2023 Subaru Outback XT (Turbo) Review: Wow, this thing is awesome!

The all-new Subaru Outback XT - aka Turbocharged!! - has FINALLY landed in Australia, bringing with it a $5,000 price premium BUT the addition of a WRX engine!
Today we take a look at the Subaru Outback XT Turbo to determine if its worth spending your hard earned cash on! We will compare it to the naturally aspirated, standard Outback and see if its really worth the extra $5,000 premium for turbocharged power! So sit back, and enjoy this in-depth review.
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Read the full written review (with some extra insights!): www.carsauce.com
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Got a question for me? Leave it in the comments! I try and respond to them all!

[@CarSauce]

🚨 SAVE $$$ ON FINANCE! 🚨 Use my link for a $150 fuel card for every settled loan & we will get YOU the best deals!💸💸 www.carsauce.com/finance

[@ChrisN06999]

When you become a dad but boost is life. Sleeper dad wagon it is.

[@Roku-qp8oc]

The best value wagon in Australia. So versatile and comfortable across many terrains. Considering most Australians drive 90% of our time on tar the Outback still manage masters luxury offroad when needed. As for the turbo its glorious and provides the power you need to keep you going and get you out if trouble on roads at times. The main negative everyone always brings up is fuel consumption compared to other brands however when filling the tank its such a minor difference. The extra cost is worth it. Still made in Japan and still remains a high quality build.

[@robertceroli3512]

Now Subaru just need to add that eng to the Forrester

[@MrJBL0]

No they should keep it as a Outback and WRX exclusive because Outbacks are better then Forresters

[@valdius85]

@@MrJBL0 Or they should focus on bringing profit and offer products people want to buy…

[@MrJBL0]

@@valdius85 and people wanted turbocharged outback for a long time and Subaru delivered

[@HyRax_Aus]

@@MrJBL0 The Forrie does have better approach and departure angles though.

[@MrJBL0]

@@HyRax_Aus but the Outback is way more luxurious than the Forrrester and it’s more capable off road

[@steveseeley3358]

Canada calling again. Your videos are humorous so I've subscribed. Question, have you lads not noticed that Subaru put your steering wheels on the wrong side? 😏

[@paulpierce21]

As a Murican, i don't watch foreign reviews often, but you guys are legit entertaining and the editing is well done.

[@SSchithFoo]

Who ya calling foreign foo? They still speaking the English

[@denisgately4701]

I am now into my 6th year with my first Outback (SWMBO has had at least 4 Imprezas), and got into it out of a Merc AMG (which I was finding harder and harder to get in and out of). And I have to say (as I said to the salesman when I bought it), how long has this been going on ?!! Awesome engineering, great driving experience, and wonderful utility.....and as cheap as chips !! Thanks for the review....I think I have found the replacement....if ever I want to !!

[@ben7020]

Subaru will have this on loop in the dealer showrooms 😆. Good review, i like how ride comfort and normal size rims are making a comeback - they're better to own on an everyday car !

[@frankchmielewski4568]

Totally, I hate the obsession with 21 inch wheels on higher spec models just for the looks!

[@HyRax_Aus]

@@frankchmielewski4568 Especially those with rubber bands for tyres. They don't realise how much they compromise handling, braking and acceleration with practically no sidewalls.

[@isaac4309]

Well presented in a funny way but with details. Enjoyed the ride and the presentation. VIC Australia

[@bjcee]

This is one of your funniest reviews. Actually really enjoyed it.

[@ichabodjones65]

just did a country highway drive in my xt app 500ks . i have never driven a better car on the road. this thing is such a surprise. just as good as my sons merc to drive. one very happy customer

[@MrJBL0]

I’m going to get a Touring XT soon, I can’t wait

[@vasilisconstantinides4476]

Great review! Subscribed

[@lauriealmy7073]

I traded my Forester for a 2023 Outback Touring XT and am one happy camper on so many levels! I've owned many SUVs and this Outback, that's not quite an SUV, is the best of them all.

[@TheTexturizer]

This is the only current offering by Subaru that could get me out of my ten year old tuned diesel outback. Unfortunately they don’t sell it in UK.

[@gfiddy5188]

Great review

[@sherwinchia8114]

The roof rails on the Touring also deploy as roof racks so you don't need to have the horizontal aftermarket rhino racks installed.

