Is this the end of the Subaru Outback? Limited Edition celebrates 30 years of Skoda Superb, Volvo V60 Cross Country alternative in Japan but wagon will live on in Australia

Subaru is bringing Outback sales to an end in Japan after 30 years of production but don’t worry, the niche lifted wagon remains safe in Australia. 

The 500 unit limited swansong model is known as the Legacy Outback 30th Anniversary Edition and celebrates the end of Japanese sales of the Outback that will come in March 2025.

There’s nothing  to worry about for Australian Outback die hards, with a spokesperson assuring CarsGuide “The Outback continues to serve the needs of our customers, and will remain a key model in Subaru’s SUV range in Australia.”

“This announcement will not impact the production of the Outback for the Australian market,” said the spokesperson. 

The Japanese Swansong is pretty kitted out, scoring frequency selective Hitachi Astemo front dampers and revised rear dampers with ride and handling input from STI.

Visually, there’s a set of 18-inch alloys finished in matte black, dark Outback badges and an STI Performance plaque. Inside, you’ll find ‘30th anniversary’ embossed on the Nappa leather upholstery which is in a two tone black/ivory theme.

Under the bonnet, Japanese versions of the Outback use a 1.8-litre turbo-petrol flat four engine developing 130kW, while Australian and US-market models are offered with either an atmospheric 2.5-litre flat-four (138kW) or turbocharged 2.4-litre engine producing 191kW.

2025 Subaru Outback 30th Anniversary Limited Edition

Subaru Japan is only making 500 units and none are coming to Australia. The limited run will be allocated via a lottery, with all Outback order books to close in late March 2025 for Japan.

The Outback name has found great success in the United States, with deliveries at 126,333 by the end of September.

In Australia, the Outback has a selection of devout followers, ending up as Subaru’s second most-popular model last year and notching up over 8000 sales to the end of September. It certainly enjoys better sales than alternatives such as the Skoda Superb and Volvo V60 Cross Country.

The Outback name waS pioneered in the United States in 1994, while in Japan the lifted Liberty was known as the Grand Wagon in that year, then Legacy Lancaster in 1998 before adopting the Outback name officially in 2003, based on the handsome 4Gen Liberty wagon.

2025 Subaru Outback 30th Anniversary Limited Edition

A facelifted sixth-gen model was revealed in the United States way back in August 2022 yet there’s still no update on timing for Australia. It is expected to bring the rough-and-tumble Wilderness version to our market when it finally arrives, potentially in 2025 after Japanese orders close.

Subaru applied to trademark the name e-Outback in August, which may point to a hybrid version of the facelifted Outback as is occurring with Forester and Crosstrek or potentially an all-electric version.