I own a 2005 Outback. This was the first year of the last redesign. I have very mixed feelings about the car. It feels solid and safe when driving, and came with a lot of nice safety features. The 2.5i engine has been solid so far, and gets decent mileage on the H.W. Every time it snows, I brush off the windows and go for a spin before the plows come out. Based on the price I paid ($21k) I was not surprised at some of the issues I've had (dashboard rattles, trim issues) but I have been surprised at others. If I could go back in time, I would have purchased an extended warranty. Based on what the 2010 Outback looks like... this will probably be my first, and last Subie.

Here are the problems I have had with the car :

1) Rear Hatch Lock broke (under warranty)
2) *Both* front power windows failed within weeks of each other. Car was about 3k miles out of bumper to bumper... Subaru refused to work with me on repair... over $900 out of pocket.
3) Driver side front boot split on CV Joint @ 65k miles. $360 to repair.
4) Rear wheel bearings started failing around 62K miles. This was covered under a recall notice.
5) Recall repair for Catalytic Converter problem requiring a firmware upgrade.
6) Rubber trim around windows started tearing early on in ownership (around 30K miles) I personally believe this lead to water killing the power windows.
7) Poor trim attachment. Trim around wheel wells appears loose and is separating from body.
8) I seem to have a strange amount of tire issues. It may be coincidence, but I have had many flat tires and a strange sidewall bulge. Again... i write it off to cost of owning an AWD car.
9) Dashboard rattles, interior trim made of poor materials, paint coming off of plastic exterior body trim.

Drives great, handles great, very roomy. The standard AWD makes for a very fun and safe driving experience.

No

not my fav but u can beat the crap outta those they can take it

Bought a 2005 Outback LLBean Edition. Hate It! Already Ck Engine light came on & had to rplace O2 sensor at 18K. Then the wheel bearings, the bushings are breaking at 25k, a regular problem with Subaru that they aknowledge having but so far refuse to pay for, and worst of all...my car wont start if I dont drive it for 2 days. 6 CD player stopped working, also at only 22k. Now at 25k, dealer doesnt know why it wont start after they had it for one week!

SHIT

ugly

1

They are ok i have one do not like them. Hate Hatchbacks

Just bought a 2008 Subaru Outback... I love that I can fold the back seats down and camp out in it... didn't want an SUV, so this is great. I have about 1300 miles on it now, and one thing I'm finding is taht it seems like I'm filling the gas tank more often then my previous Chevy Cavalier (Great car), I had it for 10 years, it was hard to part with it. So... hopefully the subaru will be a great car with no major expensive issues for the next 10 years.

I know some people who swear by them but i am not in the market.

Great car! I also like my Forrester! Hard to kill a Subaru and their all wheel drive is tops. The have good ground clearance for their size and are hard to kill.

I like the Outbacks, especially during snowboarding season.

2005 2.5i OB Wagon. Drives great but a few more mechanical problems than I expected(re-set computer for fuel, warranty re-alignment rear and replace rear wheel bearing, etc.) at 38k miles. It has a manual trans and I think that is the only way to go with these vehicles due to the narrow/high rpm powerband. At low rpm's it is a real dog. Had a 1989 Subaru wgn w/>200k miles that required very little attention; wish the newer ones had that kind of reliability.

great

Subaru 05'Outback 2.5XT with 53,000 miles. I'm not so sure I would recommend this car anymore. Its a very solid car and my wife and I both enjoy driving it as you can tell by the mileage.
So far on the car I have had to replace the front wheel bushings. They went at 45,000 miles. Now my car is in the shop for a defective rear wheel bearing. I've never owned a car that I haven't driven at least 120,000 miles and I have never had issues like these. I don't consider bearings and bushings components that should wear out prior to items like fan belts and such.
And salt to the wound is Subaru recognizes that the bearing is defective but they won't cover the cost of expediting the freight. So no car for one week if I want regular shipping.

we bought a 1999 subaru outback with the 2.5L engine brand new. have performed every oil change myself using subaru filters every 3000 miles. maintenance schedule followed to the T with a lot of emphasis on fluids being replaced. all work done at dealers. currently the car has 148,000 miles. the good stuff - the car performs very well, handles very very well in bad weather, has given 29 miles on highway driving at 65 mph, carries a lot of stuff due to being a wagon. the bad stuff - valve cover gasket started leaking at 60,000 miles while we we were out of town. then it did it again at 110,000 miles. now at 148,000 miles, the head gasket has to be replaced, cost $2500. my other car, a 1996 V6 camry LE has 180,000 miles and never had a problem. my previous car, a 1987 toyota celica had 142,000 miles, never had a problem, and was traded in for the subaru due to us having kids. we've decided to buy a toyota going forward. subaru quality is simply not up to par.

