Understanding the 9 Trims of the 2025 Subaru Outback So You Can Pick the Best One
With nine different trims of the Subaru Outback to choose from, comparing them all to choose which is best can be intimidating. So, we did the heavy lifting for you.
With the redesigned (and slightly more expensive) 2026 Subaru Outback due to hit the lots later this year, there are bound to be sales associates and managers eager to shoo the “old” design from their showrooms. Of course, they’re trying to sell you the most expensive model, the Touring XT, which is almost $44,000. It’s posh and powerful, but it doesn’t mean it’s the right trim for you.
The Outback is one of the most diverse models the company offers, featuring various engine options, interior materials, colors, and purposes. Which, unless you’re a nerd like me, a long list of options can make you feel like you’re up against a wall to just hurry up and pick one.
Don’t worry–before you do a deep dive on Subaru’s website, hand them all your cookies, and start being barraged by ads on Google, we’ll help you understand the subtle (or sometimes huge) differences between all nine trims.
This story is 100% human-researched and written based on actual first-person knowledge, extensive experience, and expertise on the subject of cars and trucks.
First, What’s So Special About the Subaru Outback?
A better question would be: what’s not to love about the Subaru Outback? It’s handsome, spacious, comfortable, and gets decent gas mileage for an AWD SUV. It’s the trusted car of both mountain folk and city slickers, because it can go anywhere and fit in just fine. Plus, it’s a token of an outdoorsy lifestyle. Driving one tells others, “I love camping, hiking, mountain biking, locally crafted beer, the environment, and of course, my Subaru.”
The Subaru Outback offers excellent value, even at the top trim ($44,000 for Nappa leather and a turbo engine). All models include AWD, EyeSight, X-MODE, a CVT, and high ground clearance. Outbacks also retain their value well and are very safe, making them ideal for families.
The engine options are great, too. All trim levels except for the Onyx Edition XT, Wilderness, Limited XT, and Touring XT come with Subaru’s 2.5-liter Boxer engine (what the company’s known for) that produces 182 horsepower and 176 lb-ft of torque. If you get the four trim levels mentioned above, you get the 2.4-liter turbocharged Boxer four-cylinder engine, which generates 260 horsepower and 277 lb-ft of torque.
READ MORE: Why We Bought A Subaru Outback
Let’s Start With the Base Model
With the price of $29,995, it’s the least expensive Outback Subaru has to offer. It doesn’t have leather seats; instead, they’re cloth, and instead of electronic seat adjusters, they’re manual, and instead of an 11.6-inch vertical touch screen, you get two seven-inch screens (thankfully, you still get Android Auto and Apple CarPlay).
You get analog gauges instead of a digital gauge cluster, and you don’t get fancy do-dads like heated front seats, dual-zone climate control, USB charging ports for the rear, or an optional WiFi hotspot. At that price point, it makes sense. Hence, the word base. You still need a physical key to start it, too, but the key fob at least allows for keyless entry.
It’s fairly bare bones; perfect for someone who is looking for a minimalistic upgrade from their 2003 model. However, like I mentioned before, it still comes with Subaru’s EyeSight safety system, so it still has adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking in the front and rear, lane departure warning, and excellent pedestrian and cyclist detection. In summary, if you prioritize safety and space over comfort, the Base is all you need.
READ MORE: Shopping For a Subaru Outback? Here Are 8 SUVs We Think You Should Consider First
Next Up is the Modest Premium Trim
The Premium is quite a step above the base, and with a starting MSRP of $33,060, is still a bargain. This trim is the most affordable trim with the 11.6-inch multimedia screen with analog gauges, but it has wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, a 10-way power driver’s seat (though the passenger’s seat is still manual to save on costs), and it’s the first of nine trims to offer the all-weather package. It’s also the first model to have a push-button start, so you can ditch the physical key.
That means heated front seats, heated mirrors, and a windshield wiper de-icer (but no heated steering wheel). Similar to the Base, it comes with cloth seats with leather accents, but I promise–the cloth is still fairly easy to clean. The Premium is the first to come with Subaru’s Starlink system, which offers remote start and can help locate it if it’s stolen.
