This was the last outback video I’ve needed to watch to be sold on the Subaru Outback. That’s it it’s the best bottom of the line car that it’s price. Features are over the top, off road driving is perfect, aesthetics are off the charts. Freaking beautiful car!
It is an awesome car and you do get a lot for your money with it. I have had it for a year at the end of this month and I love it as much now as I did when I bought it! Thanks for watching!
I’m glad you love your car! I used to have a Subaru Outback from 1996 a long time ago, if you consider 5 years ago a long time. A few years later, I got a Subaru Impreza 2009 manual transmission. That car had a timing belt failure so no more of that. Now, I have a Honda Accord manual transmission Sedan 1990. It has some minor issues, but was extremely well taken care of throughout its life. This Honda is the first car I ever bought and owned with my own money ever! I will take the better care of it than my two previous Subaru’s. I think Subaru and Honda are some of the best reliable cars ever made!
I have a white 2020 premium trim. Absolutely love it. I actually traded in my 2013 Explorer for this if that tells you anything. This Outback literally sold itself. I honestly just went in to test drive and get the $50 gas card. I would have done the Ascent, but my partner and I realized we weren’t using the Explorer’s third row and decided I didn’t need a large suv. I was debating a Forester, but I didn’t want to be like my parents as they each have one lol. I kept going back to the Outback and finally took it out. So three months in I love it! Life time owner to be.
That is awesome, glad to hear it! They are such great cars, despite what some people are saying! Lol We thought about the Ascent ourselves but figured we didn't need the bigger size either. They are nice though! My parents have an Outback so I guess I did the opposite of you. 😄 Glad you are loving your Outback, I am definitely loving mine also. I have never wanted anything other than another Subaru after my first one 12 years ago! Thanks so much for watching and for your great comment! Have a good night!
I am so glad its working out lovely! WE looked into Subaru when we needed to buy a new car last month! They last forever and have great reviews across the board! Its so nice! I love it! great review friend!!!
That is one of the things I love about them, they last forever! My last Subaru I had for 12 years with no real problems. Hopefully this one is the same way! Thanks for watching, Tiffany!💛
I’ve had just about every type of car out there from sports car, convertible, suv, luxury high end vehicles and I made the decision after being frustrated with the pitifully small amount of space in my current Audi that I decided I’d never again own a vehicle without some type of utilitarian purpose. I chose to get a 22 Outback Limited XT. I not only love the cargo capacity but it also looks and feels like the sporty cars, luxury cars, SUV’s that I’ve loved in the past. I’m glad I made the decision to go with the OB. Now all I have to do is wait patiently while the factory builds it. It’s been a few weeks since I ordered it and will be another 2 months before I take delivery. I’m like a little kid waiting for Christmas. Thanks for the amazing review.
@@bamafam so yeah - the dealership said that if you call their customer service and express concern over the wait time they will send you $500. I eventually received two $500 coupons. The dealership wanted to just apply one saying they were redundant but both carried different numbers on them. Got the full $1000 taken of final price. Love this car. “Thank you for patience. I do apologize for the delay. Attached you will find an additional customer loyalty coupon in the amount of 500.00. Also, you will receive the physical copy within a few days. “ Sincerely, Shelron White Subaru of America, Inc. Customer Advocacy Department 1-800-SUBARU3 (1-800-782-2783) Service Request Number: 1-71382533284
I Purchased a certified Forester Touring. My first Subaru. I can see myself getting an Outback has everything you could possibly want, without having to get a truck and yet has plenty more to offer than an SUV.
Great review! Better than many RU-vidrs! Car guy here.. So, your CVT is one of the best in the business: I believe Subaru makes it in-house instead of buying it from someone else. Don’t worry about the paddle-shifters, as it’s basically “faking” gear changes. The Start-stop in every car basically gets 1 mpg better, if that. Besides being annoying, it puts undue pressure on the starter motor as well as the battery. Everyone I know turns it off. A commenter mentioned being nervous with turbo and CVT reliability. From what I hear, checking oil usage regularly, and proper oil changes according to the manual will keep it reliable. For example, the turbo uses oil to keep it cool as it will be blazing hot under usage. So, if one doesn’t change that dirty oil, it won’t properly cool that turbo, leading to a short life.
Thanks so much, I appreciate it! The start-stop is not something I would have chosen but it is good that I can turn it off. And thanks for your info on the CVT. I have heard so many negatives but have chosen to believe that Subaru knows what they are doing and it will be fine if I take care of the car. That makes a lot of sense about the turbo and how it works, using oil to cool it. Regular oil changes and checks are especially important it sounds like. I will definitely be doing that! Thanks again for your comment and for watching!
