2022 Subaru Outback Touring Review 4K | We take the Outback to the Australian Outback!

Overlanding has exploded in popularity over the past two years. The Subaru Outback has been the car of choice for many as an option to head into the wilderness in comfort. We got our hands on the updated Outback, and wanted to see what's changed and to see just how capable it is on the rough stuff.
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Don't have time for the full review? Here are your timestamps:
0:00 Intro and Pricing
1:13 Exterior Features
2:40 Interior Features
6:03 Back Seats
8:24 Boot Space
10:45 On-Road Driving
16:06 Off-Road Driving
20:03 Should You Buy One?
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[@glennstevenson6242]

Well done Cameron, great review mate. Thank you.

[@georgetiljak7866]

Great ‘balanced’ review. Thank you.

[@ProductReviewCars]

Thank you :)

[@mattblair2224]

Great review, well laid out and easy to follow.

[@ProductReviewCars]

Greatly appreciated!

[@asc968ccc8]

Cool review dude ✊🏻

[@ProductReviewCars]

Cheers! Thanks for watching!

[@nikkibee8206]

Very detailed review..learned a lot about this car...we don't have subaru here in india yet but I am certain that this would definitely be a good competitor! In my head I kept comparing it with popular cars here in India!

[@ProductReviewCars]

Cheers! Thanks for watching. Could imagine it'd be a great car for there.

[@paramvenkit9154]

Thanks for the review. Staying on raised wagons can you do a review of the Volvo V60 Cross Country please.

[@ProductReviewCars]

Thanks for watching! Absolutely. We should have one in the next few weeks. Very keen to see how the V60 performs after driving this.

[@oddities-whatnot]

Id like one of these if circumstances change for the better. Problem is in the UK the petrol costs are horrific now, I had the previous shape Outback but had to downsize. Superb car and this is even better, it would probably last me until I retire and thats a long way off yet. As much as this is an everything car, an all rounder thats capable of anything within reason and for any lifestyle, I will sadly be getting rid of my Impreza soon to get a cheap Ford Fiesta or something. Like many millions of us here, I have to cut costs. If life improves then maybe another Subaru but if fuel stays expensive then the new Toyota Yaris hybrid is the best option for me long term. I tested one and got nearly 75 mpg on a half hour route of mixed roads and speeds. Cant argue with that. Subaru have brought out an EV but its too expensive and I wont touch electric cars until they sort the battery situation out. Its a farce currently. They might get it right in ten years, who knows.

[@goose646]

Hey mate - at 17:30 you talk of Hill Descent Control being too quick/uncontrolled. HDC is adjustable on all vehicles (incl. the Outback) by using the vehicles pedals. Apply light pressure to either brake/accelerator to reduce/increase speed respectively. You can go as slow as single digits.

[@ProductReviewCars]

Ahhh oversight on my end. Thanks for the info!!

[@RedPanda555]

Solid review! Is that boot mat standard on all Outback models?

[@ProductReviewCars]

Thanks! Had a few local Subaru owners say they haven't seen that boot mat before. I forgot to ask Subaru Aus if it was. My guess is that it might be a dealer extra you have to tick.

[@petron1954]

Boot mat is an option. Purchased one for my Outback and it is great.

[@johnnybgood7812]

Nice review thanks. I get mine next week and won’t miss the panoramic roof on my current (non Subaru) car as it’s spent two months at the dealers whilst they sorted out a leak. Not an isolated incident either.

[@ProductReviewCars]

Cheers! I've found that to be the case for a lot of different cars with sunroofs (our old Land Rover included). Thought by now it would have been a rare occurance...

[@antonroux6737]

@@ProductReviewCars I wonder whether that is also the reason manufacturers (eg Mercedes) are moving away from folding hardtops for convertibles like the old SLK? I know someone with a Mercedes SLK and it leaks terribly.

