SUBARU OUTBACK

What is it?

Did you know that Subaru has sold more 4x4s globally than any other motor manufacturer, and the average Subaru will have travelled 8 times around the world in its lifetime? Bet you didn’t.

The Outback has come a long way since the first incarnation back in 1994. The first model was based on the second generation Legacy, and was quite a hit. These days, sadly, the Outback is almost overlooked in the UK. Ask someone who lives in a city to name a capable AWD manufacturer, and they’ll probably answer with Land Rover, Audi or Skoda. Ask the same question to someone who lives and works in the country, and you’ll receive a much more varied answer, with Subaru being high on the list.

So, let’s take a look at the Subaru Outback 2.5I SE Premium Lineartronic.

On the road

During our week together the Outback was absolute delight. It was smooth, comfortable and very forgiving over pot-holed strewn roads, and listening back to my voice recordings after a long drive to Ingleton Falls, I actually used the word ‘waft’.

Despite its 173bhp from the 2.5 litre petrol engine, the Outback isn’t the spriteliest of estates, and the CVT gearbox does strangle some of that power. If you’re not interested in outright performance, you'll enjoy how it seamlessly transports you through city centres, villages and open roads.

The Outback’s steering has a nice weight to it, and if you’re in a hurry along country lanes you’ll notice a bit of body roll, but it is progressive, and grip, as you would imagine from Subaru, is excellent.

As with the rest of the Subaru range, the CVT gearbox keeps the revs consistently high when accelerating hard, and sometimes you wonder if they’re ever going to come down again, that said, it’s never harsh.

Off road

I didn’t go crazy on the green laning front, but I did enjoy a few lanes that a friend and I took a Discovery Sport along, which included a few water crossings, and with 200mm of ground clearance it performed brilliantly.

As well as having permanent Symmetrical All Wheel Drive for use in the majority of situations, Subaru’s X-Mode provides added assistance if you encounter extreme driving conditions. X-Mode takes control of the engine, transmission, Symmetrical AWD, brakes and other bits to help safely navigate slippery surfaces, rough roads and climbing steep hills.

Subaru's legendary off-road ability will constantly surprise you when you venture off the beaten track, and under-body protection panels mean the Outback is one of the more rugged options in a sector that’s mostly aimed at the lifestyle market.

Interior

As far as the interior goes, it’s a pleasant place to be, some would say it isn’t stylish as other vehicles in its segment, but I didn’t mind it at all.

If I was to have a gripe, I’d say the front seats lack the necessary lumbar supports if you’re having a little fun along twisty roads, and they’re a bit narrow for a 6ft 2” 19 stone bloke like me. Despite that, they’re lovely and comfortable and if I’m being honest, wouldn’t put me off buying one, but it’s something to be aware of if you’re on the large side.

You do get an integrated 7” touchscreen with Starlink infotainment system that’s easy enough to use, and all the important buttons and switches are all in easy reach. The Outback receives full marks for having proper heater control dials, too.

There’s a bank of 8 buttons by your right knee that are a bit difficult to see, but they’re the ones you don’t really need whilst driving, like boot open button and switches that turn off lane departure and so on.

In the back you have 559 litres of space (up to the parcel shelf), and 1,848 litres with the rear seats folded flat. As a bonus, it has no loading lip, a wide entrance offers good access and the rear wheel arches don’t intrude too far inside, meaning that you have a useful, square boot shape for bulky items.

Specs & safety stuff

The choices you have with the Outback are refreshingly simple, you can either have the 2.5i SE Lineartronic or 2.5i SE Premium Lineartronic.

EyeSight is Subaru’s advanced driver assist technology, which is now standard throughout the range and acts as a second pair of eyes for the driver and includes adaptive cruise, lane-keep assist along with a host of other autonomous safety features.

The system cleverly uses two stereo cameras to capture three-dimensional colour images to recognise vehicles, motorbikes, bicycles, pedestrians and lane markings. Subaru say that it's more accurate than traditional camera and sensor technologies as it can distinguish objects as opposed to noticing that there is an unidentified obstacle.

The Outback achieved a maximum five stars in its Euro NCAP crash test, and it has 6 airbags and a stability control system as standard.

Engine ‘n’ transmission

One engine, which is the Horizontally-opposed, 4-cylinder, 2.5 litre petrol, and one CVT gearbox. Who wants choice anyway…

Conclusion

Drive any Subaru for a week or so, and you’ll understand why they’re revered by so many country folk, from farmers, doctors, vets and everyone else who live out in the sticks.

I really enjoyed my Outback experience, and as I’ve written in other reviews, it’s a very likeable estate. It may not have the dealer network that Skoda, VW or Audi have, so its presence is limited, but that doesn’t mean it should be overlooked if you’re searching for a capable and roomy AWD family estate.

price: from £33,700 more at » https://subaru.co.uk/overview/outback/