My GF has always been a Mercedes or Range Rover girl her whole life. After her 5th, $2000 repair in one 12 month period on her a Range Rover, I convinced her to test drive an Outback. We found a 2018, off lease Limited. SHE LOVES IT! Zero trips to the mechanic. Exceedingly well appointed. A third the price of a comparable Mercedes. She brags about it to all her expensive girlfriends one of whom traded her 700 series bmw for a 2020 Outback limited and she also loves it more than the bmw
I love hearing that! I am always saying that this car has a luxury feel like a Mercedes without the price! Subaru is so reliable too! I'm glad your GF is enjoying hers! Thanks for watching!
This is a really lovely car Alicia and your review was so informative ! Love the huge screen and interior! I have heated seats in my car and love them so much, the little things in life hey! But on a serious note it does amaze me how advanced vehicles are getting!! 🧡
Have you noticed since a software update, they moved the auto start stop to the main Home Screen. Glad Subaru listened to their customers on that issue. Also would love to have them move the auto vehicle gold to the Home Screen.
You're on the know a lot about Outback and no doubt others! Thanks for the review. My wife has the Premium trim(our 1st ever Subaru ever let alone an Outback), but not impress me enough. I plan to get either a 2022 Touring XT or Limited XT after watching your review and others.
We would love a Subaru SUV for our next car, so it's cool to watch this. Heated seats, that's awesome. Moonroof is the best. That is a big screen indeed. I can see how it can be hard to navigate. The driver assist is cool and scary all at the same time. hahaha We had the blind spot detection in a rental car and it was super convenient. It's crazy to see what cars can do now. Nabol loves those manual shifters. I never use those. Haha Great review.
I like all the safety things that are coming out on cars now but I agree, some of it can be scary. I love the blind spot detection, it has come in handy! I should probably try the manual shifters sometime to see what I think of them. Thanks for watching, hope you two have a great weekend!
Please make sure that you keep those drains in the moonroof clear. You have a garage which helps immensely, but if leaves and debris get in there your car will flood during a heavy rain. The dealer can clean them easily I'd get them inspected at least once a year, twice if you park outside. I think there is a software update for the touchscreen to make it faster. Welcome to Subie life! You can camp in your car, there's a mattress made for the car!
Thanks for the tip on the moonroof and for letting me know about a software update for the touchscreen! And that is so neat they have a mattress for the car, I didn't know that! There is definitely enough room to camp in there! Thanks for watching and giving me the info! 😃
Hi Alicia!🙋🏻♀️❤️ I loved your review! You were so thorough. You probably won’t believe me but, my hubby works at Harman (Kardon)! 😂😂 Harman speakers are top of the line. Your listening pleasure is in good hands. Harman also does JBL which is my favorite toy to play with!🤩🤩🤗 I think I mentioned we were looking at these cars when you got yours. The Asents are the only model that has the Harman radio. If I get one I would have to get that model. It is an awesome radio!🤩🤩 It is very user friendly. I have the Harman radio in my Jeep and I love it. Wonderful share my sweet friend. Have a lovely evening!🤗❤️❤️
Hi Michelle! 🙋♀️ Well then you know all about Harman Kardon if your husband works for Harman!! That is so cool, thanks for letting me know!I had never heard of it before buying this car but then I don't know a lot about speakers and sound systems anymore. The sound system is nice in this car so I'm a fan!! I do remember you mentioning looking at the Ascent. I believe you had said you had an outback for a rental but were looking at the Ascent to possibly buy. Since your husband works for Harman, I don't blame you for wanting the one with the Harman radio! Oh, and I have always wanted a Jeep myself. I went back and forth between the outback and a Jeep! Thanks for watching and have a great night my friend. 🤗💛❤💜
Subaru vehicles are awesome, the kind of vehicles that is actually fun to drive whether you’re driving to work or to recreational activities. Subaru symmetrical AWD system is unparalleled.
I totally agree. They are fun to drive regardless of where you are driving them. I had nothing but a great experience with my Legacy that I owned for 12 years prior to this car and so far I am loving the Outback! Thanks for watching!
Great review. You actually went through more of the safety features, and steering wheel controls than the "professionals" (Car and Driver, Edmunds). Sure they mentioned them too, but you showed them to us as you described them.
I recently test drove a white Onyx XT with the Vegan covered seats. I was very impressed with all the standard features and how smooth the ride was. Your review was spot on. Currently a 07 4RUNNER owner. It’s been a great SUV but ready for something that’s more economical and smoother ride.
I just did a 500-mile road trip on an Onyx with "vegan" seats. NOT recommended at all. It is not breathable. Bad for long roadtrip. 3 years ago I did a similar road trip on a previous gen Touring model with Napa leather seats. Day & night different. It was far better and more enjoyable with the real leather.
