If you’re searching for a new vehicle and are considering the 2022 or future 2023 Subaru Outback Wilderness, you’ve come to the right place.
For context, let me start by saying that I had never been a Subaru fanboy but was always somewhat intrigued by the brand – especially with its rally-racing heritage and renowned Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive System.
Coming from a Mustang convertible, you might be surprised that I bought an Outback – but with all of this wagon’s usable space, offroad utility, and unique looks, the Outback Wilderness was incredibly difficult to ignore.
In fact, the literal urge to test drive this very particular car was like nothing I remember feeling before. Did it live up to the expectations? Let’s find out.
What I Love About the Subaru Outback Wilderness
Lots of Accessible Power (It’s Quick) ✅
I won’t bore you with all of the technical details – let’s just say with AWD, 260 HP, and 277 lb-ft of torque, the Outback isn’t a slouch.
This car isn’t super quick right off the line, but when it pulls – it pulls.
5.7-5.9 seconds 0-60 is nothing to scoff at, putting it in line with many sports cars – and it’s the quickest vehicle in its class.
You will have no problems passing cars; honestly, it feels just as fast (or possibly even faster) than my EcoBoost Mustang.
Are you a little surprised? I was.
Excellent Offroading Prowess (IT’s Fun) ✅
With more than nine inches of ground clearance, world-class all-wheel drive, Yokohama A/T tires, X-Mode, and more, you’ll feel very confident driving this car in sand, mud, and snow.
Do you want to rip donuts and throw around some sand at your favorite SVRA? Go for it. The Outback will love you for it (and you’ll be begging for more).
Incredible Looks (It’s Cool) ✅
Maybe some people don’t like the black cladding, and that’s for them to decide. But for the rest of us, we think it looks downright cool.
With the low roofline, high ground clearance, external decals, and badging – it demands attention on the road (and it turns a few heads).
Attention to Detail + Interior (It’s Thoughtful) ✅
The interior feels well thought out – there’s plenty of storage and tons of room to move around.
It’s quiet inside and all the buttons just make sense.
I love the bronze accents that highlight the Outback Wilderness’ interior in a unique way.
The fonts on the gauge cluster are sporty, but luxurious looking at the same time.
Sometimes, I feel like I’m driving a Lexus – and I kind of like that feeling.
Cloud-Like Handling (It’s Pleasant) ✅
If you take the Outback Wilderness on a trail, you’ll be surprised how well it drives and performs. You’ll feel comfortable driving quickly, as the Outback inspires confidence around corners on and offroad.
No Dealer Markup (It’s a Good Value) ✅
Subaru USA is NOT a fan of dealer markups. While some dealers do get away with it, others don’t attempt markups at all. Even better, the Outback holds its resale value well.
Excellent EyeSight System (It’s Safe) ✅
The Outback basically has the ability to drive itself with the Subaru EyeSight system. It’s amazing technology, and it’s never failed to brake for us in an emergency.
What I Don’t Love About the Subaru Outback Wilderness
Aggressive, Non-Sensical Auto-Start and Stop ❌
This is by far my biggest complaint. The auto-start and stop feature in the Subaru Outback is extremely aggressive.
For example, if you’ve been sitting with the engine shut off for a few minutes, and this vehicle decides it’s going to jump back to life with your foot still on the brake – it will (definitely) scare you.
It seemingly lurches, and in that instant, it feels like the car is going to drive away without asking for permission.
If you’ve ever driven a stick-shift car and accidentally removed your foot from the clutch while the car was still in gear, but stopped – that’s what I’m talking about.
Worst of all, I’ll pull into a parking spot, put the car in park, and the engine will shut off, then immediately turn back on, right before I go to turn off the engine. How does that make any sense? Hopefully, this is addressed in a software update.
With all of that said, I’ve grown used to pressing the on-screen button to turn off the auto-start/stop feature almost anytime I’m driving it. Subaru – please give us the option to permanently disable the auto-start and stop system. In its current form, it’s just not good.
Optional Qi Charger Doesn’t Work as Expected ❌
The wireless Qi charger is a $229 option. You’d think it would charge your phone. Well, not our phones. It just heats them up. A lot. Basically, the charger works, but it doesn’t work.
I think it may have to do with MagSafe and magnetic interference.
Maybe it works for other iPhones without MagSafe, or maybe Android phones.
Luckily, Subaru USA made it right and essentially gave us the money back for the wireless charger that doesn’t.. well, charge.
So-So Gas Mileage ❌
Around town, I might average 19 MPG. On the highway, I’ve managed to get 28 MPG. That’s not bad. It’s in line with the Mustang and the four-cylinder JL Jeep Wrangler that we previously owned.
19-28 MPG is what we’ve come to be used to, but with the excellent Ford Maverick having been released with a hybrid engine, it makes me think twice about the gas mileage we signed up for.
Final Thoughts
The sheer amount of positives I’ve found in this car outweighs any negatives by far.
This is quite honestly my favorite vehicle that I’ve ever owned, and that means a lot coming from someone who spent many weekends enjoying the sun, cruising down the coast in a droptop pony car, and blazing down twisty mountains in a Honda Civic Si coupe.
Even with that awful auto-start system, the Outback Wilderness is an amazing car – that I’m hopeful can be further improved with software updates (hint, hint).
The Subaru Outback Wilderness turned me into a Subaru fan, and I’m a little embarrassed it took me this long to finally give the company a shot.
2022 – 2023 Subaru Outback Wilderness | Highly Recommended
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