I personally love mine. I put in aftermarket fog lights and put more powerful reverse bulbs in. My buddy used to be a Subaru tech and said as long as you don’t tow the maximum capacity all the time and get the fluids replaced every 50k miles the CVT should not have any problems. I do agree that it would be nice to have more factory options to personalize it, but there are so many aftermarket things you can do it’s not that big of a deal. It is a perfect vehicle if you need your daily driver to have a little more off-road capability. That’s why I got mine anyway
@@fastmover0 my wife got them for me for a Christmas present so I don’t know the exact model number but they were from diode dynamics…that’s where I got the fog lights from as well and later ditch lights. The factory reverse lights are like 250lm the DD ones are 1000lm I believe
@@fastmover0 I will note they are expensive, but they are very much worth it, lights up everything very nice for the back up camera and mirrors. Visibility is easily 10x better
Thanks, I will try to find them. I think I'm going to put the light bar in the bottom of the front grill too , like the one @AutomotiveAnonymous208 did in his other video. @@stephenbyrne3778
The start-stop coming on with the ignition is a legal requirement for emissions testing. Many govt inspections specify that the vehicle must comply from the moment you start the car. It's the same reason a lot of sport/track modes are deactivated when you turn the car off.
Most of the 7 listed issues are not an issue for me. I strongly agree on the auto-stop feature needing to be configurable, that’s the only real issue. The other two are the camera’s quality and the choice of wheels, but those are more of a desirable improvement than issues. Otherwise Wilderness is a really great vehicle
I actually remembered one more issue - Subaru really should have added the memory seat option, especially since the other trims have it. I am sharing Wilderness with my wife and readjusting seats all the time is a real pain
I can’t believe how many people complain about the auto engine shutdown. You control it with the brake pedal. If you hold it gently the engine want turn off, press a button harder and it does. You are welcome.
I bought a White 2024 OBW a couple of weeks ago, and just had new speakers installed and it made a huge difference in the sound quality. I called Crutchfield and they recommended the Infinity Reference for the doors and a Rockford Fosgate P3SD2-8 Subwoofer. I'm really happy with the way it sounds and it works with the stock electronics. It no longer sounds like the sound comes from the front because with the stock speakers if you used the fader to move the sound towards the back the sound quality went down quite a bit. You had to keep the fader centered front to back to hear any bass at all. Now you can move it back and it sounds great.
Thankyou. Very helpful and hands on to hear from someone who has owned one of these for a couple of years. Unlike hearing someone's thoughts after driving one for a month or 2. I think you and I are the only people I've heard saying a manual transmission for the OBW would be nice if they offered that option. Not a fan of the CVT but I understand most people don't have a problem with it. Thanks again.
About the AS/S business... the boxer-type engine causes the roughness of the on/off process. If it REALLY bothers you that much, you can buy an Auto Stop/Start Eliminator (for less that $100) that does NOT plug into your OBD port - it installs up in the overhead console (for map lights/sunroof switch/etc.). Works just fine.
I was given a base outback 2024 as a courtesy car and I must agree that the camera image quality is poor. My 2020 forester has a much, much more better quality display. The CVT is also a bummer but it's better than having an EV without any transmission. Other than that I can't wait for my 2024 outback limited XT I ordered in the past weeks. I don't really care about the infotainment system because I don't really use it in my forester. All I do is put on the radio and then adjust the HVAC. The comfort in the outback is outer worldly. The seating position is just perfect, the transmission lever is placed just at the right place and the feeling when you shift gears is perfect. A lot more confident inspiring than when I shift gears in my forester anyway. Leg extenders, 2 seat memory setting, nav system, 2.4l turbo engine, integrated turn signals in the mirrors, auto dimming rear view mirror, harman and kardon sound system are all features my forester doesn't have.
Pretty much agree with all of them. The one that gets me is not having a manual transmission option. Subaru of America stated the reason they were dropped in 2015 from the outback and Legacy, is that there wasn’t a demand for them. I remember going to multiple lots between 2012-1015 trying to find one to purchase to no avail. So how can you say there wasn’t demand when there was no supply?
I’m 41 and have been driving a manual transmission car since I was 16. First car was a 1963 VW bug. I’ve only had 1 automatic and I traded it in after a few weeks. Can’t stand them. They’re pretty much phasing them out all across the board. So many people on forums and people I’ve met irl are upset that their car will longer have a manual transmission option in the next generation. Ridiculous
b/c you and a few thousand others were specifically wanting them means nothing when Subaru is trying to selll hundreds of thousands of OB's to the USA. USA is general does not choose MT over auto. Been that way for a long time. Heck, not even Honda offers MT on the Accord anymore in the US
They will throw in the skids plates of you ask when buying (got mine in Canada with front, transmission, and rear diff skid plates). I also got them to swap out the plastic black door handles (they cheaped out and used the ones from the base model). I got them to swap in the chrome ones that are common to all other outback models (2022 & 2023 have chrome door handle pulls). Couldn't really belive that they cost cut in such a silly area....maybe they didn't in the US. I had a 2022 OBW before the 2024. The upgraded stereo to harmon kardon 12 speaker system and wireless android auto is what makes the car basically as good as it currently can be in Canada. I have already swapped out the springs for the Ralitek 3/4" overlpad springs. They are so much better, and provide such an improved ride and do not sag with bikes and a heavy load in the back.
I agree with your early comment in the video, this is a vehicle that has brought new customers to Subaru. Never thought about buying one until I purchased a 2023 Outback Wilderness late last year, since then I added a 2023 WRX to the collection. I'm loving both vehicles and never would have considered them without stumbling over the Wilderness and discovered how good Subaru was!
I don't think I'd say those things "ruin" it, as that's such an absolute that there's no room for "yes, those things are bad, but they don't outweigh the things that are good." I think that, while those concerns are valid (I especially share the one about climate controls being in the touchscreen, which causes major distractions while driving), the overall bang-for-your-buck of the Outback Wilderness is still excellent, and anyone looking for a solid, comfortable, and reliable daily driver who also wants a solid, comfortable, and reliable road-tripper and off-roader should strongly consider it. I traded in my 2020 Outback Premium, which had the same general issues being from the same generation, for the 2024 OBW, and I have no regrets. I learned to live with the quirks in exchange for the perks, which are far more numerous.
We’ll said, I appreciate you watching and sharing your perspective! I’m hoping this video is informational to some potential buyers who may appreciate knowing the typical gripes before committing. Although the biggest reason I hear people not choosing Subaru is due to the CVT. The validity of our concerns, only time will tell I’m sure.
@@AutomotiveAnonymous208 I've come to appreciate the value of the '24 OBW even more since building similar rides from other manufacturers on their websites, only to discover they can cost many thousands, even tens of thousands more than this car, and even then some of them still lack some of the features that come with this model. For example, when building a Volvo XC40 with as close as I could get to the features of the OBW, it came to well over $51,000, and it's still not as capable or even as comfortable and quiet (I drove one for comparison just to be sure). And its climate controls are also in the touchscreen. To top that off, the XC60 is actually the closer model to the Outback, and it's even more expensive still. Way more expensive. You also have to step up to this model to get ventilated front seats, which come standard with the Outback Touring that costs only marginally more than the Wilderness when optioned with the turbo. Subaru somehow manages to offer so much more for so much less than their competitors without sacrificing durability and overall reliability.
I’m not sure what more to do with auto start/stop, most modern cars have that feature. It’s definitely not just a Sub issue. And after owning the 23 model for a while now, none of the things mentioned are actually a problem.
@@AutomotiveAnonymous208lmao, so passive aggressive. It's a button you can push right after starting the car...by pushing the ignition button. Soooo inconvenient ;)
As a long time, former Jeep and 4Runner driver, overall, really happy with mine. Little thirsty for short trips but travelling from Philly to Myrtle Beach at 75-80mph average, getting around 26.5 MPG. Yeah, not great compared to other Subarus but awesome compared to 4Runner and Jeep. More comfortable. Subaru also is able to go to 90% of places those two vehicles go. DO NOT like infotainment center. Also, would be nice if AC/Heat and heated seats were knobs and switches. Just installed Cooper Road and Trail ATs. Same size and weight of OME tire (which weren't horrible). Much improved handling and performance on and off road.
I'm thinking of buying the Outback wilderness and will be doing lots of driving, potentially from California to Michigan and take off the beaten path for some camping/mountain biking. How does ride and is it confident off road for being a light duty off road vehicle? I don't want to buy a jeep or 4runner for my daily driver.
@@TheDirthound Get one, you won't be disappointed. Solid road manners and I have run mine off road along muddy fire lanes, on the beach and mountain snow. I loved my Jeeps and 4runner but quite honestly this vehicle is much more applicable for the reality of most of us as opposed to the "image" of the others.
It's a fixed icon on the screen, so what difference does it make if it's on a touchscreen or a physical button? Perhaps it wasn't always this way, idk.
I really enjoy my OBW over my 21 TXT Outback. Only thing I miss is the cooled seats. The CVT is much smoother and I think much of that is due to the lower gearing and it taking less effort to get up to speed.
How do you overfill the gas tank? Doesn't the gas pump turn off when it's full? Or are you referring to manually filling it from a canister? If manually filling it, I doubt you'd be topping off the last gallon of an 18.5 gallon. So just wondering what you're referring to.
Good question. I’m referring to when you’re filling at the pump and it clicks and auto shuts off the first time when the pump senses it’s full. I’m unsure of what percentage of the total 18.5 gallons that would be. Sometimes people will wait a moment for the fluid to settle and keep filling to the point it fills up the neck and almost splashes out. That is what is not advised. I’m sorry I didn’t make it more clear.
The fuel click off,happens,when you still can put in 2 gallons,this means a lot when you are on the open road,and also have had a 2006,2015,and now a 2220 outback,great cars,please stop with all that uglycladding,hard to keep from graying out,let us buy or order without it!Way to much,a Old,Old,Old Guy!
This isn’t a Subaru issue either though. All modern cars have a vent system built into their fuel tank. Overfilling any of those, that is filling beyond the automatic cut off (the first click) can cause issues with them.
you dont buy these for gas mileage . im over folks whining about the mileage. didnt you do your research first. love mine the power and ride are just the best
Makes me wonder if many of these owners knew that it wasn’t that long ago that Subaru vehicles had half of the engine power and mixed driving mileage in the teens. A full time AWD system with 200+ hp, etc and getting the mileage that the OBW gets is pretty stellar. The gearing on this model trim is more aggressive than the other trims due to being more off road focused.
I love my 2024 OBW, smooth comfortable drive, i have a trailer hitch on the back and just bought the CAtuned front brush bar to protect the front from bad drivers who cant park without bumping me. GAs mileage could be better but it is very quick.
The 2024 Outback Wilderness should be a 6-speed manual. However, its CVT seems good for a CVT. The Auto-Stop-Start lacking a memory of being turned off is the biggest pet peeve. That aftermarket work-around product doesn't just plug-in under the dash as you suggested. Instead you have to drop the Eyesight camera housing to install it. I printed a label & stuck that label over the gold at the bottom of my steering wheel (label: STOP-START). The label reminds me to turn off the STOP-START after starting the Outback each time. The sound system is great but after turning the ignition off & then, back on, the vehicle doesn't consistently restart my bluetooth iPod set up. It's annoying to manually renew that connection. An issue you missed are the gaps between the front seats & the console. It's hard to fish dropped items out of that abyss. I installed pieces of 1/2 inch rubber water-pipe insulation in those gaps to combat gravity. Cut an oval hole in the rubber insulation to accommodate the seatbelt receiver. That hole pushed over the seatbelt receiver keeps the piece from moving to the front or to the back. Another issue: the Outback Wilderness should come with a factory-installed hitch receiver.
Adaptive cruise control and lane assistance are two totally different things and they have different buttons for each function. I agree the lane assist is a bit aggressive, I personally will only be using it on highway driving, as on smaller roads with curvy lines it can throw you in weird directions. But overall, the adaptive cruise control is wayyy better than they were in 2017 versions. I just upgraded from 2017 to 2024 and the adaptive cruise control is way more smooth and fluid and actually slowly gets you close to the car in front of you if you're in bumper to bumper traffic, when the 2017 version would just stay a pre-programmed distance and didn't adapt.
