► Updated Outback with 2.5-litre Boxer engine
► No turbocharger or hybrid gubbins
► Still a left-field choice
Like Credence Clearwater Revival lyrics, the unsuccess of the Subaru Outback in the UK can be hard to understand. It addresses modern car buyers’ requirements, yet people buy almost anything else.
Subaru claimed it was the fastest growing SUV brand in Britain in mid-2021 but that’s much easier to achieve when you’re dealing with low volumes of sales. In April 2022, SMMT data showed the number of new Toyotas registered in the UK was 6,098. For Subaru, it was 72.
Nevertheless, Subaru has launched a new version of the Outback, which still promises to be an exceedingly useful car for everyone but bought by no one.
Isn’t the Outback better suited to Australia and the US?
That’s certainly where it’s popular although that isn’t to say the Outback is unsuitable for the UK. It’s a full-size rugged estate, but it’s shorter and narrower than an Audi A6 Avant, so size isn’t an issue.
In terms of equipment, there’s little to turn noses up at. The massive 11.6-inch infotainment touchscreen houses a brilliantly accurate TomTom-powered sat-nav system, plus other juicy software like Apple CarPlay/Android Auto and even a nerdy maintenance readout. Seat heaters keep bottoms toasty, and USB ports front and rear keep devices charged.
Will my family fit?
Drivers and passengers certainly won’t go wanting for extra space. The Outback’s 561-litre boot will swallow plenty of luggage, but its real Ace of Spades is the is a huge amount of room and comfort for humans.
The seats are sumptuous and make large people look like children, yet simultaneously provide firm bolstering. They are extremely comfortable and are more like something you’d find in a proper luxury car. Subaru has also raised the roofline above the rear seats to spare tall passengers from neck aches.
What’s the Outback like to drive?
At sensible speeds, driving the Outback is genuinely pleasant. It’s relaxed yet accurate in its setup. Press on and things fall apart somewhat. On the other hand, if you are smooth and calm, so is the car. The Outback flows like a stream, with surprisingly little body roll and steering that has more heft than expected but in a good, reassuring way.
This is partially explained because while the Outback has reasonably generous proportions, relative to today’s standards it’s not that heavy. Thanks to the absence of any hybrid system or batteries, it weighs 1,641-1,674kg depending on spec level.
Irrespective of the surface it rolls over, the Outback rides well. Primarily because Subaru hasn’t stuck massive wheels and low-profile tyres on it. It’s 18-inch only with this car, paired with 225/60R18 tyres to cope with mud, snow, wet grass and road pimples.
With its Symmetrical 4WD, the Outback can really cut it off road. Unlike the Volvo V90 Cross Country, or most SUVs for that matter, the Outback comes with more than just a generic off-road mode. Subaru’s X-Mode offers modes for a range of slippery surfaces, with automatic hill descent control to assist with perilous downhill stretches. Add 213mm of ground clearance and the Outback can accompany you to places that most other vehicles can’t reach.
What, no hybrid?
The new Outback only comes with one engine: a 2.5-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder Boxer petrol, which is underpowered and not very economical. The 167bhp output is somewhat anaemic but the lack of torque is the real bummer. What little there is (185lb ft) doesn’t peak until 3800rpm, so that’s where the CVT gearbox puts the revs every time you want to make any meaningful acceleration or maintain speed going uphill. You can hear the fuel tank gurgling empty. We saw immediate fuel consumption reading 3.3mpg at one point.
Some low-down torque would solve this problem and reduce the need to press the accelerator into the carpet as often as we did.
The Outback isn’t a performance car and thus 0-62mph isn’t that important. However, an ability to easily overtake, get away swiftly from junctions, and tow something is relevant. The Outback can do these things but like a cow running, it doesn’t really want to.
Regarding fuel consumption, our mixture of mostly rural roads and motorways returned a 39.3mpg average. But a figure that includes more urban driving sits at around 30mpg, if you’re careful.
A CVT is Subaru’s transmission of choice these days and is meant to make the most of an engine’s power and increase fuel efficiency. The CVT on the Outback is better than most but it’s still sluggish setting off from a standstill and when trying to overtake. Therefore, it’s annoying.
Is it good value?
The three spec levels available on the Outback all cost less than £40,000. The top-spec Touring model we tested comes loaded with kit, and so too does the most basic £34,070 Limited model. The only notable things the Limited misses out on are sat-nav, the Harman Kardon audio system, and Nappa leather seats.
Rugged estates have been dropped by everyone else, and because the Outback possesses genuine off-road ability, the best competitors these days are models like the Toyota Land Cruiser, Land Rover Defender, and Jeep Grand Cherokee. After all, most other jacked-up estates like the A6 Allroad and Mercedes E-Class All-Terrain are dead in the UK, with the Volvo V60 and V90 Cross Country two of the few remaining.
Compared to them, the Outback is a tempting proposition even with its powertrain flaws, thanks to its sub-£40k price tag, polite on-road manners, and proportions that aren’t so substantial. It’s every bit as tough too.
Subaru Outback: verdict
Partly because of its old-fashioned engine and slightly dopey gearbox, the Outback already feels outdated – a car that was launched five or 10 years ago.
It’s a shame because the rest of the car is rather good. It’s spacious without being massive; relaxing to drive without losing engagement; tough without being agricultural; feature-packed without being complicated; stylish without being pompous.
Should Subaru contemporise the engine and improve the transmission, the Outback would be far more recommendable.
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