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Your vehicleHome›Subaru›Outback› 2020
Subaru · Compact SUV

2020 Subaru Outback

Gas
Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD
2 EPA-rated configurations
Data refreshed 2026-10-26
D
Safety Signal
69 / 100 from the NHTSA recall record
Counts recalls, not crash safety — this vehicle earned 5 of 5 stars from NHTSA. A much-recalled best-seller scores low here; see the methodology.
RecallsNHTSA campaigns 6
Complaints19 crash · 7 fire · 4 injured reported 901
Crash ratingNHTSA overall 5★
Fuel economybest combined, EPA 29 mpg
2027202620252024202320222021202020192018

The 2020 Subaru Outback is sold in the U.S. as a gas compact SUV with 2 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Outback AWD, is EPA-rated at 29 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns for this model year, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of D. Owners have filed 901 complaints, most often about the visibility/wiper. NHTSA crash-tested it at 5 stars overall.

Subaru Outback — photograph via Wikimedia Commons
Subaru Outback · Photo: Mr.choppers · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Specs & fuel economy

Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov
ConfigurationPowertrainDriveEngine / motorCityHwyCombAnnual fuel*
Outback AWDGasAWD2.5L 4-cyl263329$2,300
Outback AWDGasAWD2.4L 4-cyl turbo233026$2,600

*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 41569, 41570.

Emissions & certification

Source: EPA emission certificates
ConfigurationSmog ratingEmission standardWhere it can be sold newSmartWay
Outback AWD6–7 / 10Federal Tier 3 Bin 50 / California LEV-III SULEV30All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards—
Outback AWD3 / 10California LEV-III ULEV125 / Federal Tier 3 Bin 125All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards—

Certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S.

The smog rating scores tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, 1 (worst) to 10 (best), and is comparable only within a model year. The standard is the federal bin or California tier the configuration was certified to. Both come from the EPA certificate behind the window sticker.

Specifications filed with NHTSA

Source: NHTSA vPIC

Dimensions Exterior

Body styleSport Utility Vehicle [SUV]/Multipurpose Vehicle [MPV]
Doors4
GVWR classClass 1C: 4,001 - 5,000 lb (1,814 - 2,268 kg)

Engine Basics

Cylinders4
Displacement2.5 L

Engine Output

Horsepower182 hp

Fuel Economy

FuelGasoline

Seating

Seat rows2
Seating capacity5 seats

Driver assistance

Standard: Adaptive cruise control, Anti-lock brakes, Automatic emergency braking, Backup camera, Blind-spot monitoring, Electronic stability control, Forward collision warning, Lane departure warning, Lane keeping assist, Rear cross-traffic alert

Filed by the manufacturer with NHTSA under the federal vehicle-identification rule and decoded from the VIN pattern — not a manufacturer press kit, so it describes the configurations we could identify rather than every trim (seen: Limited, Limited+M/R+NAVI(HK), Onyx Edition, Onyx Edition+M/R+NAVI). Figures for the trim you are looking at may differ.

Dimensions & weight

Source: Transport Canada
Length191.3 in
Width (body, without mirrors)74.8 in
Height66.5 in
Wheelbase108.3 in
Track, front61.8 in
Track, rear63.0 in
Curb weight3,649–3,924 lb

Measured by Transport Canada for its Canadian Vehicle Specifications database, which covers the North American versions of each model — here 3 configurations: 4-door Wagon Convience/Touring/Limited, 4-door Wagon Limited Xt/Premier Xt, 4-door Wagon Premier/Outdoor Xt. Where a range is shown, those versions differ. Width is the body without mirrors, which is why it can read narrower than a brochure figure. Before we used it we checked it against the US manufacturer press kits we hold (27 Sep 2026): wheelbase agreed within 1% on every vehicle we could compare, length on 98%, and the curb weight fell inside the manufacturer's range on 96%. Source dataset. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada. Licence.

Also on file Beside the 2020 Outback
Other years The 2027 Outback Recalls Subaru recalls
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Factory warranty running out?

The 2020 Subaru Outback is in the years where transmission, electronics and drivetrain repairs land on the owner. What an extended plan does and does not cover is worth reading before a dealer quotes you one.

