Why I Chose A Wilderness (over other Outbacks)

Hey there! In today's video, I go over my thought process on why I bought a 2023 Subaru Outback Wilderness model instead of the other trims, like the Premium or the Onyx. I talk about why I wanted some of the Wilderness specific features, when they come in handy, and even how it compares in off road driving to something like a Jeep Wrangler. Spoiler alert: don't try to take it on the Rubicon Trail!!!
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Hello! My name is Brian and this channel is all about my 2023 Subaru Outback Wilderness! I love to go on road trips for photography and videography, and figured I’d make some videos along the way about the different things I’ve learned. If you want to see some more of my photography, check out my instagram: 📸 @thebrianauburn
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CAMERA GEAR I USE:
Camera body: Canon 1DX Mk. II
Camera lens: Canon 100-400mm lens
Video body: Sony FX3
Video lens: Sigma 24-70
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#subaru #wilderness
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CHAPTERS
0:00-0:34 Intro
0:34-1:21 Why A Wilderness
1:21-2:20 How Capable Is It Off-Road
2:20-3:48 Wilderness Features
3:48-4:22 Trims For Road Trips
4:22-5:00 Gas Mileage
5:00-5:14 Outro

[@johnstonis7977]

I’m a Subaru tech in Illinois. Just breaking in my ‘23 Geyser blue OBW. Subaru finally built the Outback everyone wanted!

[@talesfromtheoutback]

It really is an incredible car. Perfect for the kinds of trips I love to take and really glad to see many more Wilderness (Wildernesses??) out on the road

[@johnstonis7977]

@@talesfromtheoutback wilderi? 😂

[@paulblackburn4245]

I just got a black one. Wondering if it could tow Off Grid Pando 2.0 trailer with dry weight of 2200 lbs as OBW can tow up to 3500

[@Dicki793]

It’s an obvious choice . I do like the wrx too

[@Booster6969]

Should have waited for the 2024 which will come with a heated steering wheel! Not sure why this was not on the 22 and 23. Also a much better sound system. I prefer to buy a 2nd or 3rd year run also as the get the bugs out (example the glitchey laggy info pad and how difficult it is to access x mode and heated seats)

[@johnreese3762]

Great, fair review, thanks!

[@talesfromtheoutback]

Glad it was helpful!

[@Prairieshutterbug64]

My Crosstrek Outdoor edition goes through it all as well plus it gets decent gas mileage. It also holds a ton of cargo for a single individual.

[@lawrencemitchell5983]

Our neighbors love their Wilderness. It looks like your tires are a good compromise for mostly on road but still some grip on dirt/snow. Years ago I had a Forrester Turbo....fun and surprisingly swift 👍.

[@talesfromtheoutback]

Thanks for the reply! Yea the tires seem to be on the more "highway friendly" side of all-terrain tires, but they still do great off road. I may look at other AT tires in the future, but for now these ones work fantastic

[@martinr8278]

I love their wilderness editions! Would love to get one but pocket book says no way lol. But I will say if I could, hands down without question I’d buy. They perform amazingly

[@Doc1855]

For serious off road trips we take our 4X4 pickup. But for light off road we use our non-Wilderness Outback or Forester Touring. The driveway to our family farm in MT is 3 miles long with ruts, deep potholes, gravel, etc. The private road to our Mtn home in north central WA state is also rough for the first 1/8 mile but finally had the rest chip sealed which makes it nicer. We still have to go into Xmode just to get up our road and into our garage during our 4-5 feet of snow every winter and into our garage.

[@talesfromtheoutback]

Thanks for sharing! That seems like the perfect compromise and (hopefully) what I was able to get across in the video. If you want serious off-roading, get yourself something with proper 4X4, but the Subaru's do just fine with the lighter stuff

[@broinsocali]

Simple reasons. I got a 2024 Outback Wilderness for road tripping and car camping with it. I like the ideal of being able to go down a dirt road you see off the hwy that leads into the distance, and it's not in your plans but you want to go anyway. I traded in my 2021 Outback.