What a beautiful car! I love the purity of the lines and I agree with you, the interior is great. It reminds me of my past white Volvo XC 70.I have had my Subaru Outback 2024 Wilderness for four days, and really enjoying it as well. I don't understand people's issues with the infotainment screen. Life is short. Just get over it. It has been tweeked in four years, though, for the better. Also, not a lover of animal skin. I prefer whatever the stuff is they put for the Wilderness cars.
I very happy that you are loving it we also have a Subaru Outback in my family. We have the 2020 Subaru Outback XT onyx edition in the pearl white. We had it since September 13th of 2019 so we had it for 5 months ago. We test drove a green Premium and the white XT Onyx Edition. We ended up getting that model because we wanted the turbo engine. And the 2.5 in the Premium we drove was a little under power for us. And since we live in the high hills of Salem SC that we moved to 5 months ago. And we went with the Onyx Edition because that was the only turbo model that was at the dealership at that time. And plus both my mom and dad loves the interior of the Onxy edition with the gray seats with the green accents on it. And we did not wanted to wait to order one since we all ready sold my moms 2011 Toyota Venza to our next door neighbors before we moved out of IL to SC.
Thank you! I actually test drove an Onyx first but ended up with the Limited. The seats with the green accents are really neat looking, I'm glad your mom and dad love them! I liked the front camera the Onyx has and wish the Limited had one. I actually bought this one September 20th so just a week after you. There weren't a lot of the new Outbacks out yet and I definitely wanted one with the turbo too. They had this one and the black Onyx I test drove first and that was it. Thank you for watching and commenting, I appreciate it! 😊
Hi Alicia, Nice Video. Thank you. I watched your first one too when I was deciding on a car. I just got the Onyx XT I ordered mid December on Saturday. I’ve only had it 3 days but you impressions are spot on. The new technology takes some getting use to but the blind spot detection and rear cross traffic alert should be standard on every new car. RTCA saved me from hitting a bicyclist zipping through a parking lot I was backing out of. Definitely like the power over the standard engine and love the ride and handling. I’m 6’5” too and got the Onyx because it was the only turbo I could get without a sunroof and I wanted the extra room. I hope they are as reliable as your Legacy was.
Hi Syd, thanks for watching this one too! That is great you got the Onyx XT, that is the first one I test drove to see what I thought of the engine. I agree with the new technology taking some time to get used to but overall I think it is wonderful and agree a lot of it should be standard. That is so great your RTCA saved you from hitting a bicyclist! That is a perfect example of how that technology comes in so handy and why it should be standard! I have been really impressed with how sensitive that camera is as far as picking up movement behind and around the car. My husband is 6'5" and does ok with the sunroof but I get what you are saying about wanting more room not having one. He made sure to get a truck without a sunroof for the same reason as you. They don't really make vehicles for tall people! I hope these are as reliable as my Legacy too. I still have the Legacy (keeping it for my daughter) and drive it on occasion. I do love the manual in it. Thanks again for watching Syd, and happy driving!!
the nice thing about the door seat position buttons is that if one driver is much smaller than the other, the big one can press their button BEFORE they get in so the seat is in a reasonable position. This is only necessary if the last person to drive it was the smaller person. You don't get "scanned" until you're sitting in the driver's seat but if my wife drove the car last, I CAN'T get into the driver's seat. I use the door buttons all the time. (We have a 2020 Touring - non turbo. It's a very nice car)
The reason for the stop/start feature has to do with government requirements for fuel efficiency. The car makers have to make the car more efficient and adding that system is one way to do that. If it is possible to disable it permanently, then it doesn't count for the government statistics. That's why they don't make it possible to just turn it off and leave it off. My personal opinion is that in a busy city, the small delay it causes at intersections sometimes (for instance, while you are waiting to turn left) causes trouble -- at the very least, it causes me stress when I feel I need to move immediately and I have to wait for the engine to start. I would use it in a smaller or less busy city. In a city with fast drivers I turn it off.
I'm also a 2020 XT owner. I love the powet of this car as a previous VW GTi owner. The interior is much better than what I expected from a Subaru. The only thing I hate is that you can't permanently turn off the engine start stop thing
The power is great, I'm loving it! And I was really impressed with the interior when I saw it. Subaru really upped their game on the finishes in this car. I agree with you on the engine start-stop thing. It doesn't really seem to save much fuel so I don't get the point. Thanks for watching and Happy driving! 🙂
The start stop feature does have to be turned off everytime you start the vehicle, but now there is a super easy button next to the home button to turn it off. Very convenient
Thank you so much for this video, We are trading our 2013 outback premium for a 2020 limited with Nav this morning ( not xt ). You answered some of my questions.
This was a great review! I’m not in the market for a new car and I feel like I need this one! The features are amazing, and the facial recognition that saves preferences per driver is extra cool to me!
