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2023 Subaru Outback
Solid pick. The public record on this car is clean for its age. Inspect it, then negotiate with confidence.
85 owner complaints · 2 recalls · data verified July 11, 2026 · source: NHTSA
Why buy?
The math, shown
Full methodology →Complaints filed per year
Fading = early teething worked out. Climbing = problems aging in.
The road ahead
What breaks on a 2023 Subaru Outback, plotted where owners report it happening.
Also reported (mileage varies): Driver assistance (21) · Visibility & wipers (19) · Electrical system (17) · Brakes (6)
Mileage medians come from owners who mentioned an odometer reading in their NHTSA complaint, a rough guide, not a schedule.
Driver assistance
25%21 complaints · 6 in the last 2 years
“When going down my driveway, the (RAB) Reverse Automatic Braking system will often times turn itself off and not reset like the manual say's it should. I have to stop …”
Visibility & wipers
22%19 complaints · 5 in the last 2 years
“Windshield was struck by a small stone. There was no immediate damage but over a period of several weeks 5 cracks appeared traversing the windshield top to bottom.”
Electrical system
20%17 complaints · 5 in the last 2 years
“The contact owns a 2023 Subaru Outlook. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the Starlink system failed to function as intended. The vehicle was taken…”
Brakes
7%6 complaints · 3 in the last 2 years
“My car had an unintended acceleration that caused me to go in a ditch and hit a tree. I could not get car to stop when I realized it was increasing speed. It all happe…”
Recalls (2)
Safety recall repairs are free at the brand’s franchised dealers. Before buying, run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and make the seller show the work was done.
Power Train · 23V755000
Subaru of America, Inc. is recalling certain model year 2021 Crosstrek, 2022 Forester, 2021-2023 Legacy, and Outback vehicles. An insufficient weld may allow water to enter the inhibitor switch, causing it to fail.
Risk: An inoperative inhibitor switch may prevent the reverse lights from illuminating and the rearview camera image from displaying, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the inhibitor switch, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 8, 2024. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WRQ-23.
Power Train · 23V647000
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2023 Outback, Legacy, Ascent, and Impreza vehicles. The center support bolts for the driveshaft may loosen, resulting in the disconnection of the front end of the driveshaft.
Risk: Separation of the front end of the driveshaft increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will clean the bolt mounting surfaces of the center support brace and install new bolts, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 20, 2023. Owners may contact Subaru's customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRN-23.
Before you hand over money
Check the VIN for open recalls
NHTSA’s free lookup shows whether this exact car had its recall remedies completed.
Free NHTSA VIN check ↗Get a pre-purchase inspection
A $150 to $250 independent inspection of this exact 2023 Subaru OUTBACK beats every score on the internet, including ours.
What to ask forNot set on the 2023? See how every Outback model year scores →
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What owners say
Real owners of this exact model-year, shown separately from the NHTSA score. If they disagree, that’s worth knowing.