[@markdamon77]

Have a 23 Outback Wilderness... great comfortable quick daily driver... up and down the PCH to a Malibu Animal Sanctuary. The Eye-Sight festure basically drives itself for my commute

[@talesfromtheoutback]

Nice what color do you have? I can't wait to take mine on the PCH! Also, I came from a 2013 Honda so the eye-sight feature has been incredible

[@markdamon77]

@@talesfromtheoutback the deep dark grey.... they were asking 42,900. Purchased for 38 even on the last day of the month....

[@serenityinsilence]

The only road trip I’ve taken so far in my 2022 outback non turbo, I got 36 mpg’s at 75 mph. The trip was about 250 miles one way.

[@jmrdrgz]

Thank you.

[@AJSparacio413]

Informative video. Looking at an Outback Wilderness vs a Bronco Sport Badlands.

[@talesfromtheoutback]

Oh nice! What kinds of things do you like about the Badlands? I was curious about those

[@Dizney82]

Subarus Fly Together! Quack! Quack! Quack!

[@yesmaybe3791]

Got a 22 OBW in Geyser Blue. Best I get in mixed driving at just over 8000 miles is 21.8 mpg. Side note. Using the spare in the tire rotation per owners manual will set the TPMS light on. Use tires on car for rotation.

[@talesfromtheoutback]

I love the Geyser Blue colors; looks fantastic with the copper. And thanks for the tip! that'll be good to know

[@BoanergesJim]

I've had a 2022 and 2023 Wilderness and absolutely love that vehicle. One of the reasons I purchased the Wilderness (aside from dirt road driving, fire trails, etc) is that I had some major pot holes that played hell with my Kia Sportage (urban rock climbing). The suspension that works great on the trails also do well on the Dallas area pot holes. I will mention that I have managed 32 MPG on a road trip between Dallas and Memphis. The OBW can get good highway mileage, you just have to watch your RPMs and no sudden starts.

[@talesfromtheoutback]

Do you remember how fast your cruising speed was between Dallas and Memphis? Feels like 55-65 MPH is around the sweet spot

[@BoanergesJim]

@@talesfromtheoutback I had my cruise control set to 67 MPH. That way I was not the slowest on the road. I also had my cruise control set on ECO mode, which helped quite a lot. When I did my trip, gas was over $5 a gallon, and I wanted to squeeze as much out of a tank as I could without mounting a mast and sail out of the moonroof. I wish that this was a hybrid vehicle, so take offs could be done via an electric motor until we reach a certain speed... but I do realize that would add more to the final price, and would have probably priced me out. It certainly would help in traffic!

[@alexbanks7115]

I have a regular 2014 outback in NYC I can attest to it being good dealing with pot holes 🕳️ and the uneven rolling asphalt of the parking lot for my job. A lot of my coworkers have bottomed out their vehicles over the years and there is a section of the parking lot only SUV’s and pickup trucks park because of the unevenness of the ground I have no problem parking there and usually get a space because of it. I have no doubt that the OBW would do even better with its higher ground clearance and better suspension.

[@nadiakent4082]

I had a ‘17 Forester XT I just traded in for a ‘23 Wilderness. I needed that raised neigt it offered and the Forester doesn’t have the turbo anymore. One important difference you didn’t mention, was my ‘17 Turbo needed at least 90 octane fuel which the current 2.4 turbo doesn’t. So while the MPG went down, my cost per mile went down more because the ability to use less expensive gas.

[@Technomage1700]

Great video. My wife has an outback and I drive a JLU Wrangler. I really like the wilderness outback trim, but I told her it would be crazy for us to own 2 outbacks :)

[@TC1Z2L3]

I bought my wife a 22 OB Prem and a 24 Onyx XT for myself. Call me crazy all you want but it's basically the only Japanese wagon available here in the US.

