Used Car Research
Best Year for a Used Subaru Outback to Buy
The short version: 2023 for the best-scored year of the current usedgeneration, 2022 if you want a Wilderness, 2021 for most of the same car for less, and 2019 if youwant standard EyeSight or the last of the six-cylinder 3.6R.
Pick the generation first. The Outback has changed more between generations thanwithin them, and the two used generations on the market now are genuinely different cars: asix-cylinder option and an 8-inch screen on one side, a turbocharged four and a large portraittouchscreen on the other. Settle that question and the year becomes a budget decision.
Where the Lines Are
Subaru Outback Generations at a Glance
| Generation | Model years | What defines it |
|---|---|---|
| Fifth generation | 2015 to 2019 | Officially a crossover. Most safety systems standardised in 2015, an 8-inch infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto arrives in 2017, EyeSight becomes standard across all trims in 2019. Last generation to offer the 3.6R six-cylinder. |
| Sixth generation | 2020 to 2025 | A turbocharged 2.4-liter replaces the six-cylinder, an 11.6-inch portrait touchscreen becomes available, and the Wilderness trim launches for 2022. |
| Seventh generation | 2026 to present | Full redesign with boxier styling, a 12.1-inch screen and a 12.3-inch digital cluster. Too new to be a used-market value play yet. |
Generation boundaries and feature-change years per the CarGurus Subaru Outbackbuying guide, reviewed September 2026.
The Years Worth Shopping
Five Strong Used Outback Years, and Why
Each of these earns its place for a specific reason. Read the reason ratherthan the year, and buy the one whose reason is yours.
2017
The year CarPlay arrived
The 2017 model year brought the 8-inch infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, which is the feature that separates an older Outback that still feels usable from one that does not. It is also frequently named among the fewest-issues years of the fifth generation.
2019
Standard EyeSight, and the last of the six-cylinder
2019 is the first year EyeSight Driver Assist Technology came standard on every Outback trim, so you no longer have to hunt for a specific build to get adaptive cruise and pre-collision braking. It is also the final year of the 3.6R six-cylinder, and the 2019 3.6R is often singled out as the most reliable used Outback you can buy.
2021
The sixth generation settles down
By 2021 the sixth-generation Outback had a year of running changes behind it, and it is the point where the generation is commonly described as hitting its stride. You get the modern cabin and the large portrait touchscreen without paying for the newest model year.
2022
Wilderness debuts, and value holds up
The Outback Wilderness launched for 2022 with raised suspension, all-terrain tyres and underbody protection, so this is the earliest used year that trim exists. The 2022 model year is also noted for strong long-term value retention and a low severe-defect rate.
2023
The best-scored year of the generation
The 2023 Outback carries a J.D. Power Quality and Reliability score of 80 out of 100, matched by 2024 and edged only by 2025 at 81. It has the full sixth-generation equipment set, has already taken its steepest depreciation, and is recent enough to have a long life ahead.
How to Choose Between Them
Pick the Year by the Feature You Actually Want
If you want a usable screen
2017 is the floor. That is the model year the 8-inch system with Apple CarPlay and Android Autoarrived. Below it, the infotainment is the part of the car that will date fastest and annoy you most.
If you want standard driver assistance
2019 or newer. EyeSight became standard on every trim that year, so adaptive cruise with lanecentering and pre-collision braking come with the car rather than with a particular build. On theNC-24 run between Jacksonville and Swansboro in beach season, that is the feature you use daily.
If you want the six-cylinder
2019 or earlier, and look for the 3.6R specifically. The sixth generation replaced it with aturbocharged 2.4-liter four, so the six is a fifth-generation car or nothing.
If you want off-road clearance
2022 or newer, and look for Wilderness. Raised suspension, all-terrain tyres and underbodyprotection, which is the set-up worth having on unpaved lanes around Richlands or a forest road inthe Croatan.
If you want the longest remaining life
Buy the newest one your budget covers, and weigh documented service history above model year. A2021 with full records beats a 2023 with none.
Before You Buy
What to Check on Any Used Outback
This applies to every generation and every year. Running it properly mattersmore than which model year you settle on.
- Maintenance records first. On a flat engine, head gasket and timing belt work isexpensive, so documented history on an older car is worth real money at the negotiating table.
- CVT fluid service. Ask when it was last done and whether it followed Subaru'sschedule. It is the most informative single record on a modern Outback.
- Undercarriage and brake hardware on coastal cars. Onslow, Carteret and PenderCounty vehicles live in salt air year round. Look at it on a lift rather than in a parking space.