Hi Sarah! The facial recognition thing is really cool. I like never having to change settings since the car recognizes me and does it for me. It is crazy what cars do anymore! Thanks for watching my friend! 💛
Nice review Alicia. It's good to hear a general review from an owner and not from some guy at the dealership trying to sell cars. About the only thing you didn't mention that I would be curious about is what kind of fuel economy have you've seen? That's assuming you're one of those that tracks that kind of thing? Manufacturers will advertise how great they're turbocharged engines are with gas mileage, but they don't always do that well in that regard. The turbo engine is only EPA'd 2 to 3 mpg less than the non turbo engine in the Outback, which isn't that bad actually, but it would be interesting to know what you've been getting in the real world.
Thank you Steven! I'm sorry I forgot to mention the gas mileage, I had intended to because I know that is something people are interested in. I have found that it has been getting right around what it is estimated at, maybe a little better. That all depends on how and where I drive it though. I have been doing mostly in town driving lately and have been getting anywhere from 24- 26mpg. I'm going off what the car is telling me on the mileage display. I need to do the actual math one of these days to confirm the accuracy of the display. Thanks so much for watching and commenting!🙂
@@AliciaLynnYT - I appreciate the reply. My admittedly limited experience with turbocharged engines say's they're capable of getting relatively good fuel economy but "not" if you're using that turbocharger all the time. As for the computer fuel economy read out, I've had three cars so far with that feature and all of them tended to run from 2 to 4 mpg optimistic compared to my manual calculations. It just depends on the situation. If you get the chance to calculate a number of tanks back to back, please let us know what your results are. Thanks!
Beautiful car Alicia! I love the interior and the big screen but I do know what you mean about having everything touch screen. My cars heated seat are just push button as well. Its crazy how advanced vehicles are getting....blows my mind sometimes!
Let me start this with, I am SOLD on the Outback Limited XT. The 0-60 time is accurate; however, that is based on the test runs of moto-journalists that are not going to test the car the way we will drive a car. They are using a loaner vehicle from Subaru, and not spending their hard earned money on it so, if it breaks, that's Subaru's problem. If I was buying a Subaru for racing, launching, or other extremely aggressive driving, I would look at the WRX with a manual transmission. I would expect the 0-60 time of the regular driver to be in the low 8s, and for the more aggressive group to be mid-high 7s. Getting the high 6s requires holding the brake and revving the engine so the turbo is producing boost then releasing the brake. This runs the potential of CVT chain slip (belt in other CVTs), as the chain has some slack until the drivetrain is pulling it tight. Chain (belt) slip will destroy the CVT. With a CVT it is best to ease on the gas, build some momentum, and then accelerate to tighten the chain (belt) prior to putting the system under load. If you want to be the quickest off the line, do not buy anything with a CVT, as launching it will ruin the CVT, and that's $8000 to replace. Another thing to keep in mind is to really baby acceleration in reverse. Remember the chain (belt) needs to tighten before putting it the CVT under load. The car needs to be at a complete stop with a brief pause before reversing, and ease on the power.
Sold my 2016 Outback (which I loved) and getting my 2022 Outback next week. Wasn’t thrilled about the heater controls being part of the screen and not actual buttons, I then remembered I used “full auto” the entire time I owned the car, I probably adjusted the temperature a total of 5 times in 6 years! So… I’m hoping the new one works the same way and won’t need constant adjustments. I’m only getting the new model because of current value of my old car and wanted to have safety features I opted out of the first time around (eye sight, etc). Opted out of the turbo model since I feel the 2.5 is adequate for daily driving.
I hate my auto start stop. I do turn it off all the time. Here are a couple of other little hacks to turn it off quickly: 1.You can turn on your defroster & run it and it will not allow your start stop to turn on. 2. Same with high on your air conditioning. 3. Play with the pressure on your brakes as you stop, you will see - if you learn your brake, it won't turn on. 4. Of course, you can turn it of by touching your car symbol at the bottom of media screen, on the next screen push "other", and lastly... on the third media screen... slide the button to off on the Start Stop line.
@Bacondude0000 Eggs It's a great concept and I understand what it is meant for. The problem is it isn't worth the insignificant amount of gas that you save, which is no where near what you are estimating. I have been driving mine for a year now and the amount of gas I've saved is hardly anything.
Hey Alicia! I'm with you 100% on the touch screen, I'm still trying to get used to it in our CR-V. But the safety features are amazing! I'm really glad you're enjoying it - thanks for this informative review!😊
Things like the touch screen just make me feel old! 😄😂 I'm glad I'm not the only one that had to get used to the touch screen! The safety features are great though. I hope you are enjoying your new car too, Amy!💛
Thinking about this being my next car. Wish they still had a choice to listen to cds. Not necessarily Subarus fault, just new cars in general. Kinda feel like I'm showing my age on that one lol. Great 4 month review. Live in Richmond btw
I am with you on the cds and said the same thing to my daughter about that showing my age! Lol I love this car though, it's been great. That's cool you live in Richmond, I haven't made it there yet but plan to. We have been in VA for 3 years now and love it. Thanks for watching!