[@rueljunicolacsamana930]

An off-road review with the 2022 forester would be great too.. 😉😉😉

[@ProductReviewCars]

Already booked and that review will be launching in a few weeks time :)

[@bvon5630]

Subaru AWD outback tourer is the best by far with its x-mode. There’s a bloke on you tube drives it up a very, very slippery snowy steep slope with stones in it. When set to X-mode setting, it got up the hill.

[@niccycxx]

i just got a autumn green 2022 outback touring and im obsessssed! my first new car. now it's time to learn how to use it LOL

[@ProductReviewCars]

Nice! Sick colour! Make sure you get to take it off-road.

[@niccycxx]

@@ProductReviewCars when people say off-road does that mean like just dirt roads or super bumpy dirt roads ? can it handle the bumps? do people go mudding in these things? LOL

[@johnfifita3635]

Nice, getting same autumn green delivered in November, looking forward to it 😀.

[@VarsitySmurf]

How’s it holding up? I’m looking at getting at that same model for my family.

[@donaldd6365]

HI Thanks for the review but road and tyre noise and wind noise when you go on M31 syd - mel coarse roads ?

[@ProductReviewCars]

Thanks for watching! Only travelled that road once, so can't really comment on how the Outback would perform. In my test, it was quiet but not entirely silent..

[@jjcastleberry3662]

I purchased a 2020 Subaru Outback Touring vehicle for my wife on Mother's Day. The local dealer had a fleet car with 25,000 miles they were selling below market price. It's been 22 years since I purchased a new vehicle from a dealership.

[@ProductReviewCars]

Nice!

[@VarsitySmurf]

How’s it holding up? I’m looking at a 2022 for my family.

[@mas502arc]

I love the styling of the Australian version over the North American one....

[@GastronomicEntity]

That's a good review, we pick up ours in 2 weeks. Nice amount of power but a turbo would be good.

[@ProductReviewCars]

Enjoy yours! Yes, very much looking forward to driving the turbo soon to see if its worth it.

[@gnarls147]

Where was that fire trail located?

[@stevsadventures8535]

finally a review that is NOT a wilderness edition. thank you.

[@ProductReviewCars]

Funnily enough, we don't get the Wilderness Edition in Australia...yet.

[@stevsadventures8535]

@@ProductReviewCars consider that a blessing, the vast majority of outback buyers won't be buying the wildreness edition yet thats the only one that anyone wants to review.

[@ProductReviewCars]

@@stevsadventures8535 Interesting! We're apparently due it here later in the year. You're probs right that it'll be the niche top of the range model, rather than the pick of the range.

[@cyberfox7677]

I am just wondering if you can put in bubbles the metric of any measurements you do point out

[@ProductReviewCars]

For sure. I’ll be adding that in future videos.

[@EastWood2004]

It is one of the slowest cars on the road but the analog odometer shows up to 260 km/h. I think it should stop at 160km/h and broaden the gauge gap for better readability.

[@ProductReviewCars]

Kinda agree

[@geoffrey9888]

I really don't get the need for an outback at 47K when you can get a subaru levorg at 25k with similar performace and practicality, though it wont do offroad. I highly doubt many people who get the outback will ever do offroad driving.

[@kmuinde]

Camera used to shoot the video is very clear

[@smartervbvb6884]

The style is much better than US edition

[@ProductReviewCars]

I'd prefer the Wilderness Edition if it ever came here. Which the US gets.

[@elsaandnoah]

I don’t care about panoramic roofs at all. Perfectly happy with smaller sun/moon roof 👍😁

[@ProductReviewCars]

Interesting! Fair enough. Personally I like a massive glass roof or none at all.

[@swampmarshy]

@@ProductReviewCars The sun in the Northern areas of this country might change your mind on that. Great to be able to open the roof to let out the hot air and allow some air flow, not so great with the sun slowly baking the already balding noggin.

[@ukuk907]

Any of owners can tell would it be good to go on the beach?

[@ProductReviewCars]

Mate of mine took his Forester on the beach. Not the best idea if there's a lot of deep soft sand.

