Subaru Outback review and buyer's guide | Auto Expert John Cadogan

New Subaru Outback - the sixth generation of what began as a mad experiment with the Liberty wagon in 1994 - I’m at the end of a week in the poverty pack 2021 Outback, and about to swap to the high-spec Outback Touring. What’s it really like, and is it a contender for you? Here’s my initial assessment.
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So, I’m being facetious referring to this car as ‘poverty’ in any way. It’s simply a piece of insider slang - the entry-level model always called the ‘poverty pack’. This is anything but.
Poverty Outback gets the big centre screen (11.6 inches - portrait orientation, too - bucking that ‘landscape’ trend). Plus, virtually all the safety systems are standard - which, admittedly, are a bit intrusive at times. Nature of the beast.
Poverty Outback is, essentially, fully-loaded on safety - including driver monitoring and autonomous emergency steering. This is one area where Outback really delivers across the range.
LED lighting too - like, LED headlamps, turn signals and daytime running lights, even in ‘poverty class’. Respect to Subaru for packing all that in, for the basic price, and remaining competitive.
2000 kilos of braked towing capacity, CVT’s got manual mode. Plus, 213mm of ground clearance, so Outback has some legitimate off-road ability.
Senior executive Subaru dudes say the engine is 90 per cent new - but I’m on the fence about this engine. Like, it’s still 2.5 litres and atmo, and a boxer, and I’m sure it’s perfectly adequate for 90 per cent of Outback owners.
It’s refined, but mediocre … adequate - meaning it’s exactly what a lot of people need/want. Speaking personally, however, I’m not one of those people. I’ll take ‘more’. I did take more. I’ve owned two WRXs and a Forester XT: all awesome, trouble-free cars.
It is, therefore, a deadset shame in my view that they do not make the 2.4 turbo petrol engine available here, as it is in ‘Murica. That’s a real step backwards - they dropped the 3.6, and didn’t replace it with anything punchy or otherwise inspirational.
On balance, I’d suggest Outback is a net evolution for Subaru - long awaited, but a proper step forward, in most respects. Subaru does have its bolted on fans. They don’t shop around. The Symmetrical AWD and the awesome customer care - it certainly builds loyalty.
Outback has a lot of appeal - especially if you are in Club Conservative. Nothing wrong with that.
But the passion deficit is a thing. It kills brands. Just look at Honda and Nissan - both having near-death experiences today. I think some other brands - like Hyundai and Kia - are taking the fight to Subaru, and their incremental evolution is proceeding at a faster rate than Subaru’s.
You know that expression: ‘Be the change you wish to see in the world’? I think Subaru needs to channel its inner product planning Ghandi, and reverse the tide on passion - if only to protect the terrain it has fought so hard to occupy today.
Outback is a really good SUV. The value proposition is solid. And the company is awesome at customer care. And I don’t say that about every vehicle, as you know. In fact, Outback is the right SUV for a great many people … it’s just unfortunately not quite as good as it otherwise might have been.

[@saabaton169]

I'd have to agree with a CD player being a bit outdated, however Spotify don't have the Jimi Hendrix Albert Hall experience playlist which i have on a CD, so take that John, Subaru and Lexus CD players for the win, epic Hendrix riff I think you'd agree 😎

[@ScottMurrayBestFamilyCars]

There is something special about putting a CD in and just letting it play. Linkin Park Hybrid Theory, Back in Black, Daryl Braithwaite Lemon Tree...

[@saabaton169]

@@ScottMurrayBestFamilyCars plus how would you enjoy the audiobook version of Dick Head Pro

[@charlie.aka.gillette]

As you drive along Dingo Piss Ck, you will appreciate the CD player when Spotify stops as your phone loses reception.

[@Charlie-vl9op]

You can play spotify offline aslong as you download the music and a member

[@destroyerarmor2846]

Get a flash drive

[@nordic5490]

Yup, relying on the cloud or on streaming services is for mugs. Fyi, the free Spotify has such terrible audio quality - it makes my ears bleed - I won't listen to such highly compressed and low data rate music.

[@sgtkabukiman9411]

Get an Android phone and chuck an SD card in it. S10's come in 512GB built in and take a 512GB SD card. That's over half a Terabyte of storage.

[@ccupp2]

My 2016 Outback's Eyesight system saved me from a bad wreck when a woman ran a traffic light. I didn't even know it was happening. Suddenly my car was stopped about 3 feet from the drivers side door of her Toyota Camry. The woman looked terrified with my Outback mere feet from t-boning her car. It happened so quickly that I was confused as to what had just happened. That day the Eyesight sure made a believer out of me.

[@offroadingfoz]

Lucky no one was behind you too close. 🙈

[@jintarokensei3308]

Just out of curiosity, where were you looking at that you didn't see a car in front of you?

