First Glance
Larger exterior photos: Front RearWhen the attendant at Toronto's airport parking lot handed over my 2008 Subaru Outback 2.5XT test vehicle he remarked, "a very nice ride." Considering that this well-spoken older gentleman spends his days parking a vast number of autos of all types and ages, his remark was indeed a compliment. Now it was my turn to learn whether the Outback is a "nice ride," and I had a week to find out. I would drive it in Toronto's crowded streets, along Highway 401 (acknowledged as North America's busiest, a back-handed compliment if there ever was one), and on a few twisting Southern Ontario country roads. I was visiting from Canada's west coast but Toronto being my long-time hometown felt I was up to the challenge.
Subaru's Outback was among the first of the "crossovers," before the term was invented. An amusing ad campaign featuring Australian actor Paul "Crocodile Dundee" Hogan introduced the concept to millions of North Americans even as we automobile journalists derided the Outback with comments like "a station wagon on stilts." Well, it's still a station wagon on stilts but the 2.5XT tested is also luxurious, decently quick, and a better choice than most SUV's inasmuch as it drives like a car while offering the security of all-wheel-drive. The Outback now has several competitors but returns in 2008 with new styling and a range of trim and performance levels that, combined with a reasonable price, should keep it ahead of its rivals.
Continued below...
In the Driver's Seat
With the dual-zone air-conditioning on full-blast (Toronto can be hot and humid in summer months) and the 6-speaker audio set to the city's jazz station, the XT's well-contoured driver's seat offered a comfortable refuge in which to spend an afternoon touring country roads. Leather upholstery and woodgrain trim offered a tasteful cockpit, while a unique twin-panel glass sunroof finally persuaded me to turn off the air. Subaru has changed the position of switches around the steering wheel so the driver can operate them without releasing the wheel which, by the way, now has a tilt/telescoping feature. Great for folks with short arms, good for guys like me who still drive in the classic Sir Stirling Moss arms-out style.
I liked the large electroluminescent gauges because they're easy to read at a glance, appreciated the restraint shown when redesigning the instrument panel and console: clean, functionally simple, free of button-clutter. In plainer words, no fuss, no bother, just get on with the job of driving. Occupants have the assurance of driver and passenger front and side airbags plus side curtain airbags. Entry to both front and rear seats requires none of the pretzel-bending of some modern vehicles although tall passengers may find rear legroom a bit tight. Three cheers for big windows, too; no gunslits in this baby. Cargo space is enormous, especially when the folding rear seats are laid flat. With wagons like this, who needs SUV's?
On the Road
Subaru boasts of three engine choices; the XT is down the middle with a 2.5 liter turbocharged four producing 243 hp and 241 lb-ft of torque. All are boxer-style (cylinders laid flat) which, as the company reminds us, lowers the center of gravity. It also boasts, justifiably, that every Subaru includes all-wheel-drive. The XT comes with a "Vehicle Dynamics Control System" plus traction control to keep it pointing in the right direction when carelessness might have sent it into the woods. I did not test this system.So what was it like with all that technology riding along? Tell the truth, I didn't notice. That's a compliment, friends. I'm one of those testers who jumps in the car and hits the road, leaving the tech-specs until later. It has this? It has that? No kidding! All I know is that the Outback's manners were respectable when I let it loose in the twisties. Perhaps too much body-lean and I was aware of sitting higher than I'd prefer; station wagon on stilts, remember? Better to test it with a foot of snow on the ground or play Crocodile Dundee in the backwoods. Turbocharged it may be but the XT did not impress me with its straight-line performance; though more than adequate it lacks the punch-in-the-back drama one might expect from a turbo. (I stand corrected: "drama" is unimportant in a family wagon.) The 5-speed auto is a perfect match for economy and quiet cruising, but forget the manual Sportshift as it does nothing the auto can't do better.
Journey's End
I liked the SI-DRIVE that allows for three levels of ride and roadholding, appreciated the variable torque distribution that comes with the 5-speed auto, and was pleased to have anti-lock brakes with EBT. Heated outside mirrors with integrated LED turn signals got my approval, too. What counts most, however, is the Outback's practicality as a family car, and in that regard it's ideal for the family that likes to haul lots of stuff or take long journeys together. It offers space, comfort, and economy with the added advantage of all-wheel-drive. But so does the Subaru Legacy wagon, which lowers the price and the center of gravity.
Who should buy this car?
The family that travels everywhere together and demands space with safety.
Who should not buy this car?
People who are afraid of heights.
