Subaru Outback: The SUV among off-road station wagons

The SUV is increasingly pushing the classic mid-range station wagon out of business. The Subaru Outback fights back by combining the best of both worlds.  

Where the off-road borrowings of modern crossover station wagons are usually only fashionable ornaments, the Subaru is a real off-roader in passenger car format. In the current generation launched in Europe in 2021, the all-wheel drive makes a few concessions to the zeitgeist, but essentially remains an honest practitioner with its own technology.  

Subaru Outback: The SUV among off-road station wagons
On the road, the Outback is equanimous and rather comfortable

Who buys the Subaru Outback

It is said that hunters and foresters are the classic buyers of a Subaru. This is certainly a bit exaggerated, but it shows where the focus of the mid-range station wagon lies: in its suitability for a somewhat impassable and transport-intensive everyday life. Even with full seating, a dozen beverage crates easily fit on the wide loading floor. Whoever folds down the back seat individually or together with a lever pull from the loading area obtains an almost completely level storage area over which up to 1.822 liters of suitcases and bags can be stacked. The standard power tailgate opens wide, but tallers can still bang their heads on the exposed latch.  

Subaru Outback: The SUV among off-road station wagons
Although the new infotainment screen is large, it is still structured in a rather confusing manner and is sometimes awkward to use

Clever roof trick in the Outback

If the volume in the rear is not sufficient, the Subaru offers a particularly clever roof storage system as a supplement. Its roof rails can be converted into a roof rack in just a few simple steps by bending the longitudinal struts horizontally at a 90-degree angle and laying them across the roof. Roof boxes and the like can be attached with very little effort, but the roof load of 68 kilograms is only above average. The same applies to the trailer load of 2.000 kilograms.  

Traction is always there with the Subaru Outback

However, the Subaru does above average when it comes to traction. With its body paneling and underride protection elements, it not only looks like an off-roader, but also offers a comparatively high ground clearance of 21,3 centimetres. Not as much as real SUVs, but significantly more than most competing station wagons. It's easily enough for impassable forest passages - which should not only please the cliché clientele. The permanent all-wheel drive also helps here, which also acts with a high degree of sovereignty in wintry road conditions and is ahead of the switchable systems of many competitors, especially in terms of responsiveness. Electronic support through pre-configured settings for deep snow/slush and normal snow/dirt makes it even easier for the driver on poor ground.  

Alarm when yawning in the outback!

So while the Subaru drives ahead of many competitors in the core disciplines, it only scores with difficulty in others. The interior, which is very spacious at the front and rear, and the cockpit look quite valuable, but still a bit dusty. The new, large touchscreen, which replaces the brand's recently outdated infotainment system, does little to change that. Although the screen is large, it is still structured rather confusingly and is sometimes awkward to use. Above all, setting the air conditioning, which now has to be done at least partially via the display, should be easier to make. In addition, Subaru retains the traditional Japanese idiosyncrasy of blocking manual navigation input while driving. This protects the driver from distraction, but also prevents the passenger from typing. The voice control, which is not always completely understandable, cannot completely compensate for this. The new interior camera, which warns the driver with a beeper if he takes his eyes off the road for too long, could be perceived as slightly invasive. Especially when yawning or putting on a face mask triggers an unjustified alarm. The camera looking towards the road works much better and less overzealously, warning of the risk of collision and leaving the sprint.  

Subaru Outback: The SUV among off-road station wagons
The price list for the Outback starts at just under 41.000 euros

This is how the Subaru Outback drives

On the road, the Outback is equanimous and rather comfortable. In principle, the relaxed character goes well with the drive, which scores above all with high noise and vibration comfort. Both are thanks to the 2,5-liter naturally aspirated petrol engine in boxer design (124 kW/169 hp), to which Subaru adamantly holds even in times of mild hybrid, turbo and in-line engines. The concept has other advantages such as a low center of gravity and a flat design, but at least in the Japanese variant it has a major disadvantage: high consumption. Even when driving calmly, the four-cylinder consumes around 8 liters of fuel on average, and the value can rise into the double-digit range at higher speeds on the motorway. After all: The data sheet makes no secret of it and is quite honest with 8,6 liters (WLTP).  

Gear without steps

Even the principally efficient stepless transmission does not come against the thirst for fuel. In general, however, it fits well with the character of the Outback, dims the engine speed in city traffic or when driving smoothly over country and largely prevents the typical rubber band effect when accelerating heavily thanks to eight simulated switching stages.  

Everything cheap or what

The price list for the Outback starts at just under 41.000 euros, which is quite reasonable given the size of the vehicle, standard four-wheel drive technology and scope of equipment. Roof rails, LED lights, 18-inch, audio system and many other extras are then already on board. For 5.000 euros more you get the off-road station wagon with almost full equipment; only special paint and leather upholstery and accessories are then still in the option list. All variants also come with a five-year warranty (up to 160.000 kilometers), which is very generous compared to the industry.  

If you are looking for an off-road car for leisure and family, but want to do without a real SUV, you can hardly avoid the Subaru. Compared to other crossover station wagons, it offers either significantly better off-road capabilities or a significantly lower price - depending on whether the counterpart is from the volume or premium class. Only frequent drivers should check their fuel costs and CO2 budget before signing. 

Holger Holzer / SP-X

Subaru Outback Specifications:

Mid-size five-seat, five-door station wagon; Length: 4,87 meters, width: 1,88 meters, height: 1,68 meters, wheelbase: 2,75 meters, trunk volume: 561 - 1.822 liters

2,5 liter petrol engine; 124 kW/169 hp, maximum torque: 252 Nm at 3.800 rpm, CVT automatic transmission with 8 pre-programmed gears, 0-100 km/h: 10,2 s, Vmax: 193 km/h, standard consumption (WLTP): 8,6 .193 liters, CO emissions: 6 g/km, emission standard: Euro 8,0d-ISC-FCM, efficiency class: C, test consumption: 40.890 liters, price from XNUMX euros.  

Brief description:

Why: lots of space, good traction, high bad-road competence

Why not: high consumption, cumbersome operation

What else: Audi A4 Allroad, Skoda Octavia Scout, Mercedes C-Class All-Terrain

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