Subaru Outback Range : ALTITUDE SLICKNESS

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The latest Subaru Outback range offers a more sophisticated take on the estate-based 4x4 theme. Andy Enright reports

The problem with the original version of Subaru's all-wheel drive Outback estate car wasn't too difficult to finger. In a market where customers expect premium interior quality and slick styling, it was just that little bit too, well, agricultural. It sold in small but steady numbers to horsey types who appreciated a car with go almost anywhere capabilities and an acceptably rural badge on the bonnet but as a weapon to mop up sales from the lower rungs of Audi Allroad and Volvo XC70 ladders, it fell a little short. Subaru have listened to customer feedback and have rethought the Outback proposition. Gone is the `Legacy Outback' moniker, although many will mistake this sleeker model for its Legacy Sports Tourer estate sibling. One thing they won't mistake it for is anything remotely agricultural.

As well as improving the perceived quality of the Outback, Subaru have concentrated on making the driving experience that little bit more special. As purveyors of the all-conquering Impreza, these people know a thing or two about making an all-wheel drive car handle. Even the rugged Forester model dishes out more fun than you'd possibly imagine. The Outback feels like a slightly more mature Impreza Wagon that's grown out of roughing it. Two petrol engines are available, but the most important news for Outback buyers is that you can now buy a diesel, an exceptional 2.0-litre 150bhp `Boxer' unit that's one of the most refined on the market. This engine is exceptionally refined, with Subaru claiming a lower official moving sound level than a Rolls-Royce Phantom. The reason why Subaru is quite so self-congratulatory about this model is because it does represent a genuine first. Diesel engines have, to date, been either traditional upright straight or V-configured units. Subaru has founded its reputation of the low centre of gravity afforded by a horizontally-opposed, or boxer, engine where the cylinders lay flat on their sides, the pistons travelling towards each other like the fists of two pugilists. Manufacturing a diesel engine in this guise has taken some effort but the travails have been worth it. With an `oversquare' design to the cylinder, this 2.0-litre powerplant avoids the breathless response of some diesel engines at higher revs.

"The Outback feels like a slightly more mature Impreza Wagon that's grown out of roughing it"

If you really must have petrol power, there's a 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine that cranks out 164bhp and a six-cylinder 3.0-litre powerplant that's good for a healthy 242bhp. Both also use Subaru's acclaimed `boxer' engine layout where the cylinders are horizontally opposed to each other. This layout means that the centre of gravity remains very low despite the Outback's raised ride height that enables it to negotiate modest obstacles. The latest car is distinguishable from the pre-facelift versions by its `wing' motif grille and the swage lines that run from the top edge of the headlights into the front wings. There are also upgraded interior materials and a range of tweaks to the suspension geometry deliver a more comfortable ride. As is often the case with new models, Subaru claim both better performance and economy for the latest Outback compared to its immediate predecessor. Much of this can be attributed to a weight saving plan the car has undergone which shaves a full 55kg from the car's kerb weight. Aluminium components at front and rear give the car a nimble feel and the chassis is stiffer due to smart strengthening at joints with lighter gauges used in non critical points. The 3.0-litre petrol models feature the SI-Drive system that manifests itself as a round dial on the centre console and steering wheel-mounted buttons. It allows the driver to select `Intelligent', `Sport' or `Sport Sharp' modes which, in that order, deliver increasingly urgent throttle responses along with a growing eagerness to kickdown into a lower gear when paired with the automatic gearbox. The Intelligent mode provides a more relaxed and fuel-efficient driving experience. An Eco gauge on the speedometer shows just how well you're doing at conserving the planet's resources but everything's relative and this is still a 3.0-litre 242bhp car. All the Subaru trademarks continue with this car. The frameless windows, the boxer engines and the all-wheel drive transmissions are all present and correct, but the big difference is that the Outback is at last a car that your passengers will enjoy as much as you do. I remember once enthusing about an Outback's four-wheel drive system while at the same time spotting my wife's barely concealed disdain for a cupholder that grated cheaply from its aperture. There will certainly be no such issue with this current car. Subaru have poached Andreas Zapatinas from Alfa Romeo and they've snagged a very capable designer. Subaru now seem to have a little more integration between their engineering and design departments. The latest Outback is at last the car that most car nuts wish it always had been. The styling has been sharpened up, excised of all the fussy detailing and gawky lines. The basic silhouette still shouts Subaru, but the deftness of detail in the headlamps, the swage lines and the perceived tension in the body is something that has eluded the crayon-wielders at Subaru to date. Everything is just that little bit neater. The mirrors house Mercedes style side repeaters, the wheelarches bulge gently out, topped by a pronounced hip. The roof pillars are elegantly slim and the wheels do a better job of filling the arches. One can almost imagine Zapatinas taking a red pen to blueprints of the old car. If you think that the exterior lines have been sharpened up, just wait until you drop into the cabin. Although it's probably too much to expect Audi or BMW style at the first strike, the fascia is one of the better designs out there with the aluminium strip running its length. Gone are the acres of brittle grey plastics, flimsy cupholders, scratchy fabrics and uninspiring dials. In its place is a dashboard of sleekly industrial metallic finish, overlapping aluminium-ringed dials, soft-touch surfaces and rubber and felt-lined door pockets and cubbies. Head and legroom are generous up front and the seats are reassuringly supportive. This is a Subaru, remember. With competitive prices and better equipment levels than ever before, plus most of all, the availability of that superb diesel, this Subaru Outback finally becomes a car that can appeal to the mainstream estate buyer. To consider it transport merely for the hunting and fishing set is to massively miss the point. Capable of dismissing the ruts. ramps and sleeping policemen of the city with disdain, the Outback makes a credible, spacious and surprisingly affordable alternative to a run of the mill family estate. What's more, the styling will no longer frighten small children on the school run. You'll run out of excuses long before this car ever will.

Facts At A Glance
CAR: Subaru Outback range
PRICES: £23,665-£29,705 - on the road
INSURANCE GROUP: 13E-15E
CO2 EMISSIONS: 153-233g/km
PERFORMANCE: [3.0] 0-60mph 8.1s / Max Speed 139mph
FUEL CONSUMPTION: [2.5] (urban) 24.4mpg / (Extra Urban) 42.2mpg / (Combined) 33.2mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front and side airbags / ABS with EBD
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Heightmm 4730/1770/1545