2011 Subaru Outback consumer reviews

Mechanically it has been good. It looks great. I like the lights under the door when you get out of the front so you do not step on the wrong thing. It has good seats. I like this car. It does not get the gas mileage so far it is suppose to - but still not bad- I was disappointed in the cup holders. They seem too small & low to hold a beverage well. This fact forced me to hold a beverage between my legs & the damp stained the seat. There is no scotchgard etc on the seats!!! This is like selling a hamburger without a condiment. I did not spill beverage - the container was just damp!

Compared our 2011 Outback H6 Limited with a 2009 used Lexus RX350 before buying the new Subie. This vehicle (not quite a car, not quite an SUV) is the best of many things. AWD for snowy hills, size for hauling, safety for survival, paddle shifting for enterainment and control, H6 for towing and for giddyap and just enough luxe to feel good. Highs are decent value, 87 octane gas, good interior appointments and generally solid feel. Lows are "eh" mileage on the H6, kludgy iPod menus, costly NAV and moonroof and some SUV vibration through the wheel. We drove the H4 (non turbo) as well and found the power too low for its 3600 pounds and the paddle shifting CVT to be a moving thrashing contradiction in engineering principles. The Outback H6 Limited compares equally with a 2003 VW Passat V6 GLX AWD (!) which is more assured, quieter and sportier with much better road manners but is less capable on rough roads and a bit slower with only 190hp. Interior fit and finish is about on par with the older VW, too. Not much else compares: The Toyo RAV4 and Subie Forester are cheaper but tinny, and most others (Highlander, Pilot, Flex, Jeep) are just too much SUV for us. The Murano is getting old, and apparently eats tires daily.

After researching almost every samll SUV, mid size sedan, and compact hatch back for 7 months, my wife and I decided on the 2011 Outback. We have now had the car for close to 7,000 miles and six months. While browsing the cars.com blogs, I found the video review for the 2010 redesigned Outback, and was immediatley impressed with the new exterior design. I have always found Subarus to be kind of goofy looking, but this model really caught my eye. So, the following weekend my wife and went to a dealership to take a look first hand at the vehicle. After taking our first drive and exploring the vehicle, the Outback became the benchmark for all other test drives. Once we started to narrow our search to small SUV's, it came down to the Outback and the RAV4. What seperated the Outback for us from the RAV4 was the overall ride and comfort. With the standard all wheel drive mated with the CVT transmission, the Outback accelerated quickly but smoothly and navigated bumpy roads with ease. Since we live on the outer edge of the Dallas area, we deal a lot with poor roads. The car handles beautifully for its size in quick response situations, plus is able to get up and go when you need it. The interior of the vehicle was layed out with ease of access in mind. Now we went for the base model, without any bells and whistles, so there is no nav system or any screens to look at for us. The radio and cruise controls on the steering wheel are easy to get to without looking down, which I found to be a problem on other vehicles. My only complaint is when you try to direct a/c to the rear seats with the vents in the center dash, the air is obstructed by the people in the front seat. Other than that, I love the material of the seats; nice and hardy with out feeling rough. Easy to spend a couple of hours in the car without feeling uncomfortable. Since we went base model, the features that came standard compared to other small SUV's in the same price range, my wife and I could not be more happy with our purchase. We both would highly recommend this vehicle. To anyone looking at purchasing a vehicle make sure you spend as much time as you can in the vehicle before you sign on the dotted line.

This is my second, & new favorite, Subaru, Outback. I can't think of a better car for the money, or a safer, more stable car on the road.

I traded off my 2005 Murano for a 2011 Outback Limited in October of 2010. I do not miss my old car AT ALL! We test drove a Rogue, CRV, SRX, and RAV4; after that we decided on an Outback. We choose the Outback because of the over all cost of ownership (gas mileage, insurance, predicted reliability, depreciation) and the fact that it is a IIHS Top Safety Pick. This is my first Subaru and for sure not my last! As of December 2010 my Outback has 3200 miles and has had one oil change. I love all the options my car has for the money. Soft heated leather seats. Bluetooth with controls on the steering wheel and voice activated. 6 disk in dash CD changer. Back up camera. Push button emergency brake. Remote start. All Wheel Drive (after all I am in Colorado). Brake assist. I run a cleaning business and all my equipment fits in the cargo area with room to spare. My only complaint about this car is the blind spots. You are most defiently getting the most "bang for your buck" when purchasing this car.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE my Subaru. I take it on climbing trips, commuting to work, and I've driven it across the country three times now. It is so comfortable and handles so well!. I have the 3.6R and it still gets pretty good gas mileage (~450 miles per tank). The seats are comfy (heated seats are amazing when you live in the mountains), the car is roomy, and I have no blind spots. The built in cross bars for roof racks are also pretty sweet. I have been converted to Subarus and will never own a different type of car.

