Subaru Outback Years to Avoid
Avoid: 2015, 2016, 2020 · Best: 2024, 2025 — based on 0 NHTSA complaints across 12 model years (2015–2026), ranked by complaint and bulletin volume.
Based on federal records, the Subaru Outback years to avoid are 2020, 2015, 2016: the 2020 alone has 0 NHTSA owner complaints and 587 manufacturer service bulletins on file. The cleanest recent records so far belong to the 2025 and 2024 model years.
Sources: NHTSA complaints, manufacturer service bulletins, recall campaigns, CarWhere verified buyer prices · Updated 2026-11-08 · By CarWhere Research · Methodology
| Model year | NHTSA complaints | Service bulletins | Recall campaigns | Avg. price buyers paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 OutbackAVOID | 0 | 536 | 0 | — |
| 2016 OutbackAVOID | 0 | 464 | 0 | — |
| 2017 Outback | 0 | 381 | 0 | — |
| 2018 Outback | 0 | 420 | 0 | — |
| 2019 Outback | 0 | 410 | 0 | — |
| 2020 OutbackAVOID | 0 | 587 | 0 | — |
| 2021 Outback | 0 | 455 | 0 | — |
| 2022 Outback | 0 | 371 | 0 | — |
| 2023 Outback | 0 | 301 | 0 | — |
| 2024 OutbackBEST | 0 | 210 | 0 | — |
| 2025 OutbackBEST | 0 | 132 | 0 | — |
| 2026 Outback | 0 | 32 | 0 | $43,998 (5 deals) |
Methodology: complaint counts are owner reports filed with NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation; service bulletins are manufacturer communications filed with NHTSA; counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume. Prices are averages of CarWhere verified buyer transactions (shown when 3+ deals exist for the year).
Common Subaru Outback problems by year
2020 Subaru Outback: 0 owner complaints, 587 service bulletins, 0 recall campaigns.
2015 Subaru Outback: 0 owner complaints, 536 service bulletins, 0 recall campaigns.
2016 Subaru Outback: 0 owner complaints, 464 service bulletins, 0 recall campaigns.
2025 Subaru Outback: cleanest recent federal record (0 complaints, 132 bulletins).
2024 Subaru Outback: cleanest recent federal record (0 complaints, 210 bulletins).
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FAQ
What are the worst years for the Subaru Outback?
Based on federal records, the Subaru Outback years to avoid are 2020, 2015, 2016: the 2020 alone has 0 NHTSA owner complaints and 587 manufacturer service bulletins on file. The cleanest recent records so far belong to the 2025 and 2024 model years. Counts are raw federal filings (NHTSA complaints, manufacturer communications, open recall campaigns) and are not adjusted for sales volume.
What are the best years for the Subaru Outback?
Among recent model years, the 2025 and 2024 Subaru Outback show the lowest combined complaint and service-bulletin counts on federal record.
Is the Subaru Outback reliable?
The Subaru Outback's reliability varies by model year. Across 0 NHTSA owner complaints on federal record, 2020, 2015, 2016 stand out as the years to avoid, while the 2025 and 2024 model years show the cleanest records — see the year-by-year table above. Counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume.
What are the most common problems with the Subaru Outback?
Owner complaints for the Subaru Outback are summarized by model year above; see the table for the federal record.
How do I check a specific Subaru Outback before buying?
Decode the VIN free at carwhere.com/tools/vin-decoder to confirm the exact year and build, then run the $9.99 CarWhere Full VIN Report for that VIN — it includes the recall, complaint, and service-bulletin record for the exact model year, the original window sticker where the manufacturer publishes one, and a market price check from verified buyers. One-time purchase, no subscription.
Where does this data come from?
Three federal sources — NHTSA owner complaints (ODI), manufacturer service bulletins filed with NHTSA, and open recall campaigns — plus CarWhere's verified buyer-paid transaction prices. Counts are presented raw and refreshed regularly.