2024 Subaru Outback Review
Can a Subaru Outback tow? What does X-Mode do? Find out and discover all the latest pricing, features, and specs on the new 2024 Subaru Outback!
2024 Subaru Outback – subaru.com | Shop 2024 Subaru Outback on Carsforsale.com
What’s New for the 2024 Subaru Outback ?
The 2024 Subaru Outback isn’t kicking off a new generation of the popular crossover, so there’s not a lot of change to be found here. Maybe it doesn’t need it, though. After all, as we said in our 2021 Subaru Outback review, a huge majority of Subarus sold in the past decade are still running well. Don’t fix what’s not broken, right?
The most exciting news from our 2022 Outback review was the addition of the new Wilderness trim. Unfortunately, the 2024 models don’t have any changes as big as that, but there are a couple of updates. The front-end styling has been refreshed on the Wilderness trim, adding LED fog lights and a more prominent front grille. There are also some additional features that are now standard in the higher trim levels.
Carsforsale.com Score
8.5/10
Powertrain
Score
8.25/10
Interior
Score
9/10
Technology
Score
9/10
Value
Score
8/10
The Breakdown
Good ride quality
Exceptional ground clearance
Comfortable, roomy interior
Optional Turbocharged engine
Modern, well-equipped interior
Lagging acceleration
Not a performance vehicle
A solid SUV for recreation or city driving
2024 Outback Specs
- 182 horsepower from base engine
- 176 lb-ft of torque from base engine
- 9 available trims
- 32.6 cu-ft of cargo capacity
- Two 7-inch or an 11.6-inch touchscreen
- 5-star overall NHTSA rating
- 5 year or 60,000 miles powertrain warranty
2024 Subaru Outback Powertrain 8.25/10
All models are all-wheel drive (AWD), which is nice, but the power is a little bit lacking when it comes to accelerating the 2024 Subaru Outback. The base model starts off with a 182-horsepower, naturally aspirated four-cylinder 2.5 L engine. You feel the lag at times, especially when trying to get up to speed quickly. A four-cylinder turbo that’s available on higher trims delivers 260 horsepower with 277 lb-ft of torque. There is some noticeable lag on the turbo, too.
Both engines mate to a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT). With the 2.5 L engine, the base gets 32 miles per gallon (mpg) on the highway and 26 mpg in the city. The XT trims, with the turbo engine, get 29 mpg on the highway and 22 mpg in the city. Lastly, the modified and outdoorsy Wilderness drops to 26 mpg on the highway and 22 mpg in city driving. The 2024 Outback has an 18.5-gallon fuel tank.
The Outback has some body roll. There’s not a lot of feedback in the steering either. Passengers are fairly protected from the bumps and dips of the roadway, though, thanks to a well-tuned suspension. That makes off-roading adventures a little easier. The 8.7 or 9.2 inches of ground clearance sure helps with that as well.
2024 Subaru Outback Interior (9/10)
The first thing (besides the quality materials on the dash and center console) you notice when getting inside of a 2024 Subaru Outback is the visibility. There are large windows that don’t leave a lot of blind spots. That’s always been a selling point for Subaru and they wisely stuck with what works.
As important, though, is that the 2024 Outback is comfortable. The seats are angled in an upright but relaxed position. Whether it’s cloth, leather-trimmed, or Nappa-leather-trimmed, the upholstery looks modern and the seats are cushioned nicely. Gray, black, java, and ivory colors are available in cloth, leather, and urethane materials, so the cabin is customizable for those who want a particular look.
There’s also good legroom and headroom in front and in back. Legroom in the first-row measures 42.8 inches on all models. The back seat is given 39.5 inches. Headroom differs a little bit, depending on the trim that you choose. Half of the trims have 39.1 inches in front (with a moonroof). Half of the 2024 Outback trims have 40.1 inches of headroom in front. All 2024 models have 39.1 inches in the back, with or without a moonroof.
