Subaru Outback reliability by year
6 recalls and 8,464 owner complaints across 21 model years. Best year to buy: 2025. Year to avoid: 2017.
Worst model years to avoid → — the single year to avoid for every model line we track, ranked side by side.
Years to avoid — and why 6 flagged on the NHTSA record
Cleaner on the data: 2007, 2009, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2025 and others. Still verify the specific vehicle.
At-a-glance: every year color-coded
Each cell shows the last two digits of the model year and its 0–10 reliability score from NHTSA data. Click any year to see the full record. ★ best year · ✕ year to avoid.
Year-by-year reliability 21 model years · newest first
Common trouble spots across the Outback aggregated across 21 model years
Common questions
What's the best year to buy a Subaru Outback?
Based on NHTSA complaint volume and severity weighting, the 2025 Subaru Outback scores 8.0/10 — the strongest in the 2005–2025 range. 61 complaints on file, 0 active recalls. Reliability scores reflect the federal complaint record, not subjective owner reviews.
Which Subaru Outback year should I avoid?
The 2017 Subaru Outback scores 6.4/10 — the weakest in the lineup. 914 owner complaints with NHTSA, 2 active recalls. That doesn't mean every 2017 is a problem — it means failure rates run higher than peer model years on the same platform.
Which years of the Subaru Outback should I avoid?
On the NHTSA complaint and recall record, the model years to be most careful with are 2016 (avoid — the powertrain — powertrain: 44 complaints, classified severe, failures cluster 30,000–67,000 mi); 2015 (avoid — the powertrain — powertrain: 34 complaints, classified severe, failures cluster 23,000–45,000 mi); 2014 (high-risk ownership — electrical system: 29 complaints, classified severe, failures cluster 11,528–85,004 mi); 2012 (high-risk ownership — powertrain: 107 complaints, classified severe, failures cluster 70,000–130,000 mi); 2011 (high-risk ownership — electrical system: 57 complaints, classified severe, failures cluster 42,343–90,000 mi); 2005 (high-risk ownership — cruise-control: 30 complaints, classified severe, failures cluster 60,000–160,000 mi). The cleaner years on the data are 2025, 2023, 2009, 2007, 2022, 2021. This is our read of the federal data, not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection of the specific vehicle.
How many years of the Subaru Outback are tracked?
21 model years (2005 through 2025) with NHTSA records on file. Total across the lineup: 6 recalls and 8,464 owner complaints.
What's the most-reported problem on the Subaru Outback?
electrical is the most-reported category — 2,078 complaints across 20 model years. Average shop repair runs about $850.