2025 Subaru Outback

Is the 2025 Subaru Outback a Good SUV?

"The Outback has matured into an impressive all-around performer among midsize wagons — er, SUVs. They're calling this an SUV now, right? Anyway, a versatile wagon body with a suspension lift is just fine by us, especially with the zesty turbocharged 2.4-liter engine aboard. The base 2.5-liter non-turbo engine struggles to keep up with rival midsize SUVs, but if that bothers you, the turbo's got you covered, albeit at a much higher starting price in the $40k neighborhood. Interestingly, the turbocharged Wilderness trim accelerates even more quickly thanks to shorter gearing that's ostensibly aimed at improving off-road torque. Just make sure you skip the base Outback trim with its weird pair of seven-inch touchscreens; you want the larger single-screen unit for sure."—Ranked #1 out of 9 Midsize SUVs

Which 2025 Subaru Outback Should I Buy?

MotorDonkey's proprietary vehicle data identifies every significant version of each model so that you can compare and decide. Ordered by price from low to high, here are the versions of the 2025 Subaru Outback that you need to be aware of, along with our expert analysis and recommendations.

1. 2025 Subaru Outback 2.5 AWD

• Base Price: $29,995
• MPG Combined: 28
• Drive Type: All-wheel drive
• Engine: 2.5-liter flat-4
• Aspiration: Naturally aspirated
• Transmission: CVT
• Horsepower: 182 
• Torque: 176 lb⁠-⁠ft
• 0-60: 8.5 sec
• Weight: 3,641 lbs
• Length: 191.1 in
• Towing Capacity: 2,700 lbs

The Outback's standard 2.5-liter engine continues to be underpowered compared to what you get in most other midsize SUVs, but we're guessing a lot of Outback drivers don't particularly care about quick acceleration or a lack thereof. If you're in that camp, you can save a bundle by sticking with this engine, as the available turbocharged 2.4-liter motor starts much higher. Just make sure you step up to at least the Outback Premium trim, because you want the 11.6-inch touchscreen and not the clunky and funky pair of 7-inch touchscreens in the base trim.

2. 2025 Subaru Outback XT (2.4T AWD)

• Base Price: $41,225
• MPG Combined: 25
• Drive Type: All-wheel drive
• Engine: 2.4-liter inline-4
• Aspiration: Turbocharged
• Transmission: CVT
• Horsepower: 260 
• Torque: 277 lb⁠-⁠ft
• 0-60: 6.3 sec
• Weight: 3,940 lbs
• Length: 191.1 in
• Towing Capacity: 3,500 lbs

Acceleration in the turbocharged Outback XT trim levels is night-and-day better than in the base 2.5-liter Outback, but you're also paying more than $40k to start. We're big XT fans ourselves, but we can also understand why a lot of Outback buyers are just fine with the base engine, which makes the Outback much more affordable. If you want to maximize the towing capacity, however, the turbo is the way to go, as it outdoes the base engine by 800 pounds.

3. 2025 Subaru Outback Wilderness (2.4T AWD)

• Base Price: $41,710
• MPG Combined: 23
• Drive Type: All-wheel drive
• Engine: 2.4-liter inline-4
• Aspiration: Turbocharged
• Transmission: CVT
• Horsepower: 260 
• Torque: 277 lb⁠-⁠ft
• 0-60: 5.8 sec
• Weight: 3,922 lbs
• Length: 191.9 in
• Towing Capacity: 3,500 lbs

The Wilderness outsprints the XT to 60 mph by half a second because, just like the Forester Wilderness, the Outback Wilderness has a higher 4.44:1 final drive ratio (versus the XT's 4.11:1) to give it more grunt for low-traction off-roading. Shorter gearing, which is what a higher final drive ratio means, always gets you a jump off the line. So, not only is the Wilderness the most capable Outback, it's also the quickest. Fuel economy does take a bit of a dive — another consequence of the shorter gearing — but any way you slice it, this is very cool iteration of the Outback.