| Year | Base Model | Limited | Sport | SUS | LL Bean | VDC | 2.5 XT | 2.5i | 3.0 R | 2.5 XT Limited | 2.5i Limited | 3.0 R L.L. Bean Edition | 3.0 R VDC Limited | 2.5i Basic | 2.5i Premium | 3.6R | 3.6R Limited | 3.6R Premium | Wilderness | H6 3.0 Sedan | H6 3.0 Wagon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 205/70R15 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1997 | 205/70R15 | 205/70R15 | 205/60R15 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1998 | 205/70R15 | 205/70R15 | 205/60R15 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1999 | 205/70R15 | 205/70R15 | 205/60R15 | 205/70R15 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2000 | 225/60R16 | 225/60R16 | 205/60R15 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2001 | 225/60R16 | 225/60R16 | 205/60R15 | – | 225/60R16 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2002 | 225/60R16 | 225/60R16 | – | – | 225/60R16 | 225/60R16 | – | – | 225/60R16 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 225/60R16 | – |
| 2003 | 225/60R16 | 225/60R16 | – | – | 225/60R16 | 225/60R16 | – | – | 225/60R16 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 225/60R16 | – |
| 2004 | 225/60R16 | 225/60R16 | – | – | 225/60R16 | 225/60R16 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 225/60R16 | 225/60R16 |
| 2005 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 225/55R17 | 225/60R16 | 225/55R17 | 225/55R17 | 225/60R16 | 225/55R17 | 225/55R17 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2006 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 225/55R17 | 225/55R17 | 225/55R17 | 225/55R17 | 225/55R17 | 225/55R17 | 225/55R17 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2007 | – | 225/55R17 | – | – | 225/55R17 | – | 225/55R17 | 225/55R17 | – | 225/55R17 | 225/55R17 | 225/55R17 | – | 225/60R16 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2008 | 225/60R16 | 225/55R17 | – | – | 225/55R17 | – | – | 225/55R17 | – | 225/55R17 | 225/55R17 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2009 | 225/60R16 | 225/55R17 | – | – | – | – | 225/55R17 | 225/60R16 | – | 225/55R17 | 225/55R17 | – | – | – | 225/55R17 | – | 225/55R17 | – | – | – | – |
| 2010 | 215/70R16 | 225/60R17 | – | – | – | – | – | 215/70R16 | – | – | 225/60R17 | – | – | – | 225/60R17 | 225/60R17 | 225/60R17 | 225/60R17 | – | – | – |
| 2011 | 215/70R16 | 225/60R17 | – | – | – | – | – | 215/70R16 | – | – | 225/60R17 | – | – | – | 225/60R17 | 225/60R17 | 225/60R17 | 225/60R17 | – | – | – |
| 2012 | 215/70R16 | 225/60R17 | – | – | – | – | – | 215/70R16 | – | – | 225/60R17 | – | – | – | 225/60R17 | 225/60R17 | 225/60R17 | 225/60R17 | – | – | – |
| Year | Base Model | Limited | 2.5i | 2.5i Limited | 2.5i Premium | 3.6R | 3.6R Limited | 2.5i Touring | Limited XT | Onyx Edition XT | Touring XT | Wilderness |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 215/70R16 | 225/60R17 | 225/60R17 | 225/60R17 | 225/60R17 | – | 225/60R17 | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2014 | 215/70R16 | 225/60R17 | 225/60R17 | 225/60R17 | 225/60R17 | – | 225/60R17 | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2015 | 225/65R17 | 225/60R18 | 225/65R17 | 225/60R18 | 225/65R17 | 225/65R17 | 225/60R18 | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2016 | 225/65R17 | 225/60R18 | 225/65R17 | 225/60R18 | 225/65R17 | 225/65R17 | 225/60R18 | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2017 | 225/65R17 | 225/60R18 | 225/65R17 | 225/60R18 | 225/65R17 | 225/60R18 | 225/60R18 | 225/60R18 | – | – | – | – |
| 2018 | 225/65R17 | 225/60R18 | 225/65R17 | 225/60R18 | 225/65R17 | 225/60R18 | 225/60R18 | 225/60R18 | – | – | – | – |
