Dad’s got an 09 diesel outback. Really nice cars – he’s very happy with it. Averages just over 40mpg, regardless of how it’s driven he says… Nice potent engine and very driveable, much more ooomph than the 2004 2.0 petrol legacy estate which I have. very nice cars to be in, and the driving position and feel of it is very good & solid & they are planted to the road. Really really well put together. Mines on 85,0000 miles, and there are NO rattles squeaks or creaks inside despite the last two years on Sheffield’s finest pot holed roads.
ref. Hora’s parts costs… servicing is par for the course, though I do mine now, but Dad’s diesel doesn’t seem overly expensive for dealer servicing. Subaru dealers are expensive for Subaru-specific parts, like wheels & sensors (dinged mine hard against a kerb, but got an ebay replacement from a breakers). Third party parts (and even subaru for regular parts are pretty much standard (air filter, oil filters, brake parts etc…), so any independent garage will be OK cost wise for most things. Cambelt cost £200 on the petrol which again is about average and a hell of a lot cheaper than some. Seem to remember Hora had issues with an expensive exhaust? You can get full stainless replacements from third party’s for only a few hundred quid, so again not too much of an issue in the longer term, though not sure how that applies to the diesel.
reliability – no issues in 85,000 miles aside from regular servicing. Tyres last 40,000 miles+ as they wear so evenly. I replaced the brake discs for the first time at 83,000 miles, it got it’s second set of pads at the same time. Subarus generally are very reliable. (touch wood, now I’ve said all that…!).