Compact SUVs · BT generation
Fair Below average
It scores 25 out of 100 for reliability compared with other compact and small SUVs. Over the next 5 years we expect it to cost about $13,454 to own, including $3,065 in repairs.
Early estimate: this rating uses our own sales estimate for the Subaru Outback.
Reliability
25/100
Below average
Repairs, 5 years
$3,065
at 12,000 mi a year
Fuel, 5 years
$7,034
29 mpg, $3.40/gal
Price today
$18,182
$16,000 – $20,364, estimate
Recalls
6
on record
Owner complaints
902
filed with NHTSA
These are estimates, not guarantees. They come from public NHTSA complaint and recall data and EPA fuel economy, assuming 5 years of ownership and 12,000 miles a year. Change the assumptions or see how it works.
Expected over 5 years, by area of the car.
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Outback and Legacy vehicles. A capacitor in the sensors for the Occupant Detection System (ODS) may crack and short circuit, which can prevent the front passenger air bag from deploying in a crash.
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Outback and Legacy vehicles. A programming error in the Transmission Control Unit (TCU) may allow the clutch to engage before the drive chain is completely clamped.
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Ascent, 2020 Legacy and Outback vehicles. A programming error in the Transmission Control Unit (TCU) may allow the clutch to engage before the drive chain is completely clamped.
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Ascent, 2018 Forester, 2018-2020 Impreza, Legacy, Outback, 2018-2019 BRZ, WRX, and Toyota 86 vehicles. The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2020 Legacy and Outback vehicles equipped with "high" grade and "mid" grade multimedia navigation. The August 2020 over-the-air software update may have timed out without completing the installation, corrupting the data, and causing the rearview display to shutoff intermittently. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2020 Outback and Legacy vehicles. The brake pedal mounting bracket may have a missing or insufficiently tightened bolt.
Check whether a specific car still has open recalls with its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
These links go to independent sites. We don't earn anything from them.
Of the years we rate, the 2023 scores best (88/100) and the 2020 worst (25/100).
| Year | Reliability |
|---|---|
| 2027 | Not rated yet |
| 2026 | Not rated yet |
| 2025 | Not rated yet |
| 2024 | 68/100 |
| 2023 | 88/100 |
| 2022 | 44/100 |
| 2021 | 60/100 |
| 2020 | 25/100 |
| 2019 | 34/100 |
| 2018 | 50/100 |
| 2017 | 38/100 |
| 2016 | 49/100 |
| 2015 | 69/100 |
Not especially. It scores 25 out of 100, below average for compact and small SUVs; the 2015, 2023 and 2024 scored better.
It scores 25 out of 100 against other compact and small SUVs from 2015 to 2024, which is below average. Based on 902 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, we expect about $3,065 in repairs over the next 5 years at 12,000 miles a year.
About $13,454 over 5 years: $3,355 in lost value, $3,065 in repairs and $7,034 in fuel at $3.40 a gallon. A typical one sells for about $18,182 today.
Of the years we rate, the 2023 scores best (88/100) and the 2020 worst (25/100).
6 recalls on record with NHTSA.