2006 Subaru Impreza Outback Sport

Rating from Bleach

(3)
Comfort:		5 out of 5
Performance:		3 out of 5
Handling:		4 out of 5
Exterior Styling:		5 out of 5
Interior Design:		5 out of 5
Features:		5 out of 5
Value for the Money:		4 out of 5
Reliability:		1 out of 5

"When this car works I love it. I love the power, I love the handling, the style the utlity all of that. BUT.. Ive had nothing but problems with it. stereo went dead once, they replaced it went dead again, they wont replace it. The check oil light never went one and my oil went low engine and turbo went. guess what my fault not theres. SO when this car is going I love it, when it isnt i hate it. I will not be getting another subaru."

I would recommend this car to a friend: No

This vehicle was purchased: Used

Primary use for this car: Commuting

Rating from Sports Fan

(5)
Comfort:		4 out of 5
Performance:		5 out of 5
Handling:		5 out of 5
Exterior Styling:		3 out of 5
Interior Design:		5 out of 5
Features:		4 out of 5
Value for the Money:		5 out of 5
Reliability:		5 out of 5

"We bought a 2006 Subaru Outback w/ the 250 HP 2.5 Liter Turbo and we love it. Handles great, unbelievable power, and a blast to drive. Handles like a sports car and the interior's fit and finish is wonderful. This is not your typical family car!"

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: New

Primary use for this car: N/A

Rating from Mountain road creeper

(5)
Comfort:		4 out of 5
Performance:		5 out of 5
Handling:		5 out of 5
Exterior Styling:		4 out of 5
Interior Design:		5 out of 5
Features:		5 out of 5
Value for the Money:		5 out of 5
Reliability:		5 out of 5

"I had a '99 Impreza Outback Sport (OBS) prior to this car but as that car aged past 145k miles, I decided it was time for a new car. After looking & driving numerous cars (RSX-S, Civic Si, GTi, WRX) I bought a brand new Special Edition 5-speed manual OBS. My loyalty to the OBS ultimately led to me buy this car over cars which were faster, flashier, and more expensive. The car accelerates well but is not going to win you many drag races. The engine revs freely and responds amazingly well to a day of driving at 8/10s+ in the mountains. The car handles very well, especially for having the 'higher than many other cars it has out-cornered' look. It also has great potential as an enthusiast's choice as the amount of modifications continues to grow. All suspension, body, interior, brakes, & wheels are interchangeable w WRX/STi parts, and the amount of engine upgrades continues to grow as the popularity of the EJ25 grows. The wagon provides extreme utility and generous cargo space. I have put 14k miles on the car in 7 months and am loving every moment of it! Fuel economy averages to 23.1mpg even w/ countless blasts thru the mountains and a commute full of the hills of PDX. The interior has held up well and the exterior is growing on me. The car has received high-perf M+S tires & 17" Prodrive wheels along w/ an adjustable rear sway bar and it handles great. Body roll still hinders response & low-end power is still a little lacking for low-speed switchbacks but never-the-less the car is a blast to drive everywhere - the twisties, the mountains, the coast, the highway, the city, the suburbs - and I would (and have) recommend it to anyone. The only reason this car does not receive all 5-stars from me is: Comfort - The seats are too wide for my 160lb 6'3" frame and a little harsh. Exterior Styling - The front end of the car still creates mixed messages in my head. Pros of the new frontend: Projector headlamps, better fog lamps, more sporty front bumper. Con is the new grille. The car has been very reliable as, in my 14k miles with it, I have not paid a single penny towards unplanned maintenance. I have driven this car as a car is meant to be driven. I have taken it full throttle all the way to 4th gear redline & I have cornered till the tires squeal. I keep it clean but also get her dirty in some mud & snow when she wants it. A 1-of-a-kind all-arounder."

