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Subaru Crosstrek And Outback - Affordable Used Models Under $20K Are Vanishing

Should you buy a used Subaru Crosstrek or Subaru Outback? See why affordable used models are becoming challenging for used car shoppers to find now.
2022 Subaru Crosstrek and Outback

Affordable models are vanishing if you are looking for a lightly-used Subaru Crosstrek or a Subaru Outback. A recent report from iSeeCars says the average used car's price has increased by 47.7 percent since the pandemic. The Subaru Crosstrek and Subaru Outback are among the top 25 models that are the hardest to find, priced under $20,000. 

iSee cars data reveals that used cars priced under $20,000 made up 49.3 percent of the market in 2019; they now make up just 12.4 percent of the market in 2023. More than half of today's used cars (1- to 5 years old) also have 20 percent or more miles than they did three years ago, meaning buyers must pay more for vehicles driven substantially farther. 

2022 Subaru Crosstrek is not affordable

In 2019, about 42% of used Subaru Crosstrek and nearly 25% of Subaru Outback models cost less than $20,000. But in 2023, less than 5 percent of them are priced under $20,000, and these same used models also have nearly twice as much mileage as they did in 2019.

Check Out This Related Story: Buy A Used Subaru Crosstrek In This City And You'll Pay $3K More Than A New Model

iSeeCars analyzed over 10.8 million 1- to 5-year-old used cars and found the average used car cost $22,493 in 2015, with a slight bump to $23,351 in 2019. But over the last four years, used car prices have exploded – ballooning to $34,491 in 2023, a 47.7 percent rise, averaging more than 10 percent each year.

2022 Subaru Outback is hard to find under $20,000

"Among the pandemic's many casualties is the affordable used car, which has nearly vanished from the used car marketplace," said iSeeCars' Executive Analyst Karl Brauer. "In 2019, used car shoppers with a budget of $15,000 could afford over 20 percent of the late-model used car market. Today that budget only gets them access to 1.6 percent of the market."

Related Story: A Shocking Find - You Can Now Buy A Used Subaru Crosstrek For $5K Less In One City

The popular Subaru Crosstrek subcompact SUV and the number-one-selling Subaru Outback midsize SUV are among the top 25 models that are the hardest to find, priced under $20,000. 

The Subaru Crosstrek subcompact SUV is number twelve on the list of least affordable used cars you can buy today.

  • The Subaru Crosstrek average price of a used model in 2019 was $20,763. In 2023, the average cost is now $26,480, an increase of 27.5 percent.
  • The Subaru Crosstrek's share of used car sales that cost less than $20,000 in 2019 was 42.3%. 
  • The share of used Crosstrek sales that cost less than $20,000 in 2023 is now 4.2%. 
  • The percentage change in share is -90.1%
  • The average mileage for a used Crosstrek that cost less than $20,000 in 2019 was 55,125
  • The average mileage for a used Crosstrek that cost more than $20,000 in 2023 is now 89,805. 
  • The percentage of change in the average Crosstrek mileage is 62.9%.

The Subaru Outback midsize SUV is number fifteen on the list of least affordable used cars you can buy today.

  • The Subaru Outback's average price of a used model in 2019 was $23,433. In 2023, the average cost is now $29,413, an increase of 25.5 percent.
  • The Subaru Outback's share of used car sales that cost less than $20,000 in 2019 was 24.5%. 
  • The share of used Outback sales that cost less than $20,000 in 2023 is now 3.0%. 
  • The percentage change in share is -87.7%
  • The average mileage for a used Outback that cost less than $20,000 in 2019 was 69,355.
  • The average mileage for a used Outback that cost more than $20,000 in 2023 is now 104,276.
  • The percentage of change in the average Outback mileage is 50.4%.

Check Out This Related Story: New Vs. Used - The 3-Year-Old Used Subaru SUVs That Are No Longer Affordable

"Used car shoppers have to face the stark reality of paying more for cars with higher mileage compared to the pre-pandemic used market," said Brauer. "It's news nobody wants to hear, but the numbers don't lie. This means due diligence in knowing a used car's market value and confirming its service history is more important than ever."

The Subaru Crosstrek and Subaru Outback are Subaru of America's two most popular models. They are also the hardest-to-find used vehicles priced under $20,000. 

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Denis Flierl brings over thirty years of combined auto industry and automotive journalism experience to Torque News readers. He is an accredited Rocky Mountain Automotive Press (RMAP) member. The last twelve years have been spent with Torque News, covering Subaru vehicles and the latest news. Check back daily for his expert Subaru analysis. You'll find the latest stories on the Torque News Subaru page. Follow Denis on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. 

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