Ford Explorer vs Subaru Outback: Which Used Buy Wins?
As used buys (October 2026), the Ford Explorer typically lists for $38,464 against $31,182 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 $30,834 vs the PREMIUM at $27,472; 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 ($30,834) faces the Subaru Outback PREMIUM ($27,472); the most common trims on the market are the XLT (32.7% of Ford Explorer listings) and the PREMIUM (34.9% of Subaru Outback listings); at the top of the market, the ST ($46,393) faces the TOURING ($33,023). 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 | $30,834 | 32.7% | BASE | $25,633 | 2.1% |
| LIMITED | $32,386 | 5.7% | PREMIUMMost popularCheapest | $27,472 | 34.9% |
| TIMBERLINE | $34,900 | 2.6% | ONYX EDITION | $29,594 | 13.2% |
| ST-LINE | $38,411 | 18.5% | LIMITED | $29,920 | 25.7% |
| ACTIVE | $38,993 | 17.0% | WILDERNESS | $32,824 | 11.2% |
| PLATINUM | $45,092 | 6.3% | TOURINGPriciest | $33,023 | 12.3% |
| STPriciest | $46,393 | 12.9% | TOURING+XT | $51,013 | 0.5% |
| TREMOR | $55,435 | 2.8% | — | ||
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 | $45,115 | $40,010 | Ford Explorer +$5,105 | 19–24 MPG | 23–27 MPG |
| 2025 | $38,464 | $31,182 | Ford Explorer +$7,282 | 20–24 MPG | 23–28 MPG |
| 2024 | $34,340 | $28,692 | Ford Explorer +$5,648 | 20–24 MPG | 23–28 MPG |
| 2023 | $31,149 | $25,496 | Ford Explorer +$5,653 | 20–27 MPG | 23–28 MPG |
| 2022 | $27,664 | $23,876 | Ford Explorer +$3,788 | 19–27 MPG | 24–29 MPG |
| 2021 | $23,472 | $22,274 | Ford Explorer +$1,198 | 19–27 MPG | 26–29 MPG |
| 2020 | $21,499 | $20,908 | Ford Explorer +$591 | 19–28 MPG | 26–29 MPG |
| 2019 | $16,995 | $17,998 | Subaru Outback +$1,003 | 18–22 MPG | 22–28 MPG |
| 2018 | $15,735 | $15,663 | Ford Explorer +$72 | 18–22 MPG | 22–28 MPG |
| 2017 | $13,580 | $14,060 | Subaru Outback +$480 | 18–22 MPG | 22–28 MPG |
| 2016 | $11,995 | $12,245 | Subaru Outback +$250 | 18–22 MPG | 22–28 MPG |
| 2015 | $9,999 | $10,460 | Subaru Outback +$461 | 18–23 MPG | 22–28 MPG |
| 2014 | $8,995 | $8,995 | even | 18–23 MPG | 20–26 MPG |
| 2013 | $8,185 | $7,995 | Ford Explorer +$190 | 18–23 MPG | 20–26 MPG |
| 2012 | $7,899 | $6,995 | Ford Explorer +$904 | 19–23 MPG | 20–24 MPG |
| 2011 | $7,008 | $6,500 | Ford Explorer +$508 | 19–20 MPG | 20–24 MPG |
| 2010 | $6,649 | $6,149 | Ford Explorer +$500 | 15–17 MPG | 20–24 MPG |
| 2009 | $6,000 | $6,100 | Subaru Outback +$100 | 15–17 MPG | 20–22 MPG |
| 2008 | $5,500 | $5,962 | Subaru Outback +$462 | 15–16 MPG | 20–22 MPG |
| 2007 | $4,999 | $5,992 | Subaru Outback +$993 | 15–16 MPG | 20–22 MPG |
| 2006 | $4,995 | $5,995 | Subaru Outback +$1,000 | 15–16 MPG | 19–22 MPG |
| 2005 | $4,535 | $4,991 | Subaru Outback +$456 | 14–16 MPG | 19–22 MPG |
Typical price = national median asking price of live listings for that model year (October 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 $31,182 versus $38,464 for the Ford Explorer (national medians, October 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 10.6 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 $30,834 vs $27,472 for a Subaru Outback PREMIUM; the most common trims on the market are the XLT ($30,834, 32.7% of Ford Explorer listings) and the PREMIUM ($27,472, 34.9% of Subaru Outback listings); at the top of the market, the ST ($46,393) faces the TOURING ($33,023). 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.