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Subaru Outback 2023
Carsguide Contributing Journalist Emily Agar had this to say at the time: The Subaru Outback AWD Sport XT has been a great car for my family this week. It was popular with everyone and for good reason. It has loads of space, it's easy to handle and now has the grunt under the bonnet to satisfy me as a driver. However, you are paying for that grunt with the thirsty engine and that could become tiresome with the rising costs of fuel. At this price point, I also didn't love the weird-feeling material on the seats but it still impressed with its practicality and the safety features.
You can read the full review here.This is what Emily Agar liked most about this particular version of the Subaru Outback: Smooth and easy handling, Well-specified, Near-perfect dimensions for urban and off-road adventures
The 2023 Subaru Outback carries a braked towing capacity of up to 2400 Kg, but check to ensure this applies to the configuration you're considering.
Subaru Outback 2023 Reviews
Subaru Outback 2023 review: Sport XT
Subaru Outback Touring XT 2023 review: snapshot
Subaru Outback Sport XT 2023 review: snapshot
Subaru Outback Touring 2023 review: snapshot
Subaru Outback Sport 2023 review: snapshot
Subaru Outback 2023 review
Subaru Outback 2023 Towing capacity
The Subaru Outback’s towing capacity ranges from 2000kg to 2400kg. Some models also offer heavy-duty or towing option packs which can increase towing capacity, as well as options which can hamper towing capacity. Towing capacities can vary wildly on a large number of factors. These include engine, transmission, model, and options chosen. Always check with the manufacturer or in your vehicles handbook before attempting to tow anything.
Subaru Outback Model | Body Type | Specs | Braked Capacity | |
---|---|---|---|---|
AWD | SUV | 2.5L,ULP,CVT AUTO | 2000kg | |
AWD Sport | SUV | 2.5L,ULP,CVT AUTO | 2000kg | |
AWD Touring | SUV | 2.5L,ULP,CVT AUTO | 2000kg | |
AWD Sport XT | SUV | 2.4L,PULP,CVT AUTO | 2400kg |
Subaru Outback 2023 Q&As
Check out real-world situations relating to the Subaru Outback here, particularly what our experts have to say about them.
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Why is there a strange noise coming from my 2018 Subaru Forester and what can I do about it?
You've tackled this in the appropriate manner, giving the dealership from which you bought the car every chance to make it right. But that hasn't happened, so now is the time to talk to Subaru's customer service division at head office.Â
The good news is that the problem has been logged as a pre-existing condition, so it will be covered by your new-car warranty even if the car is technically out of the warranty period. Also, Subaru has not ignored the problem nor refused to accept it exists, so that's a positive, too.
If for some reason, Subaru wants to abandon you and your problem (which won't happen given its approach thus far) then you could talk to the ACCC. Australian Consumer Law has some fairly rigid rules regarding products that aren't fit for purpose. This, however, would be your last resort.
It would bother me a little that the car was making a weird noise from the front suspension, and I think you've probably got a case for not wanting to drive the car until it's fixed. This could be where you tackle the customer service division for the loan of a different car until yours is fixed. I don't think that would be an unreasonable request and may hasten the problem's resolution.
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I want to buy a new Subaru Outback. I've been warned there are problems with the CVT auto transmission in some older models. Is there an issue with the newer models?
Subaru has a long history with the CVT transmission, and it hasn’t always been clear sailing. The first Subaru to feature this transmission was the Justy in the late 1980s and while we saw the similar Sherpa model, Australia never got the CVT transmission. In fact, the Justy had so many transmission problems that it was dumped from world price-lists in about 1995.
Our first taste of the Subaru CVT was in 2009 with the launch of the fifth-generation Liberty and Outback models which featured a CVT on four-cylinder petrol versions of the car.
The CVT has since been extended to the brand’s Impreza, Forester, XV and even the sporty WRX line-up.
And, yes, there have been issues reported by owners. While catastrophic failures have not been widely documented, the Subaru CVT’s overall behaviour has been criticised on a number of levels. Those include a jerkiness to forward progress (particularly in low speed and light throttle conditions) harsh shifting, shuddering under acceleration and a delay when selecting gears from Park. In some instances, a reflash of the electronic control module has improved things, for other cases, Subaru has introduced a completely new, improved software package.
