#01#Subarus have always been reliable, practical cars with an honest work ethic, but perhaps lacking in a little style and therefore only appealing to a certain proportion of the marketplace. The car you see here is the 2007 model year Legacy Outback that benefits from a raft of changes, both superficially and beneath the skin. The latest generation of Subarus has moved away from boxier styling and adopted more curvaceous and rakish smooth looks. This is at the cost of individuality, but gives the models a much more mainstream appeal than some of the more conservative and utilitarian appearance of the older cars.
The Outback is essentially a Legacy wagon (Sports Tourer in Subaru-speak), but with modifications to the looks in terms of a different front grille and body mouldings for an appropriately rugged edge. The suspension is raised slightly over the road car as well to add a little more off-road ability, but the whole thing looks much more refined and road based than its forebears. Think
BMW X3 or
Audi allroad rather than the
pre-2006 Forester.
We've bemoaned the lack of interior quality in Subarus for a while now and this car is the first indication that the chorus of criticism has reached the powers that be. The interior layout is very much as per the
Legacy, but compare the pictures here with those of the 3.0R Legacy we tested earlier this year and the improvements are appreciable. The Legacy itself has been upgraded for the 2007 model year.
The shapes and forms are mostly carried over, but the materials, fit and finish are a huge step forward. They may not bridge the gap to the standard Audi sets, but it's much closer than it used to be and in terms of appearance (if not ultimate quality) the comparison with an X3 is close.
#p##02#
Something else that is similar to BMW is the large silver circular knob just behind the automatic box's gear lever, rather unsubtly named S-I drive. It differs from the BMW system rather dramatically in that, rather than allowing interaction with a multi-function control system it allows the driver to switch between different gearbox and engine modes. The three modes (I, S and S sharp) give the car three distinct personalities by altering engine and gearbox characteristics alike.
The 242bhp 3-litre flat-six engine itself is the same as that in the 3.0R spec.B we drove earlier this year, which is no bad thing. It is an eager and accomplished unit, if a little thirsty. It provides smooth and characterful propulsion. Via the S-I drive the I-mode adopts an economy-minded engine map, S offers a more powerful everyday drive with better throttle response and noticeably more power available and 'S sharp' gives the very best the engine can offer in terms of response and power.
We found that the I-mode proved itself to be perfect for around town use, slurring gearchanges and using the engine's torque to upshift early and hold a high gear for quiet progress in built up areas. Out of town this mode proved perfectly capable for cruising, but is overly reluctant to down shift for overtaking etc, although it can be prompted by a pull on the paddles mounted behind the wheel, but the 'box quickly readopts the I-mode.
S mode is, as the name suggests, sportier and for more press-on driving; holding gears longer and downshifting earlier. S sharp takes this a step further, redlining the car under hard acceleration. All of the modes can be used in a full Tiptronic mode via the gear lever or the paddles. The modes themselves can also be switched via a button on the steering wheel. A small graphic in the rev counter displays the mode adopted and the throttle position and can also be cycled through the trip computer functions.
The driving position is comfortable and the whole interior is very spacious making the Outback a great family wagon or what we're meant to refer to as a 'lifestyle' vehicle. Using the Outback for this intended purpose we loaded it up with two mountain bikes, a cargo it accommodated with ease on the large load bed offered by lowering the rear seat. We didn't test the off-road ability, but forest tracks would be child's play.
#