The Subaru Outback is synonymous with the term ‘high-mileage car.’ But maintenance concerns have to be addressed to ensure the crossover SUV makes it to its reported 200,000-plus miles of longevity. Also, new studies may signal the end of the Outback’s reign over the high-mileage club.
Key Points
- Most Subaru Outback owners report getting over 200,000 miles out of their cars when following proper maintenance procedures.
- The timing belt’s replacement at 100,000 miles is critical in making sure that any Subaru makes it to the end of its life cycle.
- Gasket problems and oil leaks are common in Outbacks with high mileage due to inadequate cooling systems, but if addressed quickly these should give owners few problems.
Subaru Outbacks are Often on the Road for Decades, with Some Vehicles Lasting Beyond 250,000 Miles Over 20 Years, but that Could Be Changing
Introduced in 1994, the Subaru Outback took the American station wagon market by storm, essentially dominating the crossover market to the present day.
Customers love the Outback for, among other things, its great safety ratings, moderate maintenance costs, on-road and off-road capabilities, and perhaps above all else, its longevity.
“The Subaru Outback stands the test of time, retains much of its value, and allows you to drive well beyond 250,000 miles,” says Reader’s Digest in its report on “25 Cars Guaranteed to Last You Over 250,000 Miles.”
Also, Subaru claims that 97% of its vehicles sold in the last 10 years are still on the road today. And while there may be some give and take in the numbers, this statement is mostly true.
Parked on the curbs of any street in America, it is not uncommon to see Outbacks manufactured two decades ago.
Outback’s Popularity as a Road-tripper Confirms its Durability, and with Proper Maintenance, the SUV Can Reach as High as 300,000 Miles of Longevity
And, given the U.S.’ obsession with the road trip, it’s no surprise that the Outback is consistently ranked among the best cars to take from Great Smoky Mountain National Park to the Grand Canyon.
All this road-tripping takes a toll, but the Outback, if properly maintained, can last drivers even up to 300,000 miles.
This means that the average driver could expect to get 15 to 20 years out of their Subaru. Conservative drivers could see Outbacks last much longer.
Subaru Outback’s High Recall Count for Some Model Years Means its Shining Reputation for Longevity May be Starting to Tarnish
However, in recent iSeeCars studies, the Subaru Outback has fallen off its once ubiquitously high perch on the list of longest-lasting vehicles. It didn’t even crack the Top 16 after having previously been a mainstay among the list’s top performers.
Other auto reviewers and Outback owners still say otherwise. But Subarus in 2018 and 2019 had many more recalls than previous years. So, this could have hurt the Outback’s reliability and longevity scores.
Subaru has since pledged to make a more concerted effort in its manufacturing quality. But time will tell if new Outbacks will be as reliable again as they were previously.
Replacement of Timing Belt is Perhaps the Most Important Maintenance Consideration to Ensure a Long-lasting Outback
As with any car, the Outback has important maintenance procedures to follow to ensure longevity to the vehicle. Subaru Outback manuals suggest first checking the timing belt’s condition at 60,000 miles.
Additional checks should come every 30,000 miles after. Many see the 100,000-mile threshold as the point where the timing belt absolutely must be replaced.
If left unattended, the timing belt is prone to dry-rot and wear away. If it breaks, the camshaft and driveshafts of the Outback will be out of sync. The issue may lead to drivers having to replace the entire engine.
Much the same as every vehicle driven by an internal-combustion engine, frequent changing of oils is paramount to the longevity of the Outback.
Long intervals between oil changes lead to dirty oil, which is burned quicker by the engine. This leads to less oil in the engine, creating higher operating temperatures that will eventually result in parts failure.
Outback’s Storied History of Longevity Could Be in Jeopardy, and Newer Models should be Approached with Caution
Inherently, to find a model that has been on the road for a long time, you have to search for older vehicles. Subaru Outbacks from 10 and 20 years ago are overwhelmingly common, and drivers adore them.
Recent quality discrepancies have cast an uncertain shadow on the future of the Outback, however.
Models manufactured in the late 2010s have the highest number of issues reported of any Outbacks. And time will tell if those vehicles can last as long as their predecessors.
But, judging as a whole, the Subaru Outback should last drivers well over 200,000 miles.
The most important factor unique to the Outback is the timing belt. If it is changed on time, the car should last nearly forever. But if not, there could be many problems with the engine as it gets a higher mile count.
Gasket leaks are inherent among Subarus, but if these problems are addressed in a timely manner, most drivers should indeed see their Outback drive down a couple decades’ worth of highways.
Photos: Subaru