Great review! I sell Subarus and agree with you on everything you said. Make sure to keep up on the maintenance as these cars can be finicky. Change the oil and filter every 3K miles or 3 months, whichever comes first.
@@AliciaLynnYT No problemo! My wife pointed it out :). There is actually a dedicated spout above the backup camera. I have an onyx XT in Canada so I'd imagine you should as well!
Good honest review! After break in it’s rated at 6.1 seconds to 60. It’s a little sluggish off the line because of the CVT. If you hold the brake and push the gas to build RPMs and then let off the brake it’ll get off the line faster. And I think you need to drink some water you sounded a little dry in the mouth there.
Thanks! I'm ok with it being a little sluggish off the line, it still blows the doors off my Legacy! Its a really fun car to drive overall. If I sounded like I had dry mouth, it was probably from all the talking I had to do to film this😁 Thanks for watching, Miles!
I work for Subaru here in Little Rock and been loving the outback and I have a 2020 Mazda CX-5 and trying to get the negative paid down to get the Outback limited
Wow 4 months already!..I remember clearly when you bought it😊..I really want a steering wheel warmer because my hands are always freezing..it looks very spacious..it was definitely a great purchase👍..Have a great week Alicia😊❤️
Time flies! I couldn't believe 4 months had already gone by either! I love the space in this car. It has so much more than my last car. Thanks for watching and have a great week!😊💛
The US spec Onyx version and Wilderness also do not have heated steering wheel. Another reason to stick with this model. Conversely the Canadian spec version does have it
Hi Tracey! I looked at the Crosstrek for awhile but I wanted the bigger Outback since I have my kids and dog. Those heated seats and steering wheel are nice to have this time of year! Thanks for watching my friend!💛
Great info. You would improve things in your videos if you would eliminate the lip smacks. They are not a part of speech and are quite distracting to listen to. I have been in broadcasting for 40 years. It is one of the most prominent things broadcasters have to learn to avoid.
Thanks I appreciate it! The only other vehicle I was considering was a Jeep but the Outback was just more practical and had more to offer for the price. Plus, I have had such a positive experience with my Subaru Legacy that I leaned towards another Subaru. Thanks for watching!
Hi Alicia.. Nice review. I am looking to buy a new car and did lot of research on the 2020 Outback XT. It will be in my driveway soon. A few things..... The XT turbo puts out 260 HP and is rated at 0-60 in 6.1 seconds. I currently own a Kia Sportage with the 260 HP turbo and it is really quick. The comment by AH Benjamin regarding a CVT with the turbo may be valid with another manufacturer, but not so with a Subaru. Their CVT steel belt design is more robust and very hi tech. The design is very highly regarded by experts in the field. As for the start/stop engine feature. That would drive me nuts too! There is a video on You Tube that shows how to disable it perminately, but I wouldn't do it. Just touch the disable button while you're waiting for the car to warm up.... Good overview of the car.. Thank you!
Hi John, thanks for your comment! I have been seeing more sources saying the 0-60 is in that 6 second range so that is pretty nice! In regards to the CVT, I have gotten a lot of comments on how bad that is so I appreciate your comment! Subaru is known for putting out a quality product that lasts a long time. My 2008 Legacy that I still own and have had no real problems with, is testament to that. I have a hard time believing that they would go with something inferior just to save on fuel economy and cut costs, which is what everyone is saying. The Outback is their flagship vehicle and that would be pretty dumb from a business perspective to go with something that is going to fail in a couple of years. I am not a fan of the start/stop feature but it also doesn't bother me all that much either. Lol All in all, I am absolutely loving this car, it is a lot of fun! I hope you enjoy yours as well. Thanks again for your comment, it was refreshing to hear a different perspective on the CVT! 😊
Thanks. Excellent information. Regarding the 0-60 time. I'm sure that would be in manual mode using lower gear ranges than normally would be selected because that would eliminate much of the "not too fast off the line" issues. The reason it feels good from 30-50 is because of the RPM's usually used at those speeds. But by using manual mode, you can get that same turbo boost of power to activate much sooner, and keep it going much longer. This of course, would eat an incredible amount of gas, and would likely increase wear and tear, but it is nice to have when needed. Databyter
I love it!! So fancy how it know s your name :) I do like the screen size too :) I have always heard how wonderful Subaru safety features are :) I love that Starlink option!! Enjoyed the review:):)
It is crazy what technology cars have these days! I love that screen, I just wish there were more button controls and everything wasn't controlled through the touchscreen. Thanks for watching, Crystal and Happy Valentines Day!💕
Would NEVER buy a vehicle built after 2015, they have gotten so STUPID high tech that it is just too complicated to use the simplest of functions because there is a damn chip that controls everything ! Just my opinion, but thanks for being so honest about the pros and cons , of your 2020 outback, I really appreciated that !