What to check before you buy →

Affiliate disclosure: some links on this page are affiliate links. If you request a quote or buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Nothing on this page changes because of it.

Recalls (6)

Source: NHTSA recall database
▲high

Air Bags

WRA-24
118,723 vehicles 72% reported repaired
Problem Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Outback and Legacy vehicles. A capacitor in the sensors for the Occupant Detection System (ODS) may crack and short circuit, which can prevent the front passenger air bag from deploying in a crash. Risk An air bag that does not deploy during a crash can increase the risk of injury. Fix Dealers will replace the ODS sensors on the front passenger seat, free of charge. Owner notifications were mailed February 3, 2025. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRA-24.
Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDF
NHTSA campaign 24V227000 reported Mar 22, 2024 Subaru of America, Inc. the full filing, and every vehicle covered →
▲high

Power Train

WRK-22
182 vehicles 78% reported repaired built May 21, 2019 – Aug 3, 2020
Problem Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Outback and Legacy vehicles. A programming error in the Transmission Control Unit (TCU) may allow the clutch to engage before the drive chain is completely clamped. Risk An improperly secured drive chain may slip and break, causing a loss of drive power and increasing the risk of a crash. Fix Dealers will reprogram the TCU, inspect TCU data for chain slip, and visually inspect the chain guide. If evidence of chain slippage or damage is found, the transmission will be replaced. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed August 24, 2022. Owners may contact Subaru's customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRK-22. This recall is an expansion of previous recall number 21V-955.
Filed with NHTSADefect report PDFOwner letter PDFRemedy instructions PDF
NHTSA campaign 22V485000 reported Jul 8, 2022 Subaru of America, Inc. the full filing, and every vehicle covered →
▲high

Power Train

WRK-21
198,255 vehicles 97% reported repaired built Jul 15, 2019 – Aug 13, 2020
Problem Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Ascent, 2020 Legacy and Outback vehicles. A programming error in the Transmission Control Unit (TCU) may allow the clutch to engage before the drive chain is completely clamped. Risk An improperly secured drive chain may slip and break, causing a loss of drive power and increasing the risk of a crash. Fix Dealers will reprogram the TCU, inspect TCU data for chain slip, and visually inspect the chain guide. If evidence of chain slippage or damage is found, the transmission will be replaced. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 19, 2022. This recall includes all vehicles previously recalled under 19V-855. Vehicles previously recalled under 19V-855 will need to have the new remedy performed for this recall once available. Owners may contact Su
NHTSA campaign 21V955000 reported Dec 9, 2021 Subaru of America, Inc. the full filing, and every vehicle covered →
▲high

Fuel System, Gasoline

WRG-21
175,968 vehicles 95% reported repaired
Problem Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Ascent, 2018 Forester, 2018-2020 Impreza, Legacy, Outback, 2018-2019 BRZ, WRX, and Toyota 86 vehicles. The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail. Risk Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash. Fix Dealers will replace the low-pressure fuel pump, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 24, 2021. Subaru and Toyota owners may call customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRG-21.
Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDFRemedy instructions PDF
NHTSA campaign 21V587000 reported Jul 29, 2021 Subaru of America, Inc. the full filing, and every vehicle covered →
○minor

Back Over Prevention

WRH-20
7,741 vehicles 99% reported repaired
Problem Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2020 Legacy and Outback vehicles equipped with "high" grade and "mid" grade multimedia navigation. The August 2020 over-the-air software update may have timed out without completing the installation, corrupting the data, and causing the rearview display to shutoff intermittently. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility." Risk The intermittent loss of the rearview image reduces the driver's visibility and increases the risk of crash. Fix Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the software and, if necessary, replace the Cockpit Control Module, free of charge. The recall began January 22, 2021. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRH-20.
Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDFRemedy instructions PDF
NHTSA campaign 20V766000 reported Dec 10, 2020 Subaru of America, Inc. the full filing, and every vehicle covered →
▲high

