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The 10 Best Cars Under $8K, Why Subaru Outback Is In No Man’s Land

What are the best used cars and one SUV for under $8,000? According to Kelley Blue Book, there are ten you should consider. I'll explain why the Outback is your best pick now.
2013 Subaru Outback

The Subaru Outback is in no man's land because it rides like a car but has the utility of an SUV. According to Kelley Blue Book, the 2013 Subaru Outback is one of the best used Cars you can buy now for under $8,000. 

Is Outback a car or an SUV? The answer is yes. Keep reading, and I'll explain why. First here are KBB's ten best used cars under $8,000. I will list the models from the tenth best to the best model according to KBB. 

The 10 Best Used Cars Under $8,000 you can buy now

  • 2012 Honda Accord
  • 2011 Toyota Camry
  • 2010 Toyota Corolla
  • 2012 Honda Civic
  • 2013 Mazda 3
  • 2014 Ford Fusion
  • 2012 Mazda 6
  • 2013 Subaru Outback
  • 2015 Nissan Altima
  • 2017 Chevrolet Cruze

What does KBB say about the 2013 Subaru Outback?

"Famous for its utility and, in some regions, ubiquity, the 2013 Subaru Outback is a uniquely flexible vehicle. It offers the comfort of a sedan or wagon, the space of a compact crossover, and the ground clearance of an SUV. All-wheel drive is standard, and you can choose between the 4-cylinder (up to 30 mpg highway) or the 6-cylinder (256 horsepower). Audiophile Tip: A Harman/Kardon 9-speaker audio setup was available, so keep your eyes peeled."

Why Is The Outback Your Best Pick?

First, let's see what sets the Subaru Outback apart from other cars on the KBB list you can buy. The Outback is a unique model that rides like a car yet has the utility of an SUV.

KBB considers the Outback a car but rides higher with extra ground clearance than all cars and SUVs. It has 8.7 inches of ground clearance, Subaru's Symmetrical all-wheel drive, and X-Mode for all-terrain performance. The Outback also gets the highest safety scores from the IIHS.

More Awards For Outback

Previously, I covered the iSeeCars study of the best-used cars for the money. They said the 2013 Subaru Outback is the second-best used SUV for the money under $13,000 with the longest remaining lifespan. Of course, the 2013 model prices have dropped since that report.

Two years ago, iSee Cars said the 2013 Outback's price per 1,000 miles was $152, and its average price was $12,782. The remaining lifespan is 84,348 miles (40.5%), and it has a potential lifespan of 208,298 miles. 

So, if you look at a 2013 Subaru Outback with 108,000 miles on the odometer, the midsize SUV still has 50% of its life remaining. That's a good value for its current price of around $8,000.

More Reasons To Choose The Outback

The 2013 Subaru Outback gets top safety scores.

1. Subaru's standard all-wheel-drive vehicles excel in all-weather driving, but the brand is also known for its exceptional crash protection and safety record. As a result, the 2013 Outback earned the highest Top Safety Pick+ score from the IIHS.

Outback is a good choice because it is fuel-efficient. 

2. The 2013 Subaru Outback with the 2.5-liter engine gets an estimated 24/30 city/highway mpg and 26 combined mpg with the automatic transmission and 18/24/20 with the 3.6-liter engine. Consumer Reports says the owner reported that the fuel mileage was 25 mpg overall.

2013 Outback features and upgrades

3. The 2013 Outback 2.5-liter engine received upgrades over the 2012 model. The updated models debut a new double-overhead-cam 2.5-liter engine with increased performance and fuel efficiency. The new engine produces 173 horsepower and 174 lb.-ft. of torque, compared to 170 horsepower and 170 lb.-ft. with the previous engine.

Three 2013 Outback Trim Levels

The 2013 Subaru Outback 2.5i models were offered in three trim levels: base, Premium, and Limited. The 2013 Outback 3.6R models were also offered in Base and Limited.

The Outback is in no man's land because it rides like a car but has the utility of an SUV. According to Kelley Blue Book, the 2013 Subaru Outback is one of the best used cars you can buy now for under $8,000.

Thanks for reading, everyone. I hope you enjoyed this Subaru Outback story. See you tomorrow for my latest Subaru Report.

MORE SUBARU NEWS

1. What are the best SUVs for shorter drivers? Here is the updated list from KBB. They say the 2024 Subaru Outback and 2019-2022 Forester are among the best. See why they are the best.  

2. The 2021 Subaru Forester and the 2022 Subaru Crosstrek are included in Kelley Blue Book's 10 Best Used SUVs Under $25,000. Are they the best picks? Check out the answer here.

3. The 2024 Subaru Outback vs. the 2024 Crosstrek: What are the differences? Check out the two all-wheel-drive models. Is bigger always better?

I am Denis Flierl, a top Torque News and Subaru reporter since 2012. I’ve invested over 30 years in the automotive industry in a consulting role, working with every major car brand. I am an experienced Rocky Mountain Automotive Press member. You'll find my expert Subaru analysis here. Follow me on my The Dirty Subaru website, Dirty Subaru blog, X SubaruReport, All Subaru, WRXSTI, @DenisFlierl, Facebook, and Instagram.

I’ve got you covered! - I cover all Subaru all the time. 

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