Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.
AVOIR's read: the reliability record is poor enough to outweigh everything else here.
Owners have filed 296 complaints with NHTSA about the 2013 Subaru Outback, and it carries 12 recalls. These are owner allegations rather than confirmed defects, but the pattern of what people complain about is the most useful signal a used buyer has.
| Area | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 44 | 15% |
| Power train | 36 | 12% |
| Air bags | 29 | 10% |
| Steering | 27 | 9% |
| Unknown or other | 12 | 4% |
| Visibility/wiper | 8 | 3% |
| Service brakes | 7 | 2% |
| Structure | 6 | 2% |
| Seats | 6 | 2% |
| Electrical system | 6 | 2% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
Please contact Carvana and make them take that vehicle off the market. I purchased it and by chance found out that bottom parts like subframe and exhaust pipe were inadequately installed . The mechanic said eventually I
NHTSA complaint: Power train
Not really sure, I don’t remember. It’s a wooded area , lots of deer etc. But I honestly don’t remember I saw my car It it fully intact , all doors , hood,trunk Open, car starts too Only front drivers wheel is bent in
NHTSA complaint: Air bags
The contact owns a 2013 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that after pulling into the driveway, the passenger-side door was opened and the driver-side airbag deployed. The contact stated the airbag had exploded inadvert
NHTSA complaint: Air bags
The vehicle has had the seat belt replaced twice in one year for it dinging and now Subaru dealer says the ODS sensor is bad and does not detect a passenger in the seat therefore the air bag system is not functioning pro
NHTSA complaint: Air bags
The vehicle caught fire while driving along the interstate. It's a total loss.
NHTSA complaint: Structure
I purchased this car may 28th 2025 and had it over the weekend and check engine light came on and took it Monday once shop opened and came back for catalytic converter and o2 sensor I letted the dealership know about it
NHTSA complaint: Power train
I purchased a car from Middletown Nissan on May 24, 2025. The car was assured to have all these different safety checks so far it had to have the power steering pump replaced twice the power steering lines replaced all n
NHTSA complaint: Suspension
I was pulling into a parking spot, without any warning the car accelerated through a fence and hit a tree. There were no injuries and the airbags did not deploy. A man was waving me to stop and I could not. Fortunately t
NHTSA complaint: Vehicle speed control
NHTSA lists 12 recall campaigns for the 2013 Subaru Outback. Recalls are free to have fixed at a franchised dealer regardless of who owns the car now, but only if they were never done, so check the VIN of the specific car rather than trusting the model.
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2010-2014 Tribeca, WRX, Outback, and Legacy vehicles, 2010-2011 Impreza vehicles and 2010-2013 Forester vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Ma
Risk: An explosion of an inflator within the passenger frontal air bag module may result in sharp metal fragments striking the front seat passenger, driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or
Fix: Subaru is notifying owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began January 25, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2010-2013 Forester, 2010-2014 Tribeca, WRX, Outback, Legacy, and 2010-2011 Impreza vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, Amer
Risk: An explosion of an inflator within the passenger frontal air bag module may result in sharp metal fragments striking the front seat passenger, driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or
Fix: Subaru has notified owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began January 25, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2010-2014 Subaru Legacy and Outback vehicles equipped with a manual transmission. The electronic parking brake (EPB) may not engage as intended, allowing the vehicle to rollaway if the transmission is not in the proper gear when parked.
Risk: A vehicle rollaway can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the EPB actuator assembly, free of charge. The recall began July 19, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2010-2014 Tribeca, WRX, Legacy and Outback vehicles, 2010-2011 Impreza vehicles and 2010-2013 Forester vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mont
Risk: An explosion of an inflator within the passenger frontal air bag module may result in sharp metal fragments striking the front seat passenger, driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or
Fix: Subaru is notifying owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began on January 25, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-3
| Reliability raw | 43 | below average |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 64 | average |
| Maintenance | 74 | good |
| Depreciation | 69 | good |
| Performance | 60 | average |
| Efficiency | 45 | below average |
| Safety | 93 | excellent |
Percentile ranks against other SUVs in the catalog.
What stands behind each score for this car:
Owners have filed 296 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and engine is the most reported area with 44 of them (15%). There are 12 recalls on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.
AVOIR scores its reliability 43/100 (below average) from NHTSA recall campaigns and complaint density. That figure is a raw complaint count, not yet adjusted for sales volume, so a high-volume model scores worse than it deserves.
AVOIR scores its longevity 64/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2013 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.
AVOIR's read: skip, because the reliability record is poor enough to outweigh everything else here. Its overall ownership score is 62/100. Condition, mileage and service history still matter more than any score, so get a pre-purchase inspection on the specific car.
Sources: NHTSA recalls and complaints, EPA fuel economy, IIHS awards, and live market listings. A score describes a model-year, not the individual car in front of you. Get a pre-purchase inspection.