I agree with you on the high tech thing, it can be a pain sometimes. I love my Outback but I also still enjoy driving my 2008 Legacy now and then because of that very thing! Also because it is a stick shift. Thanks for watching!
Out of curiosity, are you guys in western PA? I’m a student of accents and dialect :-) I loved the video. I’m ready to buy the 2020 Outback and I found this very valuable. Thank you for your insights.
Excellent review, I have the same car and live in Canada. The Canadian version Limited XT does not get the facial recognition. You brought up 2 of the 3 main downer points on this vehicle. The heated seats is way too complicated and over thought, let me cycle through the heat levels by just touching the icon on the screen please. The start/stop is rough a lot of the times and it never seems to last an entire red light for me, sometimes only 5-7 seconds and it auto starts again, Subaru says it is fine (in their opinion). Lastly and the one thing you did not mention, the heated steering wheel only heats 2/3 of the wheel the entire top part of the wheel is not heated. Other than these annoyances the car is great to drive and be in.
That is interesting that the Canadian version Limited XT doesn't have the facial recognition, I had no idea. That start/stop can definitely be a bit of a pain but I'm kind of just used to it now. Thanks for bringing up the heated steering wheel, I never caught that myself! Probably because I hardly ever use it. Thanks for watching and enjoy your Outback, Pierre!
Thank you! I like the roof racks but then this is the first vehicle I've had with them so I don't have much to compare to. It has been an awesome car though!
Debating between the Outback or Forester for my next car. I feel like the longer length of the Outback would make it the more comfortable vehicle over all, but that infotainment system really is holding me back from jumping on the Outback. I like the infotainment of the Forester better.
The Outback is a really comfortable car overall and having had this car for well over a year now, I'm still very happy we got it. I am actually used to the infotainment system in it now so the things I didn't like about it don't really bother me much anymore, besides the lag time with it. You probably can't go wrong with either choice though, Subaru makes great cars!
@@AliciaLynnYT I don't know if you can answer this question specifically, but one of my concerns is this: I have an elderly grandmother who can't walk very well and has difficulty getting in and out of low riding vehicles such as sedans. I have to ride her to doctors appointments a lot. Do you think the Outback would be an easy car for her to slide in and out of and would the back cargo area be good to load in a wheelchair?
@@jeskerjames2938 The Outback as well as the Forester sit a little higher up than the standard sedan so I find it easier to get in and out of because of that compared to my Legacy which is a sedan. The cargo area is one of my favorite things about the Outback, there is so much room back there and I think it would be great for loading a wheelchair.
yes, 0-60 is quoted as that. But I think it takes S# and some real stomp to do that. This, as is my 2019 3.6 Outback, is set up to basically run in economical mode as a default.
I have the 2019 Outback and it’s not a bad car. I would love it so much more if it didn’t have those hideous roof rails and that rear window visor could have been smaller. Would like to get the all new 2020 style in a couple of years but it still has those chunky tasteless roof rails and the rear window visor is even uglier being side muzzled. I like my interior more because it has all manual climate controls. It’s infotainment system is also sluggish at times but at least it’s just the sound system. It’s the only affordable mid size wagon in North America and that makes it great. I wonder why is Subaru trying so hard to make it mediocre. A little more attention to the details and I would definitely get another one.
@@AliciaLynnYT Correct. The Outback is a bargain. In spite of its easily fixable flaws I still had to get it. Maybe Subaru will bring back the Legacy wagon, now that would be interesting.
I agree, the roof rails are pretty ugly. I guess the reason they're so massive is that the crossbar storage is integrated, unlike most vehicles where crossbars are optional and separate.
This XT version with the turbo engine and all of it’s safety features, leg room and cargo space beats the Volvo V60 Cross Country easily which is at least 15k more.
My minuses, beside the touch screen (fine for inside your house, not piloting a 3k lb missile at 100'/s. Horrible base/middle trim Starlink radio performance, especially in the sound department. Noise from hvac when on highest fan setting. Side mirrors too far back; need them moved forward on the door 1"-1.5". No dark(er) headliner option.
This car has some really nice safety features! I don't think I would like the start/stop feature though. It would definitely take some getting used to.
Yes, the start stop feature takes a few presses to be turned off. But it gives the oil for the turbo a chance to warm up. I’ve had the Onyx XT for several months and have gotten used to it. I will say this. The Onyx came with the base sound system, which sounded awful. So I had the dealer upgrade to the Rockford Fosgate sound system and it sounds better than the Harmon Kardon in my wife’s Forester.