Great insight! Thanks for watching and sharing your experiences and how they relate to the 2017. If I said adaptive cruise in this video I’m pretty sure I definitely meant the lane keep assist! Of all the benefits the CVT styled tranny provides I do have to agree with you and say it does a really good job of maintaining distance and getting up to speed in a smooth fashion.
I have a 2020 Ford Escape Titanium and the auto start/stop also has to be turned off every time I start it. It annoyed me at first but I’ve had it almost two years now, and like you said it just becomes muscle memory.
Other commentators have suggested that if you plan on towing on a regular basis, this may not be the best combination of engine/transmission for that use case. I live in Canada and when our Mitsubishi RVR's CVT started to slip, the dealer replaced it under warranty, and they told me it would cost $11K to replace it if I was paying for it. And I don't use the RVR for towing. Moral of the story, if your vehicle doesn't have a 10 year warranty on the engine/transmission then either buy an extended warranty, or reconsider your choice of vehicle.
Just picked up a 24 Ascent Onyx edition. I was told by the service manager that the 19 and 20 Ascents had the same CVT as the Outback. They had some issues so starting in 21 the Ascent got a larger or upgraded CVT and that seems to be working much better.
I’ve been seeing more and more failures on older CVT Subarus unfortunately, and the issue is that on most/all models the CVT and the front differential are one single unit, making the replacement VERY expensive. Hopefully the newer ones don’t end up doing the same.
Hi there thank you for your content. My feedback about complaint number two is as follows; it’s government regulated. Subaru, unfortunately has no control over this. They have to have it turned on every time the car starts for government regulations in order to keep up with emissions rules. It’s not a Subaru thing it’s a government regulation thing.
Thank you for your candid video on the Wilderness. I have a Limited and agree with your assessment of start/stop. Unfortunately, I suspect it is a feature to enable them to get the mileage that EPA requires. Fortunately, they allowed a painless way for aftermarket alteration to set the disable/enable. Being new to the infotainment system in my '24, I like it. Although, it is clumber some to wade through the screens at times. Oddly, I like the factory TomTom slightly better than the Google Maps via Android Auto app. Thanks again for the video.
I have a 23 touring. I had a repair shop for 38 years, the cameras compared to some other CURRENT systems are not that bad. I don't know if the wilderness has it, but I have a dorsel mount camera for the rear view if it's full in the back. It gives some night vision and covers allot more area than the reverse cam. I've filled the car and used it a number of times in the last 16 months, running to and from our cabin.
Great insight, thank you for sharing! The Wilderness does not have the rear view mirror camera, but I’ve driven a few Touring XT Outback’s that do have that feature.
Our other car is a RAV4 hybrid limited. I really miss the Birdseye camera from that. You’re right Subaru has a long way to go in the camera department. I also lament the lack of storage that is part and partial of the full-size spare tire.
@@AutomotiveAnonymous208 I absolutely love it, to me it remains the perfect vehicle 8.1” of clearance, 40 MPG, 500 mile range, digital rear view mirror, birdseye camera. Actually, as I type this I would be unable to rationalize the purchase of the wilderness. Yes it has an additional 1.3” of clearance and the full sized spare (double edged sword that it is)but those are the only wins I can see. I’ve never pushed the RAV too far off road but from what I’ve seen on the net (yeah, take that for what its worth, no offense) it seems almost as capable as the wilderness so long as you don’t high center it.
Ive been looking at the 2023 Forester and Outback Wilderness and what you mentioned about the steering being very sensitive is my only real concern. I think the cars should have a better neutral spot feel in the steering wheel.
I’m excited for you, they’re great! If that’s your only concern that’s not to bad. But you’re right, a neutral spot would be better, or just decreased sensitivity. Thanks for watching! 🙂
We have a 22 Outback Wilderness and a 23 Outback Onyx Edition. They’re great. Steering feels fine to me but I’m used to driving trucks, etc. Love the versatility of Subarus.
My one complaint is a serious one. Mine is a 2022 Outback Touring XT. Got in a heavy downpour on the freeway and cruise control was on. I guess it’s also an Eyesight issue. Suddenly nothing worked, steering, brakes, couldn’t turn off cruise control. Car followed vehicle in front keeping a constant distance. Even tried to turn off engine, nothing I tried worked. I was terrified, had no control of the car on a busy freeway. Eventually when the heavy rain let up the problem went away. I contacted Subaru and they were unaware of the problem.
As I’m sure you can tell, by my channel name and the way I film, I value maintaining as much privacy as I reasonably can. But it’s fun to every once in a while sneak in a minimal glimpse of personality or background such as this. 🙂
The issues seem to be considered by some Subie acolytes as "features", but the good news is there have been improvements with time. I had a 2021 OB Onyx XT under lease, just got a '24 Crosstrek Sport. The auto start-stop override you showed on the big screen used to be buried as a toggle in the car menu, so the "button" at least is accessible and easy to use. The seat heaters on the Xtrek are controlled with toggle switches in the console as opposed to be being buried in a popup menu on the screen as was the case with the Outback. Another major improvement. Finally, the rear camera image, which I wish would at least be bigger on that big screen, is at least much sharper on the '24 XTrek, so I'm guessing it's improved on the other models too. I miss the enormous rear space and power liftgate on the Outback, but as a driver the Xtrek is great - same smooth ride and quiet demeanor as the Outback (the biggest surprise of all), but more tossable handling even if the steering is not exactly Porsche-accurate. The Outback was a great snow and ice car, the Xtrek has the same clearance. I've only had it a few days so I've not tested in ice and snow, but my friends in Montana have had Crosstreks for years. Relative to CVT, I feel like there are both benefits (smoothness, essentially you don't even think about it as you drive it day to day) as well as drawbacks. Mainly, the CVT is almost a crapshoot in terms of where the "shifts" occur (i.e., RPM adjustments to get into the torque band), but at least it doesn't groan like a Nissan. The CVT operation seemed worse with the 2.4T than it is with the less powerful 2.5L. I always thought the CVT was the biggest drawback of the Outback XT powertrain (slow start up, then it would rubber band forward, which is fun but not necessarily safe in traffic). CVT actually seems smoother and more controllable with the 2.5L in the lighter Xtrek Sport (plus you get the S-I drive which allows either "intelligent" or "Sport", which the Outback did not have). It seems like with less power and torque to play with, the CVT is more predictable (meaning safer). S mode keeps the engine higher in the power band and fairly responsive if a tad louder (not too different than the 2.4T in that regard), while I mode is pretty focused on economy though it will get you to speed just fine in normal driving.
Thanks for making your videos! Do you know if you can get a 10 year 100K mile warranty on the engine and CVT? I think Subaru advertises 60K miles. I am thinking about buying a 2024 OBW but am concerned about long term reliability. I usually keep my cars for a long time. Also I am not impressed with the optional sound system, if anyone has upgraded the speakers or amp please comment below on how you improved the bass and sound quality. The one I listened to the other day had very little bass and poor sound quality. I had high hopes for it considering it had a factory installed subwoofer.
My pleasure! I would imagine so, but I don’t have personal experience with Subaru extended warranties or know if there’s standard or dynamic offers/negotiations that can be made. As far as upgraded speakers I would suggest asking that question or searching for it on a social media forum around the Outback’s and see what others have done! Best of luck! 🙂
The idea is to pry your control of vehicle one baby step at a time so your conditioned to accept giving up all control in the name of safety. Really it will just give government complete control over your movements in the future is my hypothesis/guess.
It’s not that noticeable unless you’re not paying attention…. It doesn’t even work all the time, they got a long way to go…. It’s more like it’s trying to protect your ass if you’re fuck up but only 30% of the time…..
I’m glad to hear that! Every vehicle has its characteristics that not everyone is going to like, and no vehicle is perfect. Thankfully the OB is very well refined and overall a jack of all trades, and I also really enjoy my own ownership experience of it. But I hear enough chatter on the forums of similar issues to what I’ve experienced that I felt it was worth while to put together this video. Thanks for watching! 🙂
I have 2023 limited Crosstrek and haven't even tried the Adaptive cruise control and have real control for the heating system and easier to turn off the auto start stop and a real emergency brake. And have a cd player. the Harmon kardon system sounds way better with a cd i have noticed than usb or bluetooth way louder as well. I thought the seat belt charm was so annoying so I turned it off. I had hickory nuts hit the hood and a bunch of dents and didn't even park directly underneath. And wasn't park there all the time. Cheap hoods that for sure.
Any issues with the turbo charged boxer engine and CVT? I'm not 100% sold on CVT's just yet. I drove a company car that was a 4cyl with a CVT and thought it was underpowered, esp in acceleration when I needed it. I can see where the addition of a turbo charger would remedy that but does the turbo charger cause more wear and tear to the motor and tranny?
No issues on mine so far at about 34k miles. The turbo is actually a Garrett name brand and overall these current FA generation boxer engines seem to be well built. Much better design for reliability than the older EJ turbo boxers (which I would have never personally bought one of those). The CVTs do seem to be quite good as they’re chain driven and built in house from Subaru from my understanding. But due to the closed unit and design with the AWD system if it ever had to be replaced out of warranty they’re way more expensive than they should be for a transmission. Personally, if I was planning to keep this super long term I would get an extended powertrain warranty. But overall they’re great vehicles and much better than most other vehicles more of the time, in my experience and opinion. Best of luck! 🙂
That’s awesome! Which model/trim level do you own? I have a video of an 800 mile road trip I did in a single day, and because it was mostly open road I agree it felt just fine and like I could have kept going. Also, this morning I published a video of Subarus safety features in action, if you’re interested to see them tested. 🙂
I would personally just follow the Subaru maintenance schedule that they give you with your owners books. But most manufacturers range between 30-60k. I don’t drive my OBW that much anymore and haven’t hit 30k yet so I’ve not specifically concerned myself with it yet. I’m assuming the procedure is fairly straightforward. But I plan to watch a few MrSubaru or similar maintenance videos to get their opinion of when or how to do the procedure when mine gets close to needing that done. Sorry if that wasn’t more helpful. 🤷♂️😅
Sorry but I find this article to be very nit picky and the reviewer would complain about a brand new Ferrari or any other car. My recommendation is "don't buy one if you don't like it". Personally, I have the 2024 Outback Touring XT and the only things I found to be undesirable is the auto start stop and the absence of a "Car Wash" mode on system features that could cause problems when getting the car cleaned. Pre-collision, rear brake auto, etc. They can be turned off manually but it is a little concerning. The alternative is to manually wash the car or use a self car wash facility. The auto stop/start feature fix is a one time installation cable that allows the driver the option of having it on or off and not need to fiddle with it. The fix is $99.00 and installation which varies by model. We are very satisfied with our purchase of the car.
Your videos are great man. I too definitely wish the Outback had an m/t option. I'm probably not getting an EV any time soon. I'll get one when we reach the point where driving an internal combustion engine vehicle will be a lot like taking all of your photographs with film, now. If that makes any sense.
Thanks so much!! A m/t would be sweet, although I do recognize MPG would be much worse. Just look at what WRX drivers get, lol. I’ve been against it for a long time but I’m slowly coming around due to some of the benefits they offer. I should say I would only consider a Tesla (likely model Y) or Rivian, not any other brand until they’re more proven and better engineered and safer in accidents. Your film analogy makes perfect sense, great way to put it! 🙂
Internal combustion engine are here to stay, EV are the garbage, people are staying away from them because they're not practical in every which way, driving one of these garbage EV well put yourself or your family in danger in case of accident
There’s obviously many environmental factors that could influence that. But likely 21 in worse conditions and up to 25-26 in better conditions (low wind, not up hill, the engine oil is 200 degrees, etc). Increased speed just kills these things for mileage. ☹️ I know this isn’t your question but going 60-68 highway speeds Is where I can get 27-33MPG.
2015 Outback Seattle area to Moab and back 36mpg, also Seattle to LA area several times CC 60mph I am considering adding a 24 Outback, no turbo prefer Port Injection over Direct Injection however
@@AutomotiveAnonymous208I am going to buy a 2024 Forester in a few months. Your comment about finicky mpg will make me regret letting go of my 19 yr old 5 Series which hums @ 80 mph with 32 -34 mpg. Last, I’ll become preoccupied with the Forester’s oil temp thanks to you. I enjoy your channel. Hit that Miata with some wax, bugs will rinse off.