Service Brakes, Hydraulic

WUL-97
3,467 vehicles 100% reported repaired built Jul 30, 2019 – Aug 29, 2019
Problem Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2020 Outback and Legacy vehicles. The brake pedal mounting bracket may have a missing or insufficiently tightened bolt. Risk A missing or loose bolt may cause the brake pedal mounting area to deform over time, which can reduce braking performance and increase the risk of a crash. Fix Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the brake pedal mounting bracket hardware and replace the hardware or brake pedal assembly, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began October 1, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WUL-97.
Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDFRemedy instructions PDF
NHTSA campaign 19V664000 reported Sep 18, 2019 Subaru of America, Inc. the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

These are vehicle campaigns — the ones the automaker filed against this model. NHTSA also records equipment recalls, filed by a parts maker against a component (a tyre, a child seat, an aftermarket part), and those are not listed here or counted above. nhtsa.gov/recalls shows both for a VIN.

Whether any of this applies to one specific Outback

A campaign covers a build range, not a model year, so two identical-looking cars from 2020 can differ. Both of these check a VIN against the manufacturer’s own list, free, in about ten seconds. Subaru publishes its own lookup because federal rule 49 CFR 573.15 requires it to, and to keep it current to within seven days.

NHTSA VIN check →Subaru’s own VIN lookup →

Hear about a recall before the letter does

The manufacturer’s letter is the last step of a recall: it has up to 60 days after filing to mail owners, at the address on the registration. We email you the day NHTSA posts a recall on the 2020 Subaru Outback, with what to do next. Nothing else, ever — no newsletter, no marketing, one-click unsubscribe in every message.

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Parts & accessories for the 2020 Subaru Outback

Search by fitment on eBay Motors — OEM take-offs, aftermarket, and the trim pieces dealers no longer stock. The listing and the price are the seller's.

Find parts for this Outback →

Owner complaints

Source: NHTSA complaint database
901complaints filed

19 involved a crash · 7 a fire · 4 injuries · 0 deaths reported

57 per 10,000 built · Subaru reported 159,306 Outback built (its Early Warning production report to NHTSA)

Filed per year: 2019: 16 · 2020: 244 · 2021: 284 · 2022: 176 · 2023: 74 · 2024: 59 · 2025: 27 · 2026: 21

Most-cited components

Visibility/Wiper 384
Electrical System → 261
Unspecified 152
Forward Collision Avoidance 73
Engine → 52
Power Train 49

In depth: electrical problems → · engine problems →

In owners' own words

Filed with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, one per problem area. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed.

The windshield developed a crack sitting in the garage after returning from a 10 mile drive. Two hours after having parked the car without any visible damage, a 10 inch crack was visible originating from the upper left corner. The crack has grown to about 24 inches over the next day
Visibility/Wiper at 1,350 miles Feb 24, 2020 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11311108
The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that while stopped, the steering ceased. The contact stated that the failure was intermittent. The contact stated that the failure was also experienced while driving at approximately 20 MPH, with the steering being difficult to operate. No warning light was illuminated.
Steering at 2,300 miles Feb 5, 2020 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11307232
Driving on highway, 65 MPH. Hear a small "click." look over and discover a 6" crack in the windshield. I've been driving for 40 year and know what it sounds like when a stone hits the windshield. This wasn't a stone
Structure at 3,700 miles Jan 22, 2020 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11301273
1. The backup and front camera are downgraded from previous models of Outback. Subaru of america denies this. The night visibility is dangerous. The dealership agrees. I have purchased four outbacks in six years and I know what I AM talking about. It is totally dangerous at night.
Electrical System Dec 23, 2019 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11290939
The low beam headlights are too bright, or angled too high. I'm constantly having other vehicles "flash" me at night thinking I have high beams on. This has happened worth people I know telling me and strangers. Both on highway and city streets
Exterior Lighting at 2,700 miles Dec 21, 2019 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11290658
Dec 7th. Lane centering and cruise control functions on. While traveling south on I-75 in the center lane my wife moved to the left lane to pass another car. After passing the car she had to fight the steering wheel to stay in the left hand lane.
Vehicle Speed Control at 1,300 miles Dec 19, 2019 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11290159

Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.

Reported by Subaru itself: 64 death-or-injury claims on this model year in its quarterly Early Warning reports to NHTSA (49 CFR 579.21): 2 killed, 84 injured, as claimed, not verified — about 40 per 100,000 built. Every Outback model year, by year and system → Dated and by system, they are exhibit F of the defect dossier.