[@daveamies5031]

Clearly the other 2 who replied before me didn't read the first 2 sentences of your comment, I love it when a safety feature saves you from a really bad day or worse, I bet that day you were really happy with your purchase 👍🏼

[@offroadingfoz]

@@daveamies5031 looks like you don’t understand how rear ends happen when people for example brakes at the first sight of an amber light. But ok, I didn’t read the first two sentences.

[@daveamies5031]

@@offroadingfoz I do understand how rear ends happen, but nothing in the OP comment indicates he would have had a rear end, so I still fail to see the relevance of people picking on him for not paying attention and almost having one?

[@joeyl.2081]

The best thing about the new Outback is the 90 second ad that starts with the kid catching the keys to the brumby

[@timmarks8941]

Yep

[@ScottMurrayBestFamilyCars]

@@timmarks8941 You need to actually take Outback for a test drive. Honestly, I've owned previous-gen Outback for nearly three years and the new one is substantially better, in almost every way. The 7 per cent power increase is good and it's more responsive thanks to direct injection, and it's ridiculously comfy over long trips. The roof rails are so bloody handy.

[@joeyl.2081]

But who is the prospective buyer for the Outback given there's no diesel and no turbo engine options? It would be a massive Subaru own goal if the only people considering the Outback would have otherwise bought a Forester.

[@robinm2699]

John Cadogan I had so much fun listening to you I had to listen again - brilliant!

[@MrWilliam.Stewart]

A Subaru without a turbo, is like a wee without a fart, or a dance without music.

[@bradleydavies4781]

Yes no six cylinder or diesel either.

[@aerienix]

There’s some elegance in the examples you used

[@Hallowsaw]

Honestly i was trying to pass on a back road and it took like 10 seconds to pass someone going 50 mph and i was going full throttle. The 2.5 is fking pathetic

[@nordic5490]

A tug without a happy ending ?

[@jism1125]

Thought a poo without a wee was more accurate

[@andyharrison5238]

Put down a deposit on one of these today after miraculously finding a dealer with stock. Just went for the poverty pack and I'm rapt with the decision, it's a lot of car for the money! If I could sum up the engine in one word it would be "adequate" but the rest of the car was good enough to convince me

[@ScottMurrayBestFamilyCars]

Smart choice. It's such a good vehicle overall.

[@1800dontcare]

Just put down a deposit on one ourselves and the base model is more than enough the other features just weren’t worth the extra cost in my opinion and now just have to wait for it to be built and delivered which may be not till next year :’( I shall wait

[@andyharrison5238]

@@1800dontcare Good decision, I'm now up to 7k on the odometer and it's been fantastic. Yours will be worth the wait!

[@M.-.D]

@@andyharrison5238 thanks so much for coming back and giving an update on your experience. Just scored one on the boat which was a canceled order. Looking forward to it. Got the Touring but the car at any level looks fantastic.

[@chrisact9601]

Gotta agree with you John. I have a 2019 Outback 3.6R and there's no way I'd "upgrade" to the new atmo 4 cyl model. The 3.6R isn't exactly what I'd call "sporty" but having the extra oomph is certainly a lot more fun than not. It's been a bloody good car thus far too.

[@MrBill461]

I too have a 3.6R and while it is not tyre shredding, it makes overtaking a breeze. Sports+ mode around town is fun, although a tad harsh on the upshifts (as far as a CVT upshifts.......) for me. A damn good car.

[@huddleen]

I’ve got the 2.4T in my Ascent (US Market) and it rocks. Does suck down the gas if you like to drive it aggressively, but it is nice for those two lane passing maneuvers. I’ve also had the 2.5 in the Forester and it worked and was surprisingly zippy around town, but I would be more hesitant to go with that in the heavier Outback.

[@leaveeye]

Ive watched many of your reviews but this was my favorite - thank you sir

[@samboelliott1]

Hey John. Thanks for the video. Great timing too. By the way I was only just thinking about Nut Fest Friday and how much I miss it. Feel free to air you best nuts every now and then . We'd love that.

[@SeeSawMacaw]

Still use CD’s occasionally and love the long term reliability and simplicity aspects of normally aspirated. I don’t care for all these boosted out GDI’d 4 bangers. Keep the faith Subaru. Nice to have a choice still.

[@deanrhodenizer938]

Greetings from Canada and great review IMHO. I realize your well being makes these videos possible but I do not like the embedded advertising that I have to work harder to bypass. Although, I somewhat appreciate your elaborate and colourful descriptions as to how the product may benefit me - an advertising concept that has disappeared with 10 second ads.

