Used car safety, rank #4 of 181
Subaru Outback Safety Rating (2020)
Real IIHS driver death rates for the 2020 Subaru Outback, a midsize wagon or minivan, compared with its class and with the current model.
Safest PickThe 2020 Subaru Outback has an IIHS driver death rate of 5 per million registered vehicle years against a midsize station wagons/minivans average of 5.0, which is exactly the class average. That places it #4 of 181 used vehicles with a safety score of 96.9/100, earning our Safest Pick designation, and it typically sells used for $19,000 to $28,000.
What the Subaru Outback death rate means
At 5 driver deaths per million registered vehicle years, the Subaru Outback sits exactly on the midsize station wagons/minivans average. The 95% confidence interval is 0 to 15.
The other-driver death rate of 24 measures the opposite risk: how many drivers of other vehicles died in crashes with a Subaru Outback. It is higher than the Subaru Outback's own driver death rate, the usual pattern for this class. Remember that death rates describe vehicles and their drivers together: IIHS adjusts for driver age and gender, but not for where or how carefully people drive. Our score weights this model's own rate at 70% and its class at 30%; see how we rank used cars.
Compared with similar used station wagons/minivans
The safest midsize station wagons/minivans in the IIHS study, by our score, with the Subaru Outback highlighted. It ranks 1 of the 1 shown.
| Vehicle | Years | Death rate | Score | Reliability | Used price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Subaru Outback (this page) | 2020 | 5 (0 to 15) | 96.9 | 3.5/5 | $19,000 to $28,000 |
Class average for midsize station wagons/minivans: 5.0 driver deaths per million registered vehicle years.
The new Subaru Outback
Death rates lag the market by several years. For the current Subaru Outback we score IIHS crash tests instead; here is how the latest model years rate on our new-car scale.
| Model year | Model | IIHS award | New-car score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Subaru Outback | TSP+ | 94.3 |
New-car scores use a different scale (crash tests, not death rates) and are not directly comparable with the 96.9 used-car score above.
Reliability and cost of ownership
Reliability: 3.5 out of 5
RepairPal rates the Subaru Outback 3.5/5, 10th out of 26 in its category. Owners spend about $607 a year on repairs and maintenance, visiting the shop 0.4 times a year for unscheduled work, and 12% of those repairs are severe.
RepairPal detailsUsed price: $19,000 to $28,000
Typical asking prices for 2020 Subaru Outback listings. Cheaper is not always better here: other midsize station wagons/minivans in the table above post lower death rates.
International crash test results
Euro NCAP (2021)
ANCAP (2021)
International test results are for the same-generation model sold in those markets. Body structures are typically identical across regions. Euro NCAP vs IIHS explained.
Safety recalls for the Subaru Outback
A recall is a defect the manufacturer must repair free of charge, however old the car and whoever owns it now. On a used car this matters more than on a new one: the work is only done if a previous owner took it in.
6 recall campaigns on the 2020 model year, covering air bags, power train, fuel system, gasoline, back over prevention, service brakes, hydraulic.
-
Air bags: sensor, occupant classification, front passenger
Risk: An air bag that does not deploy during a crash can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the ODS sensors on the front passenger seat, free of charge. Owner notifications were mailed February 3, 2025.
-
Power train: automatic transmission, control module (tcm/pcm/tecm)
Risk: An improperly secured drive chain may slip and break, causing a loss of drive power and increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: 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.
-
Power train: automatic transmission, control module (tcm/pcm/tecm)
Risk: An improperly secured drive chain may slip and break, causing a loss of drive power and increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: 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.
-
Fuel system, gasoline: delivery, fuel pump
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.
-
Back over prevention: display function
Risk: The intermittent loss of the rearview image reduces the driver's visibility and increases the risk of crash.
Remedy: 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.
-
Service brakes, hydraulic: pedals and linkages
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.
Remedy: 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.
Recall campaigns from the NHTSA recalls database, retrieved 2026-09-04. A campaign covers a range of build dates, not every car of the model year, and IIHS reports this nameplate across several years while these results are for 2020. Confirm against the VIN. Recalls do not affect the death rate on this page.
Subaru Outback: Common Questions
Is the Subaru Outback a safe car?
Not on this measure: its drivers died at a higher rate than its class average. IIHS recorded a driver death rate of 5 per million registered vehicle years for the 2020 Subaru Outback, exactly the class average (5.0 for midsize station wagons/minivans). That earns a used-car safety score of 96.9 out of 100 and rank #4 of 181 used vehicles, with a Safest Pick designation.
What is the Subaru Outback driver death rate?
5 driver deaths per million registered vehicle years, with a 95% confidence interval of 0 to 15. Drivers of other vehicles that collided with a Subaru Outback died at a rate of 24 per million. Source: IIHS driver death rates by make and model, covering 2020 models.
How does the Subaru Outback compare with other midsize station wagons/minivans?
The midsize station wagons/minivans class averages 5.0 driver deaths per million; the Subaru Outback sits at 5. Among the 1 midsize station wagons/minivans compared above it ranks 1 by safety score.