The 2000 to 2003 outbacks had a recall wwp-99. It informs the owner to add a coolant conditioner any time the antifreeze is changed to prevent the head gaskets from wearing out,that is if you ever see the recall. I've had burnt coolant smells, wheel bearings replaced, engine light on often, now head gasket need to be replaced. This car is trouble!

I have a 2005 Subaru outback wagon, and I LOVE IT!!! it has absoutly no squeeks, or rattles what so ever. My wife has a 2000 Outback wagon that has 285,000 miles, and needles to say, it has absoutly no problems either!! And for those of you that say there is no power under the hood...well your wrong!! Both my subarus cruise at 85 without a problem, and they have even more throttle to give! I LOVE both of my Subarus!!! Plus their EASY on fuel.. and it dosn't take $50.00 to fill em up either!!! They have taken us EVERYWHERE we want to go without any hesitation! Hey every once in a while we go off the beaten path, where only jeeps and trucks dare to venture... and we have NEVER got stuck!! They also are great on long trips!! VERY COMFY and extremly spacious!!! I LOVE THE CARS!!!! PERIOD.

My second Subaru and not my last. Very poor planning on the dashboard..the cup-holders get in the way; but that's my only complaint. Oops, forgot about the 4 cylinder engine. My grandmother could ride a bike up a mountain faster than this car.However, very little mechanical problems with this car, plenty of room; great in bad weather conditions,truly happy with this Outback!

When I purchased a new 2001 Subaru Outback 3 years ago, I thought it was the perfect car for me. I like the way it handles, and I get good fuel economy. Unfortunately, the front driver's side window began to leak air in a noisy fashion, after owning the car for 6 months. Over the next 2 and a half years, both my dealer and representatives from Subaru of America have attempted to fix this problem no fewer than 12 (that's TWELVE!) times, without success. There have also been problems with the dashboard and tailgate that they were also unable to fix. Both this car and my wife's 1999 Forester rattle and squeak worse than a 15 year old pick-up truck. I simply would never buy another Subaru again.

I had a Dodge Stratus for a lot of years before this car. We looked at the Matrix (too tiny) and the Jetta (almost bought it) but AWD and $1,000 less trumped the sunroof. The engine is fantastic, it's only 4 cylinders, but it's 2.5 liters, the same size as the V6 in the Dodge. I've not had any problems with it, and I disagree with the folks that say it's uncomfortable on long trips; we've done several 5 and 6 hour runs with it with no discernible discomfort. My only complaint is the A/C seems a bit feeble, but otherwise, this is a terrific car!

My family has had a 1997 Subaru Legacy Outback for 6 years now and it has NEVER given us any trouble. Sure, it isn't very powerful, but its not supposed to be. Thats what the Impreza and WRX wagons are for. The Outback is very reliable, very safe, and has done everything we've asked it to. When you fold down the back seat, you have a huge amound of cargo space. My mom used this car to completly re-landscape our front yard and she carried all her plants, supplies, dirt, rocks, and tools in the back of her Subaru. If you want a performance wagon, the Outback wont satisfy as much as other cars will but for a tough and reliable everyday car, the Subaru Outback is the perfect car for the job.

The Outback gets so much undeserved and "unwanted" attention. Its been unreliable, small, and underpowred for the price. Prices for these wagons max out around $35,000- you can get an 8 passenger Expedition with that! Cargo room is small, even for a wagon, the Taurus Wagon has more room for less money. Plus, the Taurus Wagon can hold 8 people. Subaru claims this is a "Sport Utility Wagon", even though the Outback is based on a sedan. There hasen't been a SUW made yet- Cadillac might have one with the SRX.

Sold my 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee with 88,000km last year to purchase a new 2002 Subaru Outback - 9 months later I hated it so much that I bought the Jeep back!! (luckily the Jeep had been on loan to a client and the dealer still had it). The Subaru is uncomfortable on long trips, terrible seats give back and leg aches after less than 1 hour, the mirrors get "splashed" in wet conditions making it almost impossible to see behind, at 12,000 km I had the cam belt & tensioners replaced as it sounded like an old diesel, cliamte control air con blows too harsh for comfort and temp fluctuates....etc....etc....etc. It will go everywhere we wanted but you just didnt enjoy the drive. Bring back the Jeep - I will gladly put up with paying twice as much at the pump.