The Subaru Outback is a favorite for snow-belt buyers, but CVT and oil consumption issues haunt certain years. The 2018-2019 5th gen Outback with the updated CVT and post-fix FB25 is widely the safest used buy. Here is the year-by-year reliability ranking.
Buy: 2018-2019 Outback 2.5i (post-CVT software fix)
Avoid: 2013 (first-year CVT), 2010-2014 (oil consumption FB25)
Scores 1-10 based on NHTSA complaint volume, severity of reported issues, recall history, and class-action exposure. Higher is better.
| Year | Score | Summary | Top 3 Problems | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 7/10 | New 5th gen. CVT recalls and oil consumption. | · CVT software (recall) · FB25 oil consumption · Battery drain |
CAUTION |
| 2016 | 7.5/10 | Most CVT recalls completed. | · FB25 oil consumption (extended warranty) · Battery drain · Eyesight calibration |
CAUTION |
| 2017 | 8/10 | Mid-cycle refinement. Reliability climbing. | · Oil consumption (less) · Wind noise · Battery |
CAUTION |
| 2018 | 9/10 | Refresh. FB25 oil consumption largely resolved. | · Minor electrical · Battery · Eyesight |
BUY |
| 2019 | 9/10 | Final year of 5th gen. Cheapest of the elite. | · Battery drain · Headlight condensation · Audio |
BUY |
| 2020 | 7.5/10 | New 6th gen. Infotainment first-year bugs. | · Starlink touchscreen freezes (TSB) · 12V battery drain · Windshield (recall) |
CAUTION |
| 2022 | 8/10 | 6th gen maturing. Most launch issues fixed. | · Touchscreen lag · Windshield camera calibration · Minor |
CAUTION |
After Subaru's class-action settlement and extended warranty on oil consumption (Bayol v. Subaru, settled 2016), 2018-2019 FB25 engines are largely free of the earlier issue.
Run AI diagnosis →Class action covered piston-ring oil consumption on naturally aspirated 2.0/2.5 engines. Subaru extended powertrain coverage to 100,000 miles.
Run AI diagnosis →Subaru extended CVT warranty to 10 years/100,000 miles on 2010-2015 vehicles after NHTSA pressure. Verify warranty status before buying.
Run AI diagnosis →Eyesight and infotainment parasitic draw kills 12V batteries early. Subaru issued TSB 07-138-21 on parasitic-draw diagnosis.
Run AI diagnosis →Eyesight-equipped windshields develop cracks easily and require recalibration. Class action Tomassini v. Subaru settled 2021.
Run AI diagnosis →6th gen 11.6-inch touchscreen freezes or reboots. Subaru issued multiple software TSBs.
Run AI diagnosis →Moisture inside headlight housings. Often warranty-replaced.
Run AI diagnosis →Run a $5.99 AI diagnosis tailored to your exact vehicle. Get the most likely cause, repair estimate, and OBD2 code interpretation in under 30 seconds.
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If your Outback is throwing a check engine light, these codes are most often associated with the problems above. Click any code for diagnosis steps.
The 2018-2019 Outback 2.5i is the consensus best year. Oil consumption and CVT issues from prior years were resolved, and the 5th gen was at peak maturity.
Mostly yes. Subaru extended CVT warranty coverage on 2010-2015 vehicles and updated software. 2016+ CVTs are much more reliable.
The 2011-2015 FB25/FB20 engines did, and Subaru extended the warranty. 2016+ engines had updated piston rings and the problem largely went away.
A 2018+ Outback with proper maintenance routinely reaches 200,000+ miles. CVT longevity is the main wildcard - replacement is $4000-6000 if it fails.
It is the first year of the 6th gen and had infotainment touchscreen and 12V battery issues. 2022+ examples are more sorted.
Both share the same powertrain. Outback offers more cargo space and ground clearance; Forester is more upright and has better outward visibility.