Jeep Wrangler vs Subaru Outback: Which Used Buy Wins?
As used buys (August 2026), the Jeep Wrangler typically lists for $34,995 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 18 MPG). Overall medians mix very different trims — at the cheapest common trims it's the 4XE at $27,890 vs the PREMIUM at $27,682; 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 ($27,890) faces the Subaru Outback PREMIUM ($27,682); the most common trims on the market are the SPORT (20.4% of Jeep Wrangler listings) and the PREMIUM (36.1% of Subaru Outback listings); at the top of the market, the RUBICON ($39,998) faces the WILDERNESS ($33,379). 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 | $27,890 | 10.8% | BASE | $25,855 | 1.8% |
| SAHARA 4XE | $29,998 | 19.0% | PREMIUMMost popularCheapest | $27,682 | 36.1% |
| RUBICON 4XE | $30,995 | 8.4% | ONYX EDITION | $30,151 | 12.6% |
| SPORTMost popular | $32,797 | 20.4% | LIMITED | $30,439 | 27.0% |
| SPORT S 4-DOOR | $34,599 | 5.7% | TOURING | $32,997 | 11.3% |
| SAHARA | $35,354 | 13.9% | WILDERNESSPriciest | $33,379 | 11.1% |
| RUBICONPriciest | $39,998 | 17.2% | — | ||
| RUBICON 392 | $66,869 | 1.7% | — | ||
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 | $45,546 | $39,999 | Jeep Wrangler +$5,547 | 14–21 MPG | 23–27 MPG |
| 2025 | $34,995 | $31,963 | Jeep Wrangler +$3,032 | 14–21 MPG | 23–28 MPG |
| 2024 | $30,998 | $29,332 | Jeep Wrangler +$1,666 | 14–21 MPG | 23–28 MPG |
| 2023 | $29,625 | $26,000 | Jeep Wrangler +$3,625 | 14–25 MPG | 23–28 MPG |
| 2022 | $29,576 | $23,998 | Jeep Wrangler +$5,578 | 14–25 MPG | 24–29 MPG |
| 2021 | $27,799 | $22,664 | Jeep Wrangler +$5,135 | 14–25 MPG | 26–29 MPG |
| 2020 | $25,500 | $21,527 | Jeep Wrangler +$3,973 | 20–23 MPG | 26–29 MPG |
| 2019 | $24,179 | $18,200 | Jeep Wrangler +$5,979 | 20–24 MPG | 22–28 MPG |
| 2018 | $22,588 | $16,030 | Jeep Wrangler +$6,558 | 18 MPG | 22–28 MPG |
| 2017 | $19,050 | $14,180 | Jeep Wrangler +$4,870 | 18 MPG | 22–28 MPG |
| 2016 | $17,650 | $12,954 | Jeep Wrangler +$4,696 | 18 MPG | 22–28 MPG |
| 2015 | $16,490 | $10,792 | Jeep Wrangler +$5,698 | 18 MPG | 22–28 MPG |
| 2014 | $15,736 | $8,999 | Jeep Wrangler +$6,737 | 18 MPG | 20–26 MPG |
| 2013 | $14,574 | $7,999 | Jeep Wrangler +$6,575 | 18 MPG | 20–26 MPG |
| 2012 | $13,895 | $7,230 | Jeep Wrangler +$6,665 | 18 MPG | 20–24 MPG |
| 2011 | $12,658 | $6,800 | Jeep Wrangler +$5,858 | 17 MPG | 20–24 MPG |
| 2010 | $11,788 | $5,999 | Jeep Wrangler +$5,789 | 17 MPG | 20–24 MPG |
| 2009 | $11,099 | $6,322 | Jeep Wrangler +$4,777 | 16–17 MPG | 20–22 MPG |
| 2008 | $10,900 | $5,995 | Jeep Wrangler +$4,905 | 16–18 MPG | 20–22 MPG |
| 2007 | $9,998 | $5,771 | Jeep Wrangler +$4,227 | 16–18 MPG | 20–22 MPG |
| 2006 | $13,644 | $5,747 | Jeep Wrangler +$7,897 | 14–17 MPG | 19–22 MPG |
| 2005 | $12,999 | $4,995 | Jeep Wrangler +$8,004 | 14–17 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 — Jeep Wrangler or Subaru Outback?
Comparing the same model years (2024–2026), the Subaru Outback is cheaper: it typically lists for $29,332 versus $34,995 for the Jeep Wrangler (national medians, August 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 $27,890 vs $27,682 for a Subaru Outback PREMIUM; the most common trims on the market are the SPORT ($32,797, 20.4% of Jeep Wrangler listings) and the PREMIUM ($27,682, 36.1% of Subaru Outback listings); at the top of the market, the RUBICON ($39,998) faces the WILDERNESS ($33,379). 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.