2008 Subaru Outback User Reviews

Pros

Good gas mileage, no high test required, solid, comfortable, nice stereo & nav!

Cons

Lack of interior storage with navigation, no low windshield washer fluid indicator

Purchased As Used

I'm very pleased with my 08 Outback LL Bean which I purchased as a certified used vehicle at Planet Subaru in Hanover, Massachusetts (GREAT sales & service, check em' out!) this past January. I formerly drove an 04 Murano SL which got just OK gas mileage and required premium fuel. The Subaru is a far more sensible choice! While I miss the seating height of my Nissan and initally the 3.5 6 cylinder omph, I've grown to appreciate the Subaru 2.5 4 cylinder/automatic combination which is very peppy. Want more go?, shift into power mode and watch the revs and power climb! Nice feature! Great sound system, slick navigational system, awesome HUGE moonroof and the storage under the tailgate floor compensates for the lack of storage in the drivers area when equipped with the nav system! A very solid, comfortable, well built car with a great safety rating! I'm happy getting 21 mpg around town and up to 27 mpg on the highway in an all wheel drive wagon that is very stable in the snow and man we've had our share of snow this winter in New England! Be sure to check out a Subaru before you buy, NICE WHEELS and rather sharp looking! My biggest gripe, Subaru equip your hauling wagon with a windshield washer low fluid indicator!...read morehide

Pros

roomy, excellent mpg,

I needed an awd and shopped around because I didn't want to give up good gas mileage. What a surprise it was to exceed the mpg that was on the sticker! I know I'm careful about acceleration, but honestly, my average mpg around town is 30 and on the hwy at least 32 to 34 ( I have gotten 37 with a tail wind). This car is doing better than my daughter's civic hybrid on the highway (she's got a leadfoot, I'll admit). Everything else - comfort, reliability, response, handling is wonderful, so I'm just waiting for the diesel to go on the market so I can get even BETTER gas mileage if I trade it in!...read morehide

Pros

awesome cornering, FUN to drive

Cons

inside is somewhat "plasticky".. Not of the highest standard

Due to driving 150 miles a day for work, I needed to trade my Turbo Forrester for something that was more energy efficient. I loved the look of the Sport, I have the two tone grey.. It does not have the get up and go that the Forrester had - I knew that, but it is very FUN to drive. I spend almost 3 hours a day in the car, I needed something that was fun. It takes cornering like no other car that Ive had. And Ive had all kinds of cars before. Took some time to get used to being so low to the ground. It is quieter then the Forrester, but still somewhat noisy at times. Wish the driver seat was power, instead of the 'crank'. I added some necessities: selfdiming compas all in one rear view mirror, and the IPOD hook up. The IPOD hookup works pretty good. But you have to stand on your head to attach it to your IPOD.. There is maybe 2 inches of slack on the cord. I will definitely get good snow tires - I never let the snow keep me in.. Thats why I buy Subaru's... They are FUN in and out of the snow.....read morehide

Pros

good space

Cons

wiered transmission

I drove this car as a rental. to begin with it has a very wiered transmission. you will notice it after driving it. once i punched the gas and then i had to slow down right away, but the engine got stuck in to the lower gear for like 3 seconds and the engine kept making loud noise for that time when i was slowing down the engine was making a noise like i am going really really fast. anyways it has good sound system. lots of space to use. not very quite at high speeds but rides smooth.
this is also an ok car....read morehide

Pros

handling, awd , appearance, 26 mpg

Cons

seats just ok, sound system tinny, no bluetooth

very sturdy little hatchback. good handling and fuel economy. european styling. exceeded expectation with fuel economy. runs on regular.

Pros

gas milage, engine power, smooth ride, quite, styling, safety features,fit and finish, zero defects

Cons

inteior color choices, only two

This is our second Subaru. Purchased our 2008 Outback 2.5i in April and now is four months old with 4,200 miles on it. Gets 28.8 mpg. with local driving, and 31 mpg. on the interstate. Love the styling inside and out. Color is Quartz Silver Met.w/dark gray interior. Engine has plenty of power for a 4 cyl. with a automatic transmission. Very smooth ride and quite. The best part is all the safety features which lowered my insurance $400.00. The fit & finish is great everything seems to blend together, and zero defects no going back to the dealer to get things fixed. I highly recommend this Outback too anyone wanting a dependable family car....read morehide

Pros

Pulls a camper great. Still got 18mpg 24mpg around town 31 highway Smooth ride.

