Handling in all conditions, reliability, value, quiet ride in the H6. Stereo (upgraded, but still Subaru Factory) sounds better than anything I''ve ever heard in a car.

Heated seat buttons can easily be turned on accidentally, especially when using the cup holder between seats. "Dual moonroofs" are a hoax; only the back one slides open. The front one just flips up, which is silly but I think intended to accommodate design. Stock Firestone tires are not very good. Rotors do tend to wear quickly on Subarus---I think that''s a common complaint and one I can echo from past experience.

This is the second new Subaru I have purchased, the first being a ''94 Legacy Wagon w/ AWD that I reluctantly traded in after 150,000 miles. First and foremost, Subaru builds a VERY reliable car. I have the H6-3.0 engine; it accelerates confidently at low speeds, although at highway speed it is not more than average. The car has a solid feel; steering and handling are predictable and better than any car I have ever driven, excluding high performance sports cars. Subaru has listened to complaints about things such as the cup holder obscuring the stereo and other controls by eliminating this nuisance. Also, they have added intermittent wipers for both the front and rear wipers. Upgraded stereo system sounds OUTSTANDING---if you''re serious about good sound, then upgrading is a must. Many places online offer upgraded speakers, subwoofers, amps, and the like that are OEM for Subaru and easy to install. Interior is comfortable IF you like a firm seat. Many others have mentioned that the seats are TOO firm and may likely be so for some, but not for me. Cargo space is adequate, but hey, this is NOT a TrailBlazer or Explorer, so don''t expect as much as them. All of this without mentioning at all the "Beauty of All-Wheel Drive." The Subaru AWD system is mechanically sound and provides outstanding traction. Look, this isn''t a Jeep Wrangler nor is it intended for "serious" off-roading. I would think that anyone looking for serious off-roading would be buying something that at least shifts into and out of 4WD with both high and low 4WD gears. The Outback WILL plow through snow, stick to wet roads like glue, handle dirt roads, sandy beaches and the like, which is what it''s built to do. Don''t expect more. I hope this helps. If you''re seriously interested in buying a Subaru and have more questions please feel free to contact me. I DON''T work for Subaru, I swear, but I think Subaru''s "cult" following, if that''s what it is, is very deserved. If I run into problems w/ this car, I will be sure to update my review.

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1998 Jeep Cherokee; 1994 Subaru Legacy; 1992 Ford Explorer

Car like ride and handling, AWD, generous cargo space, great fuel mileage for size and weight.

Sound system stinks, interior light does not stay on after you close the door when you first enter the car, intermittent wipers not variable, block heater is an option. Driving(??)lights are useless, as I,m sure they are on all cars that come factory equipped with these things, they are an unecessary doodad that increases the purchase price, with no added benefit. Seat heater switches are invariably accidentally turned on, as they are in poor location. Although niggly, the above problems don''t become a vehicle in this price range.

Vehicle has replaced a 1988 Cherokee as the main family vehicle. It is used for commuting to and from work, long distance trips, basic running around town. Reason for choosing this over new Cherokee was the more modern design, better fuel economy, better ingress/egress(we often cart around two eighty plus year old parents), we also wanted something more carlike. As well, the Outback has an excellent safety record in crash tests. We had a JVC CD changer installed at time of purchase, as the factory supplied unit was much too expensive. The JVC changer uses the existing AM/FM Cassette audio system installed at the factory(a little more on this further down). Car has 10000km to date, mileage has been a consistent average of 8.5L/100km (33 miles per imp. gallon). Car is quite confortable on long drives, handles well, is very stable and predictable. It has lots of passenger and cargo room by today''s standards. A maximum load of passengers and gear does not upset the vehicle''s dynamic balance, and this helps to create confidence. The A/C button sticks and needs to be wiggled to pop out and shut the air conditioning off, car needs to go back to the dealer to have this addressed. I do find that certain types of pavement cause the vehicle to have excessive road noise, this may be due to the tires, they are Firestone Wilderness, and all other problems aside re Firestone, they seem to be awful noisy tires. I think the standard factory sound system leaves a lot to be desired, the rear speakers are mounted in the rear passenger door panels, way down low, the front speakers are mounted in the same way in the front door panels. This makes for no fade control, as the sound seems to be right next to you all the time no matter how you fade it front to back. Turning it up to a confortable level negates trying to converse with a passenger, try to converse with someone and you end up turning it down to where you can''t hear it. So you shut it off. And why would an AWD vehicle that is touted as the answer to inclement (read winter, cold, snow, sleet)weather and comes equipped with seat warmers and heated mirrors and wiper de-icers not have a factory installed block heater? Regarding reliability, the car is still new, so so far so good, and I hope it proves to be even half as dependable as the boat anchor reliable Cherokee, which we still own and now use a