I personal experience about my 2023 wilderness with 11k miles: flimsy Windshield, floaty drive "my 1999 Camry was smoother", stock tires are mediocre, and more. I have been thinking about getting another vehicle, waiting for 2024 models to come out.
I have a 2022 and I below I will comment on each of the 7 points, and add a few of my own. 1.) CVT. I never really had a problem with the CVT. I have owned earlier models, including Outbacks, and even a Legacy Wagon, with classic non CVT Auto's. The Paddle Shift is useful sometimes. 2.) AUTOP START/STOP. Yeah, turning it off is the first thing I do, and sometimes I forget and this car has such a sloppy Trans mount (there are upgrade kits for this) that the car lurches when it starts, half the time my Starlinjk based remote start sets my car alarm off. I know that the reason Subaru HAS to do this, is because making it default allows them to advertise the MPG values that they use in marketing. I can't blame them too much. 3.) Lane Keep Assist. I used to be against this, and in fact I bought a 2020 which I opted out, which I wrecked. If I would have had the then optional eyesight system, it likely would have saved me a lot of pain in the specific scenario that caused my accident (a stopped vehicle I did not see and did not react to in time). So I have mixed feelings. I don't trust it. But I do make myself use it under certain scenarios because I feel it does reduce risk overall and keeps me on my toes. Nice that you can set it to be as invasive as it can be, all the way down to being fully off. Subaru did that right. If you hate it, shut it off. Unfortunately (or fortunately) it is no longer optional. 4.) MPG I have oversized wheels and tires on my OBW, and initially whenn I was doing a 20 mile commute twice a day, I was reasonably happy with MPG. It wasn't great, but with care it could be in the low 20's. Now that I am not doing a lot of highway, I am LUCKY if I get as much as 17. And my wheel tire upgrades are not that heavy, I shopped lightweight stuff. It is more the ratio, but initially I felt that the ratio actually HELPED the MPG, because it was acting like a slightly higher overdrive. The flip side is that it SUCKS for around town. MPG is not a feather in the hat of the OBW, especially with taller tires. 5.) INFOTAINMENT I haven't DL'd the software upgrade yet. I plan on it at some point. I don't spend a lot of time on the screen. I set it and go. It is occasionally sluggish, but most of the time it's fine. A few times a year it may freeze up which is quickly fixed by a restart. It doesn't bug me, provided It doesn't poop out on me, because you NEED the infotainment in this car, which leads me to my OTHER additional complaints down below. 6.) CAMERA Quality sucks. Not only the lack of detail, but more advanced fisheye lens designs can compensate for distortion much better, allowing you a super-wide perspective without so much fisheye. This is just a bottom tier camera I would expect in the bargain aisle of Walmart Auto. The backup is useless at night unless you upgrade the backup lights to super bright LED's, which is a MUST DO upgrade for modern Outbacks anyway. It really helps these poor light gathering cameras to have backup lights that actually light up the world behind your car. The stock backup lights aren't even good enough for my eyes and mirrors beyond a few feet. 7.) CUSTOMIZATION I can't say this bothers me much since I immediately deleted the exterior bronze highlights (I kept the badge) on my exterior, and after that and putting new wheels and tires, which many people do, the car doesn't really look like a Wilderness, or even a Subaru. It has a unique sort of look. And an under the radar kind of look, which fits my sleeper temperment. If you want your car to look different, there are a lot of ways to get there. I don't want to spend thousands extra for constant modeling tweaks that don't matter. 8.) Factory Sound.. The 2022 didn't offer high end sound (newer models offer better sound and you SHOULD GET IT), and I have NEVER IN MY LIFETIME owned ANY car that had CHEAPER factory speakers in it. They are postage stamps with magnets the size of tic tacs. In fact after seeing them out of the car, and weighing them in my hand (careful not to let the wind blow them away) I was impressed that the crappy sound was as good as it was. And on top of this, when you do look into upgrading sound, you realize that integrating with the factory infotainment system is not recommended, and not supported or easy aftermarket. Crutchfield warns that Subaru Starlink systems are tied into the Front end speakers, and it is sensitive to aftermarket Amplifiers being used (most likely because Starlink is a RADIO, and was not built with enough isolation circuitry, and everything is on the same board). Additionally the ECU of the infotainment system is entertainment, mixed with informational screens, mixed with touchscreen controls, all of which is comingled with the ECU of the whole damn car, so you can't just swap in an aftermarket headunit unless you put it somewhere else, or want to deal with a lot of headaches like load simulating capacitors to make the car think it is wired as it was at the factory. I finally settled for doing a Speaker only Upgrade. I replaced the corner dash tweeters with Alpines, and also both front and back doors with Alpines as well, and the sound is a LOT better, but it deserves amplification that I decided not to give it because of all the warnings and integration problems, and now I am worried that the higher draw aftermarket speakers will eventually blow out the low powered China Cheap stock audio amp in the infotainment system one day, which will screw up everything, and require me to replace the entire assembly (because it would cost the same as replacing the one component). But at the end of the day I AM a lot happier with the Alpine aftermarket speaker sound, tho It's not super loud it's loud enough to enjoy with all the windows and sunroof opened up(better than stock by far), and although I had to make some sharper EQ settings than a superb system would have required, I like the improvement that resulted in once I smoothed it out the response. I love my Outback Wilderness. There are a lot of things I really like about it. I share many of the same criticisms as AA does. But I think we both like it more than we are annoyed by aspects of it, many of which there are fixes for.. But it's good to be honest about the ugly aspects of any car, and to share those faults with perspective buyers.
Awesome write up! I really appreciate your elaborate explanations to each topic and that you took the time to provide insightful and at times amusing responses! 😂 You’re right, overall it’s a fantastic vehicle and I hope this video and everyone else’s comments are beneficial to potential buyers. 🙂
Dude...this vehicle is badass...these issues are ridiculous. Complaining just to Complain. I love mine. If you don't like yours, let me buy it off you. I could use another one.
These are great vehicles, you’re right! But I wanted to share some of the little issues or concerns that myself and other people have to provide that insight to any potential buyers considering one of these. I’ve had mine (~2.5 years) which is about as long as I keep anything, so it might be about time to sell and move on the next experience, lol. 😂
I have a 2024 Outback XT. Twice the car went to take the off ramp at 75mph. As for MPG, I have 1600 miles so far and most of those are highway at 75mph. MPG is around 27-28mpg. But it is a turbo charged brick. Agree with the screen, HVAC controls and auto shut off. Above all else, I hate the auto shut off.
@@AutomotiveAnonymous208 It was indeed startling. Not sure which was worse, the sudden turn or the destination if it had taken the turn - the Mississippi Delta. Drove through there once, which was one time too many.
I might be in the minority but the extended plastic cladding on the exterior looks cheap and is the hardest material to keep dard and looking new. the cut out around the fuel fill door is stupid and makes it look like an after thought.
The autos start stop is a federal requirement as far as I am concerned because of emissions for this particular vehicle. Also I get 18mpg in the city with tons of start and stop. Best mpg I’ve gotten is 26! n the freeway here in SoCal
After watching this video I just ordered one. I remember driving a car and reversing without a camera so no big deal to me. Nothing in the video made me think twice, there are so many more positives then negatives.
I’m glad to hear that, these are awesome vehicles! I made this video because for some a combination of these characteristics of it have been a deal breaker, but none of them are truly that big of a deal IMO compared to similar vehicles. 🙂
My biggest nag is they I went for a premium outback to avoid the 2.4 turbo thinking I’d get better mpg’s. I average 22.8 mpg in mixed city/highway driving with the 2.5. The best mpg’s I’ve averaged is 36 mpg on a road trip that was just under 200 miles riding by myself. Fully loaded with my family and luggage and it only gets 30 mpg on the same trip (family members house that’s out of state). It doesn’t take much to affect the mpg’s in these cars. Plus, if you don’t have the exact same air pressure in every tire, it drags down the mpg’s.
I really don’t get the lane keep assist complaint. I’ve had it in my Crosstrek for the last two years and have used it countless times over a lot of miles, both in the city and on long trips, and I think it works great. The only significant issue I’ve seen is when the highway is a really light colored, concrete material and it’s bright out with a lot of glare. Then the system can’t recognize the lane for lack of contrast with the lines. I’ve only had this on one section of a few miles of interstate in my city. Never a problem anywhere else. Rarely a little ping ponging, but only with a poorly marked road. In fact I found the Subaru system works significantly better than a newish Honda Pilot I rented.
Do you mean for off roading? It’s fairly high up off the ground. You could always cut it off and weld a straight pipe on for a bit more sound and less bulk, or maybe there’s after market mufflers for this platform or that can be modified for it. 🤷♂️🙂
One thing I noticed is the Wilderness floor mat doesn't cover the carpet under the gas pedal. It leaves about 10 square inches of carpet exposed under the gas pedal and in the area between it and the brake pedal. I think I will check who sells a floor mat that covers the area under the gas pedal better. I hope Subaru fixes this.
I agree with the auto start/stop.... I hate it. When I forget to turn it off and come to a stop I think the car is going to break but the I'm like "DOH!!!" and turn it off. I also don't like the lane assist. I was diving an a straight interstate and turned it on. The car kept wanting to hug the right line, which puts me to close for comfort to the big rigs. I do like the adaptive cruise control and the braking alerts although when I was on a pretty rocky and bumpy path in the Sierra Nevada last week it came on in a mildly deep hole.. I also agree with the wheel options. A lot of videos I've seen, people go out and get aftermarket wheels which I plan to do when they fall next in line on the upgrade list that I'm keeping.
My first experience with lane assist was in a Hyundai Sonata. Was on the interstate up north and I thought the wind was blowing me off the road.. no. It was just the lane assist trying to take control. This is me coming from a 2008 Impreza bare bones to a 2023 car with all technology.
My only complaint about this car is the fabric soundproofing stretched underneath the car. Ripped down the middle first and only time on the trail by a small branch. Replacement cost at dealer $900
We purchased the 2024 Forester and it gets no where near the 26/33 MPG advertised. If there is a class action litigation regarding this car, we wish to join.
My only real gripe I guess and this is certainly a pipe dream but I wish it was turbo diesel electric hybrid 6speed manual. I bet those mpg number would go up and you also end up with more power and torque.
I had a 2017 Forester that had the Dynamic Cruise Control. It was very good a recognizing a threat and stopping but couldn't stay in the lane without wandering out of the lane. The other safety junk worked mediocre at best. I eventually traded for a Ford Escape hybrid that had much better safety stuff and stays in the lane even around curves. It does not have the head watching stupid electronics, just the hands on the wheel. Subaru should have figured out the hybrid which would resolve your engine shut off issue.
I hope it’s clear that I do really like my OBW. But the FW is awesome! I of course wish it was offered as a turbo manual (I would trade my OBW for that). But half the small issues I have with the Outback are not a concern on the FW. We’re all assuming the new Forester will be announced by Subaru 11/16, and if the spy photos of it with the 11.6” screen are true I think we’ll plan to get my Wife a 24 Forester before it’s to late. 🙂
That’s awesome, I don’t think I knew they could do that. Is that just while in reverse and pushing the front camera button as well? No the Outback’s can’t, but it can drive with the front camera on up to 10mph.
It won't do both at the same time, but in the 24 OBW if you are using the forward camera and go into reverse, and then back into drive the forward camera will come back on, you don't have to push the button again.
Didn’t touch on anything off road wise. The front skid plate is an absolute JOKE for a car that is billed in every promo vid as an off road capable car that will take you off beaten path. I was literally able to bend the factory “skid plate” (more like aluminum foil) with kids hands. It only covers the approach, and not full engine. Took mine off-road, it was dented to hell with rocks and I laughed how and it was. Replaced it with a proper skid from RalliTek and now it’s actually capable. Every other gripe I agreed with you on. My MPG is shit in my opinion, I installed the auto stop eliminator day TWO of ownership because it drove me mad, but I never use any of the self driving or correcting features because I don’t trust tech. Tires could have been a better choice but all decisions from auto manufacturers cater to the 99% of the driving time, not the small fraction of fun time. It has to be quiet and capable, and push their nonsensical emission standards (bye bye STI) due to the global push for “carbon emissions” and “climate change”.
