2019 Subaru Outback

Standard 2.5L flat-4 is the volume powertrain across the 2019 Outback trim range; the 3.6L flat-6 is an upgrade available on higher trims.

Volume trim's 2.5L flat-4 torque figure; six-cylinder option offers substantially more.

Edmunds instrumented the volume 2.5i trim at 10.2s to 60 mph; the 3.6R six-cylinder is meaningfully quicker per manufacturer/tester figures.

The 2.5L flat-4 is unobtrusive and the Lineartronic CVT masks typical CVT drone with simulated shift steps, but reviewers note acceleration feels strained and the engine has to work hard for passing power.

Subaru's Lineartronic CVT is well regarded for smoothness and simulates stepped shifts under hard acceleration rather than holding a constant drone, though it can't fully mask the modest engine output.

Subaru Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive is standard on every 2019 Outback trim with no FWD option, plus X-MODE with hill descent control on most trims — full-line AWD standard is the strongest form this item measures.

Only two naturally aspirated gas engines are offered (2.5L flat-4, 3.6L flat-6) — no turbo, hybrid, PHEV, or EV variant existed for the Outback until the 2020 model year's addition of a turbo/hybrid-adjacent lineup.

EPA combined figure for the volume 2.5i AWD trim; the six-cylinder 3.6R trades economy for power.

EPA city figure for the volume 2.5i AWD trim.

EPA highway figure for the volume 2.5i AWD trim.

Computed from the EPA combined 28 MPG rating and the Outback's 18.5-gallon fuel tank, matching fueleconomy.gov's published total range.

EPA's standard annual fuel cost estimate for the volume 2.5i AWD trim at 15,000 miles/year.

Both the 2.5L and 3.6L engines run on regular unleaded gasoline with no premium recommendation.

The fifth-generation 2019 Outback (facelifted for 2018, carried over for 2019) holds NHTSA's top 5-star overall rating, with 5 stars in both the frontal and side crash programs and 4 in rollover — the usual result for a tall wagon, since the rollover star is a calculated tip-risk figure rather than a crash outcome.

All six IIHS crashworthiness evaluations came back Good — both small overlap tests, moderate overlap front, side, roof strength and head restraints — and the 2019 Outback earned TOP SAFETY PICK+ for the full model year, a cleaner result than the following redesigned generation's launch-year headlight split. The award is still conditional: it applies only to Outbacks fitted with the Good-rated LED steering-responsive headlights, standard on Limited/Touring and unavailable on the volume Premium trim, which is why this sits below a car with an unconditional award.

2019 is the first model year EyeSight Driver Assist Technology — pre-collision braking with throttle management, adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning and lane keep assist — is standard on every trim including the base 2.5i, closing a gap the prior model year still had at the bottom of the range. The remaining hole is entirely at the rear quarter: Blind Spot Detection with Lane Change Assist and Rear Cross Traffic Alert is not offered at any price on the base trim and is an option (not standard) on the volume Premium trim, so a typically-ordered Outback still ships with no rear-quarter coverage.

IIHS rates the 2019 Outback's standard EyeSight system Superior in vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention, avoiding a collision outright in both the 12 mph and 25 mph tests — the top available grade in the program that existed for this model year. IIHS had not yet extended its separate pedestrian front crash prevention test to the Outback in 2019 (only a handful of small SUVs, not this nameplate, were rated in that program's February 2019 debut), so there is no confirmed day/night pedestrian-detection grade on record even though Subaru's own EyeSight literature claims meaningful pedestrian-injury reduction — a real capability gap in verification versus a car with a full pedestrian rating on file.

Where fitted — optional on Premium, standard from Limited up — Blind Spot Detection pairs with Lane Change Assist and Rear Cross Traffic Alert, and Reverse Automatic Braking (sonar-based, intervening if the driver doesn't brake) is standard on the top Touring trim. Availability is the limiting factor identical to the following generation: it cannot be bought at any price on the base 2.5i, and coverage is alert-only with no trailer-aware mode, so the bulk of the lineup below Limited has partial or no rear-quarter coverage.