[@pierreblenderbuss9807]

Yup accurate review. We have a 2014 2.5 poverty which is . . . with 200k on the clock, still solid. Hasn't missed a beat. We recently got our SECOND one (we need two cars) via a salary packaging deal--the 2021 Touring. 100% agree with everything said; glad they introduced the WRX engine (if I have that right) afterwards as our next one will be that.

[@v36nismo]

I love how youtube put a mercedes gtr pro ad just before john's vid. Proudly announcing it was pcoty 2021. I like to think that John shudders randomly out of the blue everytime this happens.

[@David.Gaugamela]

It is now 2024 and they offer a 2.4-Liter, 4-cylinder, Turbo charged engine in the Outback. It is amazing. The quick acceleration is phenomenal, getting on the highway or when you need to pass another vehicle. Subaru can’t decide whether this is a family station wagon or a high performance vehicle. This is the best vehicle I have owned.

[@herringchoker01]

Enjoyed your review, John. I do hope Subaru Australia adds the XT turbo to the range soon. That makes a huge difference both to fun factor and towing capacity.

[@lukehedstrom8009]

its confirmed now in Australia, so that will make this even better

[@jaccheck5774]

Thanks for your honest opinion John. I bought the Liberty based on your review back in 2016 and have loved it. It has been a great car and like you said back then - why are we all obsessed with the SUV? There are plenty of good alternatives out there.

[@ytlurker220]

This is much more like a wagon than any other SUVs. They're just easier to live with in ever way.

[@Aussieglenn89]

Great review mate!

[@stendecstretcher5678]

I have a CD in my 98 Corolla. I listen to Ace of Base regularly.

[@sandybutt9898]

I've got a KISS CD you can borrow.

[@dougnicholls3719]

I had an au falcon which was a good car that had a CD player and I thought it was unreal

[@gravityskeptic8697]

Sounds like you got it made dude 👍

[@bazbbeeb7226]

surely you spelled Ace of Spades wrong?

[@gravityskeptic8697]

@@bazbbeeb7226 Must be. Good catch!

[@williamlongbottom5494]

Subaru is my favourite. Reliable sticks to the road in all conditions and never an issue with service people

[@anthonykhalil70]

John my wife has a 2017 touring wagon. We love. It's so much more comfortable that our 200 landcruiser. But I would ditch it today without a tear for the turbo if it was available. Like you said missed opportunity for Subaru.

[@jesserowlingsify]

Re CDs... I’m in my mid 20s and am a fan of cds. I have lots of cds that I can’t find on Spotify or anything. CD recordings are also better quality than streaming services generally, so combined with the better audio system and price tag I can see it appealing to certain people.

[@Toddreneeh]

Can't beat the sound of uncompressed audio. That's half the point of getting a CD, at least for me anyway.

[@bruceparr1678]

@@Toddreneeh If you need a sound system when driving, the car is a boring piece of poop.

[@Toddreneeh]

@@bruceparr1678 Agree

[@jesserowlingsify]

@@bruceparr1678 Long highway drives are boring in any car. A good soundtrack makes them go by quicker.

[@johnphaceas7434]

I've got CD players in both my cars (though I also have bluetooth in one). Recently also bought myself a proper Akai Cassette Deck from the 90s to plug into my Sony home stereo (turntable, tuner/amp and CD player) so now I can play everything from my past, including the suitcase of tapes I'd forgotten about in the shed. Personally, I still prefer the more organic sound of LPs when at home.

[@jimz508]

I have many CDs from times past .... yes I want a CD player :P

[@davepiotrowski1992]

I love CD too, better quality sound than mp3

[@user-tz4nk5sk8b]

Having been a Toyota guy, I described what I wanted as a 4WD Celica station wagon - I needed a sports car with a big boot. THAT described what I wanted in a car for most weeks of the year, well, it's called a Subaru Outback and my first one was in 2000. About every three years my local dealership sold me another one and I must say they have looked after me very well in sales and service. The service manager, more than once, loaned me his car when mine needed to stay over night. 2009 saw my first diesel and I loved it for towing. 2015 was the next one because the 2009 just didn't want to the traded in. at the very end of 2017, John, your team found my next Outback, another manual diesel with a CD player. Except there was so much stuffing about that I missed out on the manual and ended up with a CVT. I'd already stripped all the accessories off the old car and fitted a standard Subaxtreme bull bar so I could keep the custom bar. I was committed to another Outback. This has been the most depressing car to drive, the cornering is downright dangerous and the transmission is SO depressing. The fuel bill around town went from 8.5 to 10.5L/100. I used to do 30,000km per year and this one is now 3y3m old and has not hit 70,000km. If Subaru GAVE me my eighth Outback for free I'd hesitate. I've had so much trouble with turbo pipes blowing off when towing a 1000kg camper that I carry a dedicated set of tools with an instruction sheet in case I'm not the one fixing it - AGAIN. Way too much tech, too much Nanny mode and None For the Driver would be a far more suitable slogan. Hello Toyota, I'll be back in June for my next car. John, once you stop with all the mindless dribble, the comment towards the end was spot on, Subaru has lost the plot about the car, what it was intended for and who is going to buy it. Oh, BTW, the audio quality of bluetooth or internet music compared to CD... yeah, nah, give me CD and it works when the car is out of phone range for calling the NRMA.

