The Momo steering wheel is beautiful. The grip is very good and it feels just right in the hands of the driver. The shift buttons for the Sportshift transmission slightly wreck the final effect. The big bright gauges light up a stunning red and do a little dance when the car is started.
The interior dimensions make for a cozy and spacious cabin. The trunk is large and can easily accommodate two golf bags and pull-carts without lowering the rear seatback. One of my favourite gripes is an auto-down only driver-side power window. Why some manufacturers can do it for all four windows in a $25,000 car and others cannot do it for vehicles that cost $45,000 and more is beyond me.
Technical
There are three power plants offered with the Outback. The first is the
flexible normally aspirated 2.5L flat 4-cylinder engine available in all Subaru products. It develops 168 hp at 5 600 rpm and 166 lb/ft of torque at 4 000 rpm. The 2nd is a turbocharged version of the same engine. This time around, it puts out a right foot pleasing 250 hp at 6 000 rpm and 250 lb/ft of torque at 3 600 rpm. The last one is the butter-smooth 3.0L horizontally opposed 6 cylinder. Its 250 hp is available at 6 600 rpm and the 219 lb/ft of torque swings in at 4 200 rpm. Both 4 cylinders get a standard 5-speed manual transmission. The XT's is reinforced to handle the extra power. A 4-speed automatic with manual mode transmission is optional with the base engine while the turbo gets a 5-speed autobox. The only transmission available with the 6 pot is the 5-speed auto. Like all Subarus, the Outbacks are blessed with an all-wheel-drive system and a rear-locking differential.
On the road
Power from the turbocharged flat-4 is massive. After a short moment of lag, the turbo spools up, builds boost, and the car surges forward. Subaru's Symmetrical AWD system puts the power out to all four wheels and lift-off is immediate. Grip is so high that the sunshade slides back a few inches even in the dead of winter. The 5-speed automatic transmission does quick work shift through the gears. On a couple of occasions, when the gearbox was cold, the shift from 1st to 2nd was very harsh though.
Steering is communicative and nicely weighted. The brakes perform admirably but the pedal is very spongy and travel is almost exaggerated. I have noticed this flaw in almost every Subaru I have tested over the past few years and I continue to fail to understand why this is. The road manners of the Outback are very civilised. On a nice even surface, the car hovers over the pavement. When the road is irregular, the cars composure suffers a little but I would trust no other car on a really bumpy path. The Outback has plenty of ground clearance and suspension travel is considerable. The time spent behind the wheel of this car could be described as being refined and quiet. There was only one small rattle that was audible and it came from the rear hatch.
Safety
The car has standard dual front, side and side curtain air bags, ABS brakes with electronic brake force distribution, and seatbelt pre-tensionners. The NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) has not yet crash tested the new 2005 Legacy or Outback. The IIHS (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety) has rated it a "Best Pick" in its category.
The interior dimensions make for a cozy and spacious cabin. The trunk is large and can easily accommodate two golf bags and pull-carts without lowering the rear seatback. One of my favourite gripes is an auto-down only driver-side power window. Why some manufacturers can do it for all four windows in a $25,000 car and others cannot do it for vehicles that cost $45,000 and more is beyond me.
Technical
There are three power plants offered with the Outback. The first is the
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On the road
Power from the turbocharged flat-4 is massive. After a short moment of lag, the turbo spools up, builds boost, and the car surges forward. Subaru's Symmetrical AWD system puts the power out to all four wheels and lift-off is immediate. Grip is so high that the sunshade slides back a few inches even in the dead of winter. The 5-speed automatic transmission does quick work shift through the gears. On a couple of occasions, when the gearbox was cold, the shift from 1st to 2nd was very harsh though.
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Safety
The car has standard dual front, side and side curtain air bags, ABS brakes with electronic brake force distribution, and seatbelt pre-tensionners. The NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) has not yet crash tested the new 2005 Legacy or Outback. The IIHS (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety) has rated it a "Best Pick" in its category.