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Affordable adventure in the $25,895 2018 Subaru Outback

The prices aren't much higher than last year, which is always nice.

Andrew Krok Reviews Editor / Cars
Cars are Andrew's jam, as is strawberry. After spending years as a regular ol' car fanatic, he started working his way through the echelons of the automotive industry, starting out as social-media director of a small European-focused garage outside of Chicago. From there, he moved to the editorial side, penning several written features in Total 911 Magazine before becoming a full-time auto writer, first for a local Chicago outlet and then for CNET Cars.
Andrew Krok
2 min read
Subaru

Subaru didn't just refresh the Legacy for the 2018 model year -- it also bestowed some updates upon the Legacy's taller, more capacious sibling, the 2018 Outback.

For the 2018 model year, Subaru saw fit to replace the Outback's headlights, grille, front and rear bumpers and door mirrors. Like the 2018 Legacy, a new safety system locks the doors above 12.5 mph and unlocks them when the airbags deploy. New acoustic front glass should cut down on interior noise, as well.

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If you'd rather have a lifted wagon than a giant crossover, the Outback is worth your attention.

Subaru

The base Outback 2.5i starts at $25,895. Standard equipment includes a 6.5-inch infotainment screen with Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, Aha and Pandora integration. All-wheel drive is standard, and the 2.5-liter H4 to which it's mated packs 175 horsepower.

Moving up the trim ladder, we land next at the $27,995 Outback 2.5i Premium. This adds heated front seats, heated exterior mirrors, dual-zone automatic climate control, a three-spoke steering wheel, a power front driver's seat and an instrument cluster with a LCD color display. EyeSight, Subaru's suite of driver aids that includes automatic emergency braking and adaptive cruise control, is optional, as is navigation.

The next step up that ladder is the $32,695 Outback 2.5i Limited. This trim bestows the owner with a power front passenger seat, 18-inch wheels, fog lights, and wood interior trim. Add the EyeSight package, and you also get steering-responsive LED headlights, too.

Subaru caps off the Outback lineup with the 2.5i Touring. This $36,490 trim includes roof rails, a dark grey grille and wheels, leather seats and door panels, a heated steering wheel and auto up/down windows all around. Premium, Limited and Touring trims also get a 8.0-inch multitouch infotainment system with cloud applications. EyeSight and navigation are, again, optional.

If the 175-horsepower four-banger doesn't do it for you, there's also a 265-horsepower flat-six engine on offer, as well. It's only available with the Limited and Touring trims, and it bumps the price up to $35,395 and $38,690, respectively. All 2018 Outback variants will be at dealerships this summer.

Full 2018 Subaru Outback pricing information

Model 2018 MSRP2017 MSRPNet Change
2.5i $25,895 $25,645 +$250
2.5i Premium $27,995 $27,695 +$300
2.5i Limited $32,695 $32,390 +$305
2.5i Touring $36,490 $35,995 +$495
3.6R Limited $35,395 $34,995 +$400
3.6R Touring $38,690 $38,195 +$495

Small updates make a big splash in 2018 Subaru Outback

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