That’s a good point, it’s likely they included the bare minimum factory skid plate just to allow them to advertise that it’s a thing. Why did you go with Rallitek over Primitive or any other brand? Thanks for watching!
No doubt. It just borders on false advertising to say a thin piece of aluminum foil mounted on top of plastic is going to do anything. @@danielfair4675
Oh lord we must have a boomer here folks. Afraid of new tech. At what point in your life did you stop accepting new tech? It's just like boomers at some point in their life, stopped listening to new music. They literally picked a year like when they are 50 and said screw it. No more new stuff for me. I'm gonna listen to the same old shit over and over again. It's pathetic. Change with the times. Embrace change. Stop being loser with opinions because you are afraid it will hurt whatever image you conjured up about yourself. Ps. If you are not a boomer. Then you were imprinted with these ideas from your boomer parents and didn't move out till you were 30 years old. We call your kind the Imprinted boomers.
Is yours a 24? I’m unsure if that’s one of the random accessories you can option on it on the Subaru website or if that’s an add on that this dealer has done on some random examples. I’ve only noticed it on the 2024s, not either previous years model. 🤷♂️🤔
I bet that was a really cool experience! I would just do some googling or look for it online or if your dealer can order it for you at a reasonable price? 🙂
I’m glad you enjoyed it. Definitely go test drive one! They’re pretty awesome. And if you haven’t driven a Subaru in snow, once you do you’ll understand the cult like following these things have. 🙂
Not to call you out on few of the things you’ve called issues, however I will; -The CVT isn’t really an issue if you know how to maintain it, generally speaking people who change transmission fluids every 60,000 km are still running their old Subarus past 200,000 km with no real complaints! That’s why Subaru builds simplicity in transmissions, for most part! - Two, the lane keep assist actually works well for the most part on longer trips, it directs me back in lane on sharper turns on highways. (There is one actual complaint to talk about, which you did not mention to in the video) *you probably should have* -And lastly, Subaru doesn’t offer much customization for two reasons, because they aren’t necessarily a luxury brand and aren’t focused on that kind of BS! They mainly focus on providing a reliable and interesting vehicle to sell to the public, while remaining fairly simple to use inside and out! They also know for the majority of people who buy aftermarket accessories to their vehicles, hence the fact they don’t offer much!. I will agree with few of your complaints however; - the touch screen on mine i do find tad bit laggy at times when connecting music and so on. -the auto stop feature I prefer to have off and is kinda annoying to keep pressing the button to set it, every time I restart the vehicle. - The fuel economy on my cross trek is worst than what Subaru claims for most from my drives. I owned a MINI before buying a new Crosstrek, my MINI puts this to shame in fuel economy. Best I got out of this Subaru so far is 26 mpg city and 34 mpg highway. (My MINI did roughly 29 mpg city and 43 mpg highway) *And the problem you should’ve mentioned, or from what I’ve actually noticed, is the fact that Subarus camera system and forward collision warnings would sometimes turn off during certain weather. Which could cause major accidents, that’s a real concern*
That’s a good question. I haven’t looked closely to the 24 Wilderness window stickers but I’m assuming it’s an option or part of a package, rather than standard equipment for this new model year. But I can’t say for sure. Thanks for watching! 🙂
Oh that’s good to know! Only the Touring and maybe the limited trim (I can’t remember) had that 3 camera gen 4 system in the U.S. thanks for watching! 🙂
My biggest petpeeve is when manufactureres make dash illuminate with ASS system disabled. VW just lets you know ASS is off, and then disapears from the screen. Amber light on the dash WILL drive me bonkers.
Sad to see Subaru still not offering fully manual traditional gear box. I still drive a Gen 3 outback, and won't consider any car they have made after 2010. I need a manual gearbox, with low transfer gear, period. They said they switched to CVT because manual gear boxes had poor fuel economy. But I can get 35mpg from my Gen 3 if I drive conservatively which compares with the latest rubber band transmissions.
Their CVT is said to be a good one. Have you heard otherwise? The drive assist for lanes, I understand can be disabled. The Auto Stop/Start is an ill of all new cars, just turn it off each time. I have come to the conclusion if you want simpler cars, you will have to go used -- maybe 1990's or early 2000, or just live with the complexity. Toyota RAV4 may have a longer lasting transmission and engine, but is it not more noisy on the road? The seats not as good. Compromise is the word of the day.
Absolutely! Everything has its pros and cons. I’ve also heard that the Subaru CVT is one of the most reliable and more failures are due to this valve body component rather than the entire transmission.
I had an Outback. The head gasket let rip at 70,000 miles, and the engine detonated. Oil leaks, coolant leak burning off onto the exhaust manifold entering the cabin, constant bulb failure, terrible fuel economy, plastic radiator (I still have the burn marks). Never again.
Lame list of dislikes , as for the CVT I have a 2015 Outback 3.6R that I had to replace the CVT and the dealer ask if I want a rebuild one or new of course I choose the new one and the total replacement around 3 thousand dollars . Compared to buying a new Outback I think was good idea since my is paid and still running good . Very rare to buy a new car that we totally like unless you order it with what you want .
My mechanic, who I trust, says buy a Toyota or Subaru. Now, I’ve always owned Toyota’s so that is high praise. He doesn’t recommend current Honda’s or Mazda’s etc… for long term reliability he recommends Subaru’s and Toyota’s. I’ll most likely give Subaru a shot because Toyota’s are pricing themselves out of my comfort zone.
Got rid of mine, forester with manual. Burned more oil new than a Honda with quarter million miles. Never bought one since. Lost me a lot of money. Was plenty quick with manual transmission. TFL tested the cvt. Was worthless, would pull up nothing. They got mad and wouldn’t let them test after that. Fixed on wilderness. Won’t buy one again.
Ouch. I’m sorry to hear that, but at least you’re hopefully good to go for another 150k miles! So they rebuilt it? I’ve mostly just heard of the CVTs being replaced not rebuilt.
I don't think i've gotten over 22mpg in the 8500 miles on my 2023 outback wilderness, not sure why since I'm not driving overly aggressive. Even with a naked roof I can’t get advertised mileage
@@AutomotiveAnonymous208 yes, I do enjoy the car. Added rallitek overload springs in the rear to help prevent sag when loaded with gear and have a prinsu roof rack arriving this week. Wish me luck on that install, haha 😂
I wish Subaru would reintroduce the Legacy Wagon. No roof rack simple dedicated anchor points like the Legacy sedan currently has. Manually equipped would be great too.
Why a CVT Subaru WHY!?!? That is the only thing keeping me from buying one. If they offered a decent 6 or 8 speed AT, I would be a proud owner. CVT's are still not as reliable as a decent AT.
Absolutely agree! And it’s a shame, especially since they now make reliable turbo engines unlike the old EJs, which I personally would have never bought.
I was the same way, but figured they’ve been out long enough that I’d give it a try. And well, I really like it. I went from a 2012 forester touring to a 2024 wilderness and I feel the power is much more responsive and less laggy. And it’s actually an 8 speed CVT, if you didn’t know. The only big difference I see is, it doesn’t lose power when shifting. It’s basically the same engine I had in my 2012 and yet it feels a lot snappier. Still, to each their own. Maybe you’d hate it 🤷🏻♂️
Definitely test drive both, and read owners comments on social media forums! I think the Bronco sports have their own fair share of concerns as well. At least what I remember reading when I did a review of one a few months ago. I would say these concerns with the Wilderness are small, only the potential questionability of the CVT is a real issue. But honestly I don’t think it’s any greater of a chance than a Ford ecoboost engine failing or transmission having a problem. Just my opinion based off of what I’ve read and any biases I might have. Best of luck, and thanks for watching! 🙂
@@AutomotiveAnonymous208 great advice, I was half joking. I’m cross shopping Crosstrek, Bronco Sport Badlands and CX-30 turbo. Which would you recommend as best all around?
The CX-30 Turbo is sweet, they feel quite quick, I’ve done a few videos of them when I started my channel. But the Crosstrek is definitely more capable off road with its ground clearance and better AWD system. Additionally full size adults fit in the back seat. I personally would not seriously consider many non performance Ford products, especially the Bronco Sport, I’m sorry 😅 if you don’t regularly drive off road, need the extra space, or in crazy snow I would likely go with the Mazda. 🤷♂️🙂
I personally love mine. I put in aftermarket fog lights and put more powerful reverse bulbs in. My buddy used to be a Subaru tech and said as long as you don’t tow the maximum capacity all the time and get the fluids replaced every 50k miles the CVT should not have any problems. I do agree that it would be nice to have more factory options to personalize it, but there are so many aftermarket things you can do it’s not that big of a deal. It is a perfect vehicle if you need your daily driver to have a little more off-road capability. That’s why I got mine anyway
I really appreciate your insight and perspective, it’s reassuring to hear from your friends remarks as well. Thanks for watching! 🙂
What bulbs did you use for the reverse lights?
@@fastmover0 my wife got them for me for a Christmas present so I don’t know the exact model number but they were from diode dynamics…that’s where I got the fog lights from as well and later ditch lights. The factory reverse lights are like 250lm the DD ones are 1000lm I believe
@@fastmover0 I will note they are expensive, but they are very much worth it, lights up everything very nice for the back up camera and mirrors. Visibility is easily 10x better
Thanks, I will try to find them. I think I'm going to put the light bar in the bottom of the front grill too , like the one @AutomotiveAnonymous208 did in his other video. @@stephenbyrne3778
The start-stop coming on with the ignition is a legal requirement for emissions testing. Many govt inspections specify that the vehicle must comply from the moment you start the car. It's the same reason a lot of sport/track modes are deactivated when you turn the car off.
Start-stop is on by default in my Porsche 718, even. I just turn it off.
Most of the 7 listed issues are not an issue for me. I strongly agree on the auto-stop feature needing to be configurable, that’s the only real issue. The other two are the camera’s quality and the choice of wheels, but those are more of a desirable improvement than issues. Otherwise Wilderness is a really great vehicle
I put in the auto start stop illuminator only cost me 110 bucks in a little bit of work
I actually remembered one more issue - Subaru really should have added the memory seat option, especially since the other trims have it. I am sharing Wilderness with my wife and readjusting seats all the time is a real pain
What is the user profile for if it doesn't include the seat settings?
I can’t believe how many people complain about the auto engine shutdown.
You control it with the brake pedal. If you hold it gently the engine want turn off, press a button harder and it does.
You are welcome.
I bought a White 2024 OBW a couple of weeks ago, and just had new speakers installed and it made a huge difference in the sound quality. I called Crutchfield and they recommended the Infinity Reference for the doors and a Rockford Fosgate P3SD2-8 Subwoofer. I'm really happy with the way it sounds and it works with the stock electronics. It no longer sounds like the sound comes from the front because with the stock speakers if you used the fader to move the sound towards the back the sound quality went down quite a bit. You had to keep the fader centered front to back to hear any bass at all. Now you can move it back and it sounds great.
Thanks for sharing this!! Glad you’re enjoying the upgrade!
Thankyou. Very helpful and hands on to hear from someone who has owned one of these for a couple of years. Unlike hearing someone's thoughts after driving one for a month or 2. I think you and I are the only people I've heard saying a manual transmission for the OBW would be nice if they offered that option. Not a fan of the CVT but I understand most people don't have a problem with it. Thanks again.
You’re welcome, I’m glad we’re on the same page! 🙂
About the AS/S business... the boxer-type engine causes the roughness of the on/off process. If it REALLY bothers you that much, you can buy an Auto Stop/Start Eliminator (for less that $100) that does NOT plug into your OBD port - it installs up in the overhead console (for map lights/sunroof switch/etc.). Works just fine.
I was given a base outback 2024 as a courtesy car and I must agree that the camera image quality is poor. My 2020 forester has a much, much more better quality display. The CVT is also a bummer but it's better than having an EV without any transmission. Other than that I can't wait for my 2024 outback limited XT I ordered in the past weeks. I don't really care about the infotainment system because I don't really use it in my forester. All I do is put on the radio and then adjust the HVAC.
The comfort in the outback is outer worldly. The seating position is just perfect, the transmission lever is placed just at the right place and the feeling when you shift gears is perfect. A lot more confident inspiring than when I shift gears in my forester anyway.