The 2019 Outback's EyeSight offers Lane Departure Warning (alert-only) and Lane Keep Assist — a gentle steering nudge back toward center — but LKA defaults OFF at every ignition cycle and must be re-enabled by the driver each drive, and it is genuinely a keep-in-lane nudge rather than continuous lane centering (that branded feature, bundled with Advanced Adaptive Cruise Control, did not arrive until the following generation's 2020 redesign). Owner-forum threads from this generation describe the intervention as a soft, easily-overridden bump rather than something to rely on, consistent with a system a full step behind the centering systems entering the class.

Adaptive Cruise Control is standard on every 2019 trim including the base 2.5i and can bring the car to a full stop and resume in traffic, a genuine strength at the entry price point. It is tuned for limited-access highway use and owners report it can brake abruptly or lose smoothness below about 30 mph in stop-and-go conditions, and — unlike the next generation — there is no integrated "highway assist" mode blending ACC with lane centering, so the two functions remain separate and manual.

Subaru offered no hands-free highway driving on any 2019 Outback trim. EyeSight is hands-on throughout at every trim level, and DriverFocus driver-monitoring — itself only a drowsiness/distraction alert, not a hands-free enabler — had just launched on the 2019 Forester and was not yet extended to the Outback; Subaru's actual hands-free system arrived generations later.

Headlight grading splits sharply by trim: the Good-rated LED steering-responsive headlights that unlock TOP SAFETY PICK+ are standard only on Limited and Touring, the volume Premium trim's halogen projector with high-beam assist rates Acceptable, and the base 2.5i's halogen projector without high-beam assist rates Marginal — a real gap between the trim that earns the safety award and the trim most buyers actually order.

Reviewers consistently single out the fifth-generation Outback's visibility as a strength: thin roof pillars, a large greenhouse and big rear glass keep sightlines open, and A-pillars are shaped to minimize the intersection blind spot. A rearview camera is standard fleet-wide, but this generation predates the 180-degree front-view camera compensation added with the 2020 redesign, holding it just below the very top band.

IIHS rates the 2019 Outback's LATCH ease of use Good+, its top grade, reflecting easy-access lower anchors under marked leather flaps and three clearly-marked top tether anchors across the rear seating positions. Cars.com's car-seat check found rear-facing convertible-seat installation straightforward with the front passenger seat slid back for clearance, consistent with the wagon's flat floor and low load height.

Every 2019 Outback trim from the 2.5i base to the 3.6R Touring is a five-passenger two-row wagon with a 60/40-split rear bench; no captain's-chair or third-row configuration exists on this fifth-generation car.

40.8 inches clears the top of the wagon normalization band outright — the fifth-generation Outback's tall, upright greenhouse is a carryover strength from the Legacy platform it shares.

42.9 inches sits comfortably above the wagon band midpoint — enough seat travel for tall drivers without the limousine-like stretch of the largest crossovers.

38.9 inches is near the top of the wagon band — the flat-roofed wagon body keeps rear headroom close to what the front seats get, a full inch shy of the following all-new sixth generation but still class-leading for 2019.

38.1 inches is mid-pack within the wagon band — enough for two adults behind two adults on a normal trip, but roughly an inch and a half short of the redesigned sixth-generation car's 39.5 inches that arrives the following model year.

35.5 cubic feet behind the rear seat is enormous for a wagon and clears the top of the 10-20 cu ft wagon band several times over — more than the following sixth-generation redesign's 32.5 cu ft figure, since the fifth-generation car's cargo area sits slightly deeper.

Competitive everyday storage rather than a standout: a covered center console bin, door pockets, a cargo-area subfloor storage tray/well below the load floor, tie-down and grocery-bag hooks, a retractable cargo cover, and standard roof rails with retractable, stowable crossbars. It falls short of the top band because there is no onboard AC power outlet on any 2019 trim and no innovation beyond well-executed conventional wagon storage.

