Used Subaru cars for sale

Used Subaru cars overview

Subaru has a long history of making rugged and capable cars, beloved of those who love the outdoors (not to mention its once-upon-a-time rally successes with Colin McRae and Richard Burns). Generally, Subarus are reliable and solid cars, but beware problems with overheating and with the CVT automatic gearboxes.

Popular used Subaru models

Subaru sadly doesn’t make its legendary rally cars anymore, but its current SUV lineup is more fun to drive than you might think. 

Used Subaru XV

The Subaru XV is a bit of an oddball car, more of a hatchback than an SUV but still with the kind of ground clearance and four-wheel drive that you’d expect from a proper 4x4. It’s actually pretty sharp to drive, but the flat-four engines, including the hybrid option, are sluggish and thirsty and the interiors feel cheap. 

Used Subaru Solterra

So far, the Solterra is Subaru’s only fully electric model, and it’s twinned under the skin with the Toyota bZ4X. That means it lacks range, especially thanks to the fact that the Subaru version comes as standard in twin-motor, four-wheel drive form. You’ll be lucky to get more than 200 miles on a charge, but the upside is that it's more capable off-road than you’d think, and the battery is robust. Even so, you’ll definitely want to get an independent battery health check before buying used. 

Used Subaru Forester

The Subaru Forester started life as a taller, boxier version of the Impreza, way back in the 1990s, but nowadays it’s grown up to become a bigger, boxier SUV. That’s good from a practicality point of view, as the Forester is roomy inside and has a big boot. Sadly, its combination of flat-four engines — including a hybrid option — are thirsty and not the quickest. The Forester makes up for that by being incredibly capable off-road, and brilliant when the weather turns nasty. Reliability is a strong point, but make sure you check for any overheating issues. 

Used Subaru Outback

The Subaru Outback — formerly the Legacy Outback — is an intriguing car. It’s an estate car, but it has the ground clearance and four-wheel drive to make it more capable than many SUVs. It’s a family car, but its only engine option — a 2.5-litre flat-four — makes it so thirsty that many families will baulk at the running costs. It comes from a brand renowned for reliability, but has a fragile CVT automatic gearbox. It’s a bit of a mixed-up car, but capable and entertaining to drive all the same.