Living with a Subaru Outback
Our man gets under the skin of rugged 4WD estate
SOME cars you can get the measure of pretty quickly. Then there are those like our Subaru Outback, which requires a little bit more time and familiarity to really get under their skin.
The rugged estate lacks the glitzy appeal of models such as the Audi A4 Allroad, but get to know the Subaru and you’ll find that its many hidden talents run deep.
It starts with the engine. While all its major rivals stick to the tried-and-tested in-line arrangement, Subaru has kept the faith with its flat-four ‘boxer’ design.
At 148bhp the 2.0-litre lags behind the best for power, but its unique layout means the Outback has a surprisingly low centre of gravity, resulting in impressively car-like handling. And once you get past the clatter when cold, the engine is remarkably smooth in operation.
Another highlight is the Lineartronic CVT gearbox, which has been brilliantly integrated with the engine. Unlike similar CVTS that send the revs soaring every time you so much as brush the throttle, the Subaru’s set-up keeps the flat-four spinning at around 2,000rpm, which means the powerplant’s muscular 350Nm of torque takes the strain. There are seven ‘virtual’ ratios that can be accessed by steering wheel-mounted paddles, but the auto mode is so good that I never really used them in my time with the car.
It isn’t the only driver aid that impresses, as the Eyesight adaptive cruise control is also very effective. Unlike rival manufacturers that take off-the-shelf radar systems from companies such as Bosch, Subaru developed its own system, which uses a pair of cameras mounted in the windscreen.
Because it uses visual cues, this set-up can monitor the brake lights of the cars ahead, meaning it can react more quickly when traffic suddenly slows. It’s smooth in operation, too, helping take the sting out of long motorway journeys and traffic clogged commutes. And of course, it wouldn’t be a Subaru without its trademark asymmetrical four-wheel-drive system. It delivers reassuring all-weather traction, and almost unstoppable progress when you head off the beaten track – you won’t believe what the Outback will successfully tackle.
It isn’t perfect, mind; the low-speed ride is too firm and the keyless entry system has failed twice. Yet these are minor quibbles for what is a thoroughly engineered, practical and pleasingly unflashy car. It’ll never win a desirability contest against an Audi, but the Subaru has plenty of character of its own. I’m really going to miss it.
Our cars “The Boxer engine layout means a low centre of gravity, resulting in impressive handling”