[@dariusmoller7204]

Give us the turbo! Only reason I wouldn’t consider an Outback or a Forester is the lack of turbo options.

[@dws-art]

The new "Outback Sports" roof rack set up, enables carrying long sea kayaks etc, because the standard cross bars on the chunky fixed built in roof racks - can not be moved sufficiently away from each other.

[@christanner8104]

How does the CVT reliability stand up to towing? Sorry if this may seem a dumb question but I've never had a CVT before apart from a rental. Thanks.

[@derekharvey5257]

Ex-bolted on Subaru owner here. Only will be re-bolted if/when the 2.4T arrives. I’ve had a Gen5 2.5i Outback Premium (and a Gen4 diesel before that) and wouldn’t contemplate the 2.5 again - adequate when not loaded up, sluggish with an load aboard, and don’t even attempt towing anything. I’m so disappointed, I’ve been waiting ages for this car ever since it was launched almost 2 years ago in ‘Murica

[@DashCamSerbia]

John does love those Fleshlights. :p

[@labourlawact7826]

You guys need to get real boyfriends.

[@sandybutt9898]

@@pierrebuffiere5923 Did you take the plastic tab off the battery that is mandatory for battery products that are being shipped?

[@Seanype]

Hey John, why was the outgoing model service intervals 6 months but in New Zealand the exact same model was 12 months ? Like was Australian dealers just getting one up on us compared to our Nz cousins ?

[@Nicholas.T]

Yes Pickle, it’s called gouging!!

[@esku157]

I picked up a spotless and well maintained 2017 Outback Premium for well under $30K. Dealer wants it badly but I just can't go another n.a. 2.5 with that uninspiring CVT and drop $55K plus for the touring. I already have leather, 2 memory heated seats, sunroof, 18's, satnav, adaptive cruise and integrated roof bars. 2.4t might have been enough but alas...

[@niCk-do8bx]

Great Job John. Looks like a nice Subaru. not too bad for entry lvl.

[@Roger_Gadd]

I suspect the Subaru Outbacks in this review still do nought to 100 km/h in around ten seconds. The available acceleration is usually enough for overtaking, and from a standstill is faster than most drivers accelerate their vehicles.

[@Abandoned_Brane]

General Motors has advanced safety features, too. It doesn't actually run for more than a few days at a time before breaking down and sitting in the shop for two weeks. Thereby almost eliminating any change of getting involved in a crash in it.

[@markfrost2560]

On 0n0npopoño0p0 plpo00oo0np

[@warrenanderson9938]

Skip the 2.4 turbo. We got a 2021 Touring (with turbo standard). Within a few months (March) it started dripping oil. Months later (December almost a year now) it still does. Subaru cannot figure it out. Car is in fact in the garage again this week. You are lucky they don't have them "down there". Get a truck with a v8, that's where I'm headed.

[@mr.forster2939]

Hi John, no turbo made me look for something like the outback. Took a Skoda 200TSI Scout for a test drive as the Skoda dealer is in my town. Same price, heaps of power and better quality. The dealer told me they are getting 30% of sales from people trading in older model Outbacks Eg 3.6R.

[@flhharley90]

I had a look at an outback to see how close it was to my touring Mazda 6 wagon, I love it, will be trading up to the tourer next year as will have to wait 6 months for it to come.

[@kevinjolliffe2199]

Hi John. Will you be doing a review on the 2020 and 2022 releasing in October Subaru BRZ TS. Çheers.

[@MazandJazz]

Olight upvote here. Picked up a keychain one and a little one for the toolbox. Full beam can nearly cut through walls

[@electrosaurus]

Always owned Subaru's - my current H6 Outback is on the way out and I'm not even considering Subaru anymore. Depresses me no-end but between the CVT and the under-powered engine - I can't even consider it for my moderate towing needs.

[@Peter-jm7zt]

Hi John, thanks for the entertainment and knowledge as always. I really like and enjoy Subaru. (But then again I like Old Land Rovers) . Maybe the fun of driving has been lost and It has all gone too serious. Remember the good old days of big V8's (68.. 289 fairmont) and chrome Bumper Bars. side issue ...Are we still paying import duty on cars even if we don't make them here anymore. all the best.

[@ScottMurrayBestFamilyCars]

We only pay import duty on cars from non Trade Agreement nations like the US, UK and Europe. We don't pay it for Japanese, Thai or South Korean cars.

