Knowing the maximum carry weight of your vehicle is essential to ensure safe driving. With the help of automotive experts, we are here to determine the total weight your Subaru Outback can carry.
You must keep your maximum load under 800 pounds, a combined weight for passengers and cargo.
Keeping track of your cargo weight is essential for the safety of the people inside the car. It is never a good idea to overload a vehicle since your brakes may have difficulty stopping the car because of its weight.
If you feel your vehicle's carry weight is too low, you may need to look at trailers to help move your belongings around. Keep reading below for more information about the Subaru Outback's carry weight and towing capabilities.
Why Is It Bad To Overload Your Vehicle
It is terrible to overload a vehicle since this can become a safety hazard. For one, your vehicle's brakes may not be able to stop the car on time if you have exceeded your max payload.
Another is you may lose stability and handling if you are hulling something beyond your vehicle's weight limit. It would be best to use a trailer or a truck to help haul something heavy.
Having an overloaded vehicle can cause skidding and oversteering. Overloading your car is extremely dangerous, especially if you need to avoid something in a flash or drive in harsher weather or roads.
If, for instance, your vehicle crashes, the overloaded item may cause a lot of harm to the occupants since they can all come smashing into the passengers. Remember, when calculating the maximum payload of a car, this should also include the occupants.
Also, check your state laws about carrying many items in your car. Some states may have different regulations on how heavy you can haul.
How Big Is The Subaru Outback's Cargo Space
Cargo space is essential, especially if this will be your only daily vehicle. A car with large cargo space is excellent since you have much more room to store your items, and you can haul around larger or longer items.
From the bottom of the back seats of the Outback to the rear of the cargo area is 42 inches. The width of the Outback's cargo area is 57 inches from the widest point, and the width between the vehicle's wheel well is 42 inches.
The height of the cargo area is 32 inches. If you put down the rear seats, you'll get a total length of 65 inches. With the rear seats of the Outback able to fold down, you have more room if you ever need it; this is great to do if you are hauling something extremely long.
Can A Subaru Outback Tow A Trailer
The ability to tow a trailer is excellent for a car since you can haul many of your belongings. With the Subaru Outback, you can pull a trailer around. With other vehicles similar to the Outback's weight, you may feel a bit of wiggle or swerving when towing, but you are completely stable with the Outback.
The 2023 Subaru Outback has multiple models, and they will have different towing weights. Below you can find how much each model can tow.
- Outback Base - 2,700 lbs.
- Outback Premium - 2,700 lbs.
- Outback Limited - 2,700 lbs.
- Outback Touring - 2,700 lbs.
- Outback Onyx Edition XT - 2,700 lbs.
- Outback Onyx Edition XT 2.4 Turbo - 3,500 lbs.
- Outback Wilderness - 3,500 lbs.
- Outback Limited XT - 3,500 lbs.
- Outback Touring XT - 3,500 lbs.
The towing capacity of the 2023 Subaru Outback will depend on what engine it has. The Subaru Outback has two available engines across its models: the naturally aspirated 2.5-liter and the turbocharged 2.4-liter.
The naturally aspirated 2.5-liter engine of the Outback produces 176 lb-ft and 182 hp; this engine can tow 2,700 lbs. While the turbocharged 2.4-liter has 277 lb-ft and 260 hp, allowing it to tow 3,500 lbs.
It is advisable to stay within the given tow limit of your car's model to prevent damage to the car's engine, drivetrain, and transmission. Overall the Subaru Outback is not meant to pull heavy loads since it is not a full SUV or truck, but it is still a great car to hitch a trailer to when needed.
Can The Subaru Outback Go Off-Road
Yes, the Subaru Outback can go off-road. The Subaru Outback is a competent off-road vehicle despite being a crossover SUV since, typically, you would want to use a full-sized SUV or truck for off-roading.
Disadvantages
First off, the disadvantages of off-roading the Outback. One of the disadvantages of off-roading the Outback is the ground clearance. Ground clearance is essential when going off-road because if your wheels cant reach an obstacle, you'll get stuck.
Even if the Outback does not have the same ground clearance as a full-sized SUV, it has the features to help it drive over snowy, muddy, sandy, or even rocky surfaces. Add off-road tires and suspension to the Outlander, and now you've got a real contender.
Another thing to think about before off-roading your older Subaru Outback is the overall vehicle length. Some people may feel that the front and rear of the vehicle hang a bit too far, so off-roading can damage these parts.
Lastly would be the tires. The stock tires that came with the Outback are best suited for road use, and you may have a hard time using them for off-roading. You may get your car stuck if you use the stock tires in mud or snow, so it's best to invest in off-roading tires before taking it off-road.
Advantages
The Outback also has many excellent off-road features, like its black cladding [primarily seen in the Wilderness edition]. This cladding helps reduce the scratches from the debris that could come flying when off-roading.
With the newer models, Subaru has decreased the overall overhang, which makes the vehicle a bit shorter and helps with traversing rugged terrain. A shorter overhang is excellent since it is generally better to have a shorter car for off-roading.
The Outback also offers an advanced off-road traction system with dual-function X-mode, which Subaru has reprogrammed to accompany the tire and suspension setup of the new models. With this reprogramming, the Outback no longer shuts off this feature at speeds over 25 mph.
Having this reprogram helps the vehicle traverse rougher terrain since the car used to turn this feature off too quickly. The X-mode shuts off when the tires spin very fast whenever you try to get out of mud or snow.
Overall the Subaru Outback is great for off-road; you have to install the proper parts into the vehicle to ensure the off-roading experience.
Is The Subaru Outback Reliable
Yes, the Subaru Outback is a reliable car. The Outback is rated to last around 300,000 miles, a very competitive lifespan within its category. With regular servicing, the Subaru Outback can easily exceed 300,000 miles.
Have your vehicle stored in a garage to help protect it from the elements; this also prevents pests from crawling into your car and lowers the chance for it to develop rust. Another is to keep track of the fluids of your vehicle.
Even if your Subaru Outback has sensors for monitoring different components, it's best to know when was the last time you changed the car's fluids. Lack of fluids, such as oils, can cause your vehicle to break down since they help lubricate and cool down your components.
Also, ensuring that your vehicle's tires and other components connected to it are still good is essential to help prolong the vehicle's life and keep you safe at the same time.
Closing
Remember to keep the weight of your vehicle below the recommended number; for the Subaru Outback, it is around 800 pounds. An overweight car is hazardous since this may cause you to experience overseer and skidding. Also, overloading can break the law in your state; it would be best to check your local law on how much you are allowed to haul.
If you need to move many items at a time or something heavy, it's a good idea to use a trailer. When you are feeling adventurous, the Outback's got you; since you can go off-road with this vehicle(with the proper tires), the newer models have been more off-road friendly.
For more automotive topics and tips, check out the following post.
My Subaru Outback Key Is Stuck In The Ignition – What To Do?
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