Leg extenders, 2 seat memory setting, nav system, 2.4l turbo engine, integrated turn signals in the mirrors, auto dimming rear view mirror, harman and kardon sound system are all features my forester doesn't have.
Pretty much agree with all of them. The one that gets me is not having a manual transmission option. Subaru of America stated the reason they were dropped in 2015 from the outback and Legacy, is that there wasn’t a demand for them. I remember going to multiple lots between 2012-1015 trying to find one to purchase to no avail. So how can you say there wasn’t demand when there was no supply?
I’m 41 and have been driving a manual transmission car since I was 16. First car was a 1963 VW bug. I’ve only had 1 automatic and I traded it in after a few weeks. Can’t stand them. They’re pretty much phasing them out all across the board. So many people on forums and people I’ve met irl are upset that their car will longer have a manual transmission option in the next generation. Ridiculous
b/c you and a few thousand others were specifically wanting them means nothing when Subaru is trying to selll hundreds of thousands of OB's to the USA. USA is general does not choose MT over auto. Been that way for a long time. Heck, not even Honda offers MT on the Accord anymore in the US
Only thing I don't like is lack of true skid plates. I can deal with the other stuff.
Thankfully the flimsy stock skid plate is easily interchangeable! 😎
Subaru was getting their skid plates from a factory in Russia, but they dropped doing business with them when they invaded the Ukraine.
They will throw in the skids plates of you ask when buying (got mine in Canada with front, transmission, and rear diff skid plates). I also got them to swap out the plastic black door handles (they cheaped out and used the ones from the base model). I got them to swap in the chrome ones that are common to all other outback models (2022 & 2023 have chrome door handle pulls). Couldn't really belive that they cost cut in such a silly area....maybe they didn't in the US. I had a 2022 OBW before the 2024. The upgraded stereo to harmon kardon 12 speaker system and wireless android auto is what makes the car basically as good as it currently can be in Canada. I have already swapped out the springs for the Ralitek 3/4" overlpad springs. They are so much better, and provide such an improved ride and do not sag with bikes and a heavy load in the back.
Right!? Those skid plates are cheap
I agree with your early comment in the video, this is a vehicle that has brought new customers to Subaru. Never thought about buying one until I purchased a 2023 Outback Wilderness late last year, since then I added a 2023 WRX to the collection. I'm loving both vehicles and never would have considered them without stumbling over the Wilderness and discovered how good Subaru was!
I’m glad you’re enjoying your sweet turbo Subaru’s! 😎
I don't think I'd say those things "ruin" it, as that's such an absolute that there's no room for "yes, those things are bad, but they don't outweigh the things that are good." I think that, while those concerns are valid (I especially share the one about climate controls being in the touchscreen, which causes major distractions while driving), the overall bang-for-your-buck of the Outback Wilderness is still excellent, and anyone looking for a solid, comfortable, and reliable daily driver who also wants a solid, comfortable, and reliable road-tripper and off-roader should strongly consider it. I traded in my 2020 Outback Premium, which had the same general issues being from the same generation, for the 2024 OBW, and I have no regrets. I learned to live with the quirks in exchange for the perks, which are far more numerous.
We’ll said, I appreciate you watching and sharing your perspective! I’m hoping this video is informational to some potential buyers who may appreciate knowing the typical gripes before committing. Although the biggest reason I hear people not choosing Subaru is due to the CVT. The validity of our concerns, only time will tell I’m sure.
@@AutomotiveAnonymous208 I've come to appreciate the value of the '24 OBW even more since building similar rides from other manufacturers on their websites, only to discover they can cost many thousands, even tens of thousands more than this car, and even then some of them still lack some of the features that come with this model. For example, when building a Volvo XC40 with as close as I could get to the features of the OBW, it came to well over $51,000, and it's still not as capable or even as comfortable and quiet (I drove one for comparison just to be sure). And its climate controls are also in the touchscreen. To top that off, the XC60 is actually the closer model to the Outback, and it's even more expensive still. Way more expensive. You also have to step up to this model to get ventilated front seats, which come standard with the Outback Touring that costs only marginally more than the Wilderness when optioned with the turbo.
Subaru somehow manages to offer so much more for so much less than their competitors without sacrificing durability and overall reliability.
Totally agree, I went through the same exercise. Glad I am not the only one the came to the same conclusion.
I’m not sure what more to do with auto start/stop, most modern cars have that feature. It’s definitely not just a Sub issue. And after owning the 23 model for a while now, none of the things mentioned are actually a problem.
I’m glad the inconveniences I’ve noticed with the platform aren’t a concern for you! Thanks for watching. 🙂
My understanding is that the Auto Start/Stop "feature" is a requirement from the Federal government for "Environmental" reasons
@@AutomotiveAnonymous208lmao, so passive aggressive. It's a button you can push right after starting the car...by pushing the ignition button. Soooo inconvenient ;)
Auto stop / start eliminator is wired into the overhead console and works perfect. It's not OBDII. I have it and love it.
@@ericbeauchea8526 We all know you can buy kits to keep it disabled. His point is he wishes he didn't have to in the first place.
As a long time, former Jeep and 4Runner driver, overall, really happy with mine. Little thirsty for short trips but travelling from Philly to Myrtle Beach at 75-80mph average, getting around 26.5 MPG. Yeah, not great compared to other Subarus but awesome compared to 4Runner and Jeep. More comfortable. Subaru also is able to go to 90% of places those two vehicles go. DO NOT like infotainment center. Also, would be nice if AC/Heat and heated seats were knobs and switches. Just installed Cooper Road and Trail ATs. Same size and weight of OME tire (which weren't horrible). Much improved handling and performance on and off road.
I'm thinking of buying the Outback wilderness and will be doing lots of driving, potentially from California to Michigan and take off the beaten path for some camping/mountain biking. How does ride and is it confident off road for being a light duty off road vehicle? I don't want to buy a jeep or 4runner for my daily driver.
@@TheDirthound Get one, you won't be disappointed. Solid road manners and I have run mine off road along muddy fire lanes, on the beach and mountain snow. I loved my Jeeps and 4runner but quite honestly this vehicle is much more applicable for the reality of most of us as opposed to the "image" of the others.
AS/S is mandated in the US for all new cars, not Subaru's fault. Although should be a physical button and not in the touch screen
It's a fixed icon on the screen, so what difference does it make if it's on a touchscreen or a physical button? Perhaps it wasn't always this way, idk.
I really enjoy my OBW over my 21 TXT Outback. Only thing I miss is the cooled seats. The CVT is much smoother and I think much of that is due to the lower gearing and it taking less effort to get up to speed.
I’m glad you’re enjoying the new OBW, kinda interesting how a different gear ratio can do that. Thanks for watching and sharing your experience! 🙂
No gears in a cvt bro lol
How do you overfill the gas tank? Doesn't the gas pump turn off when it's full? Or are you referring to manually filling it from a canister? If manually filling it, I doubt you'd be topping off the last gallon of an 18.5 gallon. So just wondering what you're referring to.
Good question. I’m referring to when you’re filling at the pump and it clicks and auto shuts off the first time when the pump senses it’s full. I’m unsure of what percentage of the total 18.5 gallons that would be. Sometimes people will wait a moment for the fluid to settle and keep filling to the point it fills up the neck and almost splashes out. That is what is not advised. I’m sorry I didn’t make it more clear.
@@AutomotiveAnonymous208 thank you that makes sense. I never do that personally but I could see others doing it. Good to know
The fuel click off,happens,when you still can put in 2 gallons,this means a lot when you are on the open road,and also have had a 2006,2015,and now a 2220 outback,great cars,please stop with all that uglycladding,hard to keep from graying out,let us buy or order without it!Way to much,a Old,Old,Old Guy!
This isn’t a Subaru issue either though. All modern cars have a vent system built into their fuel tank. Overfilling any of those, that is filling beyond the automatic cut off (the first click) can cause issues with them.
you dont buy these for gas mileage . im over folks whining about the mileage. didnt you do your research first. love mine the power and ride are just the best
Makes me wonder if many of these owners knew that it wasn’t that long ago that Subaru vehicles had half of the engine power and mixed driving mileage in the teens. A full time AWD system with 200+ hp, etc and getting the mileage that the OBW gets is pretty stellar. The gearing on this model trim is more aggressive than the other trims due to being more off road focused.
We're getting 31+ mpg and loving it.
Perfect for where we live, in the middle of nowhere 😅😅😊
I love my 2024 OBW, smooth comfortable drive, i have a trailer hitch on the back and just bought the CAtuned front brush bar to protect the front from bad drivers who cant park without bumping me. GAs mileage could be better but it is very quick.
The 2024 Outback Wilderness should be a 6-speed manual. However, its CVT seems good for a CVT. The Auto-Stop-Start lacking a memory of being turned off is the biggest pet peeve. That aftermarket work-around product doesn't just plug-in under the dash as you suggested. Instead you have to drop the Eyesight camera housing to install it. I printed a label & stuck that label over the gold at the bottom of my steering wheel (label: STOP-START). The label reminds me to turn off the STOP-START after starting the Outback each time. The sound system is great but after turning the ignition off & then, back on, the vehicle doesn't consistently restart my bluetooth iPod set up. It's annoying to manually renew that connection. An issue you missed are the gaps between the front seats & the console. It's hard to fish dropped items out of that abyss. I installed pieces of 1/2 inch rubber water-pipe insulation in those gaps to combat gravity. Cut an oval hole in the rubber insulation to accommodate the seatbelt receiver. That hole pushed over the seatbelt receiver keeps the piece from moving to the front or to the back. Another issue: the Outback Wilderness should come with a factory-installed hitch receiver.
Great insight and good points! Thanks for watching. 🙂
Omg I call that spot between the console and seat the abyss too lol. I unbolt the front seats every time I vacuum my obw
Adaptive cruise control and lane assistance are two totally different things and they have different buttons for each function. I agree the lane assist is a bit aggressive, I personally will only be using it on highway driving, as on smaller roads with curvy lines it can throw you in weird directions. But overall, the adaptive cruise control is wayyy better than they were in 2017 versions. I just upgraded from 2017 to 2024 and the adaptive cruise control is way more smooth and fluid and actually slowly gets you close to the car in front of you if you're in bumper to bumper traffic, when the 2017 version would just stay a pre-programmed distance and didn't adapt.
Great insight! Thanks for watching and sharing your experiences and how they relate to the 2017. If I said adaptive cruise in this video I’m pretty sure I definitely meant the lane keep assist! Of all the benefits the CVT styled tranny provides I do have to agree with you and say it does a really good job of maintaining distance and getting up to speed in a smooth fashion.
I have a 2020 Ford Escape Titanium and the auto start/stop also has to be turned off every time I start it. It annoyed me at first but I’ve had it almost two years now, and like you said it just becomes muscle memory.
Other commentators have suggested that if you plan on towing on a regular basis, this may not be the best combination of engine/transmission for that use case. I live in Canada and when our Mitsubishi RVR's CVT started to slip, the dealer replaced it under warranty, and they told me it would cost $11K to replace it if I was paying for it. And I don't use the RVR for towing. Moral of the story, if your vehicle doesn't have a 10 year warranty on the engine/transmission then either buy an extended warranty, or reconsider your choice of vehicle.
Great insight and thank you for sharing that experience! 🙂
Agree about CVT's. and no manual transmission option? That is bad. My old Forester still works. 180K , with the original head gaskets.
Just picked up a 24 Ascent Onyx edition. I was told by the service manager that the 19 and 20 Ascents had the same CVT as the Outback. They had some issues so starting in 21 the Ascent got a larger or upgraded CVT and that seems to be working much better.
Is that true? Great news!
I’ve been seeing more and more failures on older CVT Subarus unfortunately, and the issue is that on most/all models the CVT and the front differential are one single unit, making the replacement VERY expensive.
Hopefully the newer ones don’t end up doing the same.
Hi there thank you for your content. My feedback about complaint number two is as follows; it’s government regulated. Subaru, unfortunately has no control over this. They have to have it turned on every time the car starts for government regulations in order to keep up with emissions rules. It’s not a Subaru thing it’s a government regulation thing.