[@HyRax_Aus]

The only downside of them is that they can't handle heavier loads, like one or two people in tents (too much flex in the bars), but it's adequate for carrying all sorts of general cargo of course.

[@brucecoleman3043]

Great review. So miss the power of the the turbo since I got rid of my Liberty GT SpecB & Forrester XT. Can’t wait for mine to be delivered this month now the ship is coming to Port Adelaide instead of Port Melbourne with all their quarantine problems.

[@lewisisle-qb1py]

Congrats, did you order the sport or the touring? I've been waiting for my touring to arrive for a long time. If you ordered the touring, can I ask what date you signed your contract to purchase please?

[@brucecoleman3043]

@@lewisisle-qb1py we ordered the touring wagon on 8/9/22 and were told delivery would be Jan/Feb and 30th April and then late May because of the quarantine issues. Then they called this week and advised that the ship will now dock at Port Adelaide on 12th April instead of Melb on 14th May.

[@lewisisle-qb1py]

@@brucecoleman3043 Thanks Bruce, much appreciated. Enjoy the car!

[@nitramossof1784]

You solidified my choice of new car. Subaru Outback Wilderness in black.

[@Valdismith]

SUbaru still takes corners well for a regular roads with imperfections, dumps and jumps I think it is even better than the stiffies.

[@steveseeley3358]

Canada calling, our model has 260hp with normal 87 octane petrol. 0-100klmh is 5.8 seconds. How can yours be so much slower with only 15hp less? Max towing capacity is rated at 3,500 lbs in Canads while yours is 5,200 lbs. Are Australia's towing rules a bit more lack than ours or are your models more solid. Your 0-100 makes me think that might be the case.

[@w00tplayaw00t]

The video thumbnail shows it with a hood scoop. Did you photoshop that on there?

[@teddym2808]

I can't wait to see what people do with tuning these

[@nedfinnegan240]

It is nice that the turbo feature no longer requires higher octane fuel as it once did.

[@johnrose8806]

Car sauce rocks funny guy is tomato sauce, Jacob is Bbq, between the two, I’m calling it… The Babamato brothers 😂😂😂

[@ottomatic7823]

Here in the USA, that color blue is not available nor the grill :(

[@chriswright5198]

Love the photoshopped bonnet scoop on the cover photo 😂😂

[@plonkaplonka4998]

Your not wrong about the seats. They would have to be the most comfortable car seats that my butt has had the pleasure of sitting in 😊

[@HyRax_Aus]

FYI - you'll launch slightly better if you make use of ACC HOLD mode. Turn on cruise, come to a stop, ensure HOLD is showing in the dash and then take your foot off the brake (car is braking for you now). Set Sports mode on the SI-Drive, hover over the accelerator and then plant it when you're ready to go. Launches better than just from standstill alone or putting revs up. You can really get the jump on people at the Traffic Light GP. Personally I'm slightly disappointed that the Gen6 XT is slower to 100kmh out of the box than the Gen5 H6 is (which does mid-to-high 6's in Sports Sharp mode) but a good amount of blame can be laid at the fact that the Gen6 is nearly 50kg heavier than than the H6! That said, the engine can be easily tuned to add performance without extra hardware mods, just at the cost of some fuel efficiency. Also slightly disappointed that they removed Sports Sharp mode. That said, our XT is much more fuel efficient than the US model, so we can take some solace from that. Other neat features not mentioned in this review: - Adaptive Driving Beam headlights (aka "Matrix Headlights") which draws a neat box of low beam around other vehicles whilst leaving high beam on for the rest of the road. - You can set a tailgate access PIN code to unlock the car without the fob (useful for rescuing trapped kids or pets without breaking a window, or going to the beach and locking the fob inside so you don't lose it).

[@davetravels9273]

I didn’t realize that the non-north American XT has a different tune. I have an American XT with 260 hp and 280 lb ft torque. It does 0-60 mph in 5.8 seconds. I average 9l/100kms and easily get less than 8l/100kms on the highway so I’m not sure why they changed the tunning overseas. Not sure that the overseas model gets that much better fuel economy. 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@JeffSereno]

@@davetravels9273 Looking at figures posted in the Outback Forums, you guys suffer a lot more in urban consumption, particularly for light acceleration. Your Outbacks are always in "peak performance" mode at times you don't need it, while those with SI-Drive will only be that in Sports mode.

