Subaru Outback Towing Capacity: How Many Pounds Can Each Trim Safely Tow?

The first all-wheel drive passenger coupe was the 1968 Jensen Interceptor. That said, while Subaru didn't make the first all-wheel drive car, its largely credited for popularizing the technology, especially since it was the first automaker to offer it across its lineup of affordable, common models.

The Outback, which is one of the strongest sellers for Subaru, achieved a milestone in 2024, selling its 3 millionth unit in the U.S., per Subaru's Media Center. Considering this model began as a trim for the Legacy back in the '90s and is now in its sixth-generation, the Outback has certainly evolved over the years in many ways.

Now that this terrain capable Subaru has taken on more of a midsize crossover build, its towing capacity has seen a noticeable increase. In its first year as a standalone all-wheel drive wagon, the 2000 Outback had a max towing capability of 2,000 pounds. Fast forward to 2025, and there are nine different trims, with the first five offering 2,700 pounds of pulling ability, and the top four trims able to tow up to 3,500 pounds. Furthermore, we recently got some time in the driver's seat of this all-wheel drive icon during our 2025 Subaru Outback review, where we noted its competence and affordability.

With the Outback base, Premium, Onyx Edition, Limited, and Touring trims, what exactly can you pull? One option is a mini travel trailer, with weight that can vary between 400 and 2,000 pounds. With Outback's limited capacity, these recreational vehicles are akin to tiny homes — however, you'd be surprised how much mini campers cost, and whether you can really live in one. For example, the Vistabule Teardrop Trailer tips the scales at 1,440 pounds (empty). Remember that anything you load up into the trailer adds to the overall weight, so pack carefully.

When you step up to the higher Outback trims, like the Onyx Edition XT, Wilderness, Limited XT, and Touring XT, your options for towing do widen — however, it'll only increase capability by 800 pounds. These trims, which feature a more potent 2.4-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder, allow you to pull things like shorter deep V hull aluminum boats around 16 feet in length. You'll want to check the average package weight listing with each boat, which is the vessel and trailer weight combined.

You'll also need to keep in mind that altitude has a significant effect on towing capacity. In fact, for every 1,000 feet in elevation, the average vehicle's power reduces around 3%. If you're towing in the mountains, the more powerful turbocharged 4-cylinder is a better option as it compresses air delivered to the engine. Naturally aspirated engines begin to suffer as the density of oxygen decreases at higher altitude. 

Many owners have reported being happy with their Outback towing experiences. One driver on Reddit explained that they had towed a popup camper all over the pacific northwest and was able to hold steady highway speeds throughout, apart from mountain passes where the Outback would get a little lethargic. Another owner on YouTube put his Outback through a series of towing tests and was pleasantly surprised with its pulling capability — although, he did drop to around 10.4 miles per gallon while towing.

Some did caution that the continuously variable transmission (CVT) in the Outback wasn't ideal for towing much weight. Within the last decade, Subaru started using CVT transmissions and unfortunately, robust torque and longevity have varied. Recommendations were to tow far less than the maximum towing capacity, even as low as 1,500 pounds, and consider other factors such as how much wind the trailer will catch during travel. One owner advised (via iRV2), with regard to a question on towing with a 2,700-pound capacity, "Something in the 1,400-pound dry range. You want towing to be easy...not difficult."