When owners reported it

Reported at 6k

miles, typically

Half the 431 owner reports with an odometer reading on file fall between 2,000 and 12,000 miles. That is when problems get reported, which is not the same as when they start — and not a failure rate, because nobody knows how many of these cars never had a problem at all.

under 10k 294
10k–20k 75
20k–30k 21
30k–40k 13
40k–50k 11
50k–60k 5
60k–70k 4
70k–80k 3
80k–90k 0
90k–100k 2
100k–150k 1
150k + 2

Median mileage by component

ComponentReportsMedian milesVs same age
Visibility/Wiper2336,0000.86×
Electrical System1155,0000.51×
Unspecified514,800—
Engine187,8000.16×
Forward Collision Avoidance1610,5001.11×
Structure129,0000.35×

Vs same age is this model year’s median for the system divided by the median of every 2020-model-year complaint about the same system, all makes: under 1× means owners of this car reported it at lower mileage. Here, owners reported earlier than same-age vehicles: electrical system (0.51×), engine (0.16×), structure (0.35×). Which systems go early across the whole fleet: the component study.

Across 2018–2022 model years the Subaru Outback ranks 15 of 79 nameplates in the odometer-at-first-complaint study: owners reported problems at 0.52× the mileage of vehicles the same age (median 10,000 miles against a fleet 23,512).

Odometer readings as filed by owners with NHTSA. Readings under 100 or over 400,000 miles are dropped as data entry rather than history, and a component needs at least 12 readings before a median is shown for it.

Crash ratings

Source: NHTSA NCAP
ConfigurationOverallFrontalSideRolloverRollover risk
SUV AWD★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★☆18%

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program. Standard driver-assist: forward collision warning, lane departure warning, automatic emergency braking.

Driver-assist crash reports (12)

Source: NHTSA Standing General Order 2021-01
12reports filed

1 fatality · 5 minor · 4 no injury reported · 2 severity unknown

Aug 2021 to May 2026 · 5 with an air bag deployment · 11 towed

What was engaged, and what was hit

System named: not named in the filings

Crash partner: Pickup Truck 3 · Other 2 · Passenger Car 2 · Pole / Tree 2

Filed by: Subaru of America, Inc.

IncidentSystemStruckInjury allegedStateSpeedReport
May 2026Level 2SUVno injury reportedKS70 mph1243-15288
Sep 2025Level 2Passenger CarfatalityFL—1243-14138
Mar 2025Level 2Pole / TreeunknownMD—1243-10769
Dec 2024Level 2Pickup Truckno injury reportedUT70 mph1243-9613
Jul 2024Level 2Pickup TruckunknownWA65 mph1243-8194
Mar 2024Level 2SUVminorTX50 mph1243-7279
Mar 2023Level 2Animalno injury reportedWV70 mph1243-5133
Dec 2022Level 2Pickup TruckminorIA67 mph1243-4601
Jul 2022Level 2Pole / TreeminorWV40 mph1243-3577
May 2022Level 2Passenger CarminorOH65 mph1243-3278
Aug 2021Level 2Otherno injury reportedWV70 mph1243-1042
Aug 2021Level 2OtherminorID80 mph1243-1208

From the manufacturer’s own filing

The reporting entity’s narrative as NHTSA published it, with anything identifying removed and nothing added. A narrative is a notice, written before the entity had verified what happened.

The customer is not alleging any vehicle defect and had contacted Subaru to inquire whether her maintenance policy would cover the cost of necessary repairs. The subject vehicle was traveling southbound on [redacted] in WV near [redacted] at 9:40 PM EST when it struck two animals crossing in front.
Subaru of America, Inc. report 1243-5133 Mar 2023 NHTSA SGO filing
The customer is not alleging any defect with any ADAS related system. According to the customer's statement, the subject vehicle was proceeding southbound on [redacted] in the LH lane traveling at 67 MPH with adaptive cruise control (ACC) and lane centering (LC) engaged when a pickup truck entering the highway merged into the customer's lane of travel with…
Subaru of America, Inc. report 1243-4601 Dec 2022 NHTSA SGO filing
The customer was not alleging any defect with the vehicle. According to the customer, the subject vehicle was proceeding westbound on [redacted] in Warrenville Heights, Ohio at 65 MPH when it was struck in the right-rear by another vehicle.
Subaru of America, Inc. report 1243-3278 May 2022 NHTSA SGO filing

