2025 Subaru Outback Review

The Subaru Outback, now in its sixth-generation, remains one of the best SUV alternatives thanks to its large footprint and practical wagon design, giving family buyers looking to buck conventions some serious food for thought.

For 2025, the Outback range hits the road relatively unchanged, though some key improvements over the past few years have made it particularly competitive in the family vehicle segment.

Just how well does the latest Subaru Outback perform, which is the best variant and how confidently does it hold up to the family challenge over a comparable SUV? Let’s take a closer look to find out.

Subaru Outback Competition

How Much Does the MY25 Subaru Outback Cost?

Prices for the MY25 Subaru Outback range kick off from $44,190 for the entry-level version and stretch out to $57,490 for the range-topping Outback Touring XT.

We’ll list prices for the full range below.

• MY25 Outback - $44,190

• MY25 Outback Sport - $48,690

• MY25 Outback Touring - $52,490

• MY25 Outback Sport XT - $53,690

• MY25 Outback Touring XT - $57,490

Keep in mind that these prices are subject to change and do not include on-road costs.

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What Features & Specs Does the 2025 Subaru Outback Have?

Subaru’s entry-level Outback range comes riding on a set of 18-inch alloys and picks up LED headlights, adaptive cruise control, cloth upholstery, roof rails, body-coloured mirrors, dual-zone climate control, an auto-dimming rear-view mirror, a 4.2-inch trip computer, wheel-mounted paddle shifters, a rear-view camera with front & rear parking sensors and a stack of safety equipment.

Buyers upgrading to the Outback Sport & Sport XT range pick up dark 18-inch alloys, black styling tweaks, waterproof upholstery with heated front & rear seats, front and side-view monitors and a hands-free boot lift.

The range-topping Outback Touring & Touring XT pick up Nappa leather upholstery with ventilated front seats, a heated steering wheel, silver roof rails, a panoramic sunroof and thigh support for the driver’s seat.

Subaru Outback Connectivity & Infotainment Features

The Subaru Outback gives buyers a high-tech cabin layout, with a large 11.6-inch infotainment system dominating the dashboard.

With its vertical orientation, the Outback’s 11.6-inch display looks great, offers high brightness levels and has user-friendly, physical dials for the volume and tuning dials.

Subaru packages its 11.6-inch display with AM/FM and DAB+ digital radio alongside a six-speaker sound system, while those upgrading to the Outback Touring & Touring XT pick up an upgraded nine-speaker Harman/Kardon sound system.

Does the Subaru Outback Have Wireless Apple CarPlay & Android Auto?

Potential buyers will be pleased to know that every member of the Outback range offers wireless smartphone mirroring for both iOS and Android ecosystems.

The Outback’s 11.6-inch infotainment system offers up both wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, allowing you to climb aboard with your phone in your pocket and access all of your contacts and media. 

The Outback is fitted with USB-C and USB-A ports in both the front and rear of the cabin.

Is the Subaru Outback Comfortable to Drive?

The Subaru Outback is a peach on the road, remaining calm and composed while offering some light off-roading abilities that make it a true jack-of-all-trades.

Notably, buyers have the choice of two engines in the latest Outback range, the most powerful of which makes it quite the performer when pushed.

The base Outback comes powered by a 2.5-litre boxer four-cylinder petrol that pushes out 138kW of power and 245Nm of torque to all four wheels via a CVT automatic transmission.

Buyers looking for a sportier take on the Outback also have the option of a 2.4-litre turbocharged four-cylinder that produces 183kW of power and 350Nm of torque, making the Outback far livelier off the line.

Braked towing capacity figures in the base Outback AWD range stand at 2,000kg, increasing to 2,400kg in the turbocharged XT range.

Whichever engine you opt for, the Outback remains particularly smooth around town, with its user-friendly nature and lightweight steering rack making it a lovely daily driver in the urban jungle.

The driving position is obviously lower than your typical SUV package, though Subaru has raised it enough to give you a clear view over your surroundings.

Where it really shines, though, is when you leave the city in the rear-view and head out to the Great Outdoors.

On the journey, the Outback soaks up all the bumps of an Australian country road with ease, while Subi’s symmetrical all-wheel drive system keeps things feeling planted.

It’s a rock-solid package that can handle some punishment on the B-roads and even some light off-roading excursions thanks to its 213mm of ground clearance and four-paw traction, making it a seriously versatile package.

When you’re done playing in the mud, the Outback continues to impress on the long trip home, offering a smooth nature at higher speeds and a quiet cabin that asserts itself as a seriously adaptable and flexible option for Australian families.

Is it Fuel Efficient?

With two different engines on offer, fuel economy figures depend on whether you’re opting for the base engine or the more powerful turbocharged four-pot.

In base form, Subaru’s 2.5-litre four-cylinder returns respectable, albeit slightly thirsty fuel economy figures, averaging 7.3L per 100km.

The pursuit of speed in the Outback XT range also brings some fuel economy penalties with it, averaging 9.0L per 100km on a combined cycle.

