Showing the 2018 Outback Premium. We haven't verified this trim's engine; the numbers below cover every version of this model year. Every version
Owner complaints, recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings from public NHTSA and EPA data, updated Oct 17, 2026.
About every 2018 Outback
The 2018 Subaru Outback has 814 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, most often about the electrical system, with 267 complaints. Its combined fuel economy is 22 to 28 mpg, with a 5-year fuel cost of $11,600 to $14,760 at U.S. average prices. NHTSA gives it 5 stars overall. There are 3 recall campaigns that may apply, covering the fuel system, windows, mirrors and wipers, and electrical system.
Written by AI from public EPA and NHTSA data. Not a review.
Fuel economy
22–28 mpgcombined; city 20–25, highway 27–32; every version of this model year
Five years of fuel
$11,600–$14,760U.S. average; Ohio $10,370–$13,190 at local prices; every version of this model year; fuel only, not other costs of owning it; 15,000 miles a year, at EIA fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026
NHTSA's VIN data lists these trims for the 2018 Outback. A trim's engine and numbers are shown as its own only where EPA names versions after the trim and no other version could be it; "seen with" means a source shows that engine on the trim, not that it was the only one. Recalls and complaints cover the whole model year: whether a recall applies to a car depends on its VIN, on NHTSA's recall lookup.
Owners have filed 814 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 Outback. These are unverified owner reports, counted by the part of the car they name; one complaint can name several parts. Counts aren't adjusted for how many were sold, so they don't show how reliable a car is.
Complaints by part of the car
Part
Complaints
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Electrical system
267
2
3
0
Visibility/wiper
234
1
0
0
Unknown or other
161
7
0
3
Fuel/propulsion system
43
3
0
1
Visibility
41
0
0
0
Engine
37
1
1
0
Steering
36
1
0
0
Vehicle speed control
21
7
0
2
Back over prevention
19
2
0
1
Forward collision avoidance
18
7
0
1
Service brakes
18
7
0
3
Structure
15
0
0
0
15 more parts
Power train
14
1
0
0
Wheels
11
0
1
0
Exterior lighting
9
0
1
0
Suspension
9
0
0
0
Air bags
8
5
0
11
Lane departure
8
1
0
0
Seats
8
0
0
0
Electronic stability control (ESC)
4
0
0
0
Equipment
2
0
0
0
Fuel system, gasoline
2
0
0
0
Seat belts
2
0
0
0
Tires
2
0
0
0
Carry handle, shell, base
1
1
0
0
Fuel system, other
1
0
0
1
Latches/locks/linkages
1
0
0
0
Complaints by model year
Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, and counts aren't adjusted for sales, so a shorter bar doesn't mean a more reliable year.
NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 2018 Outback over its history. Campaigns are matched by model and year, so each one may apply to a given car, and its repair may already be done: check a VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup for the open recalls on that exact car.
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.
Remedy: 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.
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2018 Legacy, Outback, and BRZ vehicles. In the affected vehicles, a software issue may cause the audio display system to not initialize, resulting in the camera display remaining blank. If this occurs, the rearview image will not display while backing up the vehicle. As a result, the vehicles fail to comply with requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety (FMVSS) number 111, "Rearview Mirrors."
Risk: Failure to display the rearview image while backing up increases the risk of crash.
Remedy: Subaru has notified owners, and dealers will reprogram the audio system display software, free of charge. The recall began on February 5, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WTZ-85.
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2018 Subaru Legacy and Outback vehicles. Due to a software error, the low fuel warning light may not illuminate at the intended remaining fuel level and the miles-to-empty display may incorrectly indicate a positive number despite the tank being empty.
Risk: The inaccurate fuel display may cause a driver to unexpectedly run out of fuel and the vehicle to stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the combination meter software, free of charge. The recall began February 20, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WTW-82.
Carmakers sent NHTSA 439 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2018 Outback, the latest on Oct 5, 2026. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.
The parts they mention most: electrical system (254), equipment (188), power train (50), equipment adaptive/mobility (28), unknown or other (27).
NHTSA hasn't opened a defect investigation that covers this model year.
Maintenance
Oil
The owner's manual gives the oil and how often to change it. We show oil facts only once we've checked them against the manual, and we haven't yet for the 2018 Outback.
NHTSA manufacturer communications, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA defect investigations, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, file of Aug 7, 2026
U.S. Energy Information Administration, file of Oct 12, 2026
Fuel cost: EPA mpg with fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026 and electricity prices for Jul 2026. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (Oct 2026). Complaints are unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA. About the data