2022 Subaru Outback — Should You Buy One?
Typical asking price: $24,000–$36,000. There is 1 high-severity known issue you need to know before handing over a check.
Deciding between model years? Compare the 3 Subaru Outback years we've written up →
Kestrel Take
The 2022 Outback is a significant improvement — better infotainment, available 2.4L turbo. Oil consumption is better managed on this generation. Still check the dipstick. Still do frequent oil changes. It's still a Subaru 2.5L.
What we checked
Partly reconciled against public records, 2026-09-25
NHTSA holds 462 owner complaints for the 2022 Subaru Outback, and 4 recall campaigns.
A big number here usually means a lot of these were sold, not that it is a bad vehicle — popular models collect more complaints for the same rate of trouble. So the total on its own says little. What is worth reading is the shape of it. 61% of them are about one thing — glass, wipers and mirrors. That much concentration is a genuine pattern rather than background noise, and it is the first thing to check on any example you look at.
4 recall campaigns cover this model year. Recalls are repaired free, for any owner, with no time limit on most safety campaigns — but only if someone books it in. Ask the seller to show it was done, or have any dealer check the VIN; it takes them a couple of minutes and costs nothing.
Not written up yet: glass, wipers and mirrors (281 complaints). That group is in the public record and is not covered by the issues below. Treat it as something to ask about, not as absent.
Counts come from the NHTSA complaint and recall database — free, public, and worth checking yourself.
Known Issues for the 2022 Subaru Outback
Ranked by wallet impact. These are documented, recurring problems — not freak accidents. How we decide that.
Improved but not eliminated. Frequent oil changes and dipstick checks are non-optional maintenance.
Repair cost (estimate): $0 if maintained, $5,000+ if neglected
Source: NHTSA complaints filed under the engine (22).
EyeSight cameras disable in heavy snow, rain, or direct sun more frequently than competing systems.
Repair cost: Not yet priced
Source: NHTSA complaints filed under the driver-assist and automatic braking systems (23).
Walk-Away Red Flags
- ✗2.5L with oil below minimum on dipstick
- ✗Oil changes more than 5,000 miles apart
- ✗EyeSight warning lights that stay on after camera cleaning
Good Signs
- ✓2.4L XT turbo — significantly more power with same AWD
- ✓Oil changes every 3,500-4,000 miles documented
- ✓Low mileage with single owner
More from Subaru
Similar suvs & crossovers
Found a specific Subaru Outback?
This page covers what goes wrong on the 2022 Subaru Outback in general. A free read looks at the one you're considering— it checks that seller's asking price against the market and names the issues that matter most for this exact year.
Get a free read on it →Instant, on the page, no card and no account. The year, make and model come with you — you add the asking price and the mileage.
The free read stops short of a verdict, because that needs the photos. The full report — $7.99 takes your photos and the seller's description, does the fair-offer math, and ends in BUY, NEGOTIATE or WALK AWAY with a negotiation script. Delivered to your inbox, usually within minutes.
Known issues on this page are based on documented owner reports, NHTSA complaints, class-action records, and manufacturer technical service bulletins. Individual vehicles vary. A pre-purchase inspection by a trusted mechanic is always worth doing.
No bullshit, no upsells, no affiliate links. One report, one price — we'll never charge you rent for your own thinking.
Think we got something wrong? Tell us — a real person reads every message.