@@bbthing68 I clearly don't know anything about sound systems since I didn't even know what Harmon Kardon was! 😄 But that 12 speaker system with amplifier sounds pretty good so I'm not complaining! I'm glad you got an upgrade to the Rockford Fosgate, I have actually heard of that!
Im considering a preowned 2020 XT Touring it appears to be exactly the same as yours! What kind of mileage are you getting "MPG" mixed driving? Thanks in advance
Probably around 23-24. Maybe lower. It used to be higher but we now live in a pretty cold climate , it was -27F the other morning. And we don't do as much highway driving, its more in town driving, so I can't give you a very accurate answer on mixed. I can say I love the car still and have no regrets. I knew it wasn't going to have the best gas mileage. Subaru isn't known for that.
Went from a 2017 premium to a 2021 premium outback. If our 2017 did not get damaged in a wind gust, would recommend sticking with older models for better bang for your buck and value. We could not tell a difference in the ride quality and actually there is annoying cabin noise at about 40 mph at 1k rpm in the 2021. The Nanny tech is twice as annoying. The 2.5 seems a little more peppy and gets a little more mpg. We would NOT have upgraded given no damage to the 2017. What do we like ... the interior styling and the body style (went from blue to the green). With what we still owed, damage, and the 0% financing ... going to the 2021 made some sense.
I would guess that if you aren't buying an XT model, an older year would probably not be all that different, and yes, of course cheaper. Unfortunately you can't get that Turbo in the older models!
I have one more year left on my loan and than my car is paid off. I swear I won't buy another car for another 5 years but I'm already getting the itch for a new car. Lol. My husband is 6'6. I wonder if he could fit into the passenger seat with enough leg space. Nice car.
I had my last car for 12 years and it was nice not having a car payment for the last 7 years or so! I didn't know your husband was that tall! My husband is 6'5 and he fits in this well. He drives it a lot himself and thinks it's pretty comfortable. Thanks for watching Patti!💛
I actually really hate the auto start/stop feature on modern cars. Not only is it very annoying and not a very smooth transition, but also hurts your starter in the long run. Normal non-hybrid cars weren't designed to start/stop frequently like that, as it contributes to excessive wear on the starter and engine. Hybrids such as the Prius were designed for it so it doesn't hurt them. Also it doesn't save you much gas at all for it to be remotely worth it. If I were you I'd try to find a way to permanently turn that feature off, if possible.
Yeah, I agree, I don't care for it either and it doesn't save near enough gas to make it worth it. I know you can permanently turn it off but I'm not sure if that would mess with my warranty in any way. I should check into it. Thanks for watching!
I'm going to test drive the Outback Limited and Limited XT next week. Finally time to get rid of my money pit 2015 VW CC. Your review was very helpful but I am curious to learn how your average MPG has been. Subaru states that the Limited XT comes in at 23 city/30 hwy. Thanks
I have been getting an average of about 25/26 MPG doing a mix of hwy and city driving but mostly city. Hope that helps. Thanks for watching, Howard and enjoy your test drives!
I bought one in November of 19, love the car except you can't shut the auto stop start off permanently. Big difference between my 14 outback, which I kept, and the 20.
They are great cars overall. It's crazy how much cars change so I'm sure your 14 is a lot different than the 20. Thanks for watching and happy driving!
This is not a problem. Buy the Auto Stop/Start Eliminator, install it, turn off ASS, and problem is SOLVED, period. The company that makes this device also makes them for several other car manufacturers & models.
They are great for snow country. We don't have much snow here but we did where I used to live and my other Subaru did great in the snow. Thanks for watching!
X-Mode only works at speeds up to 25 mph (40 kph), so it is really for the nastiest of stuff; otherwise' the symmetrical AWD will do the trick just fine.
Hi Alicia--came across your review, as I have 198,000 on my 2006 Toyota Sequoia so sometime in the next year it will be time for the next car, and the Outback fits my lifestyle almost perfectly, since I love to kayak, canoe, fish, hike, x-country ski, etc., so being on unpaved mountain roads is common for me (just wish Subaru had a minimum of a hybrid offering or an EV version of this, but not for a long while yet, apparently). May I ask what your seeing on gas mileage? I know it is rated at 23/30/26 for the turbo and was wondering if that is what you're seeing (of course, how hard you drive the car matters!) over these 4 months. By the way, I was watching another RU-vid Outback review and someone mentioned you can disable the start/stop by hitting one of the defroster switches, apparently, instead of going through the annoying steps. No one was sure why it works, but apparently it does. So, you may want to give that a try. Thanks, great to hear the perspective of someone who has owned the car for 4 months.