It also offers different interior colors: titanium gray, warm ivory, and black. With the base, you just get black. The Premium is perfect for someone who wants a little more security, comfort, and refinement in the styling department without breaking the bank. This is one of the most popular trims because the list of features is excellent for the price.
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Then There’s the Handsome Onyx Edition
The Onyx edition is a posh, blacked-out upgrade from the Premium, with 18-inch glossy black wheels specific to the Onyx editions, and Subaru’s StarTex water-repellent seats (and trust me–it’s a lifesaver with toddlers and dogs). It starts at $37,970, and as we get closer to $40,000, the features list improves. The Onyx edition is the first time to get the heated steering wheel as part of the All-Weather package, as well as a moonroof, hands-free lift gate, and an optional 12-speaker Harmon Kardon sound system.
Aside from the wheels, the front fascia has black accents, the interior is lined with light green accent stitching, and it comes with trim-specific floor mats with the “Onyx” badging. The exterior badges are blacked out, too, creating a handsome but subtle stealth look to it. It’s a great trim level for those who need the StarTex material without having to commit to the Wilderness package, like those with kids and dogs, and people like me who swoon over black wheels, black badging, and a great sound system.
READ MORE: 2024 Subaru Ascent Review: My Toddler Cried When The Test Drive Was Over
The Limited is the Last Trim Under $40k MSRP
The Limited is luxury on a real budget. It’s the first trim to offer leather upholstery and Subaru’s DriverFocus system, which is designed to fight fatigue and distraction while driving. The system allows for up to five people to make driver profiles to memorize seating position, steering wheel position, climate settings, and mirror positioning for safer driving, as well as bells, chimes, and alarms to remind you to pay attention.
Using an eye reader, the Outback can detect when you’re drowsy and wake you up, and chime if the lead car moves and your eyes aren’t looking ahead. It also comes with the Harmon Kardon system as standard equipment, and the passenger gets their own 8-way power seat. If someone’s looking to spend a bit more to get a lot more, the Limited is a good horse to bet on.
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The Touring Edition Dols Out a Touch of Luxury
“Touring” implies that it’s meant to be comfortable for long distances, and the Touring edition is just that. With a starting price of $42,280, it introduces a beautiful brown Nappa leather interior over the black leather seen in the Limited, heated and ventilated front seats, as well as heated and ventilated outboard rear seats for your passengers, too. What makes it especially different from the Limited is the 180-degree front view monitor, which is good for off-roading, but also for parking in a garage to ensure you don’t clip the front bumper.
It also debuts the Subaru Outback’s automatic folding mirror function, perfect for that little bit of extra security when parking on the street or going through a car wash. This trim is ideal for people who want the AWD capabilities and safety features of a Subaru but the luxurious touches of a more expensive SUV, like an Audi A4 Allroad or Volvo XC60.
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Enter the Era of the Turbocharger: The Onyx Edition XT is Up First
Look back at what separates the Onyx edition from the rest, and then apply Subaru’s 260-horsepower 2.4-liter turbocharged engine to it. It gets a very welcome boost in power (and thus towing a higher towing capacity of 3,500 lbs compared to 2,700 lbs), enhanced by the blacked-out features of the Onyx edition. Remarkably, the turbocharger doesn’t eat up that much more gas, as I was averaging 24 mpg around town when I reviewed the Touring XT with the same engine, and it doesn’t require premium, which saves at the pump.
So, if you loved what the standard Onyx had to offer but wished it had a little more power, the Onyx XT is a great choice. But, you’ll have to be prepared to pay quite a bit extra for 78 extra horsepower, as it starts at $41,225 – a difference of $3,255. The XT and Wilderness models have an updated high-torque CVT to handle the extra power, which helps explain the heightened cost.
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Hearing the Call of the Wild? The Wilderness Trim Has Entered the Chat
Subaru took lots of notes on how many off-road groups Subaru Outback owners were a part of, and cleverly debuted the Wilderness trim on the Outback–the favorite model for off-roading, thanks to its high ground clearance of 8.7 inches and its unbeatable AWD system.
