I have a particular affinity for the Subaru Outback. I have owned two, and the first one comfortably covered over 200,000+ miles before I replaced it with a low mileage 3.6r Limited. With the flat six now no longer in production, my next Outback will have to have forced induction, which is no bad thing.

For this reason, I was really looking forward to driving a 2025 Subaru Outback XT Touring as a loaner for the week. If the rumors are accurate, this might be the last Outback wagon we get to see, since the 2026 model is expected to turn into an SUV. So today, I’m going to take this one for a spin and find out why 3 million people have decided to spend their hard-earned money on it.

Outback History

Subaru was essentially saved by the Outback when someone decided back in 1995 to add some plastic cladding to the Legacy wagon, and name it after a remote region of Australia.  The Outback is Subaru’s third-bestselling model, behind the Crosstrek and the Forester, and it has been largely unchanged since its 2020 redesign.  Subaru has made some small tweaks and revisions over the years, but they have never really changed the overall design much, so going to an SUV shape may cause potential and existing buyers some concern.   

Luxury Appointments

In the high-end Touring XT trim, you’ll enjoy heated and ventilated front seats, plus heated seats in the back. The driver’s seat is the most luxurious, now featuring 12-way adjustability instead of the previous 10-way, available on the Limited and Touring models. Up front, you’ll find LED headlights that follow the steering direction, all while keeping that classic Subaru look. The 2023 model saw a slight refresh, bringing updates to the front end, including new headlights, grille, and bumper design.

Wheels and tires

While I was hoping for All-Terrain tires (Wilderness Model Only), this one has Yokohama Avid GT 225/60s which is a decent tire with low road noise, so matches the Outback Touring perfectly.

Under The Hood

The XT features a turbocharged 2.4-liter flat-four engine that pairs perfectly with the car, delivering 260 horsepower and 277 pound-feet of torque through a CVT that mimics an 8-speed automatic. It can go from 0 to 60 in just over 6 seconds, and on the highway, you can expect around 28 mpg. Plus, the XT only needs 87 octane fuel, and opting for the turbo boosts the Outback’s towing capacity from 2,700 to 3,500 pounds.

It also comes with Subaru’s Symmetrical Full-time AWD, which uses brake-based torque vectoring to adjust torque distribution between the axles. The Subaru offers 8.7 inches of ground clearance, while the Wilderness model provides 9.5 inches. With it’s standard X-MODE technology, it enhances off-road performance by fine-tuning the engine, transmission, and AWD system for various terrains and conditions.

Driving

The driving experience leans more towards luxury than sportiness, with the CVT working well with its simulated eight speeds. Over the years Subaru has made minor tweaks to the steering and in this model it’s one of their best, not a lot of feedback but it is direct and doesn’t have the strange feel that previous models had. Brakes provide good stopping power for a car of this performance and weight class.

For me, the turbo engine is the one to go for, it’s quick off the line, has plenty of power and torque for passing maneuvers on 2-lane highways. Handling is soft yet controlled with some body roll, which is to be expected. Off-road we ventured down some truck trails which were thoroughly soaked from a recent storm, so it was a good time to test it on our short rocky hill. I switched to X-Mode and almost reached the top but the rear driver’s tire was spinning, something a diff lock would have taken care of.

No problem, I backed down, took another line and some wheel scrambling later I crested the top. A quick turn around to test the hill descent control was mostly uneventful, except the Outback picked up a left wheel for a second. All in all it performed well considering that it was wearing all-season tires.

Interior

When you step into the cabin, the first thing that catches your eye is the luxurious Nappa leather seats. They have decent bolstering, intricate stitching, and the driver’s seat even has a pull-out thigh support. These seats are super comfy, and both front ones come with power adjustments as well as heating and cooling options. Plus, the interior is filled with two-tone, soft-touch materials that really elevate the Outback’s luxury vibe.

The 2025 model features a heated steering wheel that warms up fast, but it only reaches a moderate warmth, something  I felt was lacking after the recent snowstorm in the local San Diego mountains. On the other hand, the seats heat up quickly, and you might find yourself lowering the temperature before long.

The Outback features a front-view camera that you can control with a button next to the gearshift. In the front area, you’ll find two USB ports of different sizes, a round power outlet, and a convenient tray under the glove box where passengers can keep their wallet and phone. The small storage space ahead of the shifter is handy but it’s tricky to plug in a USB cable since the opening is quite small.

Interestingly, on the Touring models you get a CD player hidden in the center console under the armrest, which is a bit of a throwback. .  

At the back

The rear seats are quite roomy and have good leg and headroom. Passengers get USB power outlets, heated seats, and vents for climate control, but they can’t control the temperature. Cargo space is generous: 32.6 ft³, 75.6 ft³ if you flatten the rear seats. Be cautious if you go off-road since there’s no spare wheel.

Safety

Subaru’s safety suite of technologies, known as Eyesight, is certainly one of the best but it can be somewhat annoying at times.  It has standard adaptive cruise control, front automatic emergency braking, evasive steering, blind-spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert, and automatic braking. For the most part, they all work well, however, the emergency rear automatic braking is very sensitive, and when backing into my driveway, which is slightly uphill, would trigger the system with a very hard stop; needs work!

One more annoyance is Subaru’s new driver distraction monitoring system, which tends to be quite vocal. If you take a moment to look away from the road ahead, the car responds with loud beeps and messages on the display.

Pricing

Pricing starts at $30,430 for the base model. This Touring XT has a base price of $42,795. Add the only option of All-weather mats for $141, and your total price is $44,356, which isn’t bad considering what you get.

VIDEO REVIEW

 

Verdict

The Outback pretty much does everything you could want, it drives well, is extremely quiet, has good performance, holds its own off-road, and is one of the few wagons on sale today. I really do hope that Subaru doesn’t turn it into an SUV.  

Subaru Outback XT Touring Numbers

BASE PRICE: $42,795
PRICE AS TESTED: $44,356 
VEHICLE LAYOUT: Front-engine, AWD, 5-passenger, 4-door Wagon
ENGINE: 2.4-liter turbocharged and inter-cooled DOHC 16-valve flat-4
POWER: 260 hp @ 5,600 rpm
TORQUE: 277 lb-ft @ 2,000 rpm
TRANSMISSION: Continuously variable automatic
CURB WEIGHT: 3,946 lb
0-60 MPH: 6.1 seconds
EPA CITY/HWY/COMB FUEL ECON: 23/29/26 mpg
OUR OBSERVED FUEL ECONOMY 20.18 mpg
CARGO SPACE: 32.5 ft³, 75.7 ft³ with seat area
PROS: Turbo 4 has good power, CVT is one of the best, quiet
CONS: Infotainment slow at times, fussy HVAC controls, driver distraction system is distracting