Subaru Outback X
I’m not sure what Subaru is going to do with the next model Outback, given that this is the Greatest Outback Of All Time, but that’s up to Subaru New Zealand’s marketing team.
What I do know is that parts of Auckland are remarkably tamer than parts of the Nevis Road in Queenstown where the Outback was launched.
Sound harsh? Visit Taupaki some time. I did, and I’m glad I had something as surefooted and well composed as the Outback!
A week in my home turf with the Outback demonstrated the everyday points of Subaru’s super-wagon which sort of paled against the sunny skies of the South Island.
The 2021 Outback is smoother, sleeker and more refined than its predecessor, which did look like a Legacy on steroids.
In contrast, the 2021 Outback has clean lines, giving it the appearance of being sculpted from an original Outback, with a more athletic and ‘toned’ appearance – from all angles – as a result.
It’s not smaller; far from it. Longer, wider, and taller it may be, but the new Outback is leaner and sleeker in the lines. I’d call it more elegant than any Outback has ever been.
Changes have not only been applied to the body shape and size, however. Outback shares its driver tech with Forester, which has a formidable array of info and safety features for the driver.
It’s conceivable that Forester served as the testbed for what would eventually be fine-tuned and refined for inclusion in the Outback.
The driver monitoring – fatigue detection – system and Vision Assist – blind spot monitor, lane change assist, rear cross traffic alert and reverse auto braking – packages which carry so much useful data to ensure driver safety, are remarkably unobtrusive
– as befitting the sophistication of 2021’s Outback.
Even so, this is only part of the Outback’s extremely comprehensive safety package, the bulk of which is contained within the fourth generation, 14 feature Eyesight safety umbrella.
In a Subaru first, the Outback introduces a huge, portrait aligned, 11.6-inch touchscreen, integrated into the dashboard, which gives access to a wealth of features in an uncluttered digital format.
The model here is an Outback X, the mid-range variant which differentiates from the entry level through the inclusion of water repellent upholstery on the heated, front and rear outboard seats, a front and side view monitor, factory fitted roof rails and satellite navigation, among other niceties.
The direct injection 2.5 litre Boxer engine is 90 percent new and has a power and torque output increase by 7 and 4.2 percent respectively; however…
…the Outback has more kit onboard for 2021 and this has counteracted those increases. Combine this with the easy throttle response, and you have an engine which can free rev very easily and, in the higher rev ranges of 3,000 to 3,500, the engine does get a little raucous.
Countering this is an upgraded eightspeed Lineartronic transmission, which has a greater ratio coverage, but which allows for greater higher rev accessibility.
To ensure powertrain sophistication to match the refinement of the Outback’s overall design, a steady foot and some considered thought as to the road ahead will ensure a relaxed drive.
Subaru has delivered an elegant, all-purpose, all-wheel-drive which can truly be considered a hero product for the brand – and it’s a hero car which encourages driver participation to get the most out of it. Not a bad thing when you think about it.