[@kodak_jack]

Would you buy a used one if it was well maintained and no accidents?

[@leonpmuyt]

I like having the cd option in my 2016 Cerato hatch.

[@Excalabur50]

Another top review John!

[@Brendan.Wheatley]

I would love to see Subaru hark back to their roots in producing a modern day Liberty RS wagon circa 94! I like to think they tried with the Levorg, but at the end of the day, they need to sell stock, hence the run of the mill products they pump out today to the very safety conscious I believe everything the salesperson tells me kind of person! I'm glad you said the word torch, in your promo at least once! My rant is over, thanks for sharing John!

[@evans3304]

I've got a 94 rs Liberty sedan twin turbo. This thing when running is whole lot of fun.

[@camb8722]

Evening John, are we going to get the Hyundai Santa Cruz Ute in straya?

[@orrinbelcher6593]

Nice video fun and informative

[@mws078]

I'm one of those bolted on Subaru fans. I've owned 10, currently have 3 being a WRX, Legacy GTB import and 2019 XV (wifes). I'm still waiting for the 2.4T in the Outback before I'll buy one. I'm in the 10% who want that bit more and aren't happy with mediocre.

[@crj8387]

I hear you Mark. I too am waiting for the turbo but not holding my breath. Test driving a VW Tiguan tomorrow with the same engine as the r line. If it goes ok might look at the 2021 VW Tiguan r line when they arrive in country next month. I’m not holding my breath for the suby turbo model

[@MerlinMan1579]

I have owned a Gen 1 H6 since 2004 and it is an easy car to live with, not a squeak or fail to report.....it is not an exciting urban car, but get it onto rough rural dirt roads and it comes alive, especially in the wet. My version is slim too, so it squeezes into a shopping centre car park space easily. These new ones look nice, but there is no mongrel in the range and for me I really need a performance model to get me across the line this time. Totally agree with you John that this mediocrity will bite Subaru in the long term. The Subaru board really needs to spice up this awesome platform.

[@josephrowe849]

I always wanted an Outback. Hopefully, that'll be my next car.

[@sheerluckholmes5468]

Does this mean that the Outback recall of the other week is now over?

[@jldam6515]

Hi John, I like your videos in general. In this case, I was quite confused about some of the statements you made. Tingks like, "it is good, but not as good at it could have been" is a kind of statement valid all time and not very useful. Anyhow, I would buy this car, as it is reliable, good and not too expensive ! If I understood well what you'd said, this is the useful summary...

[@hbdrums337]

I've always had a soft spot for a car hanging on to the station wagon idea. I lug drums round to gigs and use roof racks all the time for kayaks etc. and need to tow boats. SUVs and their high roof are a pain to load stuff up on there. the 7 seaters take valuable luggage room away. But you're right. There is whiff of feeling old and loosing the spark in life getting a sube. lol.

[@pilot1226]

I love my Outback XT here in ‘Murica. Waiting to see what the Toyota-Subie mashup will bring with ‘lectrics. It’s a damn shame they don’t offer the 3.6R or 2.4T over there still. Our Touring trims have ventilated seats as well, but none have those fancy side view cameras. I’m on my 4th Subaru now…

[@BruceHoult]

Yeah, I'm sticking with my 2008 Outback 2.5XT with 104000 km for the moment. It's got eyesight cruise control and lane departure and collision warning at that modern stuff (yes, in 2008 no typo). And 265 ponies. I actually like driving a CVT more than the 5 spd automatic, but I have a suspicion Subaru will change wholesale to the far more robust planetary gear based Toyota hybrid eCVT in the near future.

[@kiasportage3180]

How often should i change my transmission fluid in my 2019 subaru outback?

[@lobsterwhisperer7932]

Honest car reviews are near impossible to find on youtube..i dare you to search for crap car, you will not find one..but this dude is the real deal.

[@larryordine7542]

As for the car... Another friend had her outback cvt blow up... Again. So... Subaru joins Nissan and Jatco as a first rank car company transformed by mechanical failures to third rate recommendation in my "I don't want to do another head gasket, oil leak or fight a field rep over a premature CVT again" rant. And the turbo here is expensive. Subaru packs on the options for the turbo models and the dealers go for the throat. Not a good deal. And the handling is not up to adding a lot of power. So... the 2.5 flat four is 90 percent new! GREAT!