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Several Jeeps in various models,presently still own a 6cyl 5spd vinyl upholstery rubber carpeted bread and butter 4 dr Cherokee that has been like a block of granite for reliability, and this in spite

A car company that really stands behind their product!

Having the misfortune in having bought the car that turned out to be a "lemon".

Hello again! I''m writing to update my last posting on our 2000 Subaru Outback Wagon. Subaru stepped up to the plate and did the right thing, they bought back the car! My wife is now driving a new Outback and is very happy with both Libertyville Subaru and Subaru of America for their help in resolving this matter. Communication was the key to it''s resolution and having a dealer who not only stands behind it''s product but also it''s customer was of great help.

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AWD, Fog lights, Daytime Running Lamps, Cargo mat, ABS (All are standard features on this vehicle)

V6 would have been a bonus, but I am more concerned about my MPG than having a little extra HP.
Factory stereo leaves a lot to be desired

Wow, I love this car!!! Only had it for 3 weeks now, but it's growing on me by the day.
Plenty of rear seat room and tons of room for my 90lb Yellow Lab to ride comfortably in the back. Seems to handle quite well and is a pretty quiet/smooth ride. 5-speed is the way to go with the V4. Gives me enough low end power and passing is a breeze with the manual tranny.
Once I've installed my new 5-disc in-dash changer, new head unit, Component speakers up front, 3-ways in the back, 10" sub and my 5-way amp I should be commuting in STYLE!!!
Despite what some other reviewers have said, the front seats are extremely comfy and are firm enough to support me through tight cornering.
I can't wait for the snow to start piling up so I can safely negotiate my 45 mile commute to work in Western Maine.

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Well, this vehicle is leaps and bounds above the previous vehicles I have owned: Chevy Corsica, Toyota Corolla, Ford Escort, Mazda MX-3 V6 (See why I'm so happy with the Outback??!)

H6-3.0, AWD, Balance of vehicle, suspension, seating, room, gas mileage, standard cd player, auto climate, rearview mirror, rear sunroof, compartments in the cargo area and warranty.

no tinted windows, ALARM, doors don't automaticly lock, arm rest, tires, horn, gear ratio, pwer windows, front sunroof, no telescopic steering wheel, no electric passenger seat, no storage in rear seating, stereo.

Overall the car is great, love it. 0-60 indeed 8.5sec., handles like a sports sedan although I did notice the tires seem to give out when taking tight corners. Suspension is stiff but smooth and comfortable ride. Great on gas mileage (I did notice if you use 89 oct or 92 oct better gas mileage anything above or below sucks it up. odd). gears tend to change too soon, breaking could be better. But I must say I do feel that 212hp. going up hill from a stand still is a breeze when shifting. performance could be better but if it were I wouldn't have a license plus wife would kill me. happy with the performance.
cargo room is spacious and easy to get around. leather seats are comfy, love the two tone seats. auto climate performs great but the fact that my windows don't come tinted sucks!(should come standard) with all the windows in this car it gets very hot in there even with the a/c on. the stereo sounds alright nothing to brag about, the controls for wipers and cruise control can get very confusing. this car should come with telescopic steering wheel (can be uncomfortable for anyone over 5'10" for driving postion). Hate the alarm system very annoying in the sense win turning on and off (BEEP BEEP) very loud! Horn sounds like a small car. Doors don't automatically lock when driving off. the one touch is a joke, should come with one touch up and down for both driver and passenger.

