Jeep Wrangler vs Subaru Outback: Which Used Buy Wins?
As used buys (July 2026), the Jeep Wrangler typically lists for $33,938 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 18 MPG). Overall medians mix very different trims — at the cheapest common trims it's the 4XE at $28,267 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 Jeep Wrangler 4XE ($28,267) faces the Subaru Outback PREMIUM ($28,081); the most common trims on the market are the SAHARA 4XE (23.5% of Jeep Wrangler listings) and the PREMIUM (37.3% of Subaru Outback listings); at the top of the market, the RUBICON ($40,845) 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.
| Jeep Wrangler | Subaru Outback | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trim | Typical price | Share | Trim | Typical price | Share |
| 4XECheapest | $28,267 | 10.0% | BASE | $25,870 | 1.4% |
| SPORT 4XE | $30,877 | 2.6% | PREMIUMMost popularCheapest | $28,081 | 37.3% |
| SAHARA 4XEMost popular | $30,936 | 23.5% | ONYX EDITION | $30,356 | 12.2% |
| RUBICON 4XE | $32,659 | 7.9% | LIMITED | $30,905 | 26.6% |
| SPORT S 4-DOOR | $33,000 | 5.2% | TOURING | $33,494 | 11.5% |
| SPORT | $33,604 | 20.1% | WILDERNESSPriciest | $33,998 | 11.0% |
| SAHARA | $35,737 | 13.5% | — | ||
| RUBICONPriciest | $40,845 | 14.8% | — | ||
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: 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 | $46,692 | $39,998 | Jeep Wrangler +$6,694 | 14–21 MPG | 23–27 MPG |
| 2025 | $33,938 | $32,704 | Jeep Wrangler +$1,234 | 14–21 MPG | 23–28 MPG |
| 2024 | $32,439 | $29,482 | Jeep Wrangler +$2,957 | 14–21 MPG | 23–28 MPG |
| 2023 | $29,988 | $26,995 | Jeep Wrangler +$2,993 | 14–25 MPG | 23–28 MPG |
| 2022 | $30,156 | $24,787 | Jeep Wrangler +$5,369 | 14–25 MPG | 24–29 MPG |
| 2021 | $28,426 | $23,342 | Jeep Wrangler +$5,084 | 14–25 MPG | 26–29 MPG |
| 2020 | $26,293 | $21,608 | Jeep Wrangler +$4,685 | 20–23 MPG | 26–29 MPG |
| 2019 | $24,997 | $18,698 | Jeep Wrangler +$6,299 | 20–24 MPG | 22–28 MPG |
| 2018 | $22,990 | $16,798 | Jeep Wrangler +$6,192 | 18 MPG | 22–28 MPG |
| 2017 | $19,639 | $15,090 | Jeep Wrangler +$4,549 | 18 MPG | 22–28 MPG |
| 2016 | $17,995 | $13,160 | Jeep Wrangler +$4,835 | 18 MPG | 22–28 MPG |
| 2015 | $16,907 | $11,250 | Jeep Wrangler +$5,657 | 18 MPG | 22–28 MPG |
| 2014 | $16,050 | $9,161 | Jeep Wrangler +$6,889 | 18 MPG | 20–26 MPG |
| 2013 | $14,990 | $8,500 | Jeep Wrangler +$6,490 | 18 MPG | 20–26 MPG |
| 2012 | $13,975 | $7,900 | Jeep Wrangler +$6,075 | 18 MPG | 20–24 MPG |
| 2011 | $12,647 | $6,895 | Jeep Wrangler +$5,752 | 17 MPG | 20–24 MPG |
| 2010 | $11,799 | $6,801 | Jeep Wrangler +$4,998 | 17 MPG | 20–24 MPG |
| 2009 | $10,993 | $6,795 | Jeep Wrangler +$4,198 | 16–17 MPG | 20–22 MPG |
| 2008 | $10,900 | $5,984 | Jeep Wrangler +$4,916 | 16–18 MPG | 20–22 MPG |
| 2007 | $10,348 | $5,225 | Jeep Wrangler +$5,123 | 16–18 MPG | 20–22 MPG |
| 2006 | $13,186 | $5,500 | Jeep Wrangler +$7,686 | 14–17 MPG | 19–22 MPG |
| 2005 | $13,995 | $4,995 | Jeep Wrangler +$9,000 | 14–17 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 — Jeep Wrangler or Subaru Outback?
Comparing the same model years (2024–2026), the Subaru Outback is cheaper: it typically lists for $32,704 versus $33,938 for the Jeep Wrangler (national medians, July 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 7.5 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 $28,267 vs $28,081 for a Subaru Outback PREMIUM; the most common trims on the market are the SAHARA 4XE ($30,936, 23.5% of Jeep Wrangler listings) and the PREMIUM ($28,081, 37.3% of Subaru Outback listings); at the top of the market, the RUBICON ($40,845) 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/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.