[@Keithy_W]

Hi John, Great vid as always. This morning up in (surprisingly wet) Townsville I was doing the school run, one of the highlights of my weekday I must admit, when I noticed a seemingly ‘brand new looking’ Subaru about two cars in front of me. Nothing out of the ordinary to see a new Subaru getting around here, they are great cars. What took me back a little was the lines at the rear of this Subaru. The rear of the vehicle was very flat compared to the usual “slight curvature” (like the Ming moles) of the present Forester or Outback, and the tail lights looked (for lack of better description) like they were off a Ford Mustang. Do you know of any new or updated models coming soon? I couldn’t find this vehicle on the Subaru website at all and I didn’t get close enough to get a photo or see if it was possibly a Forester update perhaps. Love the vids as always, take care mate. Keithy

[@Phantomthecat]

Went and had a look at one of these today - the lack of engine options is about the only think that makes me think twice. I do like it more than the Sante Fe and Sorento though after driving both of those (They drove fine but I hated the interiors and that's what I'd be looking at most of the time). The Outback is heaps quieter inside the cab too.

[@johnphaceas7434]

We've got a 2014 Forester at home (2nd we've owned) which is a good honest toiler, perfectly comfortable, practical and reliable. But I hired a top-spec current model Outback for a recent country trip and it felt like a Bentley in comparison. Brilliant car.

[@leighwilson1524]

I have had 5 Subarus, most 6 cylinders. I did not want to replace my last 6 with the same old 12 year old plus engine but I still wanted a true AWD with 2000 litres of cargo space. There is not too many around. I bought a Discovery, and before people go on about reliability, I have never had a mechanical issue and no recalls in 3 years. (Yes I am lucky) . I would go back to the Outback if the Turbo came.

[@nicholaskillian5093]

So right John, have an Outback 2019, was so looking forward to changing over to the Turbo, not now. 😡😟.Not happy Subaru .

[@Kiwi_Dave]

Turbo version suppose to be arriving in NZ later this year, expect the same for Aus. I'd only be interested in the Turbo version especially in a manual.

[@ytlurker220]

Where'd you hear this? Exciting news if true.

[@ricklewis5804]

Seeing complaints that the turbo isn’t available (I presume in Australia). The 2.5 was improved in either 2020 or 2021 from 175hp to 182. May not be much but it is noticeable nevertheless. According to one review I read it was redesigned with almost 90% newly designed parts. I put 17,000 miles on a 2021 Outback 2.5 before upgrading to the 2.4XT. 260hp vs. 182with only an 8% drop in gas mileage. I now have 11,000 miles on the XT. Bottom line, the 2.5 is great for city driving but if most of your driving is highway I strongly recommend the turbo. Lots more power and at lower engine rpm so it’s quieter too.

[@DaDaDo661]

I found the 182HP 2.5 was quite a bit louder when accelerating, but was much quieter at idle than the 176hp 2.5. you do feel the extra 6HP on the Butt dyno.

[@aussienscale]

Had several Outbacks for work vehicles, both petrol and diesel, average 75k a year, never had an issue, but had a personal preference for the diesel, never had a days trouble with it !

[@michaelfinch1965]

I had a Levorg, sold it. I felt that a souped up stationwagon felt like a compromise. Bought a new sensible outback! Then bought a sportscar to keep it company in the garage.

[@bruceparr1678]

Those new Subarus looknice. A bit like an AU wagon. I might buy one if my AU ever wears out.

[@rommiemex9532]

I really want a new forester. I have a 2017 XT, and was looking for a new purchase, but cannot get another Subaru... It's just not enough without the turbo or 3.6 litre

[@steventhomas5865]

The CD player is required for the drive to dingo piss creek as the last 100 km (61 miles 'merica) has no phone data or FM radio.

[@johnnumbat9782]

Hi John - Of the 10 Subarus I’ve owned (GC98 WRX Hatch, 97 Auto Forester, 2010 XT Forester …….) the 1996 Outback was only outback in name - the suspension was harsh and also useless offroad due to its poor approach and departure angles - it performed superbly as a city/regional tourer on all weather roads and beautifully made - I would happily own another Subaru but unfortunately Fuji decided to use the flawed CVT and my newly acquired Hilux is better suited for my new regional/outback lifestyle - John in SA

[@subazealand9158]

I love the looks of this new Outback, the interior, the quality, the drive, etc... But I have the last Forester Turbo we could get, and it's been an amazing car. If the Outback would have available for us the Turbo offered in other markets, I'd consider change my Foz for the Outback. Till that doesn't happen, I'm happy driving my Foz XT

[@andrewwyminga311]

Got one of these to replace 2016 outback and happy with it after the software update but quite shocked to see that the old beautully light alloy bonnet lifted by struts has been replaced with a heavy steel one that needs a oldfashioned prop to keep it up. Shame Subaru!

[@shanejumbo4432]

Just got myself the Mara under 2 thanks to your last special announcement.... the 14000lm one. Fuck me dead..... John you got no idea mate...... My wife thinks its the biggest waste of time. She has no idea about my boy brain. I needed this torch like my life depends on it. Life is perfect now. Thank you John.