- Windshield and EyeSight calibration on 2019 and newer. The cameras mount to theglass, so a replaced windshield needs a recalibration. Confirm the system arms and that adaptivecruise engages on the test drive.
- Four matching tyres. Subaru all-wheel drive prefers a matched set at similarwear depth. One odd tyre tells you how the car was maintained.
- Rear liftgate and roof rail hardware. Outbacks get used, which is the point ofthem. Check that the rails are solid and the gate seals cleanly.
- A pre-purchase inspection by a Subaru-certified technician. Cheapest insurancein the whole transaction.
Feature and generation history per the CarGurus Subaru Outback buying guide,reviewed September 2026. Reliability scores quoted are third-party assessments, cited as such. Tocompare EPA fuel economy across the model years on your shortlist, use the government's own database atfueleconomy.gov Subaru Outbackand switch the year. If you are cross-shopping the Outback against the Forester, our2026 Outback vs 2026 Forester comparison covers the new versions of both.
Shopping One Here
Finding a Used Outback at Sport Durst Subaru in Jacksonville
Used stock turns over week to week, so what is useful here is not a list ofwhat is on the lot today. It is two routes in and a phone number.
Factory Backed
Certified Pre-Owned Subaru
Subaru's own inspection process and factory-backed coverage. On an Outback whose service historyyou cannot fully document, this is usually the cheaper route once risk is priced in.
Shop Certified Pre-OwnedAll Pre-Owned
Full Used Inventory
Everything on the lot, Subaru and otherwise, including a group of vehicles under $15,000. Filterby year to match the range you picked above and check back regularly.
Shop Used InventoryIf the year you want is not showing, call (910) 507-7316 and tell us what youare after. Trades arrive continuously. You can also start atrade appraisal or an online credit application beforeyou drive in.
Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best year for a used Subaru Outback?
The strongest cluster is 2022 and newer, with 2023 carrying a J.D. Power Quality and Reliability score of 80 out of 100. Below that, 2017 through 2019 are the fifth-generation years most often recommended, and 2019 in particular because EyeSight became standard that year and the 3.6R six-cylinder was still available.
Which Outback generation should I be shopping?
The sixth generation, 2020 through 2025, for most buyers. It has the modern cabin, the large portrait touchscreen and the turbocharged XT option. The fifth generation, 2015 through 2019, is the value route and the only place to find the 3.6R six-cylinder engine.
What year did the Outback get Apple CarPlay?
2017, with the arrival of the 8-inch infotainment system. That is a meaningful line for anyone shopping older Outbacks, because it is the difference between a car whose screen you will still want to use and one whose you will not.
What year did EyeSight become standard on the Outback?
2019. EyeSight was introduced back in 2013 on the Limited trim and expanded over the following years, so a fifth-generation Outback from before 2019 may or may not have it depending on how it was ordered. From 2019 onward it is on every trim.
When did the Outback Wilderness first appear?
The 2022 model year. It added raised suspension, all-terrain tyres, underbody protection and improved approach and departure angles. If you want a used Wilderness, 2022 is the earliest it exists.
Is a used Outback a good fit for coastal North Carolina?
It is a common choice around Jacksonville, Swansboro and the Crystal Coast for two reasons: all-wheel drive is standard on every Outback ever built, and the cargo shape carries beach and trail gear better than a sedan or most crossovers. The thing to inspect on any coastal car is corrosion on the undercarriage and brake hardware.
What should I check before buying any used Outback?
Ask for maintenance records first, especially CVT fluid service on 2010 and newer cars, and head gasket or timing belt work on older ones, since those are expensive jobs on a flat engine. On a car that has lived near salt air, have the undercarriage looked at on a lift. A pre-purchase inspection by a Subaru-certified technician is worth the fee every time.
Do you have used Outbacks in stock in Jacksonville, NC?
Used inventory changes weekly, so the live listings are the honest answer rather than anything a page can promise. Check our used and certified pre-owned inventory, or call (910) 507-7316 with the year range you want and we will watch for it as trades come in.
Shop Used Outbacks in Jacksonville, NC
Settle the generation, pick the year by the feature you want, then see what is actually on the ground. We are at 2400 N. Marine Blvd.
Shop New Subaru InventoryShop Used InventorySchedule ServiceGet FinancingContact UsCall (910) 507-7316
Sport Durst Subaru of Jacksonville, 2400 N. Marine Blvd, Jacksonville, NC 28546. Sales (910) 507-7316. Service (910) 427-5812.Hours and directions.