Reviewers describe the front and rear seats as providing all-day comfort with a cushy suspension backing them up, but note longer-legged drivers want additional lower thigh support from the front cushion — a real if minor limitation that keeps it out of the top band.

The Outback's cushy, well-damped suspension is repeatedly singled out as a strength — reviewers call the ride surprisingly compliant for a vehicle with a whiff of SUV about it, absorbing broken pavement well. It stays short of the very top band because this is a carryover fifth-generation chassis nearing the end of its cycle rather than the more absorbent all-new suspension the 2020 redesign introduces the following year.

Average noise levels with real intrusion: reviewers note the Outback's high stance and soft suspension tuning come with a noise penalty, letting in more road and wind noise at speed than preferred, and the 2.5L engine is audible under load per the powertrain-refinement assessment elsewhere in this scorecard.

Key comfort features land on mid trims and up rather than being broadly available: dual-zone automatic climate control and heated front seats are standard from the volume Premium trim (via the All-Weather Package), but heated rear seats wait for Limited and above, a heated steering wheel is Touring-exclusive, and no 2019 trim offers ventilated seats or rear climate vents at any price.

Entry 2.5i trim with standard AWD and, new for 2019, standard EyeSight driver assist.

2.5i Premium is the volume trim and was Consumer Reports' recommended pick as the best value in the 2019 lineup.

Independent cost trackers agree the Outback runs cheaper than segment average through the first 5 years, with costlier repairs typically emerging after year 5.

Outback resale is a genuine strength of the nameplate, reinforced by contemporaneous KBB and ALG residual-value awards for the 2019 model.

Standard 3-year/36,000-mile bumper-to-bumper coverage, unchanged for 2019 — sits at the industry floor next to Hyundai/Kia's 5-year basic coverage.

5-year/60,000-mile powertrain coverage, at the low end of the mainstream band (Hyundai/Kia/Mitsubishi offer 10yr/100k).

Subaru includes 3-year/36,000-mile roadside assistance standard and automatic (towing, jump-start, minor fluid top-off), but no complimentary scheduled maintenance — owners pay for service visits out of pocket or buy the paid Added Security plan for that.

$29,420 volume-trim price minus its estimated resale value after 5 years (59% retained, or about $17,358) leaves about $12,062 in depreciation. Add the projected $2,900 in 5-year maintenance and repairs, and owning this vehicle for 5 years costs about $14,962 in total.

2019 was a soft point in this generation's reliability trend for the Outback specifically — Consumer Reports' predicted-reliability verdict slipped for the 2019-2020 model years even as the Subaru brand overall was riding high, while J.D. Power's rating stayed only average.

Subaru entered 2019 on the strongest multi-year run in its history, having just topped Consumer Reports' brand reliability survey outright.

The 2019 Outback carries more than a routine recall load, including two safety-relevant campaigns — a low-pressure fuel pump that can stall the engine while driving, and poor spot welds on a key body structure component affecting 2019 Legacy sedans and Outback wagons specifically — alongside the wider generation's other campaigns; none point to a repeated or systemic fire/powertrain failure pattern.

2019 is the last and most refined year of this generation's port-injected 2.5L flat-four/Lineartronic CVT pairing; the CVT's worst reliability history is concentrated in the 2010-2014 generation, and 2019-specific transmission complaint volume is very low.

Reviewers consistently praised the 2019 Outback's cabin for using soft-touch surfaces and varied, convincing textures rather than leaning on hard plastic, competitive with or ahead of mainstream-price expectations.

Press and owner reviews describe tight, consistent assembly with no rattles or squeaks reported even under off-road testing, a consistent strength for this generation.

Subaru's roughly 640-store US network gives adequate nationwide coverage, but the brand sat mid-pack for dealer service satisfaction in the 2019 study despite recent improvement.

As a high-volume nameplate sharing major components with the Legacy sedan, the Outback's routine parts and labor price in line with or below mainstream-segment norms, though AWD means tires are typically replaced as a set.

