Subaru · 1994–present

Subaru Outback

The Subaru Outback is an automotive nameplate used by the Japanese automaker Subaru for two different themed vehicles: a Legacy-derived station wagon, the Outback (1994–present, also sold as Legacy Outback (Japanese: スバル・レガシィアウトバック, Hepburn: Subaru Regashi Autobakku) in some markets), and an Impreza-derived off-road themed hatchback, the Outback Sport (1994–2011). Most versions of the Outback wagon and Outback Sport have had all-wheel drive as standard equipment.

Text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).

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History

The original Outback station wagon was derived from the wagon variant of the second-generation Subaru Legacy. The first-generation Legacy, which made its debut in 1989, did not receive the cosmetic and suspension modifications to create an Outback version, although Subaru offered an Outdoor option package for the 1994 model year Legacy L all-wheel drive model, which added a compressed air strut height adjustable suspension, a luggage rack, a skidplate, and mud flaps. Earlier, a raised-roof "Touring Wagon" variant had been offered on the preceding Subaru Leone for the 1988 and 1989 model years. Subaru also sold a raised-roof variant (chassis code BF) of the first-generation Legacy wagon outside the United States. North American Legacy wagons were only offered as the flat-roof variant (chassis code BJ) until a special "GT" model was marketed for the 1994 model year. The second-generation Legacy wagon became the first generation of the Outback crossover series, called the "Legacy Grand Wagon" in Japan in 1995, and the "Legacy Outback" in most other markets. Compared to the existing Legacy wagon, the "Outback" variant added partial protective plastic side body cladding for off-road conditions, used a raised roof, and would later raise the suspension to provide additional ground clearance. It was introduced at the 1994 New York Auto Show. Aside from other small differences in trim, the Outback shares almost all of its components with the Legacy donor model. When launched in Australia in 1996, the name "Legacy Outback" was shortened to "Outback", followed in other markets afterwards. In the United States, Subaru also retailed the Legacy SUS sedan between the 1997 and 2007 model years, with similar modifications to distinguish it from the equivalent Legacy model sedan. The Imp

First generation (BD/BG/BK; 1994)

The Outback concept originated with Subaru of America, which was suffering from slumping sales in the mid-1990s partly due to a lack of an entry in the then-burgeoning sport utility vehicle market. Lacking the finances to design an all-new vehicle, Subaru decided to add body cladding and a suspension lift to their Legacy wagon. Named the Legacy Outback, after the Australian outback, actor Paul Hogan was the spokesman in the North American market, playing off the Australian name of the vehicle and portraying the vehicle as a capable and more efficient alternative to large, truck-based SUVs. Sales exceeded expectations, with Tim Mahoney, Senior Vice President of Subaru of America stating "[the Outback] saved our company." From the beginning, the new model was known in Australia as the Outback and in Japan starting August 1995 as the Legacy Grand Wagon; the "Grand Wagon" nomenclature was meant to signify a more grand, luxurious vehicle compared to the standard Japanese model, which at that time was known as the Legacy Touring Wagon. The Legacy Outback was formally introduced to the North American market at the 1994 New York Auto Show for the 1995 model year. Initially, the Outback was a trim package on the base-model Legacy L wagon, which meant that its standard equipment list included heavy cloth interior, Berber carpet floor mats, and a luggage rack, among other features. This approach was also used on the smaller Impreza wagon, with the name Outback Sport. The only engine available initially was a 2.2-liter flat-four producing 135 hp (101 kW); this was replaced by a 2.5-liter twin-cam engine with 155 hp (116 kW) for model year 1996. For the next year, power went up to 165 hp (123 kW). The debut Outback retained the ground clearance of the standard Legacy wagon but diffe

Second generation (BE/BH; 1999)

With the arrival of the third generation Legacy, the second generation Outback wagon became its own model. The Legacy SUS remained unique to North America and was realigned with the Outback Limited package, offering the sedan with an optional horizontal six-cylinder engine, also optional on the wagon. The new body style was introduced to Japan in September 1998 and called the Lancaster. The US-spec Outback was available starting in 2000. In October 2000, Nissan introduced a Japan-only called competitor with an Outback-like appearance called the Nissan Avenir Blaster. The raised roof was retained, but the new body was smoother, rounder, and about 3 inches longer, with a slightly longer wheelbase. A new version of Subaru's flat four-cylinder "boxer" engine was standard, offering more low-end torque, better fuel economy, and smoother performance. There were no changes to the front suspension, but there was a complete makeover of the rear suspension, which included a new design that occupied less of the backspace, adding more room in the trunk and cargo floor. Safety improvements consist of three-point seat belts for the driver and additional four passengers. There is also a child-safety-seat anchor for all of the seat positions in the back. For the front, the seat belts are positioned to better hold the driver and front passenger along with front and rear airbags installed to protect the occupants in a collision. The Subaru Outback received a good rating from The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety in 2000 for its performance in a safety demonstration of a crash test at 40 miles per hour. The Outback has been since developing to make it as safe, smooth, and convenient a ride that it can be. The rear seat on the Outback sedan does not fold down, unlike previous generatio

Third generation (BL/BP; 2003)