I’m glad you chose to watch my video. And good insight towards to root of the reason! 🙂
Thank you for your candid video on the Wilderness. I have a Limited and agree with your assessment of start/stop. Unfortunately, I suspect it is a feature to enable them to get the mileage that EPA requires. Fortunately, they allowed a painless way for aftermarket alteration to set the disable/enable. Being new to the infotainment system in my '24, I like it. Although, it is clumber some to wade through the screens at times. Oddly, I like the factory TomTom slightly better than the Google Maps via Android Auto app. Thanks again for the video.
I’m glad you’re enjoying your new Limited! My pleasure in making this video, thanks for watching and sharing your perspective! 🙂
I have a 23 touring. I had a repair shop for 38 years, the cameras compared to some other CURRENT systems are not that bad. I don't know if the wilderness has it, but I have a dorsel mount camera for the rear view if it's full in the back. It gives some night vision and covers allot more area than the reverse cam. I've filled the car and used it a number of times in the last 16 months, running to and from our cabin.
Great insight, thank you for sharing! The Wilderness does not have the rear view mirror camera, but I’ve driven a few Touring XT Outback’s that do have that feature.
Our other car is a RAV4 hybrid limited. I really miss the Birdseye camera from that. You’re right Subaru has a long way to go in the camera department. I also lament the lack of storage that is part and partial of the full-size spare tire.
Yeah, I could imagine! How do you like your hybrid Rav4?
@@AutomotiveAnonymous208 I absolutely love it, to me it remains the perfect vehicle 8.1” of clearance, 40 MPG, 500 mile range, digital rear view mirror, birdseye camera. Actually, as I type this I would be unable to rationalize the purchase of the wilderness. Yes it has an additional 1.3” of clearance and the full sized spare (double edged sword that it is)but those are the only wins I can see. I’ve never pushed the RAV too far off road but from what I’ve seen on the net (yeah, take that for what its worth, no offense) it seems almost as capable as the wilderness so long as you don’t high center it.
Ive been looking at the 2023 Forester and Outback Wilderness and what you mentioned about the steering being very sensitive is my only real concern. I think the cars should have a better neutral spot feel in the steering wheel.
I’m excited for you, they’re great! If that’s your only concern that’s not to bad. But you’re right, a neutral spot would be better, or just decreased sensitivity. Thanks for watching! 🙂
I also wish they had more knobs and buttons instead of everything in the massive display. It's a safety thing as much as convenience
We have a 22 Outback Wilderness and a 23 Outback Onyx Edition. They’re great. Steering feels fine to me but I’m used to driving trucks, etc. Love the versatility of Subarus.
@@edwardponton2579 Which do you like better, Wilderness or the Onyx
My one complaint is a serious one. Mine is a 2022 Outback Touring XT. Got in a heavy downpour on the freeway and cruise control was on. I guess it’s also an Eyesight issue. Suddenly nothing worked, steering, brakes, couldn’t turn off cruise control. Car followed vehicle in front keeping a constant distance. Even tried to turn off engine, nothing I tried worked. I was terrified, had no control of the car on a busy freeway. Eventually when the heavy rain let up the problem went away. I contacted Subaru and they were unaware of the problem.
Woah that’s wild. I’m sorry that happened, I’ve never heard of anything like that before.
@@AutomotiveAnonymous208 it was like that for around 15 minutes.
Cool glimpse into the homestead. I spent some time in the magic valley, During my youth. But I don't think we are talking about the same place.
As I’m sure you can tell, by my channel name and the way I film, I value maintaining as much privacy as I reasonably can. But it’s fun to every once in a while sneak in a minimal glimpse of personality or background such as this. 🙂
Glad I got the 2023 Crosstrek Premium with the 6 speed manual. A simple inexpensive car that's AWD.
I drove one of those last year, the most fun Crosstrek I’ve ever driven, lol.
The issues seem to be considered by some Subie acolytes as "features", but the good news is there have been improvements with time.
I had a 2021 OB Onyx XT under lease, just got a '24 Crosstrek Sport. The auto start-stop override you showed on the big screen used to be buried as a toggle in the car menu, so the "button" at least is accessible and easy to use. The seat heaters on the Xtrek are controlled with toggle switches in the console as opposed to be being buried in a popup menu on the screen as was the case with the Outback. Another major improvement. Finally, the rear camera image, which I wish would at least be bigger on that big screen, is at least much sharper on the '24 XTrek, so I'm guessing it's improved on the other models too. I miss the enormous rear space and power liftgate on the Outback, but as a driver the Xtrek is great - same smooth ride and quiet demeanor as the Outback (the biggest surprise of all), but more tossable handling even if the steering is not exactly Porsche-accurate. The Outback was a great snow and ice car, the Xtrek has the same clearance. I've only had it a few days so I've not tested in ice and snow, but my friends in Montana have had Crosstreks for years.
Relative to CVT, I feel like there are both benefits (smoothness, essentially you don't even think about it as you drive it day to day) as well as drawbacks. Mainly, the CVT is almost a crapshoot in terms of where the "shifts" occur (i.e., RPM adjustments to get into the torque band), but at least it doesn't groan like a Nissan. The CVT operation seemed worse with the 2.4T than it is with the less powerful 2.5L. I always thought the CVT was the biggest drawback of the Outback XT powertrain (slow start up, then it would rubber band forward, which is fun but not necessarily safe in traffic). CVT actually seems smoother and more controllable with the 2.5L in the lighter Xtrek Sport (plus you get the S-I drive which allows either "intelligent" or "Sport", which the Outback did not have). It seems like with less power and torque to play with, the CVT is more predictable (meaning safer). S mode keeps the engine higher in the power band and fairly responsive if a tad louder (not too different than the 2.4T in that regard), while I mode is pretty focused on economy though it will get you to speed just fine in normal driving.
All those empty whinings only convinced me to BUY this car ASAP 🎉
Hahaha 😂
Thanks for making your videos! Do you know if you can get a 10 year 100K mile warranty on the engine and CVT? I think Subaru advertises 60K miles. I am thinking about buying a 2024 OBW but am concerned about long term reliability. I usually keep my cars for a long time. Also I am not impressed with the optional sound system, if anyone has upgraded the speakers or amp please comment below on how you improved the bass and sound quality. The one I listened to the other day had very little bass and poor sound quality. I had high hopes for it considering it had a factory installed subwoofer.
My pleasure! I would imagine so, but I don’t have personal experience with Subaru extended warranties or know if there’s standard or dynamic offers/negotiations that can be made. As far as upgraded speakers I would suggest asking that question or searching for it on a social media forum around the Outback’s and see what others have done! Best of luck! 🙂
hands free should not only not be an option, it should be illegal.. keep YOUR dam hands on the wheel at all times...
Agreed!
The idea is to pry your control of vehicle one baby step at a time so your conditioned to accept giving up all control in the name of safety. Really it will just give government complete control over your movements in the future is my hypothesis/guess.
@@sterlingsequoia5932 nah, it's not big goverment. It's the humans from Wall-E... our species is so dam lazy..
It’s not that noticeable unless you’re not paying attention…. It doesn’t even work all the time, they got a long way to go…. It’s more like it’s trying to protect your ass if you’re fuck up but only 30% of the time…..
It’s not illegal. It’s undocumented! 😂
Whew! So relieved to hear none of your issues concern me about my OB. I love it.
I’m glad to hear that! Every vehicle has its characteristics that not everyone is going to like, and no vehicle is perfect. Thankfully the OB is very well refined and overall a jack of all trades, and I also really enjoy my own ownership experience of it. But I hear enough chatter on the forums of similar issues to what I’ve experienced that I felt it was worth while to put together this video. Thanks for watching! 🙂
I have 2023 limited Crosstrek and haven't even tried the Adaptive cruise control and have real control for the heating system and easier to turn off the auto start stop and a real emergency brake. And have a cd player. the Harmon kardon system sounds way better with a cd i have noticed than usb or bluetooth way louder as well. I thought the seat belt charm was so annoying so I turned it off. I had hickory nuts hit the hood and a bunch of dents and didn't even park directly underneath. And wasn't park there all the time. Cheap hoods that for sure.
Any issues with the turbo charged boxer engine and CVT? I'm not 100% sold on CVT's just yet. I drove a company car that was a 4cyl with a CVT and thought it was underpowered, esp in acceleration when I needed it. I can see where the addition of a turbo charger would remedy that but does the turbo charger cause more wear and tear to the motor and tranny?
No issues on mine so far at about 34k miles. The turbo is actually a Garrett name brand and overall these current FA generation boxer engines seem to be well built. Much better design for reliability than the older EJ turbo boxers (which I would have never personally bought one of those). The CVTs do seem to be quite good as they’re chain driven and built in house from Subaru from my understanding. But due to the closed unit and design with the AWD system if it ever had to be replaced out of warranty they’re way more expensive than they should be for a transmission. Personally, if I was planning to keep this super long term I would get an extended powertrain warranty. But overall they’re great vehicles and much better than most other vehicles more of the time, in my experience and opinion. Best of luck! 🙂
I want a white one, that’s my top pick colour but I do like the OBW in dark colours too. And I’d like to see the OBW in dark mahogany pearl 🤔
The Onyx is amazing. I love mine!❤
I’m glad you’re enjoying it!! 🙂
An honest and frank discussion. Thanks for the details. Better to know these everyday issues before we commit to buy.
That was exactly my purpose for putting out this video. Thanks for watching! 🙂
I love the eyesight system. Drove from Boston to Philly and I felt like a passenger. 6 hours of driving and felt refreshed.
That’s awesome! Which model/trim level do you own? I have a video of an 800 mile road trip I did in a single day, and because it was mostly open road I agree it felt just fine and like I could have kept going.
Also, this morning I published a video of Subarus safety features in action, if you’re interested to see them tested. 🙂
How often should you change the transmission fluid in these?
I would personally just follow the Subaru maintenance schedule that they give you with your owners books. But most manufacturers range between 30-60k. I don’t drive my OBW that much anymore and haven’t hit 30k yet so I’ve not specifically concerned myself with it yet. I’m assuming the procedure is fairly straightforward. But I plan to watch a few MrSubaru or similar maintenance videos to get their opinion of when or how to do the procedure when mine gets close to needing that done. Sorry if that wasn’t more helpful. 🤷♂️😅
Sorry but I find this article to be very nit picky and the reviewer would complain about a brand new Ferrari or any other car. My recommendation is "don't buy one if you don't like it". Personally, I have the 2024 Outback Touring XT and the only things I found to be undesirable is the auto start stop and the absence of a "Car Wash" mode on system features that could cause problems when getting the car cleaned. Pre-collision, rear brake auto, etc. They can be turned off manually but it is a little concerning. The alternative is to manually wash the car or use a self car wash facility. The auto stop/start feature fix is a one time installation cable that allows the driver the option of having it on or off and not need to fiddle with it. The fix is $99.00 and installation which varies by model. We are very satisfied with our purchase of the car.
Your videos are great man. I too definitely wish the Outback had an m/t option. I'm probably not getting an EV any time soon. I'll get one when we reach the point where driving an internal combustion engine vehicle will be a lot like taking all of your photographs with film, now. If that makes any sense.
Thanks so much!! A m/t would be sweet, although I do recognize MPG would be much worse. Just look at what WRX drivers get, lol. I’ve been against it for a long time but I’m slowly coming around due to some of the benefits they offer. I should say I would only consider a Tesla (likely model Y) or Rivian, not any other brand until they’re more proven and better engineered and safer in accidents. Your film analogy makes perfect sense, great way to put it! 🙂
Internal combustion engine are here to stay, EV are the garbage, people are staying away from them because they're not practical in every which way, driving one of these garbage EV well put yourself or your family in danger in case of accident
I just wish they've added couple more colors for exterior and right turn camera on screen, would be cool feature like in honda..
Thanks! What would you estimate the MPG to be on the highway doing 80 with very conservative acceleration. Just a gut feeling estimate would be great!
There’s obviously many environmental factors that could influence that. But likely 21 in worse conditions and up to 25-26 in better conditions (low wind, not up hill, the engine oil is 200 degrees, etc). Increased speed just kills these things for mileage. ☹️ I know this isn’t your question but going 60-68 highway speeds Is where I can get 27-33MPG.