8.0 inches on the volume Premium trim sits near the bottom of the wagon touchscreen band, well short of the 11.6-inch tablet-style unit the following sixth-generation redesign introduces for 2020.

The fifth-generation STARLINK system is usable but dated by 2019 — a straightforward menu layout backed by physical volume/tuning knobs, but reviewers of this generation describe touchscreen response as laggy compared with rivals, and the small 8-inch display crowds multiple functions onto one screen.

Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard across the entire 2019 lineup including the base 2.5i, a genuine strength for the price point, but the connection is wired-only via USB — no 2019 Outback offers wireless phone projection at any price. Wireless projection did not arrive on this nameplate until the 2023 model-year refresh.

Native navigation is tightly rationed: TomTom-based nav is standard only on the range-topping Touring trims and reachable via an options package on Limited, but the volume Premium trim has no path to factory navigation at any price — worse availability than the following sixth generation, where Premium could at least add it as a package. The built-in voice assistant handles fixed commands only, so most owners default to phone projection.

The volume Premium trim carries a modest 6-speaker system (4 door, 2 dash) with no upgrade path — the 12-speaker Harman Kardon system with a GreenEdge amplifier is reserved for Limited and Touring trims and cannot be added to Premium at any price, closing the door on premium audio for the trim most buyers actually order.

No 2019 Outback trim offers a digital gauge cluster. Every trim uses analog speedometer and tachometer dials supplemented by a 5.0-inch multi-information LCD display standard fleet-wide — a genuine trip/fuel/EyeSight-status readout, but a small, low-resolution screen rather than a configurable digital cluster.

The fifth-generation STARLINK head unit predates Subaru's over-the-air update infrastructure — map and software updates on this hardware generation are applied via USB drive at a dealer or by the owner rather than pushed wirelessly. No meaningful OTA capability existed on the Outback until the 11.6-inch system launched with the 2020 redesign.

STARLINK Safety Plus (automatic collision notification, SOS, maintenance alerts) comes with a free first-year trial on Premium and above, and the paid Security Plus tier adds remote lock/unlock, remote horn/lights, vehicle locate and remote engine start with climate control — but the base 2.5i is excluded from STARLINK connected services entirely, the richer functions sit behind a subscription once the trial lapses, and owner reports from this model year describe the advertised app-based remote start as inconsistent in practice.

Adequate but dated: up to 4 USB ports (2 front, 2 rear) on Premium and above, all USB-A — the base 2.5i has only 2 front ports. No 2019 trim offers a factory wireless charging pad (that arrives as a Legacy/Outback accessory starting with the 2020 model year) or a household AC outlet.

The base 2.5i includes keyless entry (remote fob lock/unlock) but not push-button start; push-button start is bundled into an options package on the volume Premium trim rather than standard, becoming standard only from Limited upward. A volume Outback can leave the lot without proximity push-button start, and there is no phone-as-key or hands-free liftgate access on any 2019 trim.

A rearview camera with steering path lines is standard fleet-wide, a genuine baseline strength, but no 2019 Outback offers a front-view or 360-degree camera at any price — that capability doesn't arrive on this nameplate until the 2020 redesign's XT trims. Rear parking sensors only exist bundled with the optional/standard Reverse Automatic Braking feature on Limited (via package) and Touring, leaving the volume Premium with camera-only parking aid.

The EyeSight Assist Monitor — a small colored-light panel projected onto the windshield showing EyeSight system warnings only, not speed or navigation — is the closest thing to a HUD this generation offers, and it is restricted to the single range-topping Touring trim. No true windshield head-up display exists on any 2019 Outback; a real HUD arrives on this nameplate only with the 2026 redesign.

IIHS rates the 2019 Outback's LATCH hardware Good+, its top grade, with easy-access lower anchors under marked leather flaps and extra borrowable positions, and the flat wagon floor plus low load height and wide door openings make daily loading of kids and gear easy work. It stays just below the very top band because rear legroom (38.1 in) is a step behind the following generation's more spacious cabin.