[@AutoExpertJC]

It is brilliant - in both senses...

[@labourlawact7826]

My boy brain just can't wait until John puts the ming mols up! Now that really gets my attention. 😄👋👍

[@rob6310]

I got a Limited XT over here ('merica) and that 2.4 is friggin sweet. I hope Subaru reconsiders and you Aussies get that sweet turbo mill. Peace!

[@ytlurker220]

Problem is, Japan doesn't have the tooling for it while Subaru USA does. They should make it the only option globally as the important thing is that it's more efficient.

[@leedaq7767]

awesome, can we have your Subaru forester review?

[@bazbbeeb7226]

he has one from 2019.

[@raing12345]

John - what’s your thoughts on dealer pre paid services when purchasing a new car (Hyundai etc)

[@ytlurker220]

Avoid! Don't let them suckers draw more money out of you. It's always "bullshit o'clock". I had the wiring of an electric window fail on a recent i30 and it required extra payment to repair, despite it being under warranty and with a servicing plan. Which I didn't proceed with.

[@ben7020]

All i heard was Patrol 😆 im addicted to them !

[@bitzel]

Believe me,it’s a perfectly understandable addiction

[@ScottMurrayBestFamilyCars]

@@bitzel Agreed. I get it. Quasimodo could ring that bell like nobody's business.

[@jimmyhvy2277]

1996 Model here , its still going strong .

[@norsehall309]

I have never driven one however when driving around the outback l have seen then go well in some area that you would think this low vehicle wouldn't make it and it did, so if you like it get one.

[@nordic5490]

Ok on a good road, but... in the remote areas of the NT, it is all Landcruisers amd a few Patrols.

[@justinwright6611]

I’m thinking you could do a dedicated flashlight/torch channel.

[@tonys8243]

Oh! ...no more "flashlight torcher " please..

[@justinwright6611]

“Flashlight Expert”

[@HughRussell06]

It could be called “Torch Expert John Cadogan”

[@e425164]

he could even do fleshlights as well , you know a real good hands on review.

[@stevenjacobs616]

A bit off track, but can anyone tell me, are the 2litre diesels say, 2017, better in torque and power then petrol? Do they have s bit of go, and tow a tinny ok?

[@MrDreamerboyX]

Can you please do a video on used cars at different price ranges

[@KununurraJack]

I love you too, John. ❤️

[@MrFordy90]

Would love to get another outback in my life, unfortunately I won’t consider it without either the 6 cyl or 2.4 turbo! I miss my ee20 outback lol

[@zacknagel827]

I would hate the transmission more then the FA, the fa in a manual transmission was wonderful, the CVT makes it feel like a garbage dump

[@jasonvanderwel3272]

Why not just add a turbo?

[@MrFordy90]

@@jasonvanderwel3272 mostly because the NA engines aren't strong enough to handle the power. Rebuild or replace the engine to make it stronger, add a decent turbo and all supporting mods you're already $10k deep. Just think it wouldn't cost that much from the factory and at that point I'd rather build a super gramps.

[@sarahjnsn42]

Outback XT coming in 2023! 😁

[@jamestom2510]

once my beloved 2012 forester gives up the ghost i will be buying a new 2012 forester but will install a slightly modded motor, not like the xt but more along the lines of an RS equivalent. I dont want turbo but i sure want a little more "down there" when overtaking is required or towing is needed.

[@joeyl.2081]

Since you have an M2R Pro and an evaluation car handy. Could you test the hypothesis that an M2R Pro can be used to break through automotive glass in an emergency? Or is that kind of damage outside the motoring journalist code of ethics?

[@AutoExpertJC]

Spring-loaded centre punch...

[@joeyl.2081]

Thanks @@AutoExpertJC. Cheaper than an M2R Pro as well. I still bought the flashlight for the car. Conveniently Mazda have a USB port in the centre storage compartment that will keep it charged.

[@joshlegg8600]

Drove one today, works just got a couple in. Having had the current and previous model Forester, will Subaru stop moving the bloody start stop engine switch which you have to turn off every time I start the car. And to top it off rather then removing the buttons from the previous generation, now that its a button in the centre screen, they just leave the buttons where it was blank. Quite a few complaints on this one actually and im just getting started… The isight system is not a LOT more sensitive then before, not only will it go mental if you go vaguely near the centre line or heaven forbid another car does but it now detects things on the road. I couldn’t get it to do it again for the life of me but it picked up a pothole as a “obstruction” in the road. It started braking and going off its tits with alerts, which i dunno about you, but it took my eyes off the road trying to read the tiny message on the screen to see what its concern is! I think its a bit like driving with your mother, the car reminded me to “check the back seat” as id put some gear there before leaving for the day and some how it knew and reminded me when I got out!!