[@ukuk907]

@@ProductReviewCars thx

[@drm42]

Just a little correction to what he said at 11:50: There's no old Porsche with naturally aspirated flat 4. In fact, they have had pretty much every engine type over the years except for a flat 4 🙂 The only exception is the 924, which was a cheap Porsche made for the masses back in the '80s with an Audi 100 engine. People usually don't consider it a Porsche. Just for the sake of accuracy. Otherwise, great review!

[@ProductReviewCars]

Appreciate the correction and thanks for watching! How about the 356? Wasn't that a n/a flat four. Alongside the 718 racecar?

[@drm42]

@@ProductReviewCars The 356 was essentially a heavily modified Volkswagen Beetle, so it had a 4 cylinder boxer engine, not a flat 4. The 718 is indeed flat 4, but I wouldn't call it an "old Porsche" just yet.🙂 Cheers

[@matthewcolotti1724]

The 912 Was a four cylinder ( basically a 1.6L 911)

[@organictarot1018]

Why the hell would you put a CD player in the car and no wireless CarPlay or wireless charging ? What year are they living in 2002 ?

[@marinusmourik9494]

Buy a fu**ing Tesla.

[@cruiseadmiral]

Be aware of the "station wagon" misconception. Subaru Outback is a crossover SUV : kzbin.info/www/bejne/oJTQo4SbbtaKoa8

[@jamar959]

"The 2021 Subaru Outback"...reviewed under the heading of 2022 Outback. Uh...ok.

[@demzo268]

Can't find one for cheaper than 57k any tips to get these prices? 😂

[@ProductReviewCars]

Ouch :( None at the moment. This was shot last year, so prices may have changed for 2023.

[@Showmetheevidence-]

18:30 you *should* find deeper ruts - otherwise what’s the point of an “off-road” review?

[@ProductReviewCars]

Not here to torture test. Driving how I would and many other would if they bought this. There are plenty more 4X4 options if you want something more capable.

[@hjryun9102]

I was trying to buy a outback last week. But quit after the test drive. Engine is Only 136kw, too weak. Does outback wilderness will come to Australia?

[@ProductReviewCars]

Yeah that N/A motor needs a kick up it. No word on it yet. Pretty sure the Forester Wilderness edition will get here first if anything :\

[@petron1954]

Having owned a 2021 Outback for the last 9 months, I find the power is adequate. Not outstanding, but sufficient for the job.

[@oddities-whatnot]

Your comment speaks volumes about your driving standards. I had a 2016 Outback, same engine. Plenty enough power for what its designed to do. Guess what, I got up to speed limits easily and then guess what ? I didnt go faster because I was already doing the speed limit so why you need more power ? Overtaking ? Nobody in 99% of situations needs to overtake anyone, even if the vehicle in front is doing a few mph slower but so what ? It wont delay your journey by an hour will it !!

[@aussieevfamily15]

What's the towing capacity?

[@marinusmourik9494]

​@@aussieevfamily15Two thousand kilos...... in The Netherlands. It's all about the laws.

[@tonycoz2309]

Dear Subaru Australia.....why don't we get the 2.4Lt. Turbo .....while were at it why don't we get a wilderness edition?

[@ProductReviewCars]

100% agree. We need that Wilderness edition yesterday!

[@Whyusadd]

Probably because it would be 80k

[@oddities-whatnot]

Why do you need a turbo ? The road isnt a race track. Men who say they need more power are usually impatient drivers and need their ego boosting, trying to prove some kind of point on the road, ooh im faster than that other car ive just flown past wow unbelievable.

[@Whyusadd]

@@oddities-whatnot sounds like you have never driven a car witha turbo.... plus alot of us have owned or currently own WRX/STi ....lastly your post sounds like your wife tells you what to write! HAHAHAHA

[@Whyusadd]

Theres a Turbo coming Next year

[@MarthaMansbridge]

I’ve seen a few Australian reviews and they talk about this 6th generation like it’s an update/facelift? It’s a completely new car!