Thank you!@@AutomotiveAnonymous208
2015 Outback Seattle area to Moab and back 36mpg, also Seattle to LA area several times CC 60mph
I am considering adding a 24 Outback, no turbo prefer Port Injection over Direct Injection however
@@AutomotiveAnonymous208I am going to buy a 2024 Forester in a few months. Your comment about finicky mpg will make me regret letting go of my 19 yr old 5 Series which hums @ 80 mph with 32 -34 mpg. Last, I’ll become preoccupied with the Forester’s oil temp thanks to you. I enjoy your channel. Hit that Miata with some wax, bugs will rinse off.
The 24 Forester is an awesome vehicle! And I’m sure it will be tough to give up the BMW. Thanks for regularly watching! Your support means a lot. 😄
I personal experience about my 2023 wilderness with 11k miles: flimsy Windshield, floaty drive "my 1999 Camry was smoother", stock tires are mediocre, and more. I have been thinking about getting another vehicle, waiting for 2024 models to come out.
Flimsy windshield?
I have a 2022 and I below I will comment on each of the 7 points, and add a few of my own.
1.) CVT. I never really had a problem with the CVT. I have owned earlier models, including Outbacks, and even a Legacy Wagon, with classic non CVT Auto's. The Paddle Shift is useful sometimes.
2.) AUTOP START/STOP. Yeah, turning it off is the first thing I do, and sometimes I forget and this car has such a sloppy Trans mount (there are upgrade kits for this) that the car lurches when it starts, half the time my Starlinjk based remote start sets my car alarm off. I know that the reason Subaru HAS to do this, is because making it default allows them to advertise the MPG values that they use in marketing. I can't blame them too much.
3.) Lane Keep Assist. I used to be against this, and in fact I bought a 2020 which I opted out, which I wrecked. If I would have had the then optional eyesight system, it likely would have saved me a lot of pain in the specific scenario that caused my accident (a stopped vehicle I did not see and did not react to in time). So I have mixed feelings. I don't trust it. But I do make myself use it under certain scenarios because I feel it does reduce risk overall and keeps me on my toes. Nice that you can set it to be as invasive as it can be, all the way down to being fully off. Subaru did that right. If you hate it, shut it off. Unfortunately (or fortunately) it is no longer optional.
4.) MPG I have oversized wheels and tires on my OBW, and initially whenn I was doing a 20 mile commute twice a day, I was reasonably happy with MPG. It wasn't great, but with care it could be in the low 20's. Now that I am not doing a lot of highway, I am LUCKY if I get as much as 17. And my wheel tire upgrades are not that heavy, I shopped lightweight stuff. It is more the ratio, but initially I felt that the ratio actually HELPED the MPG, because it was acting like a slightly higher overdrive. The flip side is that it SUCKS for around town. MPG is not a feather in the hat of the OBW, especially with taller tires.
5.) INFOTAINMENT I haven't DL'd the software upgrade yet. I plan on it at some point. I don't spend a lot of time on the screen. I set it and go. It is occasionally sluggish, but most of the time it's fine. A few times a year it may freeze up which is quickly fixed by a restart. It doesn't bug me, provided It doesn't poop out on me, because you NEED the infotainment in this car, which leads me to my OTHER additional complaints down below.
6.) CAMERA Quality sucks. Not only the lack of detail, but more advanced fisheye lens designs can compensate for distortion much better, allowing you a super-wide perspective without so much fisheye. This is just a bottom tier camera I would expect in the bargain aisle of Walmart Auto. The backup is useless at night unless you upgrade the backup lights to super bright LED's, which is a MUST DO upgrade for modern Outbacks anyway. It really helps these poor light gathering cameras to have backup lights that actually light up the world behind your car. The stock backup lights aren't even good enough for my eyes and mirrors beyond a few feet.
7.) CUSTOMIZATION I can't say this bothers me much since I immediately deleted the exterior bronze highlights (I kept the badge) on my exterior, and after that and putting new wheels and tires, which many people do, the car doesn't really look like a Wilderness, or even a Subaru. It has a unique sort of look. And an under the radar kind of look, which fits my sleeper temperment. If you want your car to look different, there are a lot of ways to get there. I don't want to spend thousands extra for constant modeling tweaks that don't matter.
8.) Factory Sound.. The 2022 didn't offer high end sound (newer models offer better sound and you SHOULD GET IT), and I have NEVER IN MY LIFETIME owned ANY car that had CHEAPER factory speakers in it. They are postage stamps with magnets the size of tic tacs. In fact after seeing them out of the car, and weighing them in my hand (careful not to let the wind blow them away) I was impressed that the crappy sound was as good as it was. And on top of this, when you do look into upgrading sound, you realize that integrating with the factory infotainment system is not recommended, and not supported or easy aftermarket. Crutchfield warns that Subaru Starlink systems are tied into the Front end speakers, and it is sensitive to aftermarket Amplifiers being used (most likely because Starlink is a RADIO, and was not built with enough isolation circuitry, and everything is on the same board). Additionally the ECU of the infotainment system is entertainment, mixed with informational screens, mixed with touchscreen controls, all of which is comingled with the ECU of the whole damn car, so you can't just swap in an aftermarket headunit unless you put it somewhere else, or want to deal with a lot of headaches like load simulating capacitors to make the car think it is wired as it was at the factory. I finally settled for doing a Speaker only Upgrade. I replaced the corner dash tweeters with Alpines, and also both front and back doors with Alpines as well, and the sound is a LOT better, but it deserves amplification that I decided not to give it because of all the warnings and integration problems, and now I am worried that the higher draw aftermarket speakers will eventually blow out the low powered China Cheap stock audio amp in the infotainment system one day, which will screw up everything, and require me to replace the entire assembly (because it would cost the same as replacing the one component). But at the end of the day I AM a lot happier with the Alpine aftermarket speaker sound, tho It's not super loud it's loud enough to enjoy with all the windows and sunroof opened up(better than stock by far), and although I had to make some sharper EQ settings than a superb system would have required, I like the improvement that resulted in once I smoothed it out the response.
I love my Outback Wilderness. There are a lot of things I really like about it. I share many of the same criticisms as AA does. But I think we both like it more than we are annoyed by aspects of it, many of which there are fixes for.. But it's good to be honest about the ugly aspects of any car, and to share those faults with perspective buyers.
Awesome write up! I really appreciate your elaborate explanations to each topic and that you took the time to provide insightful and at times amusing responses! 😂 You’re right, overall it’s a fantastic vehicle and I hope this video and everyone else’s comments are beneficial to potential buyers. 🙂
Dude...this vehicle is badass...these issues are ridiculous. Complaining just to Complain. I love mine. If you don't like yours, let me buy it off you. I could use another one.
These are great vehicles, you’re right! But I wanted to share some of the little issues or concerns that myself and other people have to provide that insight to any potential buyers considering one of these. I’ve had mine (~2.5 years) which is about as long as I keep anything, so it might be about time to sell and move on the next experience, lol. 😂
As always great video I have a 2023 Subaru Forester limited and love it!
Those are sweet! I’m glad you’re enjoying it. Thanks for the kind words and watching another one. 🙂
I have a 2024 Outback XT. Twice the car went to take the off ramp at 75mph. As for MPG, I have 1600 miles so far and most of those are highway at 75mph. MPG is around 27-28mpg. But it is a turbo charged brick.
Agree with the screen, HVAC controls and auto shut off. Above all else, I hate the auto shut off.
I bet that was scary! I’m always hesitant at lane divides, lol. Thanks for watching and sharing your insight! 🙂
@@AutomotiveAnonymous208 It was indeed startling. Not sure which was worse, the sudden turn or the destination if it had taken the turn - the Mississippi Delta. Drove through there once, which was one time too many.
I might be in the minority but the extended plastic cladding on the exterior looks cheap and is the hardest material to keep dard and looking new. the cut out around the fuel fill door is stupid and makes it look like an after thought.
I like to have actual knobs for HVAC and radio control. Might hang on to my Impala for a bit longer. Thank you for this video.
What year is your Impala? I use to own one and have a cool video to make public about the generation I had soon. Thanks for watching!
@@AutomotiveAnonymous208 2020. Love the car.
The autos start stop is a federal requirement as far as I am concerned because of emissions for this particular vehicle. Also I get 18mpg in the city with tons of start and stop. Best mpg I’ve gotten is 26! n the freeway here in SoCal
I have a 12 year old Forester and now have a 2023 Outback Touring. Both are very functional vehicles. I believe in safety and comfort.
After watching this video I just ordered one. I remember driving a car and reversing without a camera so no big deal to me. Nothing in the video made me think twice, there are so many more positives then negatives.
I’m glad to hear that, these are awesome vehicles! I made this video because for some a combination of these characteristics of it have been a deal breaker, but none of them are truly that big of a deal IMO compared to similar vehicles. 🙂
I actually like the smaller screen we have in our 2023 Forester Premium. Never been a fan of feeling like I have a giant iPad in my dash.
My biggest nag is they I went for a premium outback to avoid the 2.4 turbo thinking I’d get better mpg’s. I average 22.8 mpg in mixed city/highway driving with the 2.5. The best mpg’s I’ve averaged is 36 mpg on a road trip that was just under 200 miles riding by myself. Fully loaded with my family and luggage and it only gets 30 mpg on the same trip (family members house that’s out of state). It doesn’t take much to affect the mpg’s in these cars. Plus, if you don’t have the exact same air pressure in every tire, it drags down the mpg’s.
Subaru’s do seem finicky or temperamental to their conditions. I’m sorry to hear your 2.5 hasn’t averaged better than that. 😢
I really don’t get the lane keep assist complaint. I’ve had it in my Crosstrek for the last two years and have used it countless times over a lot of miles, both in the city and on long trips, and I think it works great. The only significant issue I’ve seen is when the highway is a really light colored, concrete material and it’s bright out with a lot of glare. Then the system can’t recognize the lane for lack of contrast with the lines. I’ve only had this on one section of a few miles of interstate in my city. Never a problem anywhere else. Rarely a little ping ponging, but only with a poorly marked road. In fact I found the Subaru system works significantly better than a newish Honda Pilot I rented.
What do you say about a wilderness trim with that unprotected muffler ?
Do you mean for off roading? It’s fairly high up off the ground. You could always cut it off and weld a straight pipe on for a bit more sound and less bulk, or maybe there’s after market mufflers for this platform or that can be modified for it. 🤷♂️🙂
Brand new out of the box I shouldn't be having to modify it . Off road trim ought to have that pipe out of harms way.
One thing I noticed is the Wilderness floor mat doesn't cover the carpet under the gas pedal. It leaves about 10 square inches of carpet exposed under the gas pedal and in the area between it and the brake pedal. I think I will check who sells a floor mat that covers the area under the gas pedal better. I hope Subaru fixes this.
GORL LOL
I agree with the auto start/stop.... I hate it. When I forget to turn it off and come to a stop I think the car is going to break but the I'm like "DOH!!!" and turn it off. I also don't like the lane assist. I was diving an a straight interstate and turned it on. The car kept wanting to hug the right line, which puts me to close for comfort to the big rigs. I do like the adaptive cruise control and the braking alerts although when I was on a pretty rocky and bumpy path in the Sierra Nevada last week it came on in a mildly deep hole.. I also agree with the wheel options. A lot of videos I've seen, people go out and get aftermarket wheels which I plan to do when they fall next in line on the upgrade list that I'm keeping.
I’m glad we’re on the same page, thanks for sharing your experiences and insight! 🙂
My first experience with lane assist was in a Hyundai Sonata. Was on the interstate up north and I thought the wind was blowing me off the road.. no. It was just the lane assist trying to take control. This is me coming from a 2008 Impreza bare bones to a 2023 car with all technology.
My only complaint about this car is the fabric soundproofing stretched underneath the car. Ripped down the middle first and only time on the trail by a small branch. Replacement cost at dealer $900
I’m sorry to hear that! 😞
We purchased the 2024 Forester and it gets no where near the 26/33 MPG advertised. If there is a class action litigation regarding this car, we wish to join.
My only real gripe I guess and this is certainly a pipe dream but I wish it was turbo diesel electric hybrid 6speed manual. I bet those mpg number would go up and you also end up with more power and torque.
I had a 2017 Forester that had the Dynamic Cruise Control. It was very good a recognizing a threat and stopping but couldn't stay in the lane without wandering out of the lane. The other safety junk worked mediocre at best. I eventually traded for a Ford Escape hybrid that had much better safety stuff and stays in the lane even around curves. It does not have the head watching stupid electronics, just the hands on the wheel. Subaru should have figured out the hybrid which would resolve your engine shut off issue.
