Subaru Outback   Women's view

The Subaru Outback Has Carved A Reputation As One Of The More Rugged All Wheel Drive Estate Cars. Vanessa Hinkley Tries It For Size.

To be honest, I was a little intimidated by the image of the Subaru Outback. Its probably not the sort of car Id lay down my own money for, being a little too macho for my refined sensibilities. The latest car pulverises such generalisations. Although it rides 10mm higher than its predecessor, its a good deal more refined and the interior quality has been immeasurably improved.

Theres also less body cladding which means it no longer looks quite so military surplus. The big bumpers and flared wheelarches distinguish it from its Legacy sibling and the side protectors give it a chunky profile. Suddenly I didnt feel at all embarrassed by the Outback.

Subaru have listened to customer feedback and acted accordingly. Owners raved about their cars engines, the running gear and the reliability but werent quite so keen on the materials used in the cabin and felt the exterior styling wasnt the sharpest. The latest Outback concentrates on these twin Achilles heels with some success. With soft touch surfaces and smooth, damped stalks and buttons the cabin feels a good deal more upmarket.

The fascia, the door trims and roof lining all now benefit from extra padding and texturing, Subaru benchmarking the best German manufacturers to get a feel for what was required. Interior space was never a problem with the Outback but in the latest car its better than ever, with more shoulder, leg and elbow room for front seat passengers. As ever luggage space is excellent and theres the added attraction of all-wheel drive to haul you out of the mud.

Traction is rarely a problem with the Outback, but Subaru have worked hard on what they call the cars playful interactive handling, which means that its not a dull steer. The chassis and suspension have been revised to give more back to keen drivers and the two engines are both pretty respectable. The 2.5-litre is good for 163bhp and will accelerate the Outback to 60mph in 9.

4 seconds. The Outback used to have a reputation as a very thirsty car, but the latest engine modifications have helped in this regard and the 2.5-litre version will average a respectable 33.2mpg.

The 3.0-litre engine sees the Outback zipping to 60mph in 8.1 seconds and averaging 28.8mpg.

When compared to cars like the Audi Allroad and the Volvo XC70, the Subaru Outback looks very good value for money. The 2.5-litre car comes in either entry level S, SE or SEn specifications SE adding curtain airbags, sunroof and leather trim for an additional £2,500 and SEn adding satellite navigation. Theres a choice of manual or automatic gearboxes.

If you do opt for the automatic you can tack another £1,000 onto the asking price, making the 2.5 SE automatic a manageable £24,952. The 3.0R is offered only with the automatic gearbox, starting at £28,597 or you can opt for one with satellite navigation, dubbed the 3.

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I thought Id vehemently dislike the Outback but it wasnt what Id expected. Its a good deal more sophisticated and the mechanical package has come on to such a degree that itll no longer bankrupt you to run if you live in town. My choice would be for a 2.5-litre SE automatic.

Safari shorts and bush tucker are now strictly by invitation only.