[@ProductReviewCars]

To be fair, haven't driven the last gen. So had nothing to compare it to in that way.

[@MarthaMansbridge]

@@ProductReviewCars Yet you talked like you knew all about the version this was a 'facelift'/'update' of so you were basically talking shit throughout? "Subaru's Outback really stands out from the crowd' .... 'It's just not gonna stand out from the crowd'.... this is in the same breath - coins the doors 'yes, this is an improvement over the last model'.... really? thought you hadn't driven it? FFS get a grip - do you know anything about cars?

[@cruiseadmiral]

Most reviewers actually don't know the car they review, especially those "youtube businessman" that pop up with every new car. Hope this author is not from that category.

[@Shem-ski80]

when i saw this green smartwatch on your wrist i immediately knew it wasn't going to be a serious review.. you took the car on a gravel road where an ordinary ford fiesta can do it and you are testing xmode?Henry next time just show people basic test in more detail about economic and utility

[@ProductReviewCars]

Should have watched the review. My name isn’t Henry.

[@Ragnar6000]

You look so much like Guy Pearce lol...........also that's not the Outback...just a bush track not far from a capitol city!

[@ProductReviewCars]

Ahaha thanks!

[@antonroux6737]

the Subaru Outback WILDERNESS EDITION is the one you should be talking about - zero interest until we get those…

[@ProductReviewCars]

Absolutely would love to review one. I have a sneaking suspicion we're either going eventually get it, or some sort of locally tuned version. OR finally get a new turbocharged Outback

[@antonroux6737]

@@ProductReviewCars I will absolutely not tolerate any sort of locally tuned pretend version and I don't think auto journalists should tolerate that either. We live in a global marketplace and if auto journalists are globally attuned to the standard provided to other markets then we can stop being conned by Australian distributors at the bottom of the food chain and insist on better products for our market. I have no interest in a turbocharged version unless it is also a Wilderness Edition (the Wilderness Edition is turbocharged with a lower final drive ratio which makes it the best offroad and the fastest in the range). I heard there is some meaningless iteration that will have a better roof rack and other couple of items, but it won't have any proper engineering (eg suspension improvements, etc) to create additional proper offroad capability. The hilarious thing is that the Outback is named after the Australian outback, and yet we are last on the list to get new models. Even our "new generation" Outback has come to us 3 years after it was released in North America! Pathetic. (And yes, I'm aware that we get our cars from Japan, which I think is preferable from a quality and reliability perspective - still one of the reasons many would contemplate a car from this brand.) Frankly, the Wilderness Edition makes much more sense for the Japanese market too, where they get so much snow in winter, so I would expect the Japanese factory to start making them, which would mean we would be able to get them. That said, the next generation will be out in the US in 2 years so we will be nearly a full generation behind, which is becoming a bit third world. It feels like being in Iran buying Peugeot models from 20 years ago. Back to the Outback, it seems clear from the US and Canadian reviews that there is no material downside to getting a Wilderness Edition for on road driving and yet there is a substantial increase in offroad capability and a car that has significantly more character (and is cheaper than the touring turbocharged version too). From my perspective, there is no reason to get an Outback that is not a Wilderness Edition anymore, and that indeed is a common conclusion of several leading journalists from North America.

[@MarthaMansbridge]

@@antonroux6737 Jesus, calm down about it all! WTF?

[@shaun1900]

@@antonroux6737 the 2.4 turbo in the outback wasn't originally available in right-hand drive form because the engine was developed for North America, Subaru's largest Global market, and it didn't make economic sense to retool the Japanese factories to build that engine until the new WRX started production there, now it has the 2.4 turbo it will be available in the Outback in right-hand drive form. I suggest you take some meds and stop raving like a lunatic.

