Used 2016 Subaru Outback Consumer Reviews
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Subaru Outback - flawless performance -
Bob, 12/21/2015
updated 12/22/2016
2016 Subaru Outback 2.5i Limited PZEV 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
78 of 79 people found this review helpful
I have never even looked at Subaru's before becoming interested in one. After looking and driving virtually every other similar styled vehicle out there (small suv's/wagons) we decided on the Limited model pretty well loaded with most options available. Two weeks after buying we had an emergency 1,900 mile round trip come up. This vehicle never missed a beat entire trip, was very comfortable and I am well over 6' and about 265#. Didn't have much time to get used to the Subaru before having to leave so was not familiar with how everything worked, i.e. the navigation, radio system, lots of safety features but didn't take much to figure most of it out. We were in very heavy rains at end of trip and even in some pretty serious dust storms early in the drive. Have seen reviews indicating not enough power with the 4 cylinder but did not have any instance of not having sufficient power and did go up some pretty steep stuff. Acceleration while getting onto freeways and passing more than adequate. Some things hard to review at this time as no maintenance costs yet, purchase cost very good compared to other similar equipped vehicles we looked at. Obviously we have no idea of resale value at this time and warranty has not been used. Right now if we had it to do over again we would have purchased the exact same vehicle, seems to fit us perfectly. The dealer, Modesto Subaru has been excellent as has been the salesman, Ron Myers, who was able to answer all our questions well with absolutely no pressure at any time. Continued review after owning vehicle for slightly over 1 year now. Again, the Outback has been flawless and while the power is not like a turbo would be or 6 cylinder it is more than adequate for all our driving. Have got as high as 36mpg on a 200 mile round trip via highway and in town mileage when driving most of a tank has never been under 26mpg. Only maintenance costs have been for regular service which is only every 6 month's. Could not give 5 star on value as couldn't do that on any new car out there as simply all are expensive but would consider this Subaru a better value then any other vehicle in its class. Definitely worth anyone looking for similar type vehicles to test drive one to check them out.
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A 98 out of 100
Edward, 01/03/2016
updated 01/22/2024
2016 Subaru Outback 3.6R Limited 4dr SUV AWD (3.6L 6cyl CVT)
64 of 65 people found this review helpful
This is my first Subaru. I traded in a 2012 Genesis in for the Outback. The Genesis was great but living in the northeast, the rear wheel drive was a problem on snowy days. I could have gotten an all wheel drive Genesis but I couldn't justify the 54k it would have cost. (I prefer my vehicles loaded). So after doing much research I decided on that the Outback a closer look. And when I saw it at the auto show in NY, I was surprised by the interior quality. I have only put a little over 1100 miles on it so far and find only a few things that I believe should see improvement. While driving I rest my left knee against the door. It needs more padding. The next item is the gas fill door release.. I challenge the engineers to find it at night when you pull into a gas station. It is on the floor between the seat and the door rim. Invest a couple engineering dollars and either move it to an easily found point within the drivers reach. ERGONOMICS PLEASE. (Have the switch illuminated). The last thing I will knitpick about is the rear door button that you must engage to close the hatch. That should also be illuminated. My 3.6 is loaded. It was almost impossible to find a 6 to test drive, and I was happy that I finally found a dealer that had one I could road test. The 4 would be ok if you did mostly stop and go city driving, but if you have 3 adults in it and you are merging with traffic on the highway you may want to open the windows and start beating your wings. The engine needs a lot of help. The 6 is just great. The ride quality is almost as nice as my Genesis, and I believe it takes the bumps better. The interior is top notch. Very little wind noise. And I am happy to say that I am getting better MPG than are advertised. All in all I believe you would be hard pressed to find a better car for the money. BTW, I ordered the car on Sep. 2 and had to wait 14 week's to receive it. I hope your wait is less. I made them kick in extras for the inconvenience.
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2016 Subaru Outback for sale near you
3 of 62 listings
- 3.6R Limited 4dr SUVMSRP: $13,9973 mi away
- 2.5i Limited 4dr SUVMSRP: $13,98820 mi away
- 2.5i Limited 4dr SUVMSRP: $11,50021 mi away
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I dare you to find a better car for the money!