On October 22, 2003, with the debut of the third-generation Legacy at the 60th Frankfurt Auto Show, the Outback name was being used in all markets with the launch of the third-generation Outback crossover, which until that point had only been used in export markets. Models equipped with a 3.0L EZ30D H6 were introduced at the 2004 Chicago Auto Show. The ground clearance is 8.5 in (220 mm) in the US, so as to get around fuel economy regulations, and 7.8 in (200 mm) most elsewhere. In some countries, such as Canada, it varied by what engine was installed. This generation of Outback carried the same model codes as the Legacy Wagon: BP9 for the 2.5-litre model and BPE for the 3.0-litre model. The highest trim level offered in the United States was the Outback "L.L. Bean Edition" that offered optional equipment as standard, including a wood and leather steering wheel, an auxiliary port on the stereo for external music player compatibility (2007 and later), perforated leather seats, GPS navigation, a double-sized, one-piece glass moonroof, limited-slip differential, and the 3.0-litre H6 engine. Starting with this generation, the interior retractable rear cargo cover had a separate stowage compartment in the spare tire storage area so that the cargo cover could be removed for large items and stowed out of the way inside the vehicle. A new Outback variant for the 2005 and newer years was the Outback XT. This model came with the same turbocharged 2.5L EJ255 4-cylinder engine found in the Impreza WRX model. This engine produced 243 hp (181 kW), which was much higher than the naturally aspirated 2.5L engine, which produced 175 hp (130 kW). The XT model came equipped with any 2 of the 3 standard transmissions: a 5-speed Auto-SportShift, or a 5-speed manual. In 2007, the Outback (alo

Fourth generation (BR/BM; 2009)

Based on the fifth generation Legacy, the fourth generation Subaru Outback was introduced in April 2009 at the New York Auto Show, the fifteenth anniversary of the first Outback's introduction at the same event. The Outback was introduced in Japan on May 20, 2009. The "Legacy" prefix has been dropped internationally. Air Bags are offered for the driver and front passenger, side bolster airbags for front seats on the outer edge, side curtain airbags for front and rear passengers and a knee bolster air bag for the driver. The ground clearance increases to 8.7 in (220 mm), and is the ninth Subaru vehicle to feature continuously variable transmission (CVT). The double-sized moonroof is no longer being offered, and has been reduced to a conventional size that doesn't extend over the rear seats. The turbocharged engine is also no longer offered on all international versions of the Outback. An engine coolant temperature gauge is no longer offered, replaced by a fuel economy gauge instead. When the engine temperature is below normal, an indicator light shines blue and when the engine is overheating, the light turns red. Using the key to unlock the drivers' door after locking the vehicle with the remote will set off the security system; the vehicle must be unlocked with the remote, a tradition going back to the first generation when remote keyless access was introduced. The side windows are no longer frameless, ending a Subaru tradition started with the first generation Leone in the early 1970s. The "D" pillar on the crossover is no longer covered in glass, also ending a design tradition established with the first generation and borrowed from the Subaru XT. The front and rear bumper covers are no longer painted a contrasting color, but the plastic side body cladding continues. T

Fifth generation (BS; 2014)

The fifth-generation Outback released in 2014 for the 2015 year model with the sixth generation Legacy, still badged the Legacy Outback for Japan. The sixth-generation Legacy was previewed as a concept at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November 2013; the Legacy sedan was premiered at Chicago in February 2014, with the Outback following at New York Auto Show in April 2014. An unrelated Legacy-based "sports tourer" wagon, the Subaru Levorg, was shown in 2013 and first sold in 2014. Elsewhere, the Outback became a free-standing model line of its own, independent of the Legacy, thus bringing greater product differentiation between the two. Subaru billed the exterior styling evolution as being shaped by the concept of 'more Outback', claiming to combine the strengths of passenger cars and sport-utility vehicles and capitalizing on the brand recognition gained from selling the Outback since 1995. EyeSight was offered for the first time in the European market on the new Outback. Chassis stiffness was improved for the fifth-generation Outback. To reduce aerodynamic drag, the side view mirrors were mounted on the sheet metal of the front doors rather than the base of the A-pillar, as was the case with previous models. From 2018, some world markets also offered Subaru Adaptive Driving Beam (ADB) that allow a driver to leave their high beam switched on at all times, and in combination with EyeSight, adjust a series of shutters that cover portions of the high beam light projection to prevent dazzling oncoming drivers whilst maintaining visibility of the rest of the road, or to "draw a box" of low beam around a lead vehicle that adjusts left and right working with SRH in line with that vehicle's movement. Other additions include front and side cameras along with Apple CarPlay and Andr

Sections adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0); text is shortened. Read the full article for the complete history and citations.

Specifications

name

Subaru Outback

Manufacturer

Subaru

Production

1994–present

Model years

1995–present

Assembly

Japan: Ota, Gunma, United States: Lafayette, Indiana (Lafayette Plant, 1999–2025)

aka

Subaru Legacy Outback

Class

Mid-size car (D) (1994–2025), Mid-size crossover SUV (2025–present)

Body style

5-door station wagon (1994–2025), 5-door SUV (2025–present)

Specification summary from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Measured facts from Wikidata (CC0). Check the linked sources for citations.

More photos

US EPA fuel-economy records

US EPA test figures (US MPG, US test cycle).

Sources

• Wikidata — https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1536958CC0 1.0 · retrieved 2026-10-01
• Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subaru_OutbackCC BY-SA 4.0 · Text © Wikipedia contributors; revision 1377304322 · retrieved 2026-10-01
• Wikimedia Commons — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:2023_Subaru_Outback_Limited_in_Magnetite_Gray_Metallic,_front_left.jpgCC BY-SA 3.0 · Photo: Mr.choppers · retrieved 2026-10-01
• Car Model Index — https://models.autoculturesociety.com/Compiled record. Sources that do not permit reuse are not copied; this index is credited instead.

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