A report under the General Order is a notice the manufacturer or operator must file within days of hearing of a crash in which a Level 2 driver-assist or automated-driving system was engaged within 30 seconds of impact. It is filed before anything is verified, and entities with telematics hear of far more crashes than entities that rely on complaints, so counts say as much about the reporting as about the car and are not comparable across makes. Nothing is normalised by fleet size. Every report on file, by make and year → · NHTSA’s page and files

Service bulletins & campaigns

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications
Communicationsfiled with NHTSA 610
Most recentmanufacturer date 2026-10-05
Kindsas classified by NHTSA 569 service bulletins, 40 others, 1 service campaign

Most often about: Electrical System, Equipment, Engine, Power Train, Fuel/Propulsion System.

  • 11037943 Other
    2026-10-05 · Electrical System
  • This announcement provides information on a new software update for the Midtronics Dss and DCA machines.
  • 11037942 Other
    2026-09-28 · Electrical System
  • This announcement provides information on an enhancement of the TechShare CVT diagnostic assitance application.
  • 13-109-26 Service bulletin
    2026-09-18 · Unknown Or Other
  • This bulletin provides paint code information for 2027 model year vehicles.
  • 18-244-26 Service bulletin
    2026-09-18 · Electrical System
  • "This Bulletin announces additional troubleshooting steps for the following DTCs: DTC C1956: RH Actuator Circuit DTC C1957: LH Actuator Circuit"
  • 11037930 Other
    2026-09-15 · Unknown Or Other
  • This announcement provides an update to all 2027 model year Subaru warranty coverages for wear items and adjustments.
  • 15-333-25R Service bulletin
    2026-09-14 · Unknown Or Other
  • This bulletin contains illustrations of exchange components and their manufacturer as well as a description of the proper exchange procedure. This is an revised version of the original bulletin.
  • 15-322-25R Service bulletin
    2026-09-14 · Electrical System
  • In the interest of customer satisfaction, Subaru of America, Inc. (SOA) is extending the New Car Limited Warranty coverage for the CP1 & Gen 3.1 Head Unit used in the listed models and model years to (8) eight years / 150,000 miles to cover certain qualifying repairs to the infotainment audio system. This is an revised version of the original bulletin.
  • 15-304-22R Service bulletin
    2026-09-14 · Electrical System
  • This bulletin has been developed to outline the steps for gathering basic but essential information during diagnosis of Infotainment concerns. This is an revised version of the original bulletin.

A service bulletin is the manufacturer telling its dealers how to diagnose or repair a known condition. It is not a recall, not a finding that the vehicle is defective, and the work is not automatically free — though a bulletin is often what a dealer works from when you describe a symptom, so quoting the document number can save a diagnosis. The count is every communication filed; the list shows the most recent, one entry per campaign, because a single campaign is usually filed as several documents on the same day. The summaries are NHTSA's; the full documents come from the manufacturer.

Diagnostic trouble codes on file

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications and complaints

Codes documented against this model year in the federal record. A code appearing here does not mean this vehicle will set it — it means the code is part of this nameplate-year's documented history.

CodeWhat it meansMost often filed underWhere it appears
B2A16
B2A16 on Subaru →		Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Electrical System · Battery →11 bulletins
P2404
P2404 on Subaru →		Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Electrical System · Battery →4 bulletins
B118BManufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Equipment3 bulletins
B11E5Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Equipment3 bulletins
B11E6Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Equipment3 bulletins
P0087
P0087 on Subaru →		Fuel rail pressure is below what the system commanded.Engine · Fuel pump →3 bulletins
P0842Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Power Train3 bulletins
U0254Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Electrical System · Battery →3 bulletins
B1788Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Equipment2 bulletins
B2256Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Electrical System · Battery →2 bulletins
B2A20Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Electrical System · Battery →2 bulletins
P0016
P0016 on Subaru →		The crankshaft and camshaft are not where they should be relative to each other — timing, chain or phaser.Engine2 bulletins

Generic codes (the second character is 0 or 2) mean the same thing on every vehicle sold in the United States. Manufacturer-specific codes (1 or 3) mean whatever the automaker assigned, and no honest source can define them for you — which is why the ones here carry the evidence instead of a definition. A code is a link when enough separate federal documents name it across the catalogue to be worth a page of its own; the rest are listed here, where the vehicle is the context that makes them mean something.

