2005 Subaru Outback Reviews

Bought used with 40K miles.  

Pros:  Stupid fast for a station wagon.  Looks sharp, zero problems with it.  Hauls gear... and ass.  Nice, upscale interior.  Storage is adequate, but not great.  Off-road chuckability is actually pretty good (but how often does that happen?).

Cons:  Turbo is thirsty for 91 octane (21 mpg combined), nautical handling (the standard Legacy wagon is far superior), clutch is grabby and temperamental, gearbox feels like a stick in a bucket of rocks.  Could use more legroom.  Needs a telescoping steering column (and it got one in the '08 model year).  

Meh:  Stereo is only OK - sad excuse for a subwoofer (resides under the driver's seat - and only succeeds in tickling your butt; providing audible bass is a secondary concern).  A bit thin on creature comforts - has heated power front seats, heated mirrors and windshield wipers... and that's about it.  Oh yeah, and giant moonroof, which they forgot to tint so you absolutely bake in the sun when the shade is open.  The remote key fob triggers way too easily, you can't lock/unlock all the doors using just the key, and the controls are straight-up basic (not a bad thing, but lacks gadgetry for the gadget geek).

Overall:  The OBXT is a hoot to drive because of the thrusty turbo alone.  The handling leaves lots to be desired, and the ride is only adequate.  If fuel economy is important and you don't need gobs of power, a standard 2.5i model would be the wiser choice... better yet, a Legacy - but they quit making the wagon version in '08 (boo!).  It fits my needs for now, and the fuel economy isn't oppressive (yet), but there's more versatile options out there.  If you must have AWD, the Audi A4 2.0T is a much better driver and gets better mileage to boot, but sacrifices some interior space and has had lousy reliability.  

Reliability:  Excellent, except for the wheel bearings - which Subaru has owned up to and extended the warranty, so it hasn't cost me a dime.  Subaru also found that turbos were getting toasted without severe-duty oil change intervals, so in addition to running premium, I get to change Mobil 1 synthetic every 3750 miles too.

Enjoyed this car.  Very versitle and would navigate any terrain.  Extremely high on the maintence expenses though. Not really made for tall people, but would suffice for an average family of four.  Stick with the v6 or turbo if your will be driving the vehicle much.

There are three basic levels of the 2005 Outback, starting with the 2.5i and 2.5i Limited. A 168-hp naturally aspirated flat-four engine powers both of these, with the Limited offering a higher level of equipment.
The 2.5XT and 2.5XT Limited are intercooled turbo versions of the flat-four engine, with 250 horsepower on tap.
Most expensive are the top-dog Outback 3.0R and 3.0R sedan, powered by a 3.0-liter flat-six featuring variable intake-valve timing and lift. The 3.0R is also available in L.L.Bean livery and as the VDC Limited (for "vehicle dynamics control," a system that integrates an all-speed, all-wheel traction-control system with variable-torque all-wheel drive). At about $33,000, it is Subaru's most expensive Outback.

Great car, Mine is all black so it is sleek.  big improvement over previous
years.

We think it is a great safe car that gets decent milage (@ 35k, we have been averaging 25 miles/gallon, which I think is good considering she uses the remote car start every morning to warm-up the car and she drive in heavy traffic to/from work)