Subaru Outback

I bought a new Outback in January 2012 and love it.  The car is very practical for my driving needs, i.e. fuel economy, ride comfort and interior space.  There is almost as much interior space as a midsize SUV, but without being a larger vehicle. 

I opted for the four cyclinder which is fine for my city driving in Chicago, however the extra HP of the 6 cyl would be nice for better acceleration.  That is give/take though depending on your preference.

Subaru in my opinion knows how to do all wheel drive correctly.  Based off of other AWD vehicles that I have driven in the past, the Outback is by far the most predictable and smooth in all forms of weather and traction.

The CVT transmission takes a little while to get used to, and I was not a big fan of that after I bought the car, however after several month I just got used to the feel and hardly notice it anymore.

I like the integrated folding roof racks, which make attaching bike mounts easy and I had no issue with the strength and stability of the racks.  Plus with the height of the Outback, mounting bikes onto the roof is much easier that a regular midsize SUV since the roof height is lower than say the Forester.

I would recommend buy one, but try several models with different features to find the one that suits you best.

Thanks

My biggest concern was having enough room inside and in the back. I have a Dodge Dakota now and will be losing a lot of space.

Obviously storage height is compromised with the Outback as compared to the Dakota, but in regards to length, you will not lose too much space.  The rear seats easily fold down flat for additional space, but either way, going from an open bed pickup to a SUV will be something to get used to if hauling large loads is the norm.

For reference, I have put a road bike, tri bike and six bags of luggage in the back with room to spare.

The 2010-2012 models are my wife's current dream car. Still a bit too spendy for us as they hold their value really well and it is hard to find a used one for less than $25k. But they are very nice cars. We test drove a Tribeca and the AWD was crazy good. We went up a wet grass hill with it, stopped on the hill, then continued with absolutely no slipping. 

The CVT is a little different, but I haven't heard of any problems with them yet. We will most likely be getting one in the next 3 years or so when the used market comes around a bit and her car gets closer to replacement time. 

We have a 2008 and it's been great.  We love it.   We opted for the 4-cyl as we live in a pretty flat area.  We have never had an issue with the 4-cyl engine. 

Would it be nice to have the 6-cyl, sure.  But, we have had no problems with acceleration, etc. and it gets a little better gas mileage.

We looked at the Tribeca recently, but they didn't have what we were looking (features) and the Tribeca didn't have as much room with the third row up, so we went in a different direction for a 6-7 seater, midsize SUV.

We would recommend the Outback!!

I'm a big Subie fan.  My car is a '05 Legacy GT, and the wife drives a 2011 Outback.  Both have been great.  The Outback replaced a '95 Legacy wagon.  The current generation Outback is quite a bit bigger than any of the prior generations, rear seat leg room is great and cargo area is big.  We've got the 4 cyl with CVT and I think it's fine--for my car I like having the turbo but the wife doesn't care.  We've used it to tow an 18' boat and it does just fine.

Used pricing on these things is crazy.  We paid under $24k for ours new in late 2011, it's a premium package and was the last 2011 in stock in Milwaukee or Chicago so I think we got a deal since the 2012's were in--even though the car didn't change at all for 2012.  One year old cars with 20k were going for $22k, so buying a new one was a no brainer.  We plan to keep it a long time.

If you think you'll miss having a pickup consider investing in a 4x8 trailer.  I built one with a kit from Harbor Freight and a few sheets of 3/4" plywood and it does everything I would want a pickup to do.  I've hauled firewood, appliances, brush, furniture etc. and it's been great.  Bonus is that I don't have any worries lending it to friends since my total investment is about $400.

2001 6 cyl Outback here... w/ 170K miles.  Not planning to replace it any time soon.  At this point in time, it's still cheaper to sink the approximate 2K per year into it to maintain and repair than to replace.  So far I've replaced...  Bearings in rear tailing arms, strut, muffler, fuel pump, and some typical maintainence like brakes).  In reality, no one bill has been over a 1K.