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: New

Primary use for this car: N/A

Rating from traveler

(4)
Comfort:		4 out of 5
Performance:		3 out of 5
Handling:		3 out of 5
Exterior Styling:		4 out of 5
Interior Design:		3 out of 5
Features:		3 out of 5
Value for the Money:		3 out of 5
Reliability:		3 out of 5

"My outback has 30,600 miles on it. At 6,000 miles I noticed abnormal wear on the tires and dealer said wheel camber was out of align, so was realigned, at 24,000 was realigned again and told camber out 1 inch. At 30,000 miles had continued abnormal wear on outer edge of back tires with exposed cord. Dealer in Washington reports several incidents of this, with Subaru providing 4 new tires and realignment. Apparently the specs for alignment are wrong for some of the models, so dealers are aligning wrong."

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: New

Primary use for this car: N/A

Rating from JM94

(4)
Comfort:		5 out of 5
Performance:		4 out of 5
Handling:		4 out of 5
Exterior Styling:		4 out of 5
Interior Design:		4 out of 5
Features:		4 out of 5
Value for the Money:		5 out of 5
Reliability:		5 out of 5

"I've owned many vehicles, Exploreres, Grand Cherokees, Saabs and Hondas. I never thought that I could like this kind of car, I was wrong. I have the 2.5I auto w/Navigation. The ride is much smoother than I expected. I haven't had the chance to drive it in the snow yet, but I have in heavy rain, and Subaru's awd system did not dissapoint. After 1000 miles, I'm averaging 26 mpg in mixed driving. You won't win any drag races in it, but power is adequate for everyday city and highway use. It has a unique feel, part SUV, part Tank, part luxury car. The navigation system is cool, the male voice has a slight Australian accent. Before you drive a 4 Runner, check this out."

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: New

Primary use for this car: N/A

Rating from Dog owner

(5)
Comfort:		5 out of 5
Performance:		4 out of 5
Handling:		4 out of 5
Exterior Styling:		5 out of 5
Interior Design:		5 out of 5
Features:		5 out of 5
Value for the Money:		4 out of 5
Reliability:		5 out of 5

"I wanted to get a car that had the AWD feature like my Cherokee and my Escape, but didn't need something that looks like a truck, rides like a truck, and eats gas like a truck. The Outback fills my needs well. I live in Colorado and we often have snow conditions, and we frequently go up in the mountains. My Outback has the traction and ground clearance that most people are looking for in a SUV. (On the rare occasion that I want to drive through really rugged, off-road areas, I'll make my kids let me borrow their Cherokee or Escape) Why pay for all that gas and put up with the noise for an SUV if the Outback serves the same purpose? As a professional person, the Outback has plenty of class, comfort and features. I can take it out with a client and not be embarrassed. It has a quality feel throughout. I got the LL Bean package with all the goodies. I can honestly say that I like this car better than my last vehicle (Which was, by the way, a Lexus). It has been as reliable as any Toyota or Lexus I've owned. I'm a dog owner, and the optional dog guard and heavy-duty rubber mats make this a perfect dog car. I can haul the dogs around on the weekend and put a client in the car the next day with no mess to deal with. I've been quite satisfied with the car so far. It has 13,000 miles on it with no returns to the dealership except for oil changes. I get an average of 22.5 mpg with the V-6. If a good sound system matters to you, get the optional subwoofer. I'm a sun lover and the Outback sunroof is the largest I've seen and it works perfectly, too, with an unbelievable quietness while wide open even at highway speeds."

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: New

Primary use for this car: N/A

Rating from GinoInChicago

(5)
Comfort:		4 out of 5
Performance:		5 out of 5
Handling:		4 out of 5
Exterior Styling:		3 out of 5
Interior Design:		2 out of 5
Features:		3 out of 5
Value for the Money:		5 out of 5
Reliability:		5 out of 5

"I love my Impreza Outback Sport SE. It is not the best thing money can buy, but it was the best new car I could possibly afford. For 19k, you get a heck of a lot more than anything else in this price range. Looking at the Matrix, Vibe, or Jetta wagon? FORGET THEM!! The Outback Sport SE gives you a much nicer, zippy 173hp enine, AWD, raised suspension, good cargo space, yet compact (for a wagon), nice sound system, and great handling on and off road (and I have taken mine off-road a few times). It's the best vehicle for someone like me... urban guy who needs a fuel-efficient, compact car for my life in the city yet a fun AWD car that can take me to the trails and keep me safe in the snow. My only complaint is that the interior (while nicer than some older Scoobies) still feels a little cheap... if only they could match the Jetta wagon for fit and finish..."

