The yearly figures on this page are ServiceSage Auto estimates of maintenance plus typical repairs for a Outback driven about 12,000 miles a year in average conditions. They are not quotes, not manufacturer figures, and not an average of what our own users have spent - we do not have enough logged costs to publish that.
How they are built: the 10-year total is the midpoint between RepairPal's average annual repair cost (times ten) and CarEdge's published 10-year maintenance and repair total. Each year's share of that total follows CarEdge's own year-by-year curve, and the major-repair percentages for years 1-10 are CarEdge's. Years 11 and 12 are our extrapolation beyond any published data.
Your own number will differ with the engine, mileage, climate, how the car is driven and who does the work.
The service intervals behind each year come from the owner's manual - see the Subaru Outback maintenance schedule.
Sources
Lower-confidence figures
| Year | Estimated annual maintenance cost |
|---|---|
| Year 1 | $305 |
| Year 2 | $350 |
| Year 3 | $440 |
| Year 4 | $560 |
| Year 5 | $675 |
| Year 6 | $885 |
| Year 7 | $980 |
| Year 8 | $1025 |
| Year 9 | $1065 |
| Year 10 | $1105 |
| Year 11 | $1145 |
| Year 12 | $1185 |
At 15,000 miles a year and the U.S. average of $4.28 a gallon (EIA, week of Oct 19, 2026), a 2022 Subaru Outback 2.5L (EPA 29 mpg combined) burns about $2,216 of gas a year - about $3,119 in California and $1,916 in Texas.
Maintenance + fuel per year: about $2,955 at the U.S. average gas price - this page's $739 average maintenance (years 1-10 of the cost table) plus $2,216 of gas.
Compare the true cost to own in your state
Fuel economy: EPA combined rating (fueleconomy.gov). Gas prices: EIA weekly retail regular gasoline, week of Oct 19, 2026; EIA prices nine states on their own, and every other state uses its EIA regional average. Today's price - no inflation over the years you own it.
| Generation | Engine | Est. annual cost | Known issues | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5th Gen BS (2015-2019) | 2.5L FB25 H4 / 3.6L EZ36 H6 (TR580 / TR690 Lineartronic CVT) | $650-$900 | FB25 oil consumption: Subaru issued TSB 02-157-14R with a formal consumption test and short-block replacement remedy, and extended powertrain coverage to 8yr/100k on affected cars - it is concentrated on 2013-2015 builds, so check the level on any early 5th-gen; Head gasket weeping is the long-standing Subaru boxer reputation and shows up on higher-mileage FB25 cars; RepairPal's cross-model head-gasket estimate is $2,538-$3,337; Subaru extended CVT powertrain coverage from 5yr/60k to 10yr/100k on a wide range of CVT vehicles including the Outback - check whether your VIN qualifies | Cheap used all-wheel drive - buy one with oil-consumption and cooling-system records, not one without |
| 6th Gen BT (2020-2026) | 2.5L FB25 H4 / 2.4L FA24 turbo H4 (TR580 / TR690 Lineartronic CVT) | $600-$850 | A meaningfully better car mechanically - the head-gasket and oil-consumption reputation belongs mostly to earlier engines; The 2.4L turbo may take a different oil grade than the 2.5L (check your owner's manual or oil filler cap) and shares the 60,000-mile plug interval, so it costs a little more to feed; Early 2020-2022 units had well-documented Starlink infotainment freezing and reboot complaints addressed by software updates | The modern pick - the naturally aspirated 2.5L is the cheapest Outback to run |
| Service | DIY cost | Shop cost | Interval |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oil Change (0W-20 on the 2.5L; turbo per manual / oil cap) | $30-$55 | $70-$115 | Every 6,000 mi / 6 months |
| Subaru Oil Filter (15208AA15A) | $8-$16 | incl. | Every oil change (new crush washer) |
| Cabin Air Filter (72880AJ00A) | $12-$25 | $40-$75 | Every 12,000-15,000 mi |
| Engine Air Filter | $18-$35 | $45-$80 | Every 30,000 mi |
| Spark Plugs (NGK iridium) | $45-$95 | $220-$450 | Every 60,000 mi |
| CVT Fluid Drain & Fill (HTCVTF-II) - if you tow regularly | $70-$130 | $200-$380 | Every 24,855 mi ONLY with frequent repeated trailer towing; otherwise inspected, not replaced |
| Differential Gear Oil - if you tow regularly | $25-$50 | $110-$190 | Inspect every 30,000 mi; replace every 15,000 mi ONLY with frequent repeated trailer towing |
| Brake Fluid (DOT 3) | $12-$25 | $90-$150 | Every 30,000 mi / 30 months |
| Front Brake Pads + Rotors | $110-$200 | $300-$550 | Every 40,000-70,000 mi |
| Coolant Flush (Subaru Super Coolant) | $30-$55 | $110-$190 | 137,500 mi / 11 years |
| Battery (12V) | $150-$220 | $220-$320 | Every 4-6 years |
| Tires (set of 4) | $600-$1,000 | +install | Every 40,000-60,000 mi |
Plan on roughly $600-$870 a year averaged across the first decade. RepairPal puts the fleet-wide average at $607 a year; CarEdge projects $8,633 over 10 years, about $863 a year. Our year-by-year estimate lands between them at about $7,400 over 10 years. One structural cost is worth knowing about up front: Subaru schedules oil every 6,000 miles rather than 10,000, so you will buy roughly twice as many oil changes as a comparable Toyota or Honda.
Not on a normal schedule. Subaru's booklet has the CVT fluid inspected (every 30,000 miles on 2015-2019, at 36,000, 66,000, 96,000 and 126,000 miles on 2021+) and replaced every 24,855 miles only under frequent repeated trailer towing. If you tow regularly, the fluid is about $70-$130 DIY against a four-figure CVT replacement. Use the correct fluid for your transmission - the TR580 (2.5L) and TR690 (2.4T and older 3.6R) do not share one.
The Subaru boxer head-gasket reputation is real but it is mostly a story about older engines; on the 5th-gen FB25 it shows up as external weeping on higher-mileage cars rather than the routine failure earlier Subarus were known for. RepairPal's cross-model head-gasket estimate is $2,538-$3,337, which is why it is worth buying a used Outback with cooling-system records. The related issue on early 5th-gen cars is oil consumption, which Subaru addressed with TSB 02-157-14R and extended powertrain coverage.
On many CVT-equipped Subarus, yes. Subaru extended CVT powertrain coverage from 5 years/60,000 miles to 10 years/100,000 miles across a broad range of model years including the Outback, notified to owners by mail. Coverage depends on the specific vehicle, so call a dealer with your VIN before authorising any transmission work - the repair may already be paid for.
DIYing oil, filters, brake fluid and brake pads saves roughly a third off the all-shop bill over 10 years. The 6,000-mile oil interval means the oil-change saving alone compounds faster than on most cars, at $40-$60 twice a year.
Compare purchase price, fuel and resale - see the break-even year. Open the break-even calculator.