Mid-size Wagon · what it costs new, what it’s worth used, and who has one near you.
The 1997 Subaru Outback is a mid-size wagon we track across the used market in Canada. It comes in gas (10.5 L/100 km) and hybrid (8.2 L/100 km) forms, so the main choice is fuel — the hybrid earns its premium back over enough kilometres. A 23-year-old one keeps roughly 3% of a current model's market price — what actually matters over five years of ownership.
Gas — combined
10.5L/100 km
Hybrid — combined
8.2L/100 km
Fuel / year (20k km)
$3,738
Hybrid saves
$819/yr
Typical figures. See what it costs for your commute.
Fuel economy & range: Natural Resources Canada (Open Government Licence — Canada). Safety recalls & owner-reported complaints: US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (public domain); complaint shares are a relative signal, not a failure rate. Prices, payments, depreciation, listing counts and dealer inventory: Conquest market data; payment estimates use market-average terms and are not an offer of credit. Independent service — not affiliated with or endorsed by Subaru.
Median market price by vehicle age
Same data pipeline, every rival — tap to open its page
Owner-reported problems and open safety recalls
Most-reported problems
Across 80 owner complaints filed on the 1997 Subaru Outback
Share of complaints naming each system — a signal of what owners report most on this model, not a failure rate. The denominator is people who filed a complaint, not every owner. Complaints are filed with the US regulator; the same models are sold in Canada.
Safety recalls
4 campaigns issued by the manufacturer
Suspension · Front · Springs · Coil Springs
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH FRONT COIL SPRINGS ORIGINALLY SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, KENTUCKY, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW YORK, NEW JERSEY, NEW HAMPSHIRE, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, VIRGINIA, WEST VIRGINIA, AND WISCONSIN, AND IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. THE FRONT COIL SPRINGS WERE PRODUCED WITH POOR PAINT QUALITY WHICH, AFTER CONTINUED EXPOSURE TO CORROSIVE SALT, CAN RESULT IN BREAKAGE OF THE SPRING.
Campaign 01V216000
Suspension · Front · Springs · Leaf Spring Assembly · Hanger,bracket
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER STATION WAGON, SEDAN AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES. DUE TO IMPROPER WELDING, FRACTURES CAN OCCUR ON THE SUPPORT BRACKET OF THE FRONT TRANSVERSE LINK.
Campaign 98V091000
Power Train · Automatic Transmission · Gear Position Indication (prndl)
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS. DUE TO POOR WELDS, IGNITION KEYS CAN STICK, SHIFT LEVERS/LINKAGES CAN BREAK AND SHIFT LEVERS CAN MOVE.
Campaign 98V042000
Vehicle Speed Control
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE THROTTLE SHAFT BALL BEARING ON THE SENSOR SIDE OF THE THROTTLE BODY ASSEMBLY WAS NOT INSTALLED IN CERTAIN THROTTLE BODIES.
Campaign 98V035000
Recall campaigns are manufacturer-issued and fixed free of charge. This is the US campaign set matched by year, make and model — it is not a check against a specific VIN, and Canadian campaigns may differ.