Jeep Wrangler vs Subaru Outback: Which Used Buy Wins?
As used buys (October 2026), the Jeep Wrangler typically lists for $33,998 against $28,626 for the Subaru Outback (same model years — 2024–2026 — national medians from live listings). The Subaru Outback takes fuel economy (22 MPG combined vs 18 MPG). Overall medians mix very different trims — at the cheapest common trims it's the 4XE at $26,734 vs the PREMIUM at $27,090; 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 Jeep Wrangler 4XE ($26,734) faces the Subaru Outback PREMIUM ($27,090); the most common trims on the market are the SPORT (19.9% of Jeep Wrangler listings) and the PREMIUM (34.8% of Subaru Outback listings); at the top of the market, the RUBICON ($37,900) faces the TOURING ($32,803). 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.
| Jeep Wrangler | Subaru Outback | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trim | Typical price | Share | Trim | Typical price | Share |
| 4XECheapest | $26,734 | 11.4% | BASE | $25,170 | 2.0% |
| SAHARA 4XE | $28,761 | 16.2% | PREMIUMMost popularCheapest | $27,090 | 34.8% |
| RUBICON 4XE | $29,103 | 8.9% | ONYX EDITION | $29,523 | 13.4% |
| SPORTMost popular | $31,998 | 19.9% | LIMITED | $29,716 | 26.0% |
| SPORT S 4-DOOR | $32,551 | 4.8% | WILDERNESS | $32,599 | 11.4% |
| SAHARA | $36,000 | 15.7% | TOURINGPriciest | $32,803 | 12.4% |
| RUBICONPriciest | $37,900 | 18.4% | — | ||
| RUBICON 392 | $64,844 | 1.6% | — | ||
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: Jeep Wrangler prices · Subaru Outback prices.
Used price by model year
| Year | Jeep Wrangler typical | Subaru Outback typical | Difference | Jeep Wrangler MPG | Subaru Outback MPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $42,104 | $39,925 | Jeep Wrangler +$2,179 | 14–21 MPG | 23–27 MPG |
| 2025 | $33,998 | $31,094 | Jeep Wrangler +$2,904 | 14–21 MPG | 23–28 MPG |
| 2024 | $29,275 | $28,626 | Jeep Wrangler +$649 | 14–21 MPG | 23–28 MPG |
| 2023 | $28,995 | $25,535 | Jeep Wrangler +$3,460 | 14–25 MPG | 23–28 MPG |
| 2022 | $28,495 | $23,900 | Jeep Wrangler +$4,595 | 14–25 MPG | 24–29 MPG |
| 2021 | $26,681 | $22,199 | Jeep Wrangler +$4,482 | 14–25 MPG | 26–29 MPG |
| 2020 | $24,985 | $20,954 | Jeep Wrangler +$4,031 | 20–23 MPG | 26–29 MPG |
| 2019 | $23,632 | $17,998 | Jeep Wrangler +$5,634 | 20–24 MPG | 22–28 MPG |
| 2018 | $21,800 | $15,695 | Jeep Wrangler +$6,105 | 18 MPG | 22–28 MPG |
| 2017 | $18,900 | $13,996 | Jeep Wrangler +$4,904 | 18 MPG | 22–28 MPG |
| 2016 | $16,999 | $12,210 | Jeep Wrangler +$4,789 | 18 MPG | 22–28 MPG |
| 2015 | $16,001 | $10,560 | Jeep Wrangler +$5,441 | 18 MPG | 22–28 MPG |
| 2014 | $14,999 | $8,995 | Jeep Wrangler +$6,004 | 18 MPG | 20–26 MPG |
| 2013 | $14,483 | $7,990 | Jeep Wrangler +$6,493 | 18 MPG | 20–26 MPG |
| 2012 | $13,577 | $6,999 | Jeep Wrangler +$6,578 | 18 MPG | 20–24 MPG |
| 2011 | $12,699 | $6,799 | Jeep Wrangler +$5,900 | 17 MPG | 20–24 MPG |
| 2010 | $11,799 | $5,999 | Jeep Wrangler +$5,800 | 17 MPG | 20–24 MPG |
| 2009 | $10,993 | $6,372 | Jeep Wrangler +$4,621 | 16–17 MPG | 20–22 MPG |
| 2008 | $10,744 | $5,984 | Jeep Wrangler +$4,760 | 16–18 MPG | 20–22 MPG |
| 2007 | $10,298 | $5,742 | Jeep Wrangler +$4,556 | 16–18 MPG | 20–22 MPG |
| 2006 | $14,029 | $5,993 | Jeep Wrangler +$8,036 | 14–17 MPG | 19–22 MPG |
| 2005 | $13,398 | $4,995 | Jeep Wrangler +$8,403 | 14–17 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 — Jeep Wrangler or Subaru Outback?
Comparing the same model years (2024–2026), the Subaru Outback is cheaper: it typically lists for $28,626 versus $33,998 for the Jeep Wrangler (national medians, October 2026).
Which gets better fuel economy — Jeep Wrangler or Subaru Outback?
The Subaru Outback: its typical rated version returns 22 MPG combined versus 18 MPG for the Jeep Wrangler (median across EPA-rated versions of the compared years).
Which is more reliable — Jeep Wrangler or Subaru Outback?
NHTSA lists an average of 7.3 recalls per model year for the Jeep Wrangler 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 Jeep Wrangler 4XE typically lists for $26,734 vs $27,090 for a Subaru Outback PREMIUM; the most common trims on the market are the SPORT ($31,998, 19.9% of Jeep Wrangler listings) and the PREMIUM ($27,090, 34.8% of Subaru Outback listings); at the top of the market, the RUBICON ($37,900) faces the TOURING ($32,803). 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/jeep/wrangler/vs/subaru/outback.
Dig deeper
Jeep Wrangler — live listings & specs Subaru Outback — live listings & specs Jeep Wrangler prices by year Subaru Outback prices by year Jeep Wrangler MPG by year Subaru Outback MPG by year
See also: All model comparisons · Best used cars by budget · Used car prices by model.