Used Subaru Outback review and buying guide (2014 to 2021): which one to buy and what to check

Which used Subaru Outback should you buy?

No year of the 2014 to 2021 Outback stands out as one to avoid, but beyond the recalls below that's because little has been reported on these cars, not because they're proven faultless. Every one drives all four wheels (there's no two-wheel-drive version), so pick the individual car on its condition and paperwork rather than its age. On a diesel, the oil and the service record matter more than the year.

Buy one for grip, comfort and practicality. It copes well in bad weather, has genuine off-road ability and works as an everyday family estate, but the cabin isn't as plush as German rivals' and it isn't frugal, with fuel economy and emissions both on the high side. If that trade suits you, it's an easy car to live with.

Which Outback engines and gearboxes are the safe choices?

The 2.0 diesel with the Lineartronic automatic is the only pairing there's any owner evidence on, and apart from a recall for valve springs that could fracture on 2014-built cars, there's no known fault against any Outback engine from these years. That's a thin record rather than a clean bill of health, so don't treat any engine as a proven safe pick; judge the one in front of you on how it runs and what's been done to it.

One owner's 2.0 diesel had its oil level climbing and the oil turning black at 11,000 miles, not long after a first service that should have changed the oil and filter. A fault with the DPF's active regeneration was suspected. That's one car, not a pattern, but it's reason enough to pull the dipstick on any diesel you view.

The Lineartronic has a parking quirk worth knowing before you own one. Reverse onto a slope, select P and then set the electric parking brake, and the car can creep forward a touch and jam the selector so it's very hard to shift out of P. The fix is the order: choose N, set the parking brake, lift off the footbrake so the car settles, and only then select P.

What should you check when viewing a used Outback?

Give the electrics a proper look, because one 2017 car had every dashboard warning light come on at once, staying lit for anything from half an hour to a couple of days. A dealer resoldered connections under the passenger seat, but it was back a day later. Keep an eye on the dash for the whole drive and ask whether the car's had any electrical work and what cured it.

Open and shut the electric tailgate several times, listening for a slipping or grinding gear and checking it lifts smoothly all the way. On one 2015 car a nut in the lifting mechanism wasn't strong enough, so the gear slipped, and a replacement unit didn't cure it. If the tailgate's had parts fitted, ask for the receipts and make sure it now works properly.

On a diesel, check the oil isn't above the maximum mark or black on a car that's just been serviced, and that every oil and filter change in the history is backed by a receipt. Before you hand over any money, park it on a slope using the N, parking brake, then P order and make sure the selector comes out of P cleanly.

Ask for proof the recall work was done, whatever the year. Cars built from 2014 to 2018 were recalled because the electric parking brake's connector could come loose, and 2014 cars over engine valve springs that could fracture and a wiper motor that could overheat and catch fire if the wipers were blocked. On 2020 and 2021 cars, the EyeSight software could brake hard for no reason and needed reprogramming.

Paste the advert into the free check and it runs these against the listing, the MOT history and the DVLA record before you travel.

What does a used Subaru Outback cost to run?