Part of the reason Subaru has copped so much flak over the CVT is that the symptoms it displays are often the death-knell for other types of transmissions and consumers- rightly – have been worried. To counter this in the USA, Subaru extended the drivetrain warranty of 1.5 million cars with CVTs from five years and 100,000km to 10 years and 160,000km.
But even if total transmission replacements don’t seem common, do you want to live with this gearbox? For many people the answer is no. But to be fair, most of the problems seem to have occurred on pre-2018 models and later CVTs appear to be better units.
In the case of the Outback you’re interested in, with the update of that model in 2018, the CVT was revised with a revised torque-reduction control to improve upshift clarity, a short-pitch chain was used for lower noise and a revision to the shifter was made to improve shift feel (although we suspect that’s feel through the shifter itself, not the way the transmission feels when it selects a gear).
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Does the 2021 Subaru Outback Touring have any electronics issues?
Subaru is firmly committed to the CVT (Constantly Variable Transmission) concept as it gives a theoretical efficiency advantage over conventional transmissions. The catch is that to make the CVT feel less alien, many car-makers (including Subaru) engineer in electronic `ratios’ which kind of sidesteps those theoretical advantages.
It’s true that Subaru CVTs have experienced some reliability problems in the past, but in the case of the Outback, that appears to mainly affect vehicles built between 2010 and 2015. After that build date, things improved dramatically on the reliability and durability front, not to mention the driveability and comfort offered by the CVT. So we wouldn’t be too concerned about this aspect of the vehicle. Given that you’re buying a brand-new vehicle, you’ll get the full five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty. And as proof of Subaru’s faith in the CVT concept, for the 2018 facelift of the Outback, the CVT got a seventh `ratio’ and a shorter-pitch chain to reduce cabin noise. So a brand-new Subaru CVT should represent the best the concept has ever been.
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What car should I buy to tow a trailer?
While turbo-diesels aren’t perfect for everybody, when it comes to towing trailers, they do a pretty impressive job. The combination of a torquey diesel engine with an automatic transmission is a pretty handy one when you have a decent sized trailer hooked up. The caveat with a modern diesel, however, is that if most of your driving is urban running about, then the diesel is probably not for you. That’s because the emissions system on a modern diesel (the particulate filter) needs regular longer runs at freeway speeds to avoid giving trouble. But if, as you say, you tow a trailer often, then that should provide the load on the engine the diesel requires to remain trouble-free.
The good news is that the dominance of the SUV right now means that just about every car-maker has a mid-sized SUV in its showrooms right now. So really, you’re spoiled for choice. I’m not surprised the X-Trail is found a bit wanting at times; even brand-new, that version of the petrol-engined X-Trail could feel a bit underdone. You’ll be amazed at how good newer vehicles have become.
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Subaru Outback 2023 Price and Specs
Pricing guides
Subaru Outback Model | Body Type | Specs | Price from | Price to | |
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AWD | SUV | 2.5L ULP CVT AUTO | $39,050 | $45,980 | |
AWD Sport | SUV | 2.5L ULP CVT AUTO | $43,670 | $50,820 | |
AWD Sport XT | SUV | 2.4L PULP CVT AUTO | $48,950 | $56,210 | |
AWD Touring | SUV | 2.5L ULP CVT AUTO | $47,190 | $54,890 |
Subaru Outback 2023 Colours
There are nine colours on offer in the Outback range including 'Ice Silver Metallic', 'Crimson Red Pearl', 'Sapphire Blue Pearl,' 'Brilliant Bronze Metallic,' 'Crystal White Pearl', 'Storm Grey Metallic', 'Autumn Green Metallic', 'Magnetite Grey Metallic' and 'Crystal Black Silica.'
- Ice Silver Metallic
- Crimson Red Pearl
- Sapphire Blue Pearl
- Brilliant Bronze Metallic
- Crystal White Pearl
- Storm Grey Metallic
- Autumn Green Metallic
- Magnetite Grey Metallic
- Crystal Black Silica
Subaru Outback 2023 Dimensions
Dimensions for the 2023 Subaru Outback are dependent on which body type is chosen. The maximum width and height is 1875mm x 1675mm and can vary on the basis of model.
