Subaru Outback great for cargo space, family jaunts around-town
The 2014 Subaru Outback is more than that small wagon that can capably depart the pavement with security and confidence. The newest incarnation of the Outback is more the conventional crossover than ever before.
It is safe to say that the Outback has attained a cult following for its capability in any weather circumstance, and its ability to easily accommodate people and things — the role of any SUV worth its salt.
The 2014 Outback provides 8.7 inches of ground clearance and a choice of a 2.5-liter flat-four or 3.6-liter flat-six powerplant. A continuously variable transmission is standard across the board. All-wheel drive is standard on all models, giving it the expected above-average surefooted allweather grip and handling.
My tester featured the 3.6-liter six-cylinder engine with the five-speed transmission. With a base price for the base model that starts at $24,320 MSRP, though my tester landed at $32,095, the Subaru Outback is an easy target for value when it comes to reliability and stable drive characteristics.
The Outback is a natural family-hauler and ideal for jaunts around-town or longer road trips. I found my tester to be comfortable on the road, and equally adept at hauling adults or children. Its massive amount of cargo space (about 34 cubic-feet) is augmented by the roof rack and its many tie-down and other options. I get comments all the time about the faux roof racks and ‘what good are they?’ The Outback’s roof
is low enough to be easy for most to access, and relatively easy to manage securing whatever load you may have that cannot fit inside the cabin utility space.
On the road, the 2014 Outback is a comfortable and well-mannered crossover. This is a much more family-oriented town vehicle than the Forester, though its capability off-road should not be underestimated.
Whether on the highway or in town, the Outback is comfortable and confident to drive, but with one exception. The steering may be a bit stiff for many drivers. It’s not “sporty stiff,” just a little harder to turn than one might expect.
It sound a bit funny to say it, but as with Porsche, flat horizontally-opposed Boxer engines place weight low in the chassis and kick out performance grins where you never expect them to emerge.
When it comes to fuel economy, the Subaru Outback never has really made it a selling point, and again this is the case with the 2014 model — although the 3.6-liter engine is especially guilty of not really caring if gas is $4 a gallon.
My optional 3.6- liter H6 configuration that provided 256 horsepower and 17/25 miles per gallon city/highway was not impressive for economy. There are pickups that get that fuel economy, though those pickups do not handle or accommodate passengers the way the Outback does — nor do they handle the way this Subaru grips the ground.