Cons

All wheel drive hurts mpg a little

My first Outback, bought cause a friend told me about them. I took a 2500 mile trip in it and was very pleased.

Pros

Excellent AWD system, plenty of cargo space, good ergonomics; Huge sunroof; excellent acceleration

Cons

Navigation system; Lack of analog clock; Audio System

Purchased a Outback XT with the Navigation package (translation auto transmission & navigation system) and tinted windows in late February 2008. I settled on Diamond Gray Metallic color, originally wanted an Obsidian Black (none were immediately available). The car has been driven a bit over 12K miles since then. Anticipated atleast 30-40K per year and used primarily for business.

Engine, Transmission & Brakes: Excellent response from 2.5 liter four cylinder engine. Subaru’s “SI Drive” performs flawlessly, making this wagon move briskly providing comfortable acceleration, merging and passing power. Brakes are a bit mushy especially after a long run, severe vibration does not inspire confidence. All competing cars come with tire pressure monitoring system standard, this one does not have it however now a standard offering. Excellent AWD system works flawlessly in all types of weather conditions including severe snow storms, heavy rain’s etc. etc.

Fuel Consumption: Depends on the driving style – under aggressive driving style (S and S#) I have averaged 17.5 mpg (driving range of approx. 300 miles) and when driven conservatively in intelligent mode I have been able to average 27 mpg (driving range of approx. 450 miles).

Appearance: Revised front fascia for 2008 and smooth styling. Impressive ground clearance, does not significantly affect ride quality and handling even though the heavy duty suspension is a bit rough over uneven surfaces.

Cabin: Generally nice ergonomics, comfortable seating arrangement. Wagon can seat five, however comfortable for four adults especially on longer drives. Heated seats are pretty good however would have preferred cooling seat option. Phenomenal dual sunroof – all cars should come with this option.

Navigation & Audio: Navigation system has poor graphics and is slow in responsiveness – pretty expensive for the price. Driving directions are extremely difficult to follow on bright sunny days due to glare. Audio system could also have been a bit better, cannot use the storage bins on both front doors as the speakers housed on each side make the contents vibrate and resonate very annoyingly. 2.5 mm mp3 jack does not fit perfectly and has to be constantly adjusted despite a visit to the dealer – who claims that it is normal. No analog clock, the cars with the navigation system only have a clock on the display, no other clock available.

Storage: Insufficient storage bins, no place to put the mp3 player. Only the passenger seat has a cheap mesh elastic storage, could have used another one behind the driver’s seat.

For a 30 plus thousand car glare free mirror, reading lights in the rear and a comfort extension armrest should be standard not be an option ($200 installed price each). Subaru is targeting itself slowly up the food chain, in a near-luxury segment lack of the above mentioned items seems out of place....read morehide

Pros

Versatile, Good Looks, Nice Ride, 5-spd Standard

Cons

Stereo, Smallish Tailgate Opening, No Privacy Glass

Overall, the Outback is a great car. I love having the 5-spd, which the lack of turned me away from other wagons (Passat, Magnum). It drives great in the snow. I am in a band and having all the space is wonderful. I am able to get 30mpg+ out of this car. Perhaps others have lower mileage with an automatic tranny, but the 5-spd give good mileage. I like how the transmission is matched to the engine - very quick from a dead stop. Also, the ride is on the sporty side, with great cornering and grip.

I wish there was a premium stereo upgrade - spending and extra couple hundred $$$ for just a subwoofer is ridiculous. Also, the tailgate could be a tad wider to match the interior width. Every once in a while I have trouble loading something large without having to finesse it between the rubber seals. Factory standard privacy glass would be nice, too, but my dealer tinted my windows for free (I haul over $5k worth of equiment for my band - security is important).

Overall, I love my Subie. Quality of a Lexus with the price of a Honda....read morehide

Pros

Style, storage features, reliability

Cons

Horsepower, brakelight keeps shorting out

I love my Subaru Outback. I can't wait until 2014 when I plan to purchase another one. There is plenty of room inside when the seats are folded down flat for bike, gear, stuff. I appreciate the extra height that the body is off the ground, has the features of a truck but the manuverability of a car. Everyone should own a Subaru. It is the perfect vehicle. 25/32mpg! For a full-sized car that is impressive. No major problems so far in 33 months of ownership....read morehide