Ford Explorer vs Subaru Outback: Which Used Buy Wins?
As used buys (July 2026), the Ford Explorer typically lists for $40,927 against $32,704 for the Subaru Outback (same model years — 2024–2026 — national medians from live listings). The Subaru Outback takes fuel economy (22 MPG combined vs 20 MPG). Overall medians mix very different trims — at the cheapest common trims it's the XLT at $32,146 vs the PREMIUM at $28,081; see the trim-by-trim tables for a fair match. Every figure below is live market data, not book values.
Head to head
Trim-by-trim prices (last 4 model years)
A fair comparison matches equivalent trims, not overall medians. Like for like: at the cheapest common trims, the Ford Explorer XLT ($32,146) faces the Subaru Outback PREMIUM ($28,081); the most common trims on the market are the XLT (33.8% of Ford Explorer listings) and the PREMIUM (37.3% of Subaru Outback listings); at the top of the market, the ST ($47,722) faces the WILDERNESS ($33,998). Share = portion of the model's trim-labeled used listings (a supply-side popularity signal: what the market actually stocks and sells most). “Cheapest”/“Priciest” mark the ends of the quotable trim range — trim ladders don't map one-to-one across brands, so this is not a factory base-model claim.
| Ford Explorer | Subaru Outback | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trim | Typical price | Share | Trim | Typical price | Share |
| XLTMost popularCheapest | $32,146 | 33.8% | BASE | $25,870 | 1.4% |
| LIMITED | $33,840 | 5.5% | PREMIUMMost popularCheapest | $28,081 | 37.3% |
| TIMBERLINE | $36,271 | 2.5% | ONYX EDITION | $30,356 | 12.2% |
| ACTIVE | $39,995 | 17.4% | LIMITED | $30,905 | 26.6% |
| ST-LINE | $39,999 | 17.6% | TOURING | $33,494 | 11.5% |
| PLATINUM | $45,910 | 7.0% | WILDERNESSPriciest | $33,998 | 11.0% |
| STPriciest | $47,722 | 12.8% | — | ||
| TREMOR | $55,325 | 2.0% | — | ||
Rows are aligned by price position (both sides sorted cheapest-first), not by equivalent equipment — trim names never map one-to-one across brands. Full per-trim detail (price ranges, mileage) is on each model's price page: Ford Explorer prices · Subaru Outback prices.
Used price by model year
| Year | Ford Explorer typical | Subaru Outback typical | Difference | Ford Explorer MPG | Subaru Outback MPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $45,790 | $39,998 | Ford Explorer +$5,792 | 19–24 MPG | 23–27 MPG |
| 2025 | $40,927 | $32,704 | Ford Explorer +$8,223 | 20–24 MPG | 23–28 MPG |
| 2024 | $35,786 | $29,482 | Ford Explorer +$6,304 | 20–24 MPG | 23–28 MPG |
| 2023 | $32,791 | $26,995 | Ford Explorer +$5,796 | 20–27 MPG | 23–28 MPG |
| 2022 | $29,354 | $24,787 | Ford Explorer +$4,567 | 19–27 MPG | 24–29 MPG |
| 2021 | $24,698 | $23,342 | Ford Explorer +$1,356 | 19–27 MPG | 26–29 MPG |
| 2020 | $22,795 | $21,608 | Ford Explorer +$1,187 | 19–28 MPG | 26–29 MPG |
| 2019 | $18,058 | $18,698 | Subaru Outback +$640 | 18–22 MPG | 22–28 MPG |
| 2018 | $16,653 | $16,798 | Subaru Outback +$145 | 18–22 MPG | 22–28 MPG |
| 2017 | $14,488 | $15,090 | Subaru Outback +$602 | 18–22 MPG | 22–28 MPG |
| 2016 | $12,509 | $13,160 | Subaru Outback +$651 | 18–22 MPG | 22–28 MPG |
| 2015 | $10,752 | $11,250 | Subaru Outback +$498 | 18–23 MPG | 22–28 MPG |
| 2014 | $9,746 | $9,161 | Ford Explorer +$585 | 18–23 MPG | 20–26 MPG |
| 2013 | $8,499 | $8,500 | Subaru Outback +$1 | 18–23 MPG | 20–26 MPG |
| 2012 | $7,850 | $7,900 | Subaru Outback +$50 | 19–23 MPG | 20–24 MPG |
| 2011 | $7,900 | $6,895 | Ford Explorer +$1,005 | 19–20 MPG | 20–24 MPG |
| 2010 | $6,000 | $6,801 | Subaru Outback +$801 | 15–17 MPG | 20–24 MPG |
| 2009 | $5,466 | $6,795 | Subaru Outback +$1,329 | 15–17 MPG | 20–22 MPG |
| 2008 | $6,120 | $5,984 | Ford Explorer +$136 | 15–16 MPG | 20–22 MPG |
| 2007 | $5,007 | $5,225 | Subaru Outback +$218 | 15–16 MPG | 20–22 MPG |
| 2006 | $5,000 | $5,500 | Subaru Outback +$500 | 15–16 MPG | 19–22 MPG |
| 2005 | $4,443 | $4,995 | Subaru Outback +$552 | 14–16 MPG | 19–22 MPG |
Typical price = national median asking price of live listings for that model year (July 2026); MPG = EPA combined range across rated versions.
Frequently asked questions
Which is cheaper to buy used — Ford Explorer or Subaru Outback?
Comparing the same model years (2024–2026), the Subaru Outback is cheaper: it typically lists for $32,704 versus $40,927 for the Ford Explorer (national medians, July 2026).
Which gets better fuel economy — Ford Explorer or Subaru Outback?
The Subaru Outback: its typical rated version returns 22 MPG combined versus 20 MPG for the Ford Explorer (median across EPA-rated versions of the compared years).
Which is more reliable — Ford Explorer or Subaru Outback?
NHTSA lists an average of 10.2 recalls per model year for the Ford Explorer and 6.9 for the Subaru Outback — an edge for the Subaru Outback. Recall and complaint counts scale with sales volume, so treat them as context and check any specific car's VIN history.
Which trims should I actually compare?
Like for like: at the cheapest common trims, a Ford Explorer XLT typically lists for $32,146 vs $28,081 for a Subaru Outback PREMIUM; the most common trims on the market are the XLT ($32,146, 33.8% of Ford Explorer listings) and the PREMIUM ($28,081, 37.3% of Subaru Outback listings); at the top of the market, the ST ($47,722) faces the WILDERNESS ($33,998). Overall medians hide this trim mix — use the trim tables above for a fair match. Trim names never map one-to-one across brands, so "cheapest" means the least expensive trim with a real market share, not the factory base.
https://vehisales.com/research/compare/ford/explorer/vs/subaru/outback.
Dig deeper
Ford Explorer — live listings & specs Subaru Outback — live listings & specs Ford Explorer prices by year Subaru Outback prices by year Ford Explorer MPG by year Subaru Outback MPG by year
See also: All model comparisons · Best used cars by budget · Used car prices by model.