Hi, with almost 200,000 on your current vehicle I can see why you are in the market soon for a new one. Toyotas do go forever though, kind of like Subarus! The Outback definitely fits an active outdoor lifestyle, so it sounds like it would be a good fit for you. I haven't gotten the opportunity to take mine out on any unpaved mountain roads, or really anything other than pavement, but I'm sure I will in the future because I do a lot of hiking. The gas mileage on this has been a little bit higher/better than what it is rated at. I meant to mention that in my video and forgot. But again, I have only had it on paved roads and like you said, it depends on how you drive it. Thanks for letting me know about the start/stop disable, I will look into that! I don't necessarily mind the start/stop but sometimes it can be a bit annoying. Thanks so much for watching and commenting! And if you end up getting an Outback in the future I hope you enjoy it as much as I do mine! 🙂
Alicia - I am currently deciding on which Outback trim to purchase. I was set on the Limited - but part of me wants the dual x mode as I live in PA and we get bad winters. Plus, I feel like if I were to ever tow anything big or small I can't imagine a 2.5 doing that well. A moonroof is required for me so that always increases price point. It seems price point wise the Limited XT makes this standard and in the onyx its an upgrade. However, I think it would could down to the leather vs. startex. My dealerships do not have any Onyxs available - mainly due to supply logistics and Covid. In your opinion despite the touch of the two materials, were the onyx seats as comfortable as the leather or more stiff or more soft? As a female, its nice to see a woman giving a review!
Hi Nicole, I think the leather seats vs the startex was one of the main reasons I went with the limited over the Onyx. I just really preferred the look and feel of the leather and I think it does make the seats a little more comfortable. I always say those seats are like sitting on a couch, they are so comfortable! That being said, I only test drove the Onyx so I didn't spend a lot of time in it. The plus of the startex material is it would be super easy to clean compared to the leather. Thanks for watching and I hope you find the right one for you!
It's nice to see an owner's perspective on the 2020 Outback in the Limited XT trim. From what I've seen and read about this car's massive touch screen, it seems that some people have a hard time using the screen without triggering the eye tracking alarm while driving. I'm curious if this is something that you also experience. On your car's sluggishness from a standing start up to 30 mph, I'd imagine it has to do with the turbocharger lag at low RPM with the relatively heavy weight of just under 4000 lbs, which is asking a lot of a four cylinder engine that is off boost. Still, a 0 to 60 mph time of just over 6 seconds is pretty impressive for an Outback. If your touch screen has the option to display a boost gauge while you're driving, this might be able to help you to see what's happening with your engine under different driving conditions.
I actually haven't had issues with the distracted driver alarm going off when I am using the touch screen. It takes more than that to trigger it for me, it's usually looking down. The one that goes off all the time and is somewhat annoying is the lane departure. I might end up disabling that! Lol Thanks for letting me know about the sluggishness probably being due to the turbocharger lag at low RPM. That makes sense! But yeah, it does have a pretty impressive 0-60 for a wagon! She is a peppy thing! I have seen 6.3 and 6.2 seconds for 0-60 from a couple of other sources lately so that must be what it's coming in at. I will check out the the display to see if it shows a boost gauge, that is a great idea. Thanks for watching and the info! 🙂
Hi, thanks for this review. I have a 2018 Forster base model I want to trade in for the 2020 outback limited. What do you think about the thigh support on the drivers seat? Do you pull it out & use it? The manual seats are not very adjustable, and I look forward to some power seats.
I really want to buy the 2.5 limited purely for the cost of ownership but I'm so worried about the reliability of it. Apparently the 2.5L engines are less reliable than the 6 cylinder engines have been. Been leaning on a 2017-2019 3.6r purely because of reliability. Also the 2.4L is still really new so I'm a little skeptical about that still. How annoying is that screen?
I myself don't know much when it comes to engines but I have heard what you are saying. I have had a Legacy for over 12 years now with a 2.5L engine in it that has given me absolutely no problems though, I can say that. I still own it because of how great it has been. The 2.4L is still really new so I have a little skepticism myself but I wanted the XT after having my gutless Legacy. So far I am really happy I went with it because the power is great. I really don't find the screen all that annoying now that I'm used to it. I did want to put out what the negatives were about it in this video though because it has them. It does have pluses though too, as far as visibility. Thanks for watching and I hope you figure out what you want to do!
Wife and i each bought the 20 touring xt.. love them. Only complaint is the album art/Sirius radio station logo disappears when the car is in motion reappears when stopped... A little too much hand holding. Also, when using Android/apple cat play, you literally only get to use 1/2 the screen. So the other half is just a massive field of empty blue space
I'm glad you are loving them besides those issues! No big complaints with mine yet and I'm going on 8 months owning it. They are great cars. Thanks for watching and happy driving!
we have xt touring and agreed its worth the turbo and 700 mile trip motor felt great up and down the hills 80mphs constant. the napa leather seats feel like a lazy boy couch which is great for the long trips.
The turbo is nice in this and I agree on the the leather seats feeling like a lazy boy, they are so comfortable! It is a great car! Thanks for watching and happy driving!