Affiliate disclosure: some links on this page are affiliate links. If you request a quote or buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Nothing on this page changes because of it.

At the New York inspection station

Source: New York State DMV

In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2020 Subaru Outback failed the emissions check on 1.2% of first inspections — lower than the 2.2% for every 2020 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 1.1% (every 2020 vehicle: 1.6%).

New York inspections 1.2%

failed emissions

7,410 initial inspections of 7,240 vehicles.

MeasureThe 2020 OutbackEvery 2020 vehicleBehind it
Failed the emissions check1.2%2.2%7,389
Failed the safety inspection1.1%1.6%7,410
Air-bag warning lamp stayed lit0.07%0.19%7,410
Miles driven a year10,3919,980odometer at inspection
Average odometer65,10362,630odometer at inspection

New York’s emissions test on these model years is an on-board diagnostics check: it fails a car whose check-engine light is on or whose self-tests have not finished. First inspections only, so a car that failed and came back is counted once; private and special plates, not taxis, livery or commercial plates. A rate appears only where at least 200 inspections stand behind it. “Every 2020 vehicle” is every 2020 model-year car, SUV and pickup inspected in the same window, all makes. This is the state’s record of test results, not a reliability score by itself. Source: New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, Vehicle Inspections (data.ny.gov, Open NY terms).

Outback by model year

all years, side by side →
Year Safety Recalls Complaints
2027 A* 0 0 27 mpg2026 A 0 20 27 mpg2025 A 0 83 28 mpg2024 A 0 104 28 mpg2023 B 2 89 28 mpg2022 C 4 465 29 mpg2021 C 4 298 29 mpg2020 this page D 6 901 29 mpg2019 B 3 1,036 28 mpg2018 B 3 816 28 mpg

Common questions about the 2020 Outback

Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kits

Does the 2020 Subaru Outback have any recalls?

NHTSA has posted 6 recall campaigns for the 2020 Subaru Outback. The most serious on file is 24V227000, covering Air Bags. Check your own VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls; a recall applies to specific build ranges, not every car.

How safe is the 2020 Subaru Outback?

NHTSA gave the 2020 Subaru Outback 5 stars overall in its New Car Assessment Program tests — 5-star frontal crash, 5-star side crash, 4-star rollover. WhichTrim also grades it D (69/100) on its recall record, which is a different question from crash protection.

What is the fuel economy of the 2020 Subaru Outback?

Across the 2 EPA-rated configurations of the 2020 Subaru Outback, the best EPA combined figure is 29 mpg. Figures are the EPA's own, per configuration, and every one is listed above.

What are the dimensions of the 2020 Subaru Outback?

Transport Canada measured it at 191.3 in long, 74.8 in wide (body, without mirrors), 66.5 in tall, on a 108.3 in wheelbase. Curb weight: 3,649–3,924 lb depending on configuration. Those are its measurements of the North American versions; every figure is in the table above.

What do owners complain about on the 2020 Subaru Outback?

Owners have filed 901 complaints with NHTSA about the 2020 Subaru Outback, most often about visibility/wiper, electrical system, unspecified. Of those, 19 involved a crash, 7 a fire, 4 reported injuries. Complaints are unverified owner reports, so treat the pattern as a signal and the individual report as an anecdote.

How clean is the 2020 Subaru Outback?

The EPA smog rating for the 2020 Subaru Outback runs 3 to 7 out of 10 across its configurations. That score covers tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, and it only compares vehicles within the same model year. It is certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S. Its configurations were certified to different standards — California LEV-III SULEV30, California LEV-III ULEV125, Federal Tier 3 Bin 125, Federal Tier 3 Bin 50 — which the table above lists per configuration.

Are there service bulletins for the 2020 Subaru Outback?

