thank you!

[@MoonMoon-vx8kc]

Drove from north NJ to VA beach last summer, and I was around 31mpg on my Limited XT, so the 30mpg highway is definitely spot on!

[@Doc1855]

Wow we only get 29 mpg with the cruise set on 75 on our WA freeways. … And we have the 2.5 liter naturally aspirated engine. (That’s painfully slow). Our next Outback will be the XT Limited.

[@skiparkcityut]

@@Doc1855your not gonna get anywhere close to 30mpg with an XT at 75 mph! Probably closer to 25mpg the xt does crush gas over 65mph

[@joshcfishing1621]

We love our 2022 premium. It’s so freakin comfortable

[@toronado455]

That gizmo that announces the speed during your acceleration runs reminds me of airplane cockpit computers that announce the altitude as the plane is descending to land.🏆🆗🆒✅😊

[@Erginartesia]

Thank you for including how ‘long’ the back can get for car camping, because that is a mandatory criteria for me.

[@Realistick]

You're welcome! Glad it helped.

[@skibrat]

@@Realistick I have camped in my Outback many times. I have a sheet of plywood with 4 blocks that level it out. I throw a memory foam on top and it is super comfy!

[@kevinenglish4920]

I have 2011 outback , I bought new with 260,000 miles . Service transmission every 40-50 thousand miles and it will be good. Mine still running fine.

[@toronado455]

I like the base model dual 7" screens because it's more like KITT. 😂

[@aldo90731]

What I think of the styling? I live in the Pacific Northwest, i.e., Subaru Central. There’s a Subaru on every corner here. I don’t really notice them; it is like they are part of the pavement. And the times when I do see them, like the weird copper accents on the Wilderness, is not a good thing.

[@Realistick]

Subaru has to be among the most regionally popular brand. We have them out here in Indiana but out there they have such a strong foothold

[@sjnavaid]

@@Realistick also a bunch here in upstate and western new york where the lake effect snow makes everyone have awd lol

[@EricAtMazda]

Great review…however, these things are driven almost exclusively by people who seem to be terrified of moving at literally any rate of speed. I have passed them before in a 36 horsepower Volkswagen Beetle.

[@toronado455]

😂

[@colechapman6976]

They are probably just trying to preserve fuel while prices are five dollars a gallon

[@NilsBreckoff]

I can outrun it on foot.

[@Doc1855]

We Never drive slow in our Outback or any other vehicle we own. The speed limit in MT is 80, so when we go to her family’s farm, we set the cruise on 85mph. When we were coming home from Boise last March, we were driving 90-105 mph. My Rav 4WD Limited with the 3.5 V6 Loves to run at 90mph and our 4X4 Ford pickup enjoys 85 mph.

[@toronado455]

@@Doc1855 wow Montana 80 MPH

[@hanswolff4539]

Good work, Tyler. ☑️🤙🏼

[@chucksayers1248]

Great cars, I have a 22 outback xt onyx a little pocket rocket great fun and runs very good glad I bought one

[@Doc1855]

We love our Outback. Yes it’s a bit sluggish over the Mtn passes, but ultimately it’s the best car for us. It’s very comfortable for long trips to Seattle, Spokane and Billings. It’s great around town and the 29mpg on the freeway is livable. Our other car is a 11 Rav 4WD Limited with the 269hp 3.5 V6 and in all honesty I’ve raced my friend in his Outback XT and blew his doors off. Furthermore I get better mpg with the Rav than what Subaru says the XT will get.

[@viyau10]

Nice video. Uncomplicated and easy to understand.

[@raynaldcote4458]

A wagon space that looks like an suv. Great job Subaru!

[@adamsmith9636]

LOVE my 2008 Outback base . I like the 2022 but like all cars its getting big and less wagon like . Great video

[@Chris0-58]

"...If Toyota made this it would be a rolling identity crisis trying to convince every demographic that it's not just for boomers or people that use their dogs as wingmen..." I felt that.

[@Realistick]

Had to throw some shade at toyota and Subaru with that one.

[@samdovels1234]

Yeah I couldn't resist and bursted out laughing... Was very funny and unfortunately, true.