For a car in this price range it should come with better features.
(european cars comes with much better features).

Dispite all the complaints I've made about this car I still love it wouldn't trade it in (as long as it doesn't give me any problems). Haven't had a problem yet unlike my last car (00 jetta look for my review in that section) Love the steering wheel, they just really need to make some changes. I gave a 4 star only because I'd buy it again and got a fair deal. This car is worth buying especially if you want suv type but without the rollover. Can't wait for the snow!
Will review again in the winter!

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00' VW jetta(check my comments in VW) unrelyable. accord, volvo, maxima

Great handling in the slush. Much more power in the boxer-6 engine than the 4-cyl.

Couldn't see half of the control knobs for wipers, cruise. the cup holders are in a very poor location above CD player. Couldn't read the climate control/temp guage very well. check engine light came on during test drive...not a good sign. The dealer didn't know very much about the car even though he bragged about his experiences driving it. Don't like the mandatory maintenance at 15, 30 and 45K miles. Too pricey!

I test drove this car fresh on the lot. It handles great. The dual moonroofs were cool. We drove it up and down some of the worst NY state roads and it handled great. Loved the improved power on the interstate. I felt really cramped in the drivers seat. I'd wait for this car to become more established in the boxer-6 to get out the flaws, like the check engine light going on as we drove off the lot. I'll stick with the SUV's!

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Subaru legacy

Value, AWD, Gas Milage, Exhaust Note

Cup Holder, Needs more Oomph! I hate the fact that Subaru does not import the WRX turbo that is available in Europe.

My wife and I bought this car as a lease trade in. We paid $14,000 for it. The car had 48,000 miles on it, so it was a good deal. The only thing that it needed was new tires. There were papers in the glove box with the original leaser's name on them. We were able to contact her and ask about the car. She lives in the Detroit area. We asked her why she traded it in. She said that she liked the car and had no problems with it, she just traded it in as her lease was up and she got another one.

My wife drives it back and forth to work and loves the car. She was apprehensive about getting a wagon at first as she drove a Mazda MX-6 which is a sporty type car but she gets a lot of compliments on the car.

We live in Michigan and the winters can cause nasty driving situations to arrise at a moments notice. So even though the AWD system is seemless we still know it is at work. The place where we live has some very steep streets surounding it. There have been times where I have had to choose alternate routes to get home. We have one hill that is on about a 45 degree incline and it will get 5-10 inches of snow on it. Well the car climbs right up it.

To give testamony to the AWD system, My Toyota 4Runner locked in to 4WD will climb the same hill but it will spin and slide to the right if the hill is real slick. The Outback just goes straight up. Very cool.

I would recomend this car to anyone who drives in snow and ice. I always judge the value of things by weather or not I would make the same purchase choice. My wife and I have already talked about the next Subaru that we will by. So yes I would recommend this car.

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2 Toyota 4Runners, a S-10 Blazer, a Toyota 4x4 truck.

A great car to drive. Very comfortable once you get the seats adjusted correctly. Adequate power for me. Very versatile - can carry two sea kayaks and camping gear with plenty of room for two, and gets reasonable gas mileage to boot - about 26 mpg with the kayaks on. Automatic works great in the city. My previous manual transmission Subaru was kind of touchy in city traffic - clutch tended to grab. Much quieter than my previous Subaru and very good for an AWD car. You can actually use this car on rough roads (not true 4WD tracks) but it will usually get you where you need to go. The AWD is great in rain and snow. Much more stable than any SUV out there. In general, a well engineered car with only small problems.