Subaru Outback Model | Body Type | Height x Width x Length | Ground Clearance | |
---|---|---|---|---|
AWD | SUV | 1675x1875x4870 mm | 213 mm | |
AWD Sport | SUV | 1670x1875x4870 mm | 213 mm | |
AWD Touring | SUV | 1675x1875x4870 mm | 213 mm | |
AWD Sport XT | SUV | 1670x1875x4870 mm | 213 mm |
Subaru Outback 2023 Accessories
All Outbacks come standard with LED headlights, LED fog lights and LED running lights, they also all have roof rails, privacy glass and 18-inch alloy wheels. Inside there’s an 11.6-inch central touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, they all have dual-zone climate control, power front seats, a proximity key, push button start, 'X-Mode' drive modes and paddle shifters.
Stepping up to the Sport grade adds sat nav, a power tailgate, heated front seats and sports pedals.
The Touring grades gets a nine-speaker Harman Kardon sound system. The rest feature six-speaker stereos.
Subaru Outback 2023 Boot Space
The Outback's boot capacity is 522 litres.
Subaru Outback 2023 Fuel consumption
Fuel consumption for the 2023 Subaru Outback is dependent on the type of engine, transmission, or model chosen. The Subaru Outback currently offers fuel consumption from 7.3 to 9L/100km. The Subaru Outback is available with the following fuel types: ULP, PULP and —.
Subaru Outback Model | Body Type | Specs | Fuel Consumption | |
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AWD | SUV | 2.5L,ULP,CVT AUTO | 7.3L/100km | |
AWD Sport XT | SUV | 2.4L,PULP,CVT AUTO | 9L/100km | |
AWD Touring XT | SUV | 2.4L,PULP,CVT AUTO | 9L/100km | |
AWD Touring XT 50 YRS Edition | SUV | 2.4L,—,CVT AUTO | 9L/100km |
Subaru Outback 2023 Engine
There are two engines on offer in the Outback range - a 2.5-litre naturally aspirated four cylinder petrol engine making 138kW and a new turbo-petrol four cylinder making 183kW.
Subaru Outback 2023 Wheel size
Wheel size for the 2023 Subaru Outback will vary depending on model chosen, although keep in mind that many manufacturers offer alternate wheel sizes as options on many models.The wheel size available will alter the range of tyres available to be fitted.
Subaru Outback Model | Body Type | Front Tyre Size | Front Rim | Rear Tyre Size | Rear Rim | |
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AWD | SUV | 225x60 R18 1 | — | 225x60 R18 1 | — | |
AWD Sport | SUV | 225x60 R18 1 | — | 225x60 R18 1 | — | |
AWD Touring | SUV | 225x60 R18 1 | — | 225x60 R18 1 | — | |
AWD Sport XT | SUV | 225x60 R18 1 | — | 225x60 R18 1 | — |
Subaru Outback 2023 Interior
All Outbacks have premium feeling interiors with plenty of soft-touch surfaces, The entry-grade Outback has cloth seats, the Sport grade has water repellent seat material and the top-of-the-range Touring has leather upholstery.
Subaru Outback 2023 Seats
The Outback has five seats.
Subaru Outback 2023 Speed
The 0-100km/h time for the turbo Outback is about seven seconds while for the non turbo the sprint time is about 10 seconds. Top speed for the non-turbo is around 205km/h, with the turbo hitting approximately 210km/h.
Subaru Outback 2023 News
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Rugged up! Raised and trail-ready Subaru WRX Sportback wagon in the works to replicate original Outback's success - report
Down Under on top: Subaru Australia starts 2023 strong and makes Oz the highest market share for Subaru globally
Subaru pads its 2023 line-up with six new special edition variants for 50th anniversary across Forester, Outback and WRX
Why Mitsubishi says plug-in hybrids are better than EVs for the environment - even though it admits it will remain a niche technology
Cop watch: Police size up 2023 Subaru Outback XT turbo as possible permanent replacement for Holden Commodore SS V8 pursuit cars
Subaru Outback 2023 Range
The range of the Outback is between 700-860km.