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Like the Outback more than you thought?

12K views 50 replies 43 participants last post by  TXHokie 
#1 ·
Prior to purchasing has there been anyone that wasn't quite sure if the Outback was what they wanted and had second thoughts or hesitations about purchase and bought it anyway?

If so, how do you feel bout the purchase now? Do you like the car more than expected? Has it fit all your needs, etc?
 
#3 · (Edited)
I had considered an Outback previously but never bought. Then last year we bought our first Subaru - an XV Crosstrek for my wife. Driving her car convinced me to revisit the Outback.

I've only had mine a few days, but so far I am very pleased with the purchase. There are a few very minor things that I would like changed, but that has been true for every vehicle I have ever owned or driven. And none of those things are important enough for me to take action on.

I'll see how I feel after holidays and a longish drive to Charleston, WV and back.
 
#8 ·
First Subaru after several Volvos. Though the OB does not have the quality of the volvo, I am happy with the OB and feel it was a good move. Glad I got the 3.6R. I would be 100% satisfied if it had rain sensing wipers, rear park sensors and had less outside road noise.

oh well,.....
 
#9 ·
I hemmed and hawed between an OB and a Forester, but finally got an '06 OB. Initially I missed the handling of my old '96 Camry (especially on corners), but it's grown on me quickly, especially after I upgraded the suspension. Yes, it has rattles, and it's at a mileage point where several original parts are coming up for maintenance (usual stuff for an almost 9 year old car, let alone one that looks to have had maintenance deferred by a previous owner), but it's fun to drive.
 
#10 ·
I've had several new cars/vans/trucks over the last 10 years and the 2015 Subaru Outback has surpassed all my expectations, wants and needs so far. I've always heard that Subaru owners are some of the most dedicated/return customers in the car market. I have to say, this is my first Subaru and I will also be a return customer for many years to come. Not to say I wouldn't mind changing a few things (auto door locks while driving, HID lights for the 2.5i) but, overall I am very satisfied.
 
#12 ·
We bought a Premium a few days ago and we like the wagon much better than we thought, especially from the other half.

We have a 2003 Mercedes E320 4Matic wagon that just rolled over 100k miles so we wanted a new wagon. A brand new Mercedes E Class wagon would cost more than $70k. I did my research and recommended the 15 Outback. The other half did not like that ideal but I convinced her that this is my car and she does not have to drive it. :)

Anyway we bought it and took a 150 mile trip yesterday. She has been impressed. Now the 2003 E320 wagon (for how old it is) is still a better driving and handling wagon and feels more comfortable and luxurious. The 15 Outback is going to be more reliable and an acceptable wagon for us.

The reason we bought the Premium over the Limited was because of the 18" wheels and fake wood trim. We like 17" and either real wood or no wood. We do missed the leather seating surfaces because we have a dog. I just put on some leatherette seat covers yesterday over the ivory color cloth seats. They do not look perfect but the seats will be protected from the mess of the dog.
 
#13 ·
I did like the OB more than I thought!

I'm most impressed with the 2015 OB's chassis. The interior trim is well designed, though of lesser quality than many European cars. The body work is nice and tight, with even panel gaps and few protuberances. All of this adds up to a squeak, rattle, and wind-noise free ride.

A lot of automakers (including those who see themselves as upscale) could learn a few NVH suppression tricks from from this humble 'roo.
 
#14 ·
I cannot tell yet. Mine is on the way. I finally took the plunge. I haven't seen this particular color TBM in person. Hope that I am not in for a surprise, shall i say.
This will be my first japanese car and will be basically dedicated for the family.
Two things that more or less worried me are the door mirrors placement (purely cosmetic beef ) and the cvt, but these are not deal breaker.
 
#15 ·
I'm three weeks into my 2015 Outback Limited and have to say it matches my expectations. I test drove a number of different Outbacks several times before ordering so there haven't been any big unexpected surprises on the positive side. There have also been no negative discoveries.

I find the car fun to drive -- the engine and transmission are a good fit for me. The 2015 CVT is far superior to the 2014 I drove and the 2.5 four-banger actually has more zip than I expected. The suspension is great; it is responsive and I feel connected to the road but it is refined enough to not be overly rough.

The interior is very nice and the car is quiet. The electronics work just as intended. I think the only challenge has been programming the PIN code on the rear door, but I got through that. (Sometimes the wording in the owners manual is not as clear as it could be. Not sure if that is due to translation problems or that Subaru just needs better writers.)
 
#16 ·
I sold my 2011 2.5 premium and just picked up a 2015 2.5 premium. I'm totally satisfied, I have owned audi's Quattros BMW xdrive, drove a friends AMG 4-mattic here in harsh NW winters where winter tires are pretty much required and hands down the Subaru AWD system is the best.
 