[@quiltedwithlove]

First time Subaru owner and bought the Wilderness after falling in love with the test drive. I had gone in for the Crosstrek but came out with the Wilderness. I didn't know the Wilderness was an extra 10,000 for the turbocharged engine though. We live rurally and while the gas mileage is a killer it drives beautifully and I love the features. The only thing it doesn't like is semi trucks. It will flash and try to go around them. Not good on a two lane highway so I have to keep an eye for that anomaly.

[@talesfromtheoutback]

Funny, except for the test drive part you and I had similar experiences. I looked at a Crosstrek originally but ended up going with the Wilderness! Yea gas mileage isn't the best but as you mention the other features more than make up for it

[@hunger4thelight]

great video! thought it would be great to share that the 2024 OBW trim will have a heated steering wheel!

[@talesfromtheoutback]

thanks for watching!! I wonder if I'd be able to get the '24 steering wheel installed on my '23 Outback?? That'd be a great feature to have!!

[@vettedsin]

got my 24 wilderness cause i just always liked the way that it looked. i wanted the better ratio for the low end torque around town.

[@abidfarooqui4899]

I get 450 to 460 miles per tank from my 2020 Outback Limited in a mix of stop and go and highway driving

[@bubbalo3388]

Thinking about getting another vehicle, but want one that can handle winters, occasional beat up forest roads and sand. Wife thought about a Crosstrek but we need trunk space and the Crosstrek does not have much.

[@talesfromtheoutback]

I was looking at a Crosstrek early on, and yea the larger trunk space in an Outback was a major selling point

[@kylekazmir5184]

I got the wilderness because of the ride, I found it slightly softer than the Limited model. The extra clearance is nice as I’m in an area that gets quite a bit of snow, and it’s a blast for light off roading. Fuel economy is quite horrific so if that’s a concern I wouldn’t recommend the wilderness.

[@talesfromtheoutback]

Thanks for sharing your experience! I agree with all these points (especially about it being a blast in light off roading haha)

[@kittykat2087]

I get 27.5 in my wilderness. You do lots of city driving?

[@dlg5485]

I considered the wilderness before I decided to get a touring xt, mainly because I like the way it looks. However, the touring made more sense for me in the end because I don't off-road that much and I wanted better fuel economy and comfort for my long daily commute. I still prefer the wilderness aesthetically, but the touring was the right choice for my needs.

[@talesfromtheoutback]

Totally understandable. Especially considering if you ever wanted to try off-roading, you could always get the Geolandar tires but keep the MPG/comfort benefits

[@dlg5485]

@@talesfromtheoutback Exactly my thinking. I'll probably get a set of falken a/t trails after I run thru the factory set. A good set of all-terrain tires can get you pretty far.

[@cameronlakotich6586]

​@@dlg5485 I lost a stock tire to a nail 800 miles into owning my 2020 Limited XT. Was a perfect excuse to get the Falken Wildpeaks. Looks better than Geolanders and they handled great in the middle of an 8ft blizzard in Mammoth Lakes, CA

[@808xcountry5]

​@@cameronlakotich6586 what kind of MPG do you get with your Limited XT?

[@808xcountry5]

What type of MPG are you getting for commute?

[@BigJim5754]

I'm coming up on 1 year in my 22 Outback Onyx XT. Very happy w my purchase, the turbo is worth every penny whatever trim you decide on. I'm a stay at home dad in suburbs of OC Cali and the gas mileage is lower then stated by Subaru in my experience. I only avg @ 17 mpg on my daily school, grocery store, bowling alley loops. I usually only hit the freeway once a week for @ 10 miles. When we've made Vegas runs I avg @ 26 mpg w the crusie control set at 80-85 so thats pretty good. USB ports are jinky, lots of android auto disconnects, same issue in moms 19 Forester. I"d still suggest it to anyone because of how darn comfy and safe a ride it feels.

[@talesfromtheoutback]

Thanks for sharing!! It really does feel like an incredibly safe car, despite some of it's foibles. And it feels like the more city/traffic you do, the worse MPG you get when compared with what the EPA says

[@SkyRyders]

Great video! Purchased my OBW in nov and put 14k so far as I do a lot of car camping road trips. This is my first Subaru and I love it.