[@ktjamlex]

My only complaints are that the sun roof is too small and whilst I prefer cream or white leather inside, the black down the sides makes it look like a golf bag designer was involved.

[@leoprdsoul1]

I'd love to see you do a comparison with the Crosstrek, both regular and hybrid versions. (I am at 228k with my '03 Outback...and lookin'...)

[@bubbalo3388]

Hybrid Crosstreks aren't available in a few states. You would lose a lot of trunk space of the already limited cargo space because the battery sits above the trunk floor.

[@scottbrady4472]

Great review.

[@Doc1855]

My In-Laws live in Mt on their 10K acre ranch. Their driveway is 3 miles long. Both of my brothers and sisters -in-law drive Outback’s and absolutely Love them as much as we love ours, (it’s my wife’s Outback). Anyhow the Only vehicle my Mother/in-law will drive is a Jeep Grand Cherokee. After only 3 years of tough MT winters and rough roads, her Jeeps are falling apart. They squeak, rattle and are very unreliable. We all keep telling them to buy an Outback Limited. She keeps telling everyone No. This year she had some health issues so my wife drove to their house to help her dad take care of her mom for 2 weeks post surgery. She was unable to get in and out of their 1 ton pickup (even with the running boards) or her Jeep. But she could get in and out of our Outback with no problems. Now her mom is finally considering a new Outback Limited on her next purchase. Personally I think they’d be very satisfied with the Outback Limited or the Limited XT. They were both very impressed with the ground clearance, comfort and how well the interior is laid out.

[@Kazze1]

This car is amazing except for one thing. The center screen. It is WAY too big. they should make it an option even for free for the 11.6 inch screen. Subaru is known for keeping their cars simple so they should change this.

[@PBandJ25]

Great review! I go back and forth between this or a Legacy to buy. Does it come with a HUD and either a 360 or a side view camera?

[@Realistick]

Neither! I'm actually doing a video on the new stuff for 2023 this week. The Outback does have a front wide monitor on the wilderness, onyx, and touring. I believe the Ascent for 2023 gets a 360 camera, I don't know which trims but likely similar.

[@Doc1855]

We don’t even get 30mpg with our 2.5 naturally aspirated engine, so I’m sure the turbo will only get 22-24mpg if you’re lucky.

[@markhamer5112]

Great review, thanks. In many ways it is your best - the lawn mower joke contrasted well with your surprise at the turbo power. I have found your reviews are generally informative and perceptive but I wouldn’t have found you if I wasn’t looking for Subaru reviews. The only reason I can think of for the unexpectedly low number of your subscribers is that you don’t start with a “bang” of some sort: visual, aural, enigmatic, etc. Do your viewer stats indicate that viewers are leaving early? Sometimes your relaxed appearance seems to indicate that your review will be somewhat the same. Later on it is obvious that you are knowledgeable but I wonder if a lot of people get that far. I also have a question for you. Do you use the adaptive cruise control much? I find that Subarus get at least 10% better fuel efficiency by using adaptive cruise control. For example, I rarely use the brakes when travelling downhill because the adaptive cruise control uses engine braking which makes very effective use of the CVT.

[@Only9mm]

Just had my CVT replaced on my 21 Onyx Xt. Thank God Its under warranty, I believe the ticket said 11k! The battery also had to be replaced after 12months, the price tag on that was $500, again warranty! Make sure you keep warranty with this vehicle.

[@Realistick]

That ‘s unfortunate, was it related to the pcm recall on the 20/21 model that caused cvt failure? These are usually pretty reliable.

[@Only9mm]

@@Realistick dealer said it had nothing to do with it......sounds fishy

[@Realistick]

@@Only9mm That is odd, although definitely not unheard of!

[@Only9mm]

@@Realistick I've had nothing but problems with my Onyx but I still love it, it's great for off-road. The radio is atrocious but I'll be getting it replaced soon enough

[@Realistick]

@@Only9mm Man, I hope the issues stop piling up then so you can just enjoy it!

[@davidmahan4160]

Hi, when you did the 0 - 60 test was that in I or S mode?