[@davetravels9273]

@@JeffSereno Yes, that's true, we don't get SI-Drive in the states, but we also get a more powerful version of the 2.4T. I'm curious what Subaru's reasoning was behind that? Was it fuel economy overseas and wanting to have a faster car in the US market?

[@craigelliott5028]

I’ve ordered one….dad’s wrx (almost…close enough)

[@markdale5076]

Hi guys love your reviews looking at purchasing a new car soon subaru touring xt v mazda cx60 any input much appreciated Mark

[@CarSauce]

We haven’t driven the CX60 yet (stay tuned) but we can definitely attest that the Outback Touring XT is awesome! 😁

[@markdale5076]

@@CarSauce thanks for your reply have you got a time for release for the cx60

[@dannytu0322]

We need a Subaru Outback XT STI!🎉

[@tomliang7463]

Im thinking of switching my WRX to a Outback XT, should I do it?

[@mjbarber771]

Different cars. Just got the outback touring xt. Quick and comfy but not exciting per se.

[@tonybennett638]

Uncle .. getting off the lights ..the new me slow as screw the rest behind...

[@onetimer100]

SI Drive is not 'sport' mode, in fact it's maximizes economy. Looks like "ECON" on my Honda. From Subie. "In Intelligent Mode, SI-DRIVE® directs the throttle to open more gradually to maximize fuel efficiency, reduce emissions and deliver greater smoothness. The engine mapping also optimizes throttle and torque characteristics to maintain the most efficient settings, boosting fuel economy by as much as 10% overall."

[@blairboyle2476]

Ive driven on snow and Ice up dirt road for 15 years, Subaru AWD is best.

[@bas4903]

I want one. Can't afford it but I want one

[@HeremodofGotha]

What about the windshields cracking out of nowhere every 3 months?

[@HeremodofGotha]

@@shaun1900 What year/model/trim?

[@HyRax_Aus]

That's a US thing, not an AU thing.

[@eskieman3948]

And... here is one of the well known Subaru hater trolls for your amusement!

[@HeremodofGotha]

@@eskieman3948 I'm actually looking into purchasing my first Subaru. Just trying to get honest opinions from actual owners and their thoughts.

[@HeremodofGotha]

@@HyRax_Aus US market >> AU market

[@Loki1815]

Prefer the UK roof rails, rather than Yank, "of course they are course, they're for the Yank market!" Surprising that Oz have got them as well!

[@anthonywarry339]

No doubt this thing is nice to drive but at around $62k here in Aus there’s plenty of other great family cars around this kind of money I would consider first..

[@HyRax_Aus]

But they're not quite as satisfying in my books. Of all the pros and cons you can compile for each competitor, I feel the Outback has the least number of cons.

[@australianmade2659]

$62k is cheap. I’ve come off 4 cab utes and decided on this as frankly there 70-80k the are charging for utes was the nail in the coffin for me. Also consider a golf GTI is getting up to the money and this is the Subaru GTI that can actually fit the family.

[@anthonywarry339]

@@australianmade2659 I guess you’re right, I’m probably stuck in 2003 when my XT forester was about $40k 🤣 Utes are a piss take at that money.

[@ohMY03]

What great family cars are you on about i been searching nothing comes close to this

[@anthonywarry]

@@ohMY03 It might be a great car but lacking 7 seat option compared to Sorrento, CX8 & CX9 is big compromise for me. Just my opinion and needs. No doubt it'll make a perfect family car for so many who don't need 7 seats though.

[@PineappleSkip]

Glad it handled well enough to not take out the cyclist at 15:08 :)

[@Loki1815]

Your wrong about the MPG (L/K). The Turbo is better in the city and Motorway!

[@brentonl1746]

So is the fuel consumption 😢

[@eskieman3948]

What about it?

