2025 Subaru Outback Base Review - Subaru's Best Value Or Should You Buy A Premium Instead?

Today we take a look at the 2025 Subaru Outback Base and why it could be a solid choice for a vehicle priced below $30k.

Huge thank you to Subaru of Wakefield for letting me stop by to film this 2025 Subaru Outback!

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[devilefan]

I am going to be getting an outback very soon and it is going to be the base model.... I'm not a fancy smancy person and I don't need all the gizmos and gadgets.... I'm quite capable of lifting the back gate so I don't need a power lift gate., I don't need a sunroof and besides, I don't like them anyway, I don't like leather seating. I prefer the cloth., and I really do prefer the double smaller screens as opposed to the one big screen, which I think looks a little gaudy in the outback in my opinion.... The base has most of the safety features., it has reclining back seats, which I like, and I really get a kick out of the levers in the back to fold the backseats down.... all in all I really like the base model and it's why I'm getting one within the next week

[VincentkN]

your so much more professional than other car reviewers with 5x as much subscribers as you. you deserve so much more subscribers

[Bob-xjjl]

Thanks for this review, I just took delivery of my new Base model 3 weeks ago, had a great price on this car.
As this video notes, this BASE Outback has no power seats. no heated seats, no keyless start, no blind traffic warnings, no power gate, .... these are all options I actually don't want, so no problem there.

HOWEVER, I just want to add to this review some astonishing pit falls for not just the Base model, but some irritating overall Subaru Outback blunders. (IMO)

1. USB
**In the Base model, there is ONLY ONE USB port total in the whole vehicle! There is only one 12 Volt plug (Cig lighter type) located INSIDE the Glove Box! mind-boggling!
** Currently I have a 12v-to-dual-USB adapter plugged in the glovebox, but the phone cables are hanging down from the bottom of the glovebox... crazy!
** I should note that there is one more additional 12v plug in the REAR of the cargo area, but it's way back!
** It would be a minor addition for a one more USB up front, and move that 12v plug out of the glovebox and put it in the middle compartment between the seats!

2. Cruise Control
** One thing I should mention that is good, I traded in a 2023 Subaru that the cruise control incremented in 5mph multiples (one quick push up or down in 5mph jump (you could hold the button for 1mph increments, but that involved taking you eyes off the road).

** Subaru has changed the buttons so the quick single adjustment is now 1mph increment.

** BUT That being said, the 2025 cruise control seems much tighter holding the car back when heading downhill, which in the older versions worked out quite well, there was a leeway where the 2023 car would "freewheel", sometimes downshifting the CVT without applying the brakes, but in a steeper hill, it would actually apply the brakes after 4-5mph above the set speed.
** This new Outback Basic is constantly applying brakes for anything above 2mph! Now in 2025 using the cruise control in just slightly hilly -- your brake lights are flashing on and off like crazy, Talk about driving anyone behind you crazy!

3. Start/Stop system
** I do not want it on, ever!
** Even though there are two separate menu options in two different menus, you can only turn this annoying, somewhat dangerous option off for only the current trip.
** You must turn it off every time you get in the car. Dangerous because.... sometimes you need to have quick power in traffic situations, the Outback has good pick-up in these situations, but the engine needs to be running!

4. Collision Avoidance
** As mentioned in the video, the collision avoidance system is good in the alert mode, but could be downright dangerous if the setting is for automatic braking. I had this is my old car and now this new Outback. Great to have the warning, but it sometimes detects some scenarios as dangerous and it's not. Just yesterday the warning went off because the eye-sight system detected something odd, and starting beeping and flashing lights (I had auto-braking off) I believe it was confused by a car facing me with one bright sun reflection, they were parked right at the end of a guard rail, then an oncoming car heading towards me with bright light on... my wife was with me and we were quite surprised at the beeping and flashing warning lights ... my feeling is the eyesight saw the guard rail as the front grill of a car and god knows what it figured out from there, but it obviously was wrong. If I had auto-brake on, a car behind me would be confused at minimum, and dangerous at worse.

[cheryl-cmz]

I've had 15 Suby's starting in 1984 w/the GL, had one Impreza & although I liked it the rest have been the early wagons followed by the Outback. Pound for pound they are the best contender in this category & I have no plans to change my loyalty to the Outback.

[leigpx]

if they put knobs and buttons only for climate control instead of a second touchscreen, that would be a reason for people who like simplicity to buy this car

[ryankosztya]

All things being equal between the Base versions of the Outback and Forester, there is one key piece of information not addressed that places the Outback (for me) over the Forester - towing capacity. For reasons unknown to me, the Outback base has a towing capacity of 2700 lbs (perfect for me to add a class 2 hitch and pull a small trailer with a motorcycle, or to/from dropping off a kid at college, or for runs to/from Menards/Home Depot) while the Forester base can only tow 1500 lbs.

[Jay-bwfl]

Just bought a premium with upgrade packages. Got $2074 off so that brought it down to $32591. Very good value for what you get. The larger screen, heated seats, keyless entry, push start, power gate, rear ac vents, nicer looking interior trim plastics and the painted mirrors are all super nice upgrades that make the premium the best value imo especially the rear ac vents which I think should be standard for every car. Once you go above the premium the value diminishes greatly to me as I don’t care about leather and the cost goes up substantially. Whether you go base or premium the outback is such a nice vehicle for the money and considering the real symmetrical all wheel drive standard it is one of the best values out there. I truly feels like a much more expensive car than it is.

[Qdogg]

This thing would be so cool if they still offered it with a manual transmission. Only thing I really don’t like is the second touch screen for HVAC controls, that and the CVT transmission.

[seattlewa.]

I prefer this outback than accord or Camry lots room cargo

[DuduBrownBearz]

I don’t know, but imo, i think onyx edition got the best bang for your buck.

[shadyteeovo]

Do a review on the Outback wilderness 2025 please

[SyrupCanuck]

Man they need to just make the big screen standard across and work to streamline the options through the trim levels.

[randolphbaker]

What is the towing capacity of this model
I has a boat, motor and trailer weighing 2300 lb

[quintonsullivan]

Looking at legacy. Found base model for 26k in my area. It's a 2025 and don't care for SUV. Is the base legacy good value?

[SyrupCanuck]

This car needs Mazda help with interior design and basic controls

[ralphabreu]

30k for a 20 k vehicle that's what's F'd up with today's plastic fantastic car's