[@talesfromtheoutback]

That's awesome!! What color did you get? And yea this is car is absolutely perfect for car camping

[@SkyRyders]

@@talesfromtheoutback Yes, indeed! I wanted the autumn green metallic but my order was delayed so I got the geyser blue. The color grew on me. I like it a lot now lol

[@talesfromtheoutback]

@@SkyRyders Funny, I had a similar experience. Was in the process of getting the black color and had the grey pop-up. But I love the way the Geyser blue and the copper compliment eah other on the Wilderness

[@matt.coignard]

Thanks for the video, sir. I'm pretty convinced I'll be trading in my '18 Rav4 XLE FWD for the '23 Outback Wilderness 👍🏻

[@talesfromtheoutback]

You're welcome my friend! Couldn't be happier with my OBW as long as you can set expectations on where it can (and can't go) and hopefully this video helped out with that. Keep us updated on what color you decide to get!!!

[@matt.coignard]

@@talesfromtheoutback It'll definitely be the gray one you have! I was debating on the forest green, but I like the sleekness of the gray since it'll be an everyday car too :) I know I won't be doing anything crazy off-roading but it'll definitely be an improvement from my Rav4. I've never purcahsed a vehichle for horsepower either, but going from 180 to 260 (test drive) was veryyyy nice!

[@talesfromtheoutback]

Yea it has crazy acceleration, which some may not think of when they first see an Outback. You never have any trouble merging onto the highway that's for sure lol I love all the colors, but I think the gray blends better with the plastic cladding when compared with the others and gives a more subtle vibe.

[@MicajahMcCurry]

worth it for the turbo

[@JohnDoe-my5ip]

I can assure you the regular Outback would’ve had no troubles on that AZ road. I’ve taken mine on much hairier class 6 roads in VT during the winter with no problem. 99% of OBW owners are just LARPers who hardly ever use it for anything but mall crawling. It’s all about paying five figures extra for the aesthetic. It’s not your grandma’s Outback! But if you care about such things, why buy a Subaru? Buy a badass jeep instead and put your neighborhood mechanic’s kids through college!

[@EvolutionIX219]

I was eyeing up an OBW hard at the dealership. I ended up in a WRX instead, because I'm just not ready to let the manual transmission go.

[@talesfromtheoutback]

All my previous cars have been manual transmissions so I get it hahaha. I LOVE manual transmissions because of the connection you get with the car; something you can't get in an automatic/CVT car.

[@findyourinnertube124]

You haven't mentioned that the Wilderness looks cooler than the other ones. Even if it never touched dirt you'd still look more manly driving it around town. LOL

[@its.j.crane.]

Is your gas mileage purely highway? If so, what speeds usually? So far I'm barely getting 20mpg highway, so about 320 miles a tank. I do have cross bars installed without a wind fairing, but seems hard to believe that would knock 5mpg off my gas mileage

[@talesfromtheoutback]

I'd say it's about 50/50 (maybe 60/40) with a lean towards more highway than city. Average on the highway is probably 60-70 MPH. I go pretty light on the throttle, especially in the city

[@Rlbullard49444]

Never saw that green color.

[@ercmadden]

Shoot. I had a Jeep Grand Cherokee WK that averaged 15 MPG. The subie would have been much better

[@djmir4]

I dont think I'd even consider buying any other model of outback if I was going to buy one.

[@talesfromtheoutback]

It was the perfect car for me and I'd do it all over again if I could!!

[@romineckok.9724]

real leather please

[@jordanricker4948]

Its worth mentioning, especially since youre comparing to Jeeps and 4runners, that the mileage is way better than ANYTHING truck based. Also drives WAY better on road.

[@landkruiser1095]

The Wilderness has the final drive out of the Ascent meaning it has tons of torque. It will do 0-60 in 5.8 seconds. It’s actually 1 second faster than the new WRX (with automatic trans).