Never without my AWD
Not content with ensuring greater stability by bringing the engine closer to the ground, Subaru has added another layer by insisting that all models sold in Canada, except for the sporty BRZ coupe but including the upcoming all-electric Solterra, offer standard full-time symmetrical all-wheel drive, the brand's second signature feature.
Full-time of course means just that - the Outback's AWD system never takes a break, unlike on-demand systems, where the driver or a software program reacts to road conditions.
For Subaru, it's the equivalent of never riding a bike without a helmet. And just as there are different helmets, Subaru has developed different all-wheel drives. One for its manual transmission vehicles. Another for the WRX. A third one - the one found in most Subaru products, including the Wilderness - keeps 60 percent of the torque in the front and 40 percent in the rear, unless electronic sensors decide otherwise. In short, the emphasis is on predictable and safe handling.
The price to pay? The weight of the mechanism that guarantees permanent all-wheel drive makes achieving low fuel consumption a challenge. Subaru knows this and has an answer. Along with promoting the flat engine, the configuration of which naturally lends itself to AWD, the manufacturer is banking on a continuously variable transmission (CVT) to calm the appetite for fuel that the other two features tend to exacerbate.
So far during my long-term test drive, the Outback Wilderness is averaging 9.1L/100 km with me at the controls. This is the best I can do, since I mostly drive on highways and I don't accelerate in such a way as to excite any radar-gun-toting law enforcement. I'm really not far from the 8.9L/100 km announced by Subaru. I still have to confirm the theoretical 10.9L rating in city driving (which frankly I avoid as much as possible; I’ll get there eventually, I promise).
I’m curious as to whether Subaru engineers are experimenting with 8-, 9- or 10-speed automatic transmissions. I hope so, because maybe with those in place then acceleration would be less ambiguous but more importantly, maybe fuel consumption would be better. The CVT in general, despite simulated shifts using steering wheel-mounted paddles - as in the case of the Wilderness – is just never going to win the hearts and minds of those who like positive driving, barring any near-miraculous technological advances in the field.
The combination of the CVT's springiness, the heaviness of the standard equipment, the high ground clearance, the extended springs and the Geolandar A/T tires' tread designed specifically for off-roading, all of it combines to produce heavy and relatively spongy handling on normal roads.
Keeping an absolutely precise course on asphalt often requires minor corrections to the steering wheel, especially when cornering. These hesitations are noticeable when activating the intelligent cruise control and the white line detector. On the other hand, a sense of security and comfort envelops us at all times, which proves very useful on bumpy surfaces like we know all too well; at those moments, it feels like the vehicle is practicing ahead of its future off-road excursions (because this is a Subaru, so of course).
When it does leave the asphalt, I expect the Outback Wilderness to pull more aces out of its sleeve.
We'll find out in the next chapter, during we’ll also journey quickly though the arsenal of driving aids and the infotainment system installed in our high-riding wagon.
Specifications sheet of 2022 Subaru Outback Wilderness