Finally, various features, like ventilated front seats, a heated steering wheel, and power-adjustable front seats, also enhance the cabin. The various infotainment features and tech capabilities that are integrated in the 2024 Outback make any trip versatile, but we’ll get into those specifics below. There’s really not much to dislike when it comes to sitting inside a 2024 Outback. It’s not as opulent as a luxury vehicle, but it does very well for its class.
2024 Subaru Outback Technology Features (9/10)
The cabin is equipped with seven-inch or 11.6-inch displays. Either way, the navigation, music, and entire system are easy to use. There’s wireless connectivity with both Apple and Android Auto. Owners can choose to play their music over a four, six, or 12-speaker stereo system. Four USB ports between the front row and rear seats make it much easier to keep devices charged. Of course, some features are only available in certain trims, but, as you’ll see in the next section, even the base model has a lot of impressive elements in it.
Standard driver-assistance features like forward collision warning, forward automatic emergency braking, and pedestrian detection help earn the 2024 Outback a good safety score. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration gives the 2024 Subaru Outback AWD an overall five-star rating. While the 2023 Subaru Outback was a Top Safety Pick for the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety, the 2024 model hasn’t been given scores yet. The 2024 Outback isn’t short on features that aim to prevent accidents from happening in the first place, though. Lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, lane-centering assist, adaptive cruise control, adaptive headlights, and a rearview camera are all also standard across the lineup.
2024 Subaru Outback Trims & Pricing
There aren’t a bunch of engine choices (no plug-in options or all-electric engines either), but there are plenty of trims available, each one packed with a variety of features.
Base – $28,895
The base 2024 Outback is packed with standard driver-assistance features, including forward collision warning, forward automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, lane-centering assist, and pedestrian detection. It also comes with Adaptive cruise control, adaptive headlights, and a rearview camera.
Beyond the driver assists, the 2024 Outback Base has two seven-inch touchscreens, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, HD radio and satellite radio, a four-speaker stereo, a USB port, and automatic climate control.
Premium – $31,195
Moving up one level gets quite a bit, actually. Heated and power-folding exterior mirrors, tinted rear windows, and a de-icing windshield wiper are all included. The four-speaker stereo is upgraded to six speakers, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto have wireless capability, and those dual 7-inch touchscreens are replaced by an 11.6-inch screen. There’s added comfort, too, with a power-adjustable driver’s seat, dual-zone automatic climate control, and heated front seats.
Onyx Edition – $36,105
A few of the added elements on the Onyx Edition are an auto-dimming rearview mirror with a compass, a heated steering wheel, a push-button start, keyless access, a hands-free power rear liftgate, and automatic windows. The 2024 Onyx Edition has 18-inch aluminum-alloy wheels with a black finish. Inside, StarTex water-repellent upholstery has also been included as opposed to the regular cloth material in the lower two trims.
Limited – $35,795
18-inch black aluminum-alloy wheels are also included on the limited, but they have a machine finish instead of a black finish. The powered mirrors have two memory settings on them, and so does the driver’s seat in the cabin. Gone are the cloth seats. Instead, the upholstery is trimmed with leather. The outboard seats are heated, but maybe the best feature, for music lovers anyway, is the 12-speaker Harman Kardon audio system.
Touring – $40,345
Here’s the next big step up. Owners of the 2024 Outback Touring get a 180-degree view camera, a sunroof, and a digital rearview mirror that allows you to see out of the back even when the cargo area is completely full. An onboard navigation system is also included here. The cabin is enhanced with a heated steering wheel, ventilated front seats, and upgraded leather seats with contrast stitching.
Onyx Edition XT – $39,360
All of the XT trims have the same features as their respective non-XT trims with the exception of the upgraded turbo engine and a tow capacity that is increased to 3,500 lbs. The Onyx Edition XT doesn’t have leather-trimmed upholstery, though. Instead, the StarTex water-repellent upholstery is used.