We have a 2006 Turbocharged 2.5 XT Limited w/ manual transmission. Drives so wonderfully that we decided to try the 2011 model anticipating it for our second car. Gone was the manual in the top of the line (A problem with most cars nowadays. The manual from all appearances is going the way of the dodo bird in the US unfortunately) & gone was the turbo. The ride was a bit squishy. What fun is driving an automatic? None at all. Even our 21 year old daughter loves to drive manuals. The shifter paddles are a poor substitute for a manual. We will keep our 2006 until it dies of old age, but we're looking elsewhere for our second car. Subaru's Legacy comes much closer to how our 2006 Outback drives, but it's only drawback is that we don't want a sedan.

THE STYLING AND DESIGN OF THE NEW SUBARU TAKES A SECOND SEAT TO NONE. THE RIDE IS SOLID AND COMFORTABLE FOR LONG TRIPS, NO AIR NOISE AND DOORS THAT CLOSE BEYOND COMPARE. THE INTERIOR IS SPACIOUS WITH INSTRUMENTATION LOCATED IN A SEQUENTIAL PATTERN THAT ATTRACTS YOUR EYES. WE HAVE A 2011 SUBARU OUTBACK LIMITED AND WE LOVE IT. PREVIOUSLY WE OWNED A 1999 SUBARU OUTBACK THAT WE HATED TO PART WITH SINCE IT ONLY HAD 133,600 MILES. WE DID THE REGULAR MAINTENANCE AND NEVER HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE. HENCE THE REASON FOR A NEW SUBARU.

My wife and I started looking for a new car back in Dec '09. The Outback was the first car we test drove and it became the benchmark for all other cars to match. We test drove every small SUV, sedan, and wagon that was priced under $25K. We decided in July '10 on the 2011 Outback. We purchased the base model with the four cylinder engine with the CVT transmission. We weren't looking for any bells and whistles, just the basic model. While researching, I came across a video done by the Kicking Tires blog for the 2010 Outback and I was was struck by the new styling. I always thought Subarus looked kind of goofy, but the new body style really caught my eye. After seeing it in person, it was definitely, in my opinion, the best looking SUV/wagon we saw on the market. The thing that stood out the most to us was the smooth comfortable ride over all types of roads (and even off road). We tested the H4 with the CVT transmission, which gives a smooth acceleration that we did not find on other CVT's we tested (Rogue, etc.). Plus, it handled bumps, pot holes, and dips with great ease and minimal bouncing. The only vehicle that came close in our opinion was the RAV4. Inside the vehicle, the fit and finish was pretty nice. The cloth seats feel hardy enough to handle dogs and kids, but still comfortable enough for long road trips. The control panel is laid out well, with easy enough access to keep the eyes on the road while adjusting A/C. My only complaint was the hard plastic on the dash seems a little low rent. Otherwise, I love the interior look and feel. The little four banger that comes with the base model has good pick up for the size and weight of the vehicle. I have had no problem passing people on the highway, even with the car filled with four adults, dogs, and fishing gear. The vehicle also responds really well to quick turns and defensive driving, it also handles great in heavy rain storms. The way the car grips the road when wet is amazing, almost like driving dry. The thing that really impressed me, as far as performance, has been the gas mileage. Considering it has all wheel drive, I have been averaging 28.5 mpg with plenty of city and highway driving. That is better than the EPA estimates and most of the vehicles we test drove with two wheel drive. I've only had the car since July, so I can't speak to the reliability yet, but I have done two oil changes in that time. It has to be one of the easiest oil changes I have ever done on a vehicle. Very easy access to the filter, oil drain, and filler cap. So far my wife and I have been extremely happy with our purchase. So much so that I miss driving the Subaru while I drive my work truck during the week. We looked at many different vehicles when shopping, but for the money and options available, we couldn't be more happy about our purchase.

I bought a brand new 2011 Subaru Outback this past August and just absolutely loved the car until I drove it on the highway. When I reached 60 MPH the front end and steering wheel began to shake violently. So much so, I thought the front wheels were going to fall off. I immediately pulled over to see if the lug nuts somehow came loose. I did a visual check of the front end and found nothing. I started on my way accelerating normally, once I reached 60 MPH again the front end began to shake. I called the dealership and made an appointment to bring it in with only 80 miles on it. The dealer told me they've had other Outback owner's with the same complaint. On my car, the tires were balanced which did not remedy the issue. In the next attempt on another day, a Road Force Test/ Balance was done which did not remedy the issue either. The service manager at the dealership said Subaru of America (SOA) was aware of the shaking issue associated with the 2010 and 2011 Outback model. He recommended that I call SOA and file a complaint, as I did. Well, needless to say, my car has sat at the dealership for over a month now without an concrete fix. Several more Road Force Tests were completed and SOA told the dealer to put a "shim kit" on. To this point, the car is still not fixed. I just got off the phone with SOA and they are going to buy my car back as I requested. Since finding out there is no remedy for the problem at this time, it is wise not to take another $30k chance on a different one. What happens if this problem shows up out of warranty or what if the problem is hidden and other components wear out as a result? There are too many unknowns to take a $30k chance on another one. Over the past week, I Googled "2011 Subaru Outback Front End Shaking" and found many owners with the same front end shaking complaint. Several of these complaints can be found on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Website. I am truly disappointed that SOA has not been able to resolve this issue because I thought I was buying one of the best cars on the market. Once I get my money back, it's back to square one in the car buying market.