[@jamesharris2788]

Turbo manual 👌

[@euancarroll4626]

Your review is 10 months out of date. Saying "going into 2022" and giving your review a 2022 heading is misleading. The Rego of the car you tested is almost 12 months old, also your prices you stated are for 2021. 2022 models have a higher price to go with the minor updates. You don't even mention the new model or new colour (Sapphire Blue) for 2022. Yes, I am talking about Subaru's Outback for Australia. How do you expect people to take your review seriously?

[@ProductReviewCars]

Appreciate the feedback, but this was filmed about a week before that press released dropped. Once we have the 2022 model in our hands that review we'll be sure to include all that info in that video.

[@euancarroll4626]

Then change the title to "2021"

[@StephenFogarty2023]

Agree Can’t take this guy seriously at all. This video got reposted for some reason After it was first put up, I commented that this vehicle is useless due to its gutless engine. Once loaded up with people and luggage, it would be an absolute slug. It’s a big fail. Not a touring vehicle without a more powerful engine.

[@orangejuicepony6881]

@@StephenFogarty2023 Mine copes fine, five on board 1000km road trip with full luggage, 6.3L/100km and plenty of OT power from 4500-6000rpm, really pulls hard

[@StephenFogarty2023]

@@orangejuicepony6881 Wow Symo That sounds great What is the year model, and details of your car ? It is a Subaru Liberty Outback model ? Has your vehicle got a diesel motor ? On this road trip, what is the speed that u cruise along at ? 80 km/h ? 110 km/h ? Flat terrain ? Is this 6.3 / 100 figure an average amount over the whole 1,000 km OR Is this the lowest fuel consumption figure that u got, at some stage of this road trip ? Cheers. 👍

[@kevindunnell7150]

WHY are we forced to listen to annoying drums at the same time?

[@ProductReviewCars]

Background music you mean?

[@ianmcnaney6528]

You "love" the headlights? What are you talking about? I've owned my current car for 16 years and I haven't once thought about the headlights. I don't care about the headlights. I expect that they emit light in a forward direction when I turn the switch on, and that's about it. I don't expect them to help me keep my bed warm, and I don't expect to love them. Also it looks like a wagon because it IS a wagon.

[@ProductReviewCars]

Surprisingly, headlight brightness varies between cars. It's always worth pointing out if they're particularly outstanding. Hmmm, more of an SUV today, so I'd say more reminiscent of the wagon it once was.

[@ianmcnaney6528]

@@ProductReviewCars So we agree that it's a wagon, with lights.

[@goose646]

Grumpy old prick 😂 The headlights actually have a feature called “adaptive driving beam” with very similar behaviour to matrix LED headlights where you can drive with high beams on full-time (dipping individual beams and adjusting constantly to put other vehicles in a ‘shadow’). Phenomenal feature and very impressive visibility at night. But go off 😂

[@ianmcnaney6528]

@@goose646 I am a grumpy old man and i'll own it. That newfangled pointy stuff sounds impressive. I've never had it, never wanted it, and I somehow manage to drive around without crashing into things without it. Your play.

[@organictarot1018]

And no bloody cooler seating for Australian summers

[@oddities-whatnot]

Im sure most cars over there dont have cooling seats. If youre not used to the weather by now living there, im lost for words

[@organictarot1018]

This isn’t the 2022 model and the CVT is shit and you risk death if it shits itself on a highway and it doesn’t have cooling seats , we live in Australia not Alaska . It gets hot

[@ProductReviewCars]

Haven't heard a whole lot of owners complaining about this issue in particular.

[@oddities-whatnot]

The Subaru CVTs are great. I had no problem with it on my 2016 Outback. Smooth, quick enough. Relaxing. Reliable ! As for cooling seats, get the lower spec without leather upholstery. Failing that dont buy a Subaru you clearly dont like them yet you wasted your time posting a negative comment. Get a hobby perhaps ?

[@petron1954]

I have been driving for nearly 60 years and have never had a car with cooled seats in that time. I know it gets hot in Australia as I have lived here all my life. In the older days we had plastic or vinyl seats and they were hot and sticky. They were also cold in winter. You get used to that and adapt by using seat covers or towels.