The Outback range is fitted with a 63L fuel tank, with non-turbocharged versions able to drink 91 RON fuel, while the XT’s turbocharged engine needs to drink 95 RON at a minimum.

• Outback Fuel Economy: 7.3L per 100km

• Outback XT Fuel Economy: 9.0L per 100km

Is it Practical and Spacious?

You bet it is.

In fact, the Subaru Outback platform offers so much space that there really is no need to opt for a comparable SUV if you’re a fan of the wagon body shape.

Climb aboard and you’ll be pleased with just how much space is on offer in the front of the Outback, with no issues in terms of headroom and solid marks for visibility thanks to the slightly elevated driving position.

The Outback’s seating position is also fully adjustable, with both reach- and rake-adjustment for the steering column and rock-solid ergonomics that make it feel very familiar to previous vehicles from the brand.

Subaru’s 11.6-inch vertically-mounted display dominates the dashboard, though a number of physical buttons remain in place for quick climate or media controls, which is a nice touch for more old-school buyers.

In terms of storage, the Outback’s centre console offers a small storage tray at the base of the dash, a pair of large cupholders, tonnes of storage inside the folding armrest and massive door bins on either side of the cabin.

There’s also a stash for sunglasses and glovebox flanked by a nifty little storage area on top for loose items.

Move to the rear of the cabin and the Outback continues to impress.

Legroom is abundant for those seated in the rear, proving once again that there’s no need to upgrade to an SUV package.

Adults won’t have an issue sitting behind a tall driver, while cabin width allows for reasonably comfortable three-abreast seating and solid marks for headroom, too.

Parents have easy access to the rear via wide-aperture doors, with the Outback coming packaged with ISOFIX anchors on each of the outboard seats and top tether mounts hiding behind the seatback.

Amenities in the rear of the cabin include both USB-A & C charging ports, air vents, map pockets, door bins and a folding centre armrest with cupholders.

All up, the Outback is a refreshing reminder that the wagon is not yet dead, and it’s not going down without a fight when it comes to matching its SUV rivals on the practicality front.

How Big is the Subaru Outback’s Boot?

The Subaru continues to impress when it comes to family-friendly accommodation when you lift up the boot.

With the rear seats standing in a five-seat format, the Outback’s boot measures a very respectable 522L, which is pretty much on par for the midsize SUV segment, even bettering the likes of the Mazda CX-5.

Fold down the rear bench and you’ll unlock 1,267L worth of real estate when it’s time to lug around sports gear and bulky cargo.

The Outback’s boot features a netted storage area on the side, four tie-down points and even hides a full-sized spare tyre underneath the boot floor.

• Subaru Outback Boot Space Minimum: 522L

• Subaru Outback Boot Space Maximum: 1,267L

Is it Safe?

Safety is one area that Subaru has been doubling down on for a number of years now.

They were early adopters and innovators in the active safety tech world and, thankfully, is happy to bundle in all of its tech in even the base model which is a nice touch for price-conscious buyers.

As standard, the entry-level Outback comes equipped with forward and reverse autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, as well as junction assist.

The Outback also receives adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, lane-departure warnings with lane-keep assist, autonomous emergency steering, rear cross-traffic alerts, attention alerts, traffic sign recognition and a rear-view camera with rear parking sensors.

Buyers upgrading to the Outback Sport range pick up both a front- and side-view monitor.

Does the Subaru Outback Have an ANCAP Safety Rating?

The Subaru Outback range comes wearing a five-star ANCAP safety rating after 2021 testing saw it score the following marks.

• Adult Occupant Protection: 88%

• Child Occupant Protection: 91%

• Vulnerable Road User Protection: 84%

• Safety Assist: 96%

What Warranty Does the Subaru Outback Come With?

Subaru packages the Outback range with a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty alongside 12-months of roadside assist.

The company also offers five-years’ worth of capped-price servicing and a complementary one-month health check.

Capped price servicing for the Outback AWD range totals $2,674.64 over the course of five years.

The price of servicing Subaru’s turbocharged Outback XT range totals $2,606.17, making it slightly more affordable to service over five years, though the difference is marginal.

Service intervals for both Outback engine variants stand at 12 months or 15,000-kilometres, whichever elapses first.

Our Verdict: Is the Subaru Outback Worth it?

The Subaru Outback is a formidable and incredibly versatile package for Australian buyers that is well-behaved around town while not shying away from getting its toes dirty on the weekend.

The Outback offers SUV-rivalling levels of practicality while outperforming its main rivals on the road, especially with the XT’s potent turbocharged engine.

As a complete package, the Outback is mighty impressive and a refreshing reminder that wagons haven’t completely left the market, yet, making it well worth a spot on your shortlist.

If you’re looking to upgrade to a new car, reach out to one of our car-buying experts who can help find you the best possible price.

Five Subaru Outback Specs You Need to Know

1. Five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty

2. Two engines available, all-wheel drive as standard

3. 7.3 - 9.0L per 100km combined cycle fuel economy

4. 522 - 1,267L boot space figures

5. 2,000 - 2,400kg braked towing capacity