Charles, 12/06/2015
updated 12/12/2016
2016 Subaru Outback 2.5i Limited 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
89 of 91 people found this review helpful
Purchased '16 Limited edition of the Outback with just about everything the factory can install on it, plus a couple of dealer add-ons. It beat out the Hyundai Sante Fe Sport and Tucson, as well as the GMC Terrain. This car is comfortable given its off-road capability. It handles well on winding roads, and stops when you want it to stop. The Eyesight system works very well, and I absolutely love the rearview camera and cross-traffic warning system, especially in mall parking lots when next to tall suv's and pickup trucks. The entertainment system is a bit intimidating, but we are catching on slowly. The interior has leather appointments, making it easier to slid into and out of the vehicle with bulky winter clothing. Plus the additional clearance height means the seating is taller, making it easy to "climb" into and out. Pros include spacious interior (you don't feel cramped), the power rear gate, fuel economy, 10-way power driver seat, lots of interior storage cubbies and cup holders, and dash instrumentation. A couple of bothersome things to get used to: 1. door locks are not activated when car is put into or taken out of gear (get with it Subaru - first car in 25 years that I have owned that did not have that feature); 2. there is a lag in the transmission when switching from reverse to drive that requires you to stay on the brake pedal bit longer; 3. it takes a touch longer to get car moving when accelerating from a standing stop. The last two will resolve themselves over time as I get used to the vehicle. Overall we are very happy with the Outback, and look forward to driving it in all types of weather. It should be on your list of cars to test drive and evaluate.
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Very Impressed with the new Outback Limited Loaded
Lars Anderson, 08/18/2015
updated 08/01/2016
2016 Subaru Outback 2.5i Limited 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
110 of 113 people found this review helpful
I have never owned a Subaru. I have owned 2013-15 BMW X3, Audi Q5 and Q7, VW CC, and Honda Odyssey for comparison [Yes...lots of new car purchases in last 2 years]. I test drove the 2015 VW Golf Sportwagen [better fuel economy and acceleration but smaller, less advance safety features, and more road noise] and 2015 Mazda CX-5 [just didn't do it for me but deserves a look]. I traded in my 2013 X3. Flaws, but not deal breakers: Voice recognition for entering destination address never works, and system locks out manual address input while driving so you need to stop to change an address in this setting. The Keyless FOB can not be programed to unlock all doors with one button, but keyless entry with door button can. Key FOB open button just has to be pressed twice. Adaptive cruise control button that adjusts distance from car in front not iconically intuitive. Side mirrors don't power fold. Mute button for music doesn't pause song. Turn signal level a little high for optimal ergonomics for me. Poor acceleration but adequate for conservative drivers. XM radio screen difficult to navigate. Voice recognition takes few minutes to initialize but bluetooth acquires instantly. Things I like moving from front to back: Very good head and fog light dispersement, Limited 18" wheels, Night time Approach light in the side mirror and side mirror auto dimming feature, HK stereo is quite impressive and better than premium Q7 stereo, Lane assist really works keeping you in the lane if you don't put hands on steering wheel, adaptive cruise control, lane change warning doesn't warn too early like Honda Odyssey system, Blue interior lighting and instrument panel, 3 12V and 2 USB jacks, Quality/Speed and resolution of infotainment screen, well balanced steering, Forward Adjustable head rest [not just up and down], seat comfort and leather quality, electronic parking break, rear seat AC vents and heated seats, rear seats flip down effortlessly and flat, rear trunk screen cover can be stored in car when not in use, rear seats can recline a bit, roof rack adjustability, road noise on chip & seal roads is very good and better than Audi but similar to BMW, minimal wind noise. Corners well with minimal body roll during conservative driving but certainly not on any rails. I am very impressed with quality, comfort, and electronics. Fun to cruise [quiet and comfy] so I can hear the great stereo. Look forward to tackling some dirt roads and throwing skis, kayak and bikes on top.
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Not even close
Flyer, 04/26/2016
updated 08/01/2016
2016 Subaru Outback 2.5i Limited PZEV 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
35 of 35 people found this review helpful
After months of research we had narrowed our search down to the 2016 Toyota RAV4 Limited Hybrid. We've driven Toyota's for years. The morning we were going to the Toyota dealer we decided to go drive the Subaru Outback 2.5 Limited. The Subaru dealer was blocks from our house and on the way to the Toyota dealer. After reading many poor reviews of the Subaru's acceleration issues and the gutless 2.5 engine I was shocked by how well the Subaru accelerated. Not only was the acceleration much better than expected but the Subaru held the road WAY better than the Toyota (we test drove both in pouring rain) and felt far better balanced and much easier to control. The road noise in the RAV4 was extremely loud and obtrusive while the Outback was much quieter. The interior on the Subaru felt comfortable and spacious with great lines of sight and visibility. The RAV4 felt cramped with awkward lines of sight. If you are considering one of the other SUVs (RAV4, CR-V, CX-5, Ford Escape) I would highly recommend test driving the Outback before buying one of the other cars.
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