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: New

Primary use for this car: N/A

Rating from Don Tomas

(5)
Comfort:		5 out of 5
Performance:		5 out of 5
Handling:		5 out of 5
Exterior Styling:		5 out of 5
Interior Design:		5 out of 5
Features:		4 out of 5
Value for the Money:		5 out of 5
Reliability:		5 out of 5

"Handling, ride and comfort are superior to competition. This is my third Subaru, but my first Outback. It is also the best. My previous cars had excellent long-term reliability. They required only brakes and tires."

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: New

Primary use for this car: N/A

Rating from Subaru Owner

(5)
Comfort:		4 out of 5
Performance:		4 out of 5
Handling:		4 out of 5
Exterior Styling:		5 out of 5
Interior Design:		5 out of 5
Features:		3 out of 5
Value for the Money:		3 out of 5
Reliability:		5 out of 5

"For many years, Subaru was known for its oddly sculpted cars and AWD system. In my uneducated opinion they jumped to mainstream with their Outback package that embellished upon their existing Legacy and Impreza models. Whether the cars were that good or people were that comfortable with pitchman Paul Hogan is beyond me. But the notable brand loyalty coupled with reliability and somewhat sleeker design kept the old faithful followers coming back and garnered a new generation of buyers, of which I belong. Subaru seems to have moved its offerings up-market and they are now more pricey and styled than when we first bought ours. When we decided to upgrade our cars we of course visited the Subaru dealership. We really had no intention of buying an Outback as our focus was on family needs (i.e. Tribecca) and the Honda Odyssey mini-van was really in our sights. A 2006 Outback was sitting in the show room and we sat in it to compare it to the Tribecca. Short story is that despite researching minivans and evaluating the Tribecca, we left with an Outback. For those that know Outback there is not too much new. A larger engine (3.oL 6-cyl) is a lot stronger than our old 4 banger and it does not have the feeling of redlining just to maintain highway speed that our 97 was notorious for. The interior is very well laid out and the split (left - right!) climate control system means my wife and I won't be fighting for the controls. The kids in back are still at our mercy and this model did not have front-back controls. The moon roof is absolutely huge and the ride is much more sedan like than the old "off road" feeling of our '97. I dinged the car slightly (3 out of 5 is slight IMO) for features and value. I just think for a car(s) has become pricey for what is nearly the same as it was 9 years ago, styling aside. It is also not the most feature rich setup with many features not optional on lower models. Seems many makers are granulizing their products to give incentives for upgrading more than I would care to see. Still, it looks like a Subaru; rides better than my old '97 did, and looks pretty sweet with a very nice interior layout and plenty of space with the rear seats down. If the reliability holds up then I would say that Subaru has successfully tweaked the Outback formula without messing it up ... a real accomplishment!"

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: New

Primary use for this car: N/A

Rating from Online Car Geek

(5)
Comfort:		5 out of 5
Performance:		5 out of 5
Handling:		5 out of 5
Exterior Styling:		4 out of 5
Interior Design:		4 out of 5
Features:		4 out of 5
Value for the Money:		5 out of 5
Reliability:		4 out of 5

"My wife and I went out looking for a vehicle with a hatch that drove more like a car and less like an SUV (or truck). We already own a Honda Accord, and why Honda refuses to reintroduce the Accord wagon is a mystery to us. We test drove the Outback, Nissan Murano, Toyota Rav4 (with the new V6), and a Honda CRV. The Outback won on many levels. It had the most comfortable seats, and it handled the most like a sports car. This car takes corners better than our Accord, with minimal body lean. We bought the 3.0 LL Bean edition, which gives you the 6 cylinder engine, leather, sunroof, automatic (with a very fun sports-shift option), heated seats, and even heated side mirrors and anti frost windshield wipers. Fit and finish is excellent. Only drawbacks are limited front passenger storage, and some tall drivers may not have enough leg room (especially if you height is in your legs and not your torso). I'm 6'1" and it's perfect for me. Try it out!"

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: New

Primary use for this car: N/A