The Wilderness is the Outback after it’s been to the gym, as it comes with the turbocharged engine, a higher ground clearance of 9.5 inches, thanks to a factory lift, bigger all-terrain tires from the factory, mated to trim-specific 17-inch matte black wheels, underbody protection, rugged body trimming, reinforced roof rails for rooftop tents, Subaru’s StarTex water repellant seating, and handsome copper accents all around to fit the Wilderness brand.
However, all of those upgrades come at $41,710–which isn’t terrible, as adding all those modifications to a lower trim could cost even more (and it voids the factory warranty). You just have to really like going off-road.
READ MORE: Take a Ride on the Wild Side: Which Subaru Wilderness is Right for You?
The Limited XT is Still Fancy, Just Faster
The Limited XT’s story is similar to the Onyx XT’s story. It has the same list of features as the Limited trim, just with the higher-horsepower 2.4-liter turbocharged engine instead of the standard 2.5-liter non-turbo engine. That’s pretty much it. Interior-wise, they’re the same. They both offer the same interior color options, same interior creature comforts, same optional packages–the only difference is the engine.
So, like the Onyx edition, you have to really want that extra 75 horsepower to pay the added $3,225 to bring the MSRP to $42,060. Which still isn’t that terrible, as you’re getting a leather interior and a turbocharged engine with a nice sound system and a large sunroof, but you can get that in the standard limited with less horsepower (and thus, better mileage). Still, the Limited XT is for those who appreciate the finer things but want it to move just a tad faster.
READ MORE: 10 Things My Family Loved About the 2024 Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness
Last But Certainly Not Least, the Touring XT is the Cream of the Crop
The Subaru Outback Touring XT is the Kitchen Sink pizza of the lineup. It has all the fixings: brown leather, 100% of the company’s safety feature offerings, creature comforts, premium sound system, DriverFocus, and, of course, the more powerful engine option. All for the relatively fair price of $44,730.
It’s the ideal adventure-ready but also luxurious SUV for families that want to get to their lakeside cabin in comfort, with the peace of mind that comes from the Outback’s capabilities and safety features.
READ MORE: The 2024 Subaru Outback Touring XT Delivers a Premium Experience at an Easy Price, AWD Included
The Trims We Recommend the Most
Don’t get us wrong–there’s no such thing as a bad trim for the Subaru Outback. But, depending on your needs and your budget, it can be easy to mix up the trims. So, when we’re asked which trim is best, here’s how we do the mental math:
- Subaru Outback Base: Great for first-time buyers, those on a strict budget, or minimalists who just want something affordable, reliable, and technologically simple.
- Premium and Limited: Excellent choice for those with a little more wiggle room in their budget, and just want it to be a little more technologically advanced than the Base. We also recommend this trim to families on a budget, as the list of safety features and interior functionality is comfortable, and includes DriverFocus.
- Onyx Edition: For those who want a handsome blacked-out package, and for families who want water-repellent seating for dogs, infants, and toddlers without going broke (plus it has the optional updated sound system).
- Touring: If you need brown leather, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, a big sunroof, and a premium sound system, the Touring is attainable luxury. Great for families or couples who want to feel like they spent $70,000 instead of $40,000.
- Wilderness: This is self-explanatory. If you’re the edgy Subaru enthusiast who frequents the great outdoors and doesn’t want to pay to modify a lower trim and void the warranty, the Wilderness is a no-brainer. Plus, it comes with a turbocharger.
- Onyx XT & Limited XT: Those who like the Outback’s styling and features, but just wish it had a little more gusto.
- Limited XT: Those who like the best of the best, want the highest resale value, and want an Outback that looks, feels, and drives like an expensive European car.
Whichever trim you choose, you can rest assured you’ve picked a car that will create the fondest memories, keep your family safe, and get you pretty much anywhere you need to go. Plus, you’d be joining a community filled with those who are eager to connect and bond over the love they have for their adventure-mobile.
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