Outback: the name conjures up a desiccated, heat-stroked landscape of dust and scrubby shrubs, with perhaps a single bleached sheep skull lying on the ground, a home for some highly poisonous spider or snake. Strewth, that’s some seriously kangaroo-infested terrain you’ve got to cross there.
However, this vehicle is not so much a desert explorer as it is a denizen of the rainforest. They should have called it the Subaru Damp.
For more than two decades, the Outback has been a sort of anti-SUV, providing all the capacity of a large wagon with a little extra ground clearance, with the side bonus of some sweet two-tone paintwork. Okay, so maybe that last part was more questionable than attractive.
Even with Forester sales doing very well, the Outback is an important car for Subaru, and now there’s a new one. Time to see if it’s fair dinkum or a bit of a dingo.
Design
In the mid-2000s, the Legacy was probably the best-looking Subaru that the company produced (admittedly, they aren’t known for building beauties). The car that followed was somewhat chunky, but some of the svelte shape has come back: the Outback’s a pretty handsome-looking rig up front.
The plastic trimmings around the base of the car are all you get to indicate a rugged nature – no more two-tone paint – and the raised suspension still doesn’t make this car as tall as most crossovers. There are integrated, swing-out crossboars for carrying kayaks and the like, and they’re actually reachable.
The only demerit that might be offered is that Subaru’s new corporate grille is remarkably similar to that found on most Hyundais. It makes the Outback a little less distinctive that it was before.
Environment
On the inside, things get even less Subaru-y, and that’s a good thing. In the company’s model hierarchy, the Outback actually sits slightly above the Forester, something you can immediately tell as soon as you step into the Outback’s interior.
The cabin trimmings are very nicely finished, with brushed metal or a matte-finish wood that’s very classy, and fit and finish appear very good. It’s uncomplicated but upscale, and there is a bit of that two-tone nature available: tan seats come with black carpets so you don’t mark them up with muddy boots.
The front seats are quite comfortable, and the rears have plenty of space. Subaru calls their sunroof panoramic, but it’s smaller than you’d find in older Outbacks, although that does mean more headroom for rear passengers.
In the very back of the Outback, there’s a whacking great trunk, one that comes with all sorts of optional accessories including a divider so you can keep your pooch from clambering over the seats. The space is approximately 75cm tall, and just over a metre wide between the wheel-wells.
Performance
Two engines are on offer for the Outback, either the ubiquitous 2.5L flat-four, or the smooth 3.6L flat-six. The latter makes 256hp at 6000rpm, and now comes bolted to a continuously variable transmission for a little more fuel economy and even smoother operation.
The 175hp 2.5i also gets bolted to a CVT except where Canadians are concerned — we have at least the option of choosing a six-speed manual. However, most Outbacks will leave the showroom with the 2.5 and the CVT, so that’s how I drove it.
It’s hard, at first, to believe that the Outback shares any DNA with the WRX it’s likely parked beside in the showroom. This is a big, relatively heavy car (2000kg), so 175hp is just adequate in terms of acceleration. If there’s a short passing space on a winding country road, it might not have quite enough gumption to take advantage of a small gap.
What’s more, that raised suspension does contribute to more than a bit of body roll, meaning that hustling the Outback along a curving road is a bit of a chore. Grip is plentiful and everything feels nice and safe, but this is not the Outback’s natural habitat.
Don’t be put off, this is a very amiable car to drive. It simply favours a different driving style, the kind that has you pull over every second time you see a historical marker, to check it out and take a picture or two. It’s made for the explorer-style road-trip, rather than hammering down the highway to make time.
Speaking of the highway, here it is very comfortable indeed, soaking up bumps with that soft suspension. There is a little more wind noise above 80km/h than expected, but it’s a much quieter car than almost any other Subaru has been. The CVT keeps engine revs low, and you just cruise on to your destination, getting decent fuel economy.
When you get there, should the last few miles be gravel or sand, the Outback is as ridiculously capable as you’d expect from a Subaru. I drove it out through drifts of soft sand on the coast of Oregon and it wasn’t fazed in the slightest.
Features
The Outback is available with Subaru’s new Starlink infotainment system, which is just as intuitive as any other on the market and maybe even easier to use. It works with pinch-and-swipe gestures just like a smartphone and is easy to navigate through the various menus. You also get a small display in the instrument cluster which repeats navigation directions.
Also handy for exploration is the availability of quad heated seats and plenty of USB and 12v power outlets for all sorts of mobile devices. There are enough cubbies to more than adequately outfit your expedition.
The Outback has legs too. Official fuel economy ratings are at 9.4L/100kms in-city and 7.1L/100kms highway, and real-world testing saw figures in the mid-6L/100kms. With a 70L fuel tank, that’s plenty of range for your adventures.
Green Light:
Roomy, comfortable interior; easy-to-use navigation system; excellent off-road ability.
Stop Sign:
Moderate acceleration; no push-button start except on top-trim models; power tailgate is a bit slow.
The Checkered Flag:
Still a proper adventure vessel from Subaru, but you’re no longer roughing it.