| 2019 | 225/65R17 | 225/60R18 | 225/65R17 | 225/60R18 | 225/65R17 | 225/60R18 | 225/60R18 | 225/60R18 | – | – | – | – |
| 2020 | 225/65R17 | 225/60R18 | – | 225/60R18 | – | – | 225/60R18 | 225/60R18 | 225/60R18 | 225/60R18 | 225/60R18 | – |
| 2021 | 225/65R17 | 225/60R18 | – | 225/60R18 | – | – | 225/60R18 | 225/60R18 | 225/60R18 | 225/60R18 | 225/60R18 | – |
| 2022 | 225/65R17 | 225/60R18 | – | 225/60R18 | – | – | 225/60R18 | 225/60R18 | 225/60R18 | 225/60R18 | 225/60R18 | 225/65R17 |
| 2023 | 225/65R17 | 225/60R18 | – | 225/60R18 | – | – | 225/60R18 | 225/60R18 | 225/60R18 | 225/60R18 | 225/60R18 | 225/65R17 |
The Subaru Outback is a reliable and versatile car. Our table shows the tire size changes across its models over the years, highlighting Subaru’s design adaptability.
Whether you’re a Subaru enthusiast, a potential buyer, or simply curious about automotive trends, this post will provide valuable insights into the tire specifications of one of the most popular all-wheel-drive vehicles on the market.
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Early Years (1996-1999)
In these initial years, the Subaru Outback models predominantly used the tire size 205/70R15 for the Base, Limited, and SUS models. However, a notable variation was introduced with the Sport model, which used a slightly different size: 205/60R15.
Transition Period (2000-2004)
During this period, there was a significant change. The Base and Limited models transitioned to a larger tire size of 225/60R16. This shift indicates a move towards larger tires in newer models. The Sport model maintained its original size of 205/60R15 until 2004.
Mid-2000s Diversification (2005-2009)
This era marked the introduction of a wider range of tire sizes. New models like the 2.5 XT, 2.5i, 3.0 R, and their respective Limited editions began using sizes like 225/55R17 and 225/60R16. This period reflects a trend towards diversification in tire sizes corresponding to different models.
2010s – Standardization and Variation (2010-2019)
In the 2010s, the 2.5i and 3.6R models and their variations (Limited, Premium, Touring) mainly used two sizes: 215/70R16 and 225/60R17.
However, larger sizes were also introduced for specific models, like the 2.5i Limited and 3.6R Limited, which used 225/60R18.
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Recent Years (2020-2023)
The most recent models, including the Base, Limited, Touring, and the new Onyx Editions, uniformly use two sizes: 225/65R17 and 225/60R18, except the Wilderness model, which uses 225/65R17.
This trend indicates a consolidation of tire sizes across different models.
Summary Table
| Year Range | Base Model Size | Limited Model Size | Sport/Special Models Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996-1999 | 205/70R15 | 205/70R15 | 205/60R15 (Sport) |
| 2000-2004 | 225/60R16 | 225/60R16 | 205/60R15 (Sport) |
| 2005-2009 | Various | Various | 225/55R17, 225/60R16 |
| 2010-2019 | 215/70R16, 225/60R17 | 225/60R17, 225/60R18 | Various |
| 2020-2023 | 225/65R17 | 225/60R18 | 225/60R18, 225/65R17 |
Key Trends and Observations
- Increasing Size: Over the years, there is a clear trend towards larger tire sizes, reflecting advancements in vehicle design and consumer preferences.
- Model-Specific Sizes: Different models of the Subaru Outback have been equipped with different tire sizes, likely to optimize performance based on the vehicle’s specifications and intended use.
- Recent Consolidation: In recent years, there seems to have been a consolidation in tire sizes, with fewer variations between models. This could indicate a standardization strategy for manufacturing efficiency and market positioning.
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