#17 ·
Well I brought home a black 3.6 tonight. Drive home felt great. Getting a clear bra put on Tuesday to hopefully keep the black looking as good as possible. Been playing with all the gadgets for the last hour and a half. Excited to get to know the car over the next several months. I think it's gonna work out just fine.
 
#18 ·
Coming from a 2011 VW Jetta Sportwagen TDI, with my other car (wife's car) being a BMW X1 - I like it more than I thought I would (except at the gas pump :) I ended up with the 2.5 Limited Eyesight/Nav/moonroof/etc.

When I was car shopping, my alternatives were a new Mercedes 250 GLK (bluetec), BMW X3d, and an Audi Q5 TDI (all 3 all wheel drive versions). I will say that the MB and BMW both had a more refined feel on the inside; the Audi was nice, but felt like a VW on steroids when I test drove it (at least the one I test drove, and in the $57k range, that was a huge letdown).

The Outback met my sweet spot requirements - reasonably nicely featured car that I can put my dogs in, that I can put my bike in, have all wheel drive, and strap a kayak to the roof. I just have to get used to the gas consumption. Even my wife - who hates station wagons, concedes that it's actually a pretty nice car.
 
#19 ·
My dealer let me have a 2.5 Limited for a day, and my daughter has a 2014 2.5 base - I did not like either for my needs/wants/desires, but my dealer convinced me that the 3.6R was in a (slightly) different league.. He stated that if we didn't like it in three days, return it and it would be snapped up by another buyer.

We stayed the course, and he was right. Our new Outback feels like a much more refined and powerful car, that is more comfortable and finished than we expected. There's no wind noise, that others have mentioned, and it doesn't wander all over the road like the 2.5s we tried did.

Is it an X3? No, but it's pretty close, and $20K cheaper. Plus, we are impressed with the functionality of EyeSight - it just works..

Unlike others, I've owned my share of Volvos, and they weren't considered. We did consider the Fords, Mazdas, Hyundais, Audis, and Beemers. The 3.6R Outback was the finalist, and we are still pleased with the purchase.
 
#21 ·
I bought a 2013 2.5i Outback Premium in Dec, 2012. I have about 22,500 miles on it with about 6,000 miles of it towing a 1700 lb Aliner camper. I really like the car and I have been very pleased with the CVT. I prefer manual transmissions but my wife does not drive one and I was not certain about switching. I'm glad I did. Having said all that, I am trading in the Outback for something with more towing capacity. I was not pleased when I read the fine print in the manual that says that the towing capacity is only 1500 lbs instead of 2700 if you are going up a long uphill grade and it is hot outside. I am planning long trips with mountain driving and I was afraid I would cook the transmission. (Neither the dealer nor a transmission shop I queried would add a tranny cooler). I am getting a Toyota which follows the SAE standard for towing. At least I am getting a good trade in.
 
#22 ·
New to Subaru after someone ran a stop sign and totaled our 2006 Honda Minivan. Bought Subaru for safety but love the way it drives and especially the adaptive cruise control. Perfectly happy so far with 3000 miles on it.
 
#24 ·
Better than I thought. We sold our 2012 VW touareg TDI that stickers for $60k and bought for $56k because the warranty/maint plan was going to end and we needed some cash for a house project. The new outback checked almost every box the vw did minus the towing capacity, but at almost half the cost. The diesel was faster, but for normal driving the subaru is peppier even with the 2.5. The diesel took awhile for the turbos to kick in.

The ultimate factor is that I can work on this car myself. It'll be more reliable over the long run. Mechanically it is much simpler. Parts are cheaper. Burns 87 octane. Has 1" extra ground clearance than the vw did.

For an all weather family hauler, it's great. Add the limiteds features like memory seats and keyless entry and it's perfect for us.
 
#26 ·
Coming from 3 WRXs, the Outback is exactly what I thought it would be. I bought a 3.6 Limited. I wanted to have a nice, wagon type vehicle, that is paid off for retirement in 3 years. This car fits this description perfectly. My wife still has her WRX which is a 2009 with 30K and no mods. The only thing I haven't liked so far is lack of a full size spare. I bought a 93 Miata to take care of that! >:)
 
#27 ·
The first Subaru my husband came home with, I got so mad! That was in 2000 with an Impreza. Since then, we've had a forester and an outback too. Didn't want the wagon, I wanted another forester. I thought the wagon was too low, to much like a car, cramped on the inside. That was in 2009. I love my outback! It is so spacious! I can fit so much in the trunk! The kids have enough room. It is safe and handles well. I love the safety features. I love the driving response. I want a new one!
 
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