Wilderness – $39,960
There are no LED fog lights, there’s no more leather-trimmed upholstery, and there are no regular raised roof rails. However, the 2024 Subaru Outback Wilderness has black finish on folding side mirrors, specialized raised roof rails with integrated tie-down points and copper finish accents, and optional reverse automatic braking. It also has water-repellent simulated leather upholstery.
The Wilderness is also designed for off-road driving with a package that includes an AWD system with a low-ratio setting, lifted suspension, 17-inch wheels and all-terrain tires, and a front skid plate. It also has an increased ground clearance that equals 9.5 inches in total. Mud, Snow, and X-Modes are other features specific to the Wilderness trim. The different modes give the Wilderness more traction and control for those gravel path adventures.
Limited XT – $40,195
The leather-trimmed upholstery returns, but the 180-degree front-view mirror disappears at this level. The wheels are 18-inch aluminum-alloy wheels with a black machine finish, the same as the wheels on the Limited and Touring.
Touring XT – $42,795
The Touring XT has satin chrome-finish power-folding side mirrors and body-color door handles with a chrome insert, too. Just like with the Touring trim, the Touring XT also has ventilated front seats and Nappa-leather trimmed upholstery.
2024 Subaru Outback Overall Value 8/10
That puts the Outback in the middle of the pack when it comes to pricing versus features. You may get a little more (a third row, more powerful engines, etc) with a higher-priced vehicle but you’re also getting a lot of bang for your buck with the 2024 Subaru Outback. You’re not paying nearly as much for a top-of-the-line Outback as you would for even a mid-level trim on other mid-size crossovers.
The 2024 Subaru Outback isn’t without faults, but it certainly offers a heck of a lot at every trim level, all under $43,000. A lot of the Outback’s competition hasn’t even made it to the market yet. 2024 models of the Hyundai Santa Fe and the Jeep Grand Cherokee aren’t out, so it’s hard to compare the 2024 Outback to them. We expect the 2024 Honda Passport to start around $42,000 if the 2023 prices are any indication. The 2024 Cherokee will start at $40,130. Meanwhile, the 2024 Santa Fe starts at a much more affordable $28,750.
CarsForSale.com Overall Score (8.5/10)
2024 Subaru Outback – subaru.com | Shop 2024 Subaru Outback on Carsforsale.com
It would be nice to have a more powerful engine option, but, for the current state of the class, the Outback outshines most of them that aren’t higher-end, luxury SUVs. The powertrains could also involve plug-in hybrid electric vehicle or electric vehicle options. That being said, Subaru puts all the modern efficiencies into a tech-filled cabin. The design is good, the large amount of visibility is always nice to have, and it does provide some off-roading prowess. Plus, reliability is always good when it comes to Subaru. The warranty is pretty standard for the segment. There’s a three-year or 36,000-mile limited warranty. There’s also a five-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty.
2024 Subaru Outback FAQ
What Are the Safety Ratings on the 2024 Subaru Outback?
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration gave the 2024 Subaru Outback AWD an overall five-star rating, a five-star frontal crash rating, and a five-star side crash rating. It also received a four-star rollover rating. The 2024 Subaru Outback Wilderness has five-star frontal crash and side crash ratings, too. The Wilderness hasn’t been given an overall or rollover rating.
Are There Any New Car Incentives for the 2024 Subaru Outback?
Yes, there are active deals to be had. You can look at leasing and financing options for the 2024 Subaru Outback (and every other major mid-size crossover) by reading our New Car Incentives article. It’s updated monthly.
Are There Any Additional Warranties for the 2024 Subaru Outback?
A Wear Item Limited Warranty is good for three years or 36,000 miles. Also, a Rust Perforation Limited Warranty is good for five years or 60,000 miles on the Touring XT trim. That same Rust Perforation Limited Warranty is good for five years or an unlimited mileage on all other 2024 Outback models.
