Looking for the truth in the 2014 Subaru Outback crossover

“Wagon arguments are the last thing…” In hindsight, I, of course, understood that Andrei Makarevich’s words rang true, but when a whole carriage of the Petrozavodsk — Moscow express train is packed with journalists, racing drivers, and Subaru enthusiasts… it’s so tempting to talk. “And the two met not out of fear, but out of conscience. The wheels chased away sleep. One spoke…” We argued about which type of all-wheel drive is better: permanent or on-demand. Gradually, the discussion turned into a dispute, words into hoarseness, and gestures into self-defense. “When there’s nothing more to drink…” But we had something, and perhaps that’s why everyone eventually parted ways peacefully to their compartments. And the unspoken provocateur of this squabble, as I see it, was the updated Subaru Outback crossover, presented in Petrozavodsk — a car that, despite its almost symmetrical torque distribution between the axles, evokes mixed feelings.

Once again, I’m convinced that Subaru has the most loyal fans! The rally program has been shut down for five years now, phrases like “permanent all-wheel drive” and “boxer engine” no longer stir the blood, and comparative tests show that today’s Pleiades are finding it harder to compete. But these guys, left without factory support yet confident in their rightness, don’t care! They sincerely believe that only the stars on the Subaru logo can be cooler than the stars. I respect their loyalty! But behind their backs, I call them the “opposition” (derived from “opposite”). Because, clinging tightly to the brand’s history and technical features, Subaru fans stop perceiving the present and future objectively.

Meanwhile, the requirements for cars are completely different now. It’s no longer so important what technical filling lies at its core; the main thing is how it behaves on the road. So when Subaru engineers start talking about the advantages of the boxer engine or the features of the proprietary Symmetrical AWD all-wheel-drive transmission of the updated Subaru Outback crossover, I start to doze off. What’s the use of a “flat” boxer if the crossover’s ground clearance is 50 mm higher than that of the original — the Legacy wagon? And is there any point in building a technically more complex permanent all-wheel drive if the non-switchable and strict stability control system still negates its advantages? As a result, those who choose the Outback for excitement will be left disappointed. The rest of the buyers don’t care about technical refinements at all; what matters more to them is a low price. So it turns out that while winning in technical disciplines, Subaru ultimately loses the customer!

However, there are some shifts in this direction. After the current update, the Subaru Outback 2.5 has become cheaper by 60 thousand rubles (from 1,455,000 rubles). And that’s without seasonal and dealer discounts. As they say, it’s a small thing, but nice! But more importantly, the Outback is now 24 thousand cheaper than its main competitor — the all-wheel-drive Volvo XC70 (from 1,479,000 rubles). What’s strange is something else. Both the update itself and the accompanying price reduction apply only to the version with the boxer “four.” Neither applies to the 3.6-liter modification. In the Russian Subaru office, this fact is explained simply: the main focus is on the 2.5 version. At the same time, Outbacks with six-cylinder engines and the old appearance will remain in service, although even under equal conditions their sales did not exceed 5%. What will happen now?

The Outback itself is generally good. The cabin is spacious, the quality of part fit is with minimal tolerances, and the steering column adjusts over wide ranges. And I sit comfortably, although many colleagues complain about the somewhat short seat cushion. However, a modern crossover shouldn’t have a dashboard entirely made of hard plastics. And a single power window with auto mode is also not proper. Nor is the trio of differently sized displays that only duplicate each other’s readings to varying degrees. But how do you find out the average fuel consumption? I found out by accident: while trying to reset the odometer, I pressed an inconspicuous pin in the instrument cluster. Many will say it’s a matter of habit. But why get used to complexities when there are simple solutions? By the way, the Outback doesn’t suffer from increased appetite: a crossover driven for two days with the gas pedal floored consumed less than 15 liters per hundred. An excellent result!

But the Outback is contradictory not only in the organization of the driver’s workplace. This car is a contradiction itself! You take the wheel and rejoice at the clear fixation of the steering wheel near the zero zone. And the car holds a straight line perfectly: no problems even on broken road sections. But as soon as you enter a turn, the former solidity crumbles. In a corner, I acutely lack feedback. The same can be said about the suspension. On a rough dirt road, it’s just a holiday! Whether it’s a wave, a pothole, or a ramp under the wheels, it doesn’t matter at all. The Outback plows along Karelian winter roads without pitching or impacts. The energy intensity is amazing! But on asphalt, the suspension works as if the shock absorbers are half empty. Even on small bumps, there’s no trace of the former elasticity. And on large and medium ones, impacts pass into the cabin. Moreover, their force hardly depends on the depth of the pothole. It’s stiff and uncomfortable in any case. Although there are still no bottoming-outs.

But perhaps the most questions arise about the tuning of the electronic systems. That the Outback continues to move forward with wheels hanging is good. But why does the non-switchable stability control system most resemble a prison guard? You stumble a little — and immediately you’re shot with a machine-gun burst of braking wheels. And if the traction control isn’t deactivated either, the electronics also strangle the engine, depriving you of the ability to pull the car out of a slide. You might say, with such a strict “collar,” you needn’t fear rear-axle slides? I thought so too at first. But it turned out that pushing through the system’s barriers isn’t that hard; you just need to make a slight mistake with the entry speed into a turn and turn the steering wheel more briskly.

Or maybe such a strict rein is a forced measure, provoked by coarser errors in the chassis settings? I can’t give a definite answer to this question. I’ll only add that on slippery surfaces, sending the Outback into a slide can be done without much effort. And if at that moment you leave the car without power, it hangs as if in a vacuum, completely depriving the driver of information about wheel load. And then… again the familiar rattle of the stability control system.

No questions arise about the engine-CVT combination. Yes, sometimes the naturally aspirated flat-four lacks low-end torque. But the almost perfectly tuned continuously variable transmission saves the day. Subaru can rightfully be proud of the Lineartronic CVT with a torque converter, like conventional automatics. This is exactly the case where a technically more complex design justifies the investment. It's not a big deal that there are sometimes noticeable delays in response to the accelerator, but unlike expensive and finicky preselective gearboxes, this transmission eliminates jerks and always works smoothly. And even the fact that the flat-four delivers its maximum 229 N•m only near the 5000 rpm mark doesn't bother me. In my personal ranking, the voice of a high-revving boxer engine loses only to old-school V8s. In short, there's something to listen to!

As for the wagon disputes... Everything was resolved by a quite banal truce: journalists, racing drivers, and brand enthusiasts came to the logical conclusion that the type of all-wheel drive isn't that important; the main thing is that the driver doesn't experience problems while driving. However, you can't erase words from a song. "And both got off somewhere near Taganrog, among endless fields..." Over the past three years, Subaru car sales in Russia have consistently held second-to-last place among Japanese manufacturers. Only Infiniti sold worse! Reasons? I won't claim that Subaru's departure from big-time motorsport is to blame. But 19 years of experience in the WRC was precisely the gold reserve that ensured the Pleiades special authority among automakers. And without it, the same Outback is just another crossover wagon with the Japanese penchant for penny-pinching and an inflated price tag. So it turned out that Subaru went its own way, and the buyer went theirs.

Specifications

Technology

History

Behind the scenes