2019 is the first year EyeSight (pre-collision braking, adaptive cruise, lane departure warning, lane keep assist) is standard on every trim including the base 2.5i, a real gain for family-priced Outbacks, and NHTSA rates it 5 stars overall. But the IIHS Top Safety Pick+ award is conditional on the LED headlights unavailable on the volume Premium trim, blind-spot detection is optional (not standard) on Premium, and the standard lane-keep system is only a soft alert-and-nudge rather than the centering capability the following generation adds — a materially less complete family safety story than a car with an unconditional award and standard lane centering.

The fundamentals support a family road trip — a cushy, compliant ride and 35.5 cu ft of cargo space that swallows luggage without folding seats — but rear-seat amenities are thin on the volume Premium: heated rear seats wait for Limited, there are no rear climate vents or rear-seat entertainment on any trim, and reviewers note more road/wind noise than ideal for a multi-hour cabin.

Light, easy-to-control steering, a smooth CVT that avoids drama in stop-and-go, and standard adaptive cruise control (full-stop-and-resume capable even on the base trim) make daily traffic low-effort. The modest 175-hp engine has to work audibly hard for any brisk merge or passing maneuver, a minor but real daily annoyance.

28 MPG combined from a permanently all-wheel-drive wagon on regular 87-octane fuel is a solid result for the class, working out to about $2,200/yr at EPA's 15,000-mile assumption with no premium-fuel surcharge on any trim. It falls short of the top band because no hybrid or electrified Outback existed for 2019 and Subaru includes no complimentary scheduled maintenance.

A 36.2-ft curb-to-curb turning circle is reasonable for a mid-size wagon, and thin roof pillars plus a large greenhouse give genuinely good outward sightlines that ease tight maneuvers. The offsetting weakness is camera hardware: no front-view or 360-degree camera exists on any 2019 trim, so a driver relies on mirrors and glass alone for the nose in tight quarters.

Light-duty capability only: the volume 2.5i tows 2,700 lbs, enough for a small utility trailer or personal watercraft and no more, while the optional 3.6R six-cylinder reaches roughly 3,000 lbs. There is no bed and no meaningful payload headroom, and the 175-hp base engine works hard under load, but a flat, nearly 73-cubic-foot cargo floor gives it more usable hauling volume than most wagons in its class.

The FB25 2.5L flat-four and Lineartronic CVT are a mature, well-proven pairing by 2019 — CVT-specific complaint volume for this model year is very low compared with the trouble-prone 2010-2014 unit. Working against it: 2019 carries two safety-relevant NHTSA recall campaigns (a low-pressure fuel pump that can stall the engine while driving, and poor body-structure spot welds specific to 2019 Legacy/Outback), and Consumer Reports' predicted reliability for this specific model year dipped to a soft point in the generation.

Standard roof rails with retractable, stowable crossbars and cargo-area tie-down/grocery hooks give basic work-adjacent utility, backed by one of the largest aftermarket rack and accessory ecosystems of any wagon on sale. There is no onboard AC power outlet on any trim, no bed or bulkhead, and nothing purpose-built for commercial upfitting.

518 miles of EPA-rated range on a full tank and adaptive cruise control standard fleet-wide (including full-stop-and-resume) make the Outback a capable mile-eater on paper, backed by a genuinely compliant ride. What holds it below the top band is more road/wind noise at highway speed than reviewers consider ideal for long stints, and a Lane Keep Assist system that is only a soft, driver-re-enabled nudge rather than the centering assist that reduces fatigue on the following generation.

Adventure readiness is core to this nameplate even in 2019: Symmetrical full-time all-wheel drive is standard on every trim with no FWD version sold, ground clearance is 8.7 inches — more than most compact SUVs — and X-MODE with Hill Descent Control and Hill Holder is standard fleet-wide. It scores just below the raised-clearance Wilderness-equipped later years of the nameplate, since no all-terrain or extra-clearance variant exists for 2019.

