8 Reasons to NOT Buy a Subaru Outback

1- Cargo Space; It's not a truck, so it doesn't have a bed to haul lumber for home renovations, but I still make it work. If you have gear-intensive hobbies or a family, you must think like a backpacker to stay light and compact. 

2- Door Lights- If any door is left open the side lights stay on and run the battery dead. There are ways to hack this like putting a carabiner in your latch, but I don't like worrying about my battery. They also have relatively undersized batteries in them. I’ve  had some issues with the battery and having a mini jump-start battery pack saved me a few times!

3- CVT Transmission- Shifts from Park to Drive, and from Drive to Reverse are very slow to engage, which can be annoying when you accidentally pull out into traffic a little too far. 

4- Tire Replacement- All four tires must match within very specific parameters or the AWD differential system that constantly shares power between the four wheels can be severely damaged. So, if you suffer an irreparable flat or other catastrophe to one tire, and the remaining three are worn even a few millimeters, you’ll be stuck replacing all four at once. 

5- Power- The 2.5l is great on fuel, but it is fairly gutless. I wouldn’t take this wagon to the racetrack and it sure lets me know it's working when driving up steep mountain passes. But hey,  you can't beat that gas mileage with today's gas prices!

6- Trailer Light Connection: Buried inside the car and you need a special harness to connect with and extend out your trunk for the connection.

7-Fragile Windshields: Subaru outbacks are notorious (at least recently) for having windshields that crack very easily. Mine was chipped by a rock on the highway in the first two weeks after buying it and the chip quickly spread into a long crack. I know windshields all are susceptible to cracking, but outbacks seem like they are more weak than most. 

8- Trunk gate lift height: this is a small concern, but if you are over 5’ 9” it can be a bit annoying to scrub  your head on the trunk gate every time you walk under it. 

Bottom Line: If you are looking for a highly capable car that can haul some groceries on Monday and a pile of camping gear on Friday, all while keeping you safe and getting around 30mpg- this is a great option. If you want a heavy-hauler or something that you can race around town in you may need to look elsewhere.