Deshun
08-17-2009, 09:17 AM
On its face, redesigning the Subaru Outback would seem like an easy task since the existing model was very good at what it did. The last-generation Outback was already comfortable, all-weather and off-road capable, and able to haul pretty much whatever you threw at it, whether that meant a kayak, ten days’ worth of camping gear, or a 150-pound Great Dane. If you dug deeper, though, there were a few things that needed work.
Like rear-seat room, for starters. The last car’s tiny doors and pinched legroom put a serious cramp on the comfort of any back-seat occupants; the area was for children and pets only. But the wheelbase increase of 2.8 inches, which allows for longer rear doors and an extra 3.9 inches of leg-stretching room. Although the new Outback is 0.8 inch shorter in overall length, a height gain of 4.1 inches contributes to an increase in interior space of several cubic feet. Most of that is in the rear seat. Cargo space with the rear seats in place is up only 0.8 cubic foot, but when you fold the 60/40 split rear seatbacks, nearly six cubes have been gained.
4123
4124
The move from a multilink rear suspension to a control-arm setup allows for a more usefully shaped cargo hold. Front legroom decreased by just over an inch, but we didn’t notice it a bit. The new car’s extra 2.0 inches of width mean that front occupants no longer will spend trips bumping elbows.
The Outback offers two engines, whereas last year there were three. Sadly, the turbo four has been dropped (it remains an option in the equally redesigned Legacy sedan). So the engine lineup is now completely naturally aspirated and looks like this: The 2.5i model uses a 2.5-liter flat-four good for 170 hp and 170 lb-ft of torque, and the Outback 3.6R has the 3.6-liter flat-six from the Tribeca that makes 256 hp and 247 lb-ft of torque. All-wheel drive is, of course, standard, and both engines are available in base, Premium, and Limited trim levels.
Like rear-seat room, for starters. The last car’s tiny doors and pinched legroom put a serious cramp on the comfort of any back-seat occupants; the area was for children and pets only. But the wheelbase increase of 2.8 inches, which allows for longer rear doors and an extra 3.9 inches of leg-stretching room. Although the new Outback is 0.8 inch shorter in overall length, a height gain of 4.1 inches contributes to an increase in interior space of several cubic feet. Most of that is in the rear seat. Cargo space with the rear seats in place is up only 0.8 cubic foot, but when you fold the 60/40 split rear seatbacks, nearly six cubes have been gained.
4123
4124
The move from a multilink rear suspension to a control-arm setup allows for a more usefully shaped cargo hold. Front legroom decreased by just over an inch, but we didn’t notice it a bit. The new car’s extra 2.0 inches of width mean that front occupants no longer will spend trips bumping elbows.
The Outback offers two engines, whereas last year there were three. Sadly, the turbo four has been dropped (it remains an option in the equally redesigned Legacy sedan). So the engine lineup is now completely naturally aspirated and looks like this: The 2.5i model uses a 2.5-liter flat-four good for 170 hp and 170 lb-ft of torque, and the Outback 3.6R has the 3.6-liter flat-six from the Tribeca that makes 256 hp and 247 lb-ft of torque. All-wheel drive is, of course, standard, and both engines are available in base, Premium, and Limited trim levels.