Last night I watched a newer (2012?) from the Leave No Trace program loaded w/ gear (2 surf boards, 2 mtn bikes, 2 adults, and one large Thule box) slide out on a 16% grade in 8 inches of slush; mine slid a little w/ only 100lbs of kids and skis.  So I think I can relate to the post earlier about the older models handling better in ice and snow.  I DREAD the day I HAVE to replace mine, b/c I'll probably never find another like this one and be able to afford it

As for bikes (I'm short and so are most of my training partners), we fit my TTbike and a road bike in the back upright w/ the seats folded down and rear wheels off (and didn't have to remove our bike seats).  I was able to anchor them in upright position w/ a few bungees.  We had a TON of room!!!  2 bikes, wheels, two bags each, and space left over.

I also love my subaru b/c the height is a little lower than most AWD's which allows me to utilize the roof racks w/ a small folding step stool to reach (I'm only 5'2").  As well, in transitional seasons, I can still fit MY bike in the back w/ the back wheel on and not have to fold any seats down (I can also fit hubby's road bike that way when hauling to the LBS).  AND/OR, I can fit all of our skii's in the back w/out having to fold any seats down.

2011 WRX 5-door here. [traded my 2007 WRX sedan - $14k trade in value]

Do I like it... A grown man should not love an inanimate object this much.

In 2011, I needed to switch out my sedan for something with more room so that I could load my tri bike inside instead of putting it on the roof. I looked at and drove the Outback and Forester. At the time, I was leaning towards the Forester [WRX's were impossible to get due to the earthquake in Japan]. I just couldn't get really excited about it or the Outback. They are both great cars but just not what I wanted in a daily driver that would only on weekends haul my toys [snowboards, bike, etc].

I do not know exactly what your needs are, but I would recommend taking a look at the WRX. I have taken mine to West Virginia for snowboarding, Key West for a tri, and LOVE my car as a daily driver. I laugh at others who garage their Mustang's, Charger's, and 350z's.

The WRX is a perfect blend of performance and workhorse.

I think the Subaru Outback is the state car for Wyoming.  It must be a law that if you live there, you have to own one.

That being said, for winter driving and outdoor activities...  It seems like a great car.  I would consider one seriously if I was still in Colorado or Utah or Wyoming.

That looks like the sports car my son saw in the showroom that he wanted. I told him not for his first car. I need something bigger and with 4 wheel-drive.

I loved my 97 and only sold it because it was too small.  A lot of buyers told me they have a history with the timing belt or timing chains around 80k and that it's a $5-600 job.  Worth googling..

Most cars need that - and it costs the same.  I needed it for my Acura and my wife's Honda.

This service schedule is in the owner's manual for every car that needs it.  Manufacturers love timing belts because they are QUIET.  Modern timing belts should run 100,000 miles between changes for most cars.  

I love timing chains because they last FOREVER (most will go at least 300,000 miles these days) and they never just "let go" like timing belts can... they always get really noisy first.  Plenty of warning.  

Back to the thread:   WRX is on my "short list" of cars for when we get back to the states.   However, with 2 more years of shopping, I fear my "short list" is going to get rather long.

the WRX is AWD. the 5 door has about the same volume as the Outback when the rear seats are down.

the BRZ is the newest Subaru and is a joint venture with Scion [Toyota]. the BRZ is the first rear wheel drive auto they have ever sold.

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Subie's are terrific.  I've got a 2007 Tribeca- been a great vehicle.  Can fit two bikes in the back with gear, family ski trip, excellent in the snow, 4WD roads with hang gliders on the roof and 4 guys in the car.  Comfortable commuter and so far completely reliable.

Been eyeing the new Outback.  I like the new exterior styling, size and capability.  Subaru just freshened up the new Forester for 2014.  Interior actually looks nicer than the Outback and it will be available with a 250hp 2.0Turbo engine. (yee haw!)  The Forester has about the same interior room, but it's not as lengthy and is taller.  Probably better for bikes inside.  

So- you might want to wait a bit for the new Forester.  not sure when it will be available.

Looked at the Outback.    Nice car.   Went instead for the VW Jetta Sportwagen  TDI      42+  MPG!!!!

It was the BRZ we saw in the showroom. Now sure I could go to a car, they are too low. I hate driving my son's Grand Prix, feels like I am sitting on the ground.