[@Realistick]

No s mode in the Outback. Although, in my experience with Subarus, it doesn't make a difference in flat out acceleration, only throttle response!

[@willieswift9580]

Can you do a review of a 2008-2012 Honda Accord LX/LX-P 4 cyl?

[@Realistick]

If I can get ahold of a clean, for sure!

[@kippywylie]

Cracking windshield. Ugh. My 2015 has had several cracked windshield.... Spontaneous

[@ddhsd]

Loved the ending 😂 that sound was horrible

[@xnopyt13]

Would buy one in a heartbeat if they put forester center console on it.

[@Realistick]

Like the physical hvac controls or like the actual center console with the shifter and such?

[@xnopyt13]

@@Realistick mostly physical hvac control knobs

[@Realistick]

@@xnopyt13understandable, it could really use those. The only setups that work well with just a giant touch screen have much better thought out interfaces with quicker responses.

[@xnopyt13]

@@Realistick true.

[@jdub_vdub]

The ending though 😆

[@Realistick]

That Mazda2 sounded like it was transforming fr

[@tinker1148]

Well, it’s certainly much faster than the new Honda HRV at 11 seconds 0-60!

[@mikeh7516]

how does the outback compare to 2022 VW Tiguan ?

[@Realistick]

The tiguan also has plenty of space and a good all wheel drive system. However, that car is better for the person that wants more tech and neat features. The Outback is better for the person that prioritizes comfort, refinement, and resale value!

[@frankofva8803]

I really like the Outback for 2022 but changes to the front on 2023 not so much.

[@SuburbanBBQ]

I saw the 2023 and immediately ordered the 2022. I didn't want to get stuck with that stupid cladding. :)

[@primsolllineguy8689]

My 2020 rocks! Only issue is if you get a flat on front tire you need to move rear tire to front and donut to rear! STUPID BECAUSE IT IS ABOUT LITIGATION. WHY SHOULD ONYX GET A FULL SIZE SPARE AND MY TOURING XT A DONUT? Simply stupid, based on what Subaru says I can’t use donut on front, Would have been nice if I was told this prior to buying vehicle. Still car is fantastic but it is so easy to have made it better.

[@plightn]

Sounds like Subaru is behind a lot of other manufacturers in every category.

[@kimmer924]

I just ordered a 2023 Subaru outback touring XT edition. They said it would be here sometime in October and November later this year. It’s funny because I drive a 2015 Toyota Venza and I was actually looking at the Lexus RX 350 because they’re similar. But I think I’m going to stick with what I ordered. my dealership charged me 2500 over MSRP, offered no deals or maybe that was the deal?

[@bigmacsandsunsets]

Wow… 2500 my dealer isn’t charging! I ordered a 22 sport legacy in April… still not here. But i heard the 23s are faster, I’m wanting a 23 subaru onyx for 35k… or should i stick with my legacy… 30k

[@devilefan]

The outback is based off the legacy

[@radzer0966]

Im not a CVT hater. I think Toyota and ford got them down perfect for feel (as much as a cvt will give you). But that fake shifting shit is just too much. Give a button to make it turn that off. Toyota and its 300 speed simulated is great.

[@MaxFromSydney1]

Be aware though that Subaru uses the “metal band and adjustable pulleys” style of CVT and Toyota uses an “e-CVT” that uses an electric motor and a planetary gear set. They are very different technologies with different reputations for reliability.

[@maximiliano1761]

Apple cider for deodorant? I gotta try that.

[@ontarioman6301]

CVT kills it for me

[@mrk8546]

Super annoying electronics ! Beeps way too much and the lane departure is inaccurate or even dangerous.

[@kizo172]

This and Toyota, the vanillas of car industry

[@Realistick]

Let's be honest though, if we're talking small suvs, the only company I wouldn't label "vanilla" is Mazda, and that's still pretty close.

[@kizo172]

@@Realistick Well said 👌 in genetal the only Japanese manufacturer which is not vanilla is Mazda. The rest are really meh.

[@jdub_vdub]

First. (People still do this right?)