35.5 cubic feet behind the second row, opening to 73.3 with the 60/40 seat folded, over a flat cargo floor with a subfloor storage tray, is exceptional gear capacity for a wagon. Standard roof rails with retractable crossbars, tie-down hooks and a factory-available hitch round out genuinely strong gear-hauling flexibility, just short of a perfect score for lacking any onboard power at the cargo area.

Secure but unremarkable: reviewers describe an easy-to-control feel when driven modestly, with light but not flabby steering and body control that stays composed for a tall wagon. It doesn't feel especially agile or eager to change direction, and the suspension is tuned more for compliance than cornering sharpness.

The electric rack is light and precise enough for everyday use and doesn't feel flabby or vague, but reviewers stop short of praising real road feedback — it's accurate without communicating much about what the front tires are doing, precise but numb.

IIHS rates the standard EyeSight system's automatic emergency braking Superior in vehicle-to-vehicle testing, avoiding collisions outright at both 12 and 25 mph, and adequate power-assisted discs at all four corners give consistent, unremarkable pedal feel appropriate to the car's modest performance envelope.

The Lineartronic CVT is smooth and refined at light throttle and simulates stepped shifts under harder acceleration to avoid a constant-RPM drone, a genuine calibration strength. Ask for real acceleration and the modest 175-hp engine has to work hard, with reviewers citing acceleration as one of the 2019 Outback's weaker traits.

Audible but inoffensive at a cruise; under load the naturally aspirated 2.5L has to work hard for passing power (a 10.2-second 0-60 time) and reviewers note the Outback lets in more road and wind noise than preferred, compounding engine noise on grades or hard acceleration.

36.2 feet is a tidy figure for a mid-size wagon and sits in the better half of the wagon band, making U-turns and parking-garage maneuvers less of an event than the car's footprint would suggest.

A high, commanding seating position without the climb of a truck-based SUV, a 10-way power driver's seat with power lumbar from the volume Premium trim up, and outward visibility reviewers call a genuine strength — thin pillars and a large greenhouse keep sightlines open in every direction. The control layout is conventional and easy to learn, with physical knobs flanking the modest 8-inch screen.

Nobody buys an Outback for the drive, and the volume 2.5i does nothing to change that: a 10.2-second 0-60 time, a CVT that mutes what little character the flat-four has, and light, numb steering add up to competent but forgettable rather than engaging. The optional 3.6R six-cylinder adds pace but not real driver involvement.

For 2019, EyeSight Driver Assist (adaptive cruise, pre-collision braking, lane departure/keep) moved from optional to standard across the entire trim line, a meaningful upgrade to base content even though the entry 2.5i still has cloth seats and a 6.5-inch touchscreen.

SUV-like ground clearance, standard AWD and above-average cargo room at wagon pricing, plus better fuel economy than most mid-size crossovers, made the Outback a widely cited value pick for 2019.

Six trims (2.5i, Premium, Limited, Touring on the 4-cylinder; Limited and Touring on the 6-cylinder) span $27,320–$39,970, giving a reasonably wide base-to-loaded spread and a choice of two engines.

The Outback was a consistent high-volume seller for Subaru through the late 2010s, running roughly 150,000-190,000 units a year and remaining one of the best-selling wagon-style vehicles in the US.

Subaru carried a strong, loyal following built on AWD capability and safety reputation by 2019, without the aspirational premium halo of a luxury marque.

Subaru historically kept incentive spending light relative to mainstream rivals given steady demand for the Outback, meaning less negotiating room for buyers rather than desperation-level MSRP pricing.

2019 is the final model year of the fifth generation (2015-2019); the redesigned sixth-generation Outback arrived for model year 2020, so 2019 buyers were purchasing a platform on the eve of replacement.

The 2019 Outback earned real third-party recognition — an IIHS Top Safety Pick+, a KBB Best Resale Value award, and an ALG Residual Value award — and was positively reviewed by Consumer Reports, though it wasn't an outright comparison-test winner over rivals.