What are your feelings on the Forester Wilderness?
I hope it’s clear that I do really like my OBW. But the FW is awesome! I of course wish it was offered as a turbo manual (I would trade my OBW for that). But half the small issues I have with the Outback are not a concern on the FW. We’re all assuming the new Forester will be announced by Subaru 11/16, and if the spy photos of it with the 11.6” screen are true I think we’ll plan to get my Wife a 24 Forester before it’s to late. 🙂
Can it display the front and rear cameras simultaneously? My Forester can, but I have 2 screens.
That’s awesome, I don’t think I knew they could do that. Is that just while in reverse and pushing the front camera button as well? No the Outback’s can’t, but it can drive with the front camera on up to 10mph.
It won't do both at the same time, but in the 24 OBW if you are using the forward camera and go into reverse, and then back into drive the forward camera will come back on, you don't have to push the button again.
Didn’t touch on anything off road wise. The front skid plate is an absolute JOKE for a car that is billed in every promo vid as an off road capable car that will take you off beaten path.
I was literally able to bend the factory “skid plate” (more like aluminum foil) with kids hands. It only covers the approach, and not full engine. Took mine off-road, it was dented to hell with rocks and I laughed how and it was. Replaced it with a proper skid from RalliTek and now it’s actually capable.
Every other gripe I agreed with you on. My MPG is shit in my opinion, I installed the auto stop eliminator day TWO of ownership because it drove me mad, but I never use any of the self driving or correcting features because I don’t trust tech. Tires could have been a better choice but all decisions from auto manufacturers cater to the 99% of the driving time, not the small fraction of fun time. It has to be quiet and capable, and push their nonsensical emission standards (bye bye STI) due to the global push for “carbon emissions” and “climate change”.
That’s a good point, it’s likely they included the bare minimum factory skid plate just to allow them to advertise that it’s a thing. Why did you go with Rallitek over Primitive or any other brand? Thanks for watching!
Most factory skid plates are not up to par with what folks expect.
The same could be said with Side x Side's .... Polaris RZR's to be more precise.
No doubt. It just borders on false advertising to say a thin piece of aluminum foil mounted on top of plastic is going to do anything. @@danielfair4675
Oh lord we must have a boomer here folks. Afraid of new tech. At what point in your life did you stop accepting new tech? It's just like boomers at some point in their life, stopped listening to new music. They literally picked a year like when they are 50 and said screw it. No more new stuff for me. I'm gonna listen to the same old shit over and over again. It's pathetic. Change with the times. Embrace change. Stop being loser with opinions because you are afraid it will hurt whatever image you conjured up about yourself.
Ps. If you are not a boomer. Then you were imprinted with these ideas from your boomer parents and didn't move out till you were 30 years old. We call your kind the Imprinted boomers.
Where did you get the gold accent behind the back cargo window? I just bought that exact car but it doesn’t have that accent.
Is yours a 24? I’m unsure if that’s one of the random accessories you can option on it on the Subaru website or if that’s an add on that this dealer has done on some random examples. I’ve only noticed it on the 2024s, not either previous years model. 🤷♂️🤔
@@AutomotiveAnonymous208 Yes its a 24. I bought off the showroom floor. If so, darn. I really like that accent.
I bet that was a really cool experience! I would just do some googling or look for it online or if your dealer can order it for you at a reasonable price? 🙂
@@AutomotiveAnonymous208 found it!! Yeah!
Like the video. Thinking of buying one.
I’m glad you enjoyed it. Definitely go test drive one! They’re pretty awesome. And if you haven’t driven a Subaru in snow, once you do you’ll understand the cult like following these things have. 🙂
Not to call you out on few of the things you’ve called issues, however I will;
-The CVT isn’t really an issue if you know how to maintain it, generally speaking people who change transmission fluids every 60,000 km are still running their old Subarus past 200,000 km with no real complaints! That’s why Subaru builds simplicity in transmissions, for most part!
- Two, the lane keep assist actually works well for the most part on longer trips, it directs me back in lane on sharper turns on highways. (There is one actual complaint to talk about, which you did not mention to in the video) *you probably should have*
-And lastly, Subaru doesn’t offer much customization for two reasons, because they aren’t necessarily a luxury brand and aren’t focused on that kind of BS! They mainly focus on providing a reliable and interesting vehicle to sell to the public, while remaining fairly simple to use inside and out! They also know for the majority of people who buy aftermarket accessories to their vehicles, hence the fact they don’t offer much!.
I will agree with few of your complaints however;
- the touch screen on mine i do find tad bit laggy at times when connecting music and so on.
-the auto stop feature I prefer to have off and is kinda annoying to keep pressing the button to set it, every time I restart the vehicle.
- The fuel economy on my cross trek is worst than what Subaru claims for most from my drives. I owned a MINI before buying a new Crosstrek, my MINI puts this to shame in fuel economy. Best I got out of this Subaru so far is 26 mpg city and 34 mpg highway. (My MINI did roughly 29 mpg city and 43 mpg highway)
*And the problem you should’ve mentioned, or from what I’ve actually noticed, is the fact that Subarus camera system and forward collision warnings would sometimes turn off during certain weather. Which could cause major accidents, that’s a real concern*
Does anyone else have problems with their touchscreen? Mine freezes up constantly. I think it has something to do with the CarPlay making it go crazy.
Mine has been doing that more often lately, it might be time to look into updating it.
What’s the deal with the copper nylon behind the rear side windows? I think I’ve only seen that on your channel?
That’s a good question. I haven’t looked closely to the 24 Wilderness window stickers but I’m assuming it’s an option or part of a package, rather than standard equipment for this new model year. But I can’t say for sure. Thanks for watching! 🙂
@@AutomotiveAnonymous208 thx for the snappy reply, homie!
If you go easy on the throttle you can get 26 mpg in town. I do it all the time. Up to 32 on the highway.
Nice!!
FYI, Canadian version has the latest eyesight with three cameras...
Oh that’s good to know! Only the Touring and maybe the limited trim (I can’t remember) had that 3 camera gen 4 system in the U.S. thanks for watching! 🙂
I'm interested in the outback wilderness but i want a 4runner but hate the mpg..😢😢😢😢
You are correct but I can live with it.
The lower gear ratio kills the mpgs as well as the increased lift.
1- CVT
2 - CVT
3- CVT
4- CVT
5- CVT
6- CVT
7- CVT
My biggest petpeeve is when manufactureres make dash illuminate with ASS system disabled. VW just lets you know ASS is off, and then disapears from the screen. Amber light on the dash WILL drive me bonkers.
Sad to see Subaru still not offering fully manual traditional gear box. I still drive a Gen 3 outback, and won't consider any car they have made after 2010. I need a manual gearbox, with low transfer gear, period. They said they switched to CVT because manual gear boxes had poor fuel economy. But I can get 35mpg from my Gen 3 if I drive conservatively which compares with the latest rubber band transmissions.
Their CVT is said to be a good one. Have you heard otherwise? The drive assist for lanes, I understand can be disabled. The Auto Stop/Start is an ill of all new cars, just turn it off each time. I have come to the conclusion if you want simpler cars, you will have to go used -- maybe 1990's or early 2000, or just live with the complexity. Toyota RAV4 may have a longer lasting transmission and engine, but is it not more noisy on the road? The seats not as good. Compromise is the word of the day.
Absolutely! Everything has its pros and cons. I’ve also heard that the Subaru CVT is one of the most reliable and more failures are due to this valve body component rather than the entire transmission.
This is the single best non-luxury compact crossover currently available.
They’re sweet! I recently did a 2 year update video on mine.
I had an Outback. The head gasket let rip at 70,000 miles, and the engine detonated. Oil leaks, coolant leak burning off onto the exhaust manifold entering the cabin, constant bulb failure, terrible fuel economy, plastic radiator (I still have the burn marks). Never again.
What year was your Outback?? I’m sorry to hear that! ☹️
@@AutomotiveAnonymous208 2006 XT.
I was hoping in the garage you had a restored 82 hatchback gl with the center light... oh well
Haha 😛
Lame list of dislikes , as for the CVT I have a 2015 Outback 3.6R that I had to replace the CVT and the dealer ask if I want a rebuild one or new of course I choose the new one and the total replacement around 3 thousand dollars . Compared to buying a new Outback I think was good idea since my is paid and still running good . Very rare to buy a new car that we totally like unless you order it with what you want .
It really is a lame list, which is a wonderful thing. Your CVT replacement out of warranty was only 3k? That’s awesome!
Why do you bother wallboarding, then mudding the seems, and not painting the walls to protect them???
My mechanic, who I trust, says buy a Toyota or Subaru. Now, I’ve always owned Toyota’s so that is high praise. He doesn’t recommend current Honda’s or Mazda’s etc… for long term reliability he recommends Subaru’s and Toyota’s. I’ll most likely give Subaru a shot because Toyota’s are pricing themselves out of my comfort zone.
Amen 6 speed manual brother!
Got rid of mine, forester with manual. Burned more oil new than a Honda with quarter million miles. Never bought one since. Lost me a lot of money. Was plenty quick with manual transmission.
TFL tested the cvt. Was worthless, would pull up nothing. They got mad and wouldn’t let them test after that. Fixed on wilderness. Won’t buy one again.
After 150k I had to pay to have the transmission completely rebuilt, so sad. It was a 2011 tho. 8k from the dealer.
Ouch. I’m sorry to hear that, but at least you’re hopefully good to go for another 150k miles! So they rebuilt it? I’ve mostly just heard of the CVTs being replaced not rebuilt.
I don't think i've gotten over 22mpg in the 8500 miles on my 2023 outback wilderness, not sure why since I'm not driving overly aggressive. Even with a naked roof I can’t get advertised mileage
That’s a shame, but hopefully you’re still enjoying it? 🙂
@@AutomotiveAnonymous208 yes, I do enjoy the car. Added rallitek overload springs in the rear to help prevent sag when loaded with gear and have a prinsu roof rack arriving this week. Wish me luck on that install, haha 😂
You got this! That sounds like a sweet build so far. 😎
I wish Subaru would reintroduce the Legacy Wagon. No roof rack simple dedicated anchor points like the Legacy sedan currently has. Manually equipped would be great too.
That would be sweet!
Why a CVT Subaru WHY!?!? That is the only thing keeping me from buying one. If they offered a decent 6 or 8 speed AT, I would be a proud owner. CVT's are still not as reliable as a decent AT.
Absolutely agree! And it’s a shame, especially since they now make reliable turbo engines unlike the old EJs, which I personally would have never bought.
I was the same way, but figured they’ve been out long enough that I’d give it a try. And well, I really like it. I went from a 2012 forester touring to a 2024 wilderness and I feel the power is much more responsive and less laggy. And it’s actually an 8 speed CVT, if you didn’t know. The only big difference I see is, it doesn’t lose power when shifting. It’s basically the same engine I had in my 2012 and yet it feels a lot snappier. Still, to each their own. Maybe you’d hate it 🤷🏻♂️
This video convinced to buy a Bronco Sport instead 😊
Definitely test drive both, and read owners comments on social media forums! I think the Bronco sports have their own fair share of concerns as well. At least what I remember reading when I did a review of one a few months ago. I would say these concerns with the Wilderness are small, only the potential questionability of the CVT is a real issue. But honestly I don’t think it’s any greater of a chance than a Ford ecoboost engine failing or transmission having a problem. Just my opinion based off of what I’ve read and any biases I might have. Best of luck, and thanks for watching! 🙂
@@AutomotiveAnonymous208 great advice, I was half joking. I’m cross shopping Crosstrek, Bronco Sport Badlands and CX-30 turbo. Which would you recommend as best all around?
The CX-30 Turbo is sweet, they feel quite quick, I’ve done a few videos of them when I started my channel. But the Crosstrek is definitely more capable off road with its ground clearance and better AWD system. Additionally full size adults fit in the back seat. I personally would not seriously consider many non performance Ford products, especially the Bronco Sport, I’m sorry 😅 if you don’t regularly drive off road, need the extra space, or in crazy snow I would likely go with the Mazda. 🤷♂️🙂