The manufacturer has filed 610 service bulletins and related communications with NHTSA for the 2020 Subaru Outback, most often covering electrical system, equipment, engine. The most recent is dated 2026-10-05. A bulletin is not a recall: it is the repair procedure a manufacturer sends its dealers for a condition it knows about, and the work is not automatically paid for. It is still worth knowing — if the symptom matches, quoting the bulletin number at the service desk can save a diagnosis. The document numbers and summaries are listed above.

How does the 2020 Subaru Outback do at state inspection?

In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2020 Subaru Outback failed the emissions check on 1.2% of first inspections — lower than the 2.2% for every 2020 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 1.1% (every 2020 vehicle: 1.6%). The figures are New York State DMV’s own inspection records, first inspections only, and the table above sets each one against every vehicle of the same model year.

What we hold, and what an empty row means

Paid vehicle-history reports will not tell you the difference between “nothing happened to this car” and “we never received that record” — both of the big two say as much in their own help pages. Most of what is on this page comes from complete federal registers, so we can tell you which is which, row by row.

DataHeldSourceWhat it covers — or what empty means
Fuel economy & configurations2 configurationsEPA certification recordsEvery configuration the EPA certified for sale, with its own test figures.
Emission certificates2 configurationsEPA emission certificatesSmog rating, standard and the sales area that decides where the car can be sold new.
Recalls6NHTSA recall campaignsA complete federal register: every campaign covering this model year, with severity and advisory flags.
Owner complaints901NHTSA complaint databaseAlso complete, but unverified: these are reports owners filed, not findings. Counts scale with how many were sold.
Crash ratings1 testedNHTSA NCAPOnly the configurations NHTSA chose to crash-test, which is never all of them.
Service bulletins610NHTSA manufacturer communicationsEverything the manufacturer told its dealers about a defect or malfunction, short of a recall.
InvestigationsnoneNHTSA Office of Defects InvestigationNo defect investigation has been opened.
Driver-assist crash reports12NHTSA Standing General Order 2021-01Crashes the manufacturer or operator reported with a Level 2 or automated-driving system engaged. Notices, filed before verification; not comparable across makes.
Specifications filed with NHTSA9 fieldsNHTSA vPIC, decoded from VIN patternsWhat the manufacturer filed under the federal VIN rule — a configuration, not the full trim ladder.
Measured dimensions7 fieldsTransport Canada, Canadian Vehicle SpecificationsLength, width, height, wheelbase, track and curb weight, measured on the North American versions.
Trims, pricing & equipmentnoneManufacturer press kitWe have not transcribed a press kit for this model year yet. This is our gap, not the manufacturer's — the one row here where an empty cell means we are behind.

Rebuilt nightly; this page was generated 2026-10-26. Every figure above is traceable to the source named beside it, and the JSON for this page carries the same values with their identifiers.

Where to go next

pages beside this one
Other years The 2027 Outback The Outback model year with the cleanest record on file — grade A, 0 recalls.Recalls Every Subaru recall on file All campaigns filed against Subaru vehicles, newest first, with the manufacturer's own number.Recall Watch Watch this Outback by VIN Give it the VIN and you hear the night a campaign is filed — from $29 a month for a lot, free for ten.

Sources & method

Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). The most serious recall counts in full and each further one counts 85% of the one before, because a vehicle sold in millions is recalled more often than a rare one without being more dangerous — and because a flat subtraction bottomed the scale out, scoring a vehicle with 22 recalls within a point of one with six. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Read it as what it counts: recall campaigns on the federal record, weighted by severity. The damping reduces the sales bias by roughly 40% but does not remove it: like our complaint counts, this is not normalized by how many were sold, so a best-seller still scores somewhat worse than an obscure model with the same real risk. NHTSA crash ratings, do-not-drive and park-outside advisories, and the crash, fire, injury and death counts in owner complaints are reported separately on every page and never blended into the letter — a vehicle can hold five stars and a poor letter at once, and where that happens we say so rather than leave you to notice. Because the scale subtracts from a clean sheet, a model year too new to have been recalled, complained about or bulletined scores full marks on an empty record; we label those grades provisional rather than present them as earned.

EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records. Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed nightly.

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