Ford Explorer vs Subaru Outback: Which Used Buy Wins?
As used buys (August 2026), the Ford Explorer typically lists for $39,598 against $29,332 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 $31,542 vs the PREMIUM at $27,660; 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 ($31,542) faces the Subaru Outback PREMIUM ($27,660); the most common trims on the market are the XLT (34.4% of Ford Explorer listings) and the PREMIUM (36.4% of Subaru Outback listings); at the top of the market, the ST ($46,401) faces the WILDERNESS ($33,420). 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 | $31,542 | 34.4% | BASE | $25,994 | 1.8% |
| LIMITED | $33,753 | 5.2% | PREMIUMMost popularCheapest | $27,660 | 36.4% |
| TIMBERLINE | $35,559 | 2.6% | ONYX EDITION | $30,164 | 12.8% |
| ST-LINE | $39,241 | 18.2% | LIMITED | $30,490 | 26.8% |
| ACTIVE | $39,512 | 16.9% | TOURING | $33,119 | 11.1% |
| PLATINUM | $44,977 | 6.6% | WILDERNESSPriciest | $33,420 | 11.1% |
| STPriciest | $46,401 | 12.7% | — | ||
| TREMOR | $54,725 | 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 | $45,161 | $39,995 | Ford Explorer +$5,166 | 19–24 MPG | 23–27 MPG |
| 2025 | $39,598 | $31,936 | Ford Explorer +$7,662 | 20–24 MPG | 23–28 MPG |
| 2024 | $35,240 | $29,332 | Ford Explorer +$5,908 | 20–24 MPG | 23–28 MPG |
| 2023 | $31,995 | $26,058 | Ford Explorer +$5,937 | 20–27 MPG | 23–28 MPG |
| 2022 | $28,452 | $23,998 | Ford Explorer +$4,454 | 19–27 MPG | 24–29 MPG |
| 2021 | $23,941 | $22,599 | Ford Explorer +$1,342 | 19–27 MPG | 26–29 MPG |
| 2020 | $22,224 | $21,495 | Ford Explorer +$729 | 19–28 MPG | 26–29 MPG |
| 2019 | $17,429 | $18,459 | Subaru Outback +$1,030 | 18–22 MPG | 22–28 MPG |
| 2018 | $16,004 | $16,139 | Subaru Outback +$135 | 18–22 MPG | 22–28 MPG |
| 2017 | $13,995 | $14,347 | Subaru Outback +$352 | 18–22 MPG | 22–28 MPG |
| 2016 | $12,076 | $12,900 | Subaru Outback +$824 | 18–22 MPG | 22–28 MPG |
| 2015 | $9,999 | $10,895 | Subaru Outback +$896 | 18–23 MPG | 22–28 MPG |
| 2014 | $9,495 | $8,999 | Ford Explorer +$496 | 18–23 MPG | 20–26 MPG |
| 2013 | $8,495 | $7,999 | Ford Explorer +$496 | 18–23 MPG | 20–26 MPG |
| 2012 | $7,945 | $7,272 | Ford Explorer +$673 | 19–23 MPG | 20–24 MPG |
| 2011 | $7,500 | $6,800 | Ford Explorer +$700 | 19–20 MPG | 20–24 MPG |
| 2010 | $6,850 | $6,098 | Ford Explorer +$752 | 15–17 MPG | 20–24 MPG |
| 2009 | $5,948 | $6,349 | Subaru Outback +$401 | 15–17 MPG | 20–22 MPG |
| 2008 | $6,498 | $5,995 | Ford Explorer +$503 | 15–16 MPG | 20–22 MPG |
| 2007 | $4,999 | $5,497 | Subaru Outback +$498 | 15–16 MPG | 20–22 MPG |
| 2006 | $5,245 | $5,595 | Subaru Outback +$350 | 15–16 MPG | 19–22 MPG |
| 2005 | $4,995 | $4,995 | even | 14–16 MPG | 19–22 MPG |
Typical price = national median asking price of live listings for that model year (August 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 $29,332 versus $39,598 for the Ford Explorer (national medians, August 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 10.4 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 $31,542 vs $27,660 for a Subaru Outback PREMIUM; the most common trims on the market are the XLT ($31,542, 34.4% of Ford Explorer listings) and the PREMIUM ($27,660, 36.4% of Subaru Outback listings); at the top of the market, the ST ($46,401) faces the WILDERNESS ($33,420). 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.