[@joshlegg8600]

@@bazbbeeb7226 interested to see what you think.

[@bazbbeeb7226]

@@joshlegg8600 i cant see my previous comment?? Anyway, i took a Forester and the new Outback sport for a test drive today. The Forester was great, amazing all around visiblity, nicely elevated driving position, a bit quicker than what i was led to believe, i was impressed. The new Outback on the other hand was really sluggish, i double checked that the electronic handbrake was off. The autumn green sport edition was amazing to look at, was quieter than the Forester but i dont believe it drove ~$10,000 better than the base model Forester. The salesman and team were a bunch of knts, i wont ever grace the doors of that dealership again, wouldnt even discount the asking price by $1. I drove around to Toyota and received a completely different level of service, not that they have anything that i was really interested in anyway.

[@kelvino2370]

Hehehehe John, you’ve wandered into my domain. The advantage of CD over “internet” or mp3 comes down to audio quality. Whereas you and I value the convenience more, audiophiles might prefer the bit rate, uncompressed, available on that silver platter. Love your work dude.

[@BruceHoult]

You can put lossless encoded digital music onto your phone -- FLAC or Apple Lossless -- just fine. Even source it from your own CDs if you want. No need to carry them in the vehicle to be exposed to the hot summer sun -- rip them and keep them in a temperature controlled oxygen-free atmosphere as they deserve.

[@nordic5490]

@@BruceHoult how do you connect you phone to the car ? Bluetooth? There is the problem. Yes, there is high rate bluetooth that is not bad (still worse than cds) by only the premium phones support it. Most most people will have a slightly worse, to terrible, audio experience connecting their phone via blutooth to their cars. Fyi, I use the highest end bluetooth device available to interface my tablet to my home audio and it sounds decent. Fyi 2, why would you recompress your CDs to 'lossless flac' (that term allways makes me laugh, as it clearly isnt lossless) when you can simply load a 600MB cd onto your phone ?

[@BruceHoult]

@@nordic5490 yes FLAC is lossless. When you uncompress the file you get back bit for bit the exact same thing as is on the original CD. That's the whole point of it. Why would you use it? So you can put MORE CDs on your phone than uncompressed -- or leave more space for apps and photos etc.

[@Buffrt66]

Head gaskets, head gaskets!!!! Did they do anything to improve their "May pop" head gasket problems?????

[@sturm7130]

I am still miffed cassette players replaced cartridge players. Still haven't decided what to do with my collection of cartridges ?

[@sheezy2526]

CD's have a higher audio recording quality than almost anything else that you can get without pirating. Since the car has a good audio system, it make sense.

[@wolfiosti]

how is it on the road? did you drive it? you talk about passion...ok-but in real life whats different to the last one?what about comfort and road noise etc....hey.

[@alancampbell1161]

As an old fart and Subaru owner, I still have loads of CDs, and if I upgrade to Outback it will be the Touring. For what it's worth, my other car is a 20 year old Fairlane in which the CD player is worn out.

[@BusterKitten]

makes you wonder who's making these decisions and why when it comes to equipping these models for the Australian market? you would think that if they made available the turbo engine, maybe just maybe they'd sell a couple more cars? And it wouldn't have cost them anything to do so.

[@suzannelewis3829]

Let's talk petrol/diesel economy ...diesel dpf filter issues ?

[@blackyle3]

Any early thoughts on the wilderness

[@jamiepole5199]

Subaru have fallen into the classic trap of measuring the sales of the performance models, and saying they only make up a small percentage, when it's actually what people 'aspire' to buy that helps sell models lower in the range as well: Sad, The 2.4T would have been a top replacement for the 3.6H6 power plant, a missed opportunity for sure.

[@RobA-Me]

When do the Subaru EOFY deals typically come out??

[@bazbbeeb7226]

they should have begun, and theres a 3-5 month wait on the Forester, probably the same timeline for the Outback. Mazda are advertising the fact that they have EOFY deals but the prices havent changed, theyve also got very little in stock.

[@18_rabbit]

Your hand 🛍️ collection is quite something! Particularly impressed w the anaconda skin one.

[@GlowingTube]

Stick an Asin 8 speed epicyclic torque converter auto in it, I’ll be interested.

[@Mac-kd1qu]

What's with the wheel arch plastic on most SUVs these days? Its like someone forgot how to colour between the lines.

[@PeterFarmborough]

Unfortunately we haven’t experienced the awesome customer care with out 2018 Subaru Outback 3.6R at our local dealer. We love the car but compared to our local Nissan dealer in Albion Park (our other car), the Subaru dealer has a lot to learn about customer care, in my opinion.

[@mattpowe]

Hey John, Do you think there's any chance of the Subaru Outback Wilderness model coming to Australia? (Bit more ride height for getting further up Dingo Piss Creek)