No intermitent rear wiper (fixed on 2001 model). Firestone tires are not the best (mine keep going out of balance even after a tire alignment) - I wish Subaru had stuck with the Michelin's from the previous Outback. The sunroof is not very useful and is noisy. I wish Subaru would move away from the frameless windows. The paint quality has been poor (many rock chips) - much worse than my previous Subaru. The brakes take some getting used to. They work great (very progressive), but you really have to push hard on them to get the brakes to apply - just takes some getting used to. Expensive for a 4 cylinder - you can buy a 6 cyl. Honda for the same amount, but you don't get AWD.

This is my second Subaru. The styling is kind of weird. I prefer the previous generation (96-99) styling, but in terms of driving dynamics the 2000 model is heads and shoulders above it. The stability is great considering it is a jacked up station wagon. Gas mileage is good for a car that has AWD and weighs 3700 lbs. I find the power acceptable with the 4 cylinder - it's not a sports car, but it gets the job done. I have had some annoying problems with this Subaru - the biggest has not been solved. Under light load the engine has a sustained pinging noise (around 2000 - 2500 rpm) which is weather dependent - occurs above about 70 degrees. SOA is working on a solution to this problem, but nothing yet. You should be able to buy a new Subaru near or under invoice price (except for the WRX). I've paid under invoice price both times I bought a Subaru. I'd recommend a Subaru to anyone needing all-wheel-drive.

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When I bought this car there really weren't any comparable brands. That has changed now - especially if you are looking in the LL Bean or VDC price range. If I were shopping now I'd look at the Toyota Highlander and Acura MDX. More and more AWD models are starting to appear to compete with Subaru. If I were buying now I'd probably stick with Subaru... but in a couple of years... I don't know?

Heavy duty suspension that is comfortable and absorbs potholes well in the urban jungle. AWD is excellent in wet and winter conditions. Heated seats are great in winter.

The four banger could use more power. Air conditioning is just average. Switches for heated seats to easy to turn on by accident. Inside door panels easy to damage. Small dog will leave dents in upper door panel from paws and claws on door with head out the window after short ten minuet ride. Sure going to miss that dog.

The car has a very comfortable drive. There is plenty of room to carry my stuff on long highway drives pulling a trailer. Very good brakes and good gas mileage. Good fit and finish on exterier and interier parts except for door panels that get damaged easiliy. Car is roomy for person who has stuff to bring and passengers.

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Build quality, aftermarket support, and off road capability are outstanding! This is my 4th jeep and the new coil suspension provides an incredible on road ride compared to the older model's leaf springs. This jeep has been modified with larger tires, lift, regeared axles with a posi, Winch, armor, etc. I bought it with the intention of having it spend at least 50 % of it's time off road and still be my daily driver. It amazes me every time I go wheeling. For the tight woods that are available in the North East, it's size and agility allow it to get thru and over trails that other vehicals would have a lot of difficulty with (not to mention severe sheet metal damage). I really don't think it's fair to compare it to SUV's or trucks, A jeep stands in a seperate class. There are compromises for on-road ride quality that need to be made, but it's more than made up for when you realize that this street legal vehical just brought you thru yet another difficult off-road trail.

I wish it came with Dana 44 axles front and rear from the factory. They are mandatory to run 33 inch or larger tires. The also need to get rid of the slip yoke on the transfer case. While I understand that it cost less to make a solid drive shaft and leave the slip yoke on the transfer case, it's a weaker design and causes problems when adding a suspension lift.

For some one who want's a vehical that can be modified and be capable of serious off-road adventures, this is it. If that is not your cup of tea, you would be well served to buy a regular SUV and enjoy the pavement.

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There is really no other vehical in it's class. SUV's regardless of who makes them (including the Jeep Grand Cherokee) are designed for pavement. While an SUV can go on mild trails, they are very rarely seen deep in the woods. Full size SUV's and trucks are just to big to be of any use out there as well.