[@chrisbennett1037]

Not as good as the N/A engine but also not bad for a Turbo..its about 3-4 MPG less

[@Aiken47]

Please create playlists that are by brand, it makes it much easier to find particular cars. I’d also create playlists by category of car. The 2023 WRX is about the same speed 0-100 from what I can tell in other vids

[@CarSauce]

It’s coming! We’re doing a major overhaul now 😊

[@SSchithFoo]

That sound effect is a supercharger not a turbo Lol

[@SendThemRunning]

I believe thats a 2022 model, but great review nonetheless edit: I was wrong it isn't

[@maxd4968]

No it isn’t, the turbo was introduced for 23 here

[@HyRax_Aus]

Rest of world is one year behind the US. Gen6 launched in 2021, XT launched in 2023.

[@SendThemRunning]

@@maxd4968 oh I wasn't aware of that, oops

[@MrJustinpb]

Hey at least you dont have to wait 2 years for one, Toyota...

[@mattyfinality]

Just can’t stand the CVT like there’s no gear changes 😭 it’s just so fkn lame man!

[@dsm200ix8]

XT = Xtra Torque. 😅

[@kazuhitoshi9701]

Good one 😎

[@shibujoseph5666]

Not sure why this presenter being too expressive or mimicking a lot 🤔🤔

[@chevy-is-a-good-boy]

Less power and torque than a 10yr old (base model) Ford Falcon - wow! The new Outback does everything else so well though. Too bad it only has adequate power.

[@CarSauce]

Read the full written review (with some extra insights!): www.carsauce.com

[@iangordon2783]

He is a complete pain.

[@Vikturus22]

So close to being ok….. get rid of that TRASH CVT and get something thats better

[@australianmade2659]

The CVT is actually great. I’ve driven the XT and ordered one. Never driven a CVT before but I was really impressed.

[@Vikturus22]

@@australianmade2659 i owned 2 cars with cvt for work. Never again! Piles of trash. Also for the subaru why put paddle shifters when cvt dont shift gears?

[@australianmade2659]

@@Vikturus22 well that doesn’t tell me much. I know Nissan had faulty boxes. But even ranger 10 speeds have been grenading themselves. Yes the zf is the gold standard but the Subarus aren’t having issues and they’ve been running with more torque in the states for the past two years

[@maxd4968]

Just bought a forester and I like the cvt it makes it much more better to drive

[@HyRax_Aus]

Nothing wrong with the CVT - it goes hard and never has drama. Don't compare this CVT to other brand CVT's. If they were really as bad as the naysayers say they are, they wouldn't keep using them and buyers would have left Subaru in droves. Guess what, they aren't. My 2019 Gen5 H6 CVT is still going strong and I do drive my Outback very spiritedly.

[@THEAC83]

My mate has a lower model as a work car. I personally think these things are hideous and the infotainment is nowhere near as good as what competitors are releasing.

[@HyRax_Aus]

Subaru, by their own admission, come late to the bundled technology game because they prefer the rest of the market to test and iron out the bugs first. In the case of the big touchscreen, it is obvious the decision to go with that was influenced heavily by Tesla, but at the same time, that decision would have been made midway through the life of the Gen5 Outback. Unless the touchscreen alone was tanking their sales, they aren't going to rush through a sudden design change like that. Think back to the 2001 WRX - the bugeye headlights were considered so bad at the time that sales really did drop sharply - Subaru tried to appease buyers in 2002 with the inclusion of a Suretrac rear diff, shorter gear ratios and the very first addition of EBD, but it wasn't enough. By 2003, we had the so-called "blobeye" redesign in showrooms and it was all bolt-on stuff - remove bonnet, headlights and bumper on a 2001/2002 model, attach the replacement 2003-2005 bumper, headlights and bonnet and you were upgraded. So many owners at the time went to the expense to buy those parts because they really REALLY hated the bugeye look. It's quite ironic today to see 20-something WRX drivers looking at the bugeye and actually liking the look compared to the previous generation of 20-somethings - things change a lot in 20 years.

[@THEAC83]

@@HyRax_Aus wow, I didn’t need an essay buddy

[@HyRax_Aus]

@@THEAC83 You sparked the point! =)

[@eskieman3948]

"and the infotainment is nowhere near as good as what competitors are releasing". I completely disagree. A LOT of the competitor's infotainment systems are complete garbage, and many are far more expensive than the Subarus.

[@eskieman3948]

@@THEAC83 Too bad. You asked for it, and you got it.