RSS
Home
2010 Subaru Outback review: Does all-new mean all-good?
Print
Email
RSS
Subscribe
2010 Subaru Outback feeling at home on some dirt
The 2010 Subaru Outback is all grown up for 2010, but we’re not sure if that’s a good thing.
Subie’s serious about the all-new part; this isn’t a case of revised headlights and a new stereo option-it is ground-up a different vehicle. The wheelbase is 2.8 inches longer, but the vehicle runs almost an inch shorter lengthwise, and four inches taller towards the sky. It is also two inches wider. Ground clearance is up .3 inches. In short, our little Subaru is growing up.
It’s mostly good news this year. While it is bigger, it gets better gas mileage than last year’s: 20 city / 27 hwy for the 2009 2.5 liter four cylinder with a five speed, vs. a six-speed manual option this year for the four-banger that gets 19/27, and a Continuously-Variable Auto that gets 22/29. Last years’ 3.0 liter six gets bumped up to 3.5 liters, goes from 245 to 256hp, goes up one mpg to 18/15, but should lower your fuel bill even more by now running on regular gas. And it even holds more fuel: 18.5 gallons vs. 16.9.
Inside, cargo capacity is up, rear legroom is up almost 4 inches, hip, shoulder, you name it. If you can’t pack your stuff in the monstrous cargo area, you need some help from one of those pare-it-down reality shows.
Best news we found: The MSRP remains exactly the same as last year’s model.
So how does it go? Is it a Subaru? Lacking snow (Subaru’s most shining conditions), we ran it to some nearby trails to check it out. Bumping along flat roads, it feels like it’s not being challenged. So we took it to the hairier stuff (see slideshow). Though the wheelbase is longer, overhangs are shorter, giving better approach and departure angles, so you can start up and pull away from hills without scraping. However, longer wheelbases work against you in driving over mounds and dips. With the added ground clearance, the breakover angle is actually slightly better on the new Outback. We ran it up a gutted wash, and though it took some patience, the all-wheel drive system kicked in and did its job. There are three different AWD systems available.
Cladding on the lower body panels alleviated fears of scraping a car that still had new-car smell.
This would be our preferred car in the snow, the deeper the better.
So what’s our beef? It’s in the definition of “Subarousity.” Remembering that Subarus were just smaller, it’s hard to see them grow big.
Subarousity also meant rally racing, and our loaner had an electric parking brake. You have to push the foot brake before it will engage. Without a hand brake to yank, you can’t bring the rear end around a la Pike’s Peak. You’re also less apt to set it, as it’s a left-hand stretch to reach it.
Driving a Subaru to us meant being slightly more engaged than the average driver, and our Limited had an idiot light instead of a temperature gauge (see slideshow). It lit up blue in the morning, and we assume a red light comes on if it overheats. The older Subaru instrument-panel schematic car diagram is tiny now.
Apparently, the beefs of us and our purist friend Andy (he bought a four-cylinder last year just so he could get the manual transmission) are a fading minority, because Subaru posted a 175% increase in sales for October. That’s crazy for a good economy, let alone our current one. It was the best October ever for Subaru. We might add that sales for the Tribeca, the least Subaru of Subarus, are down.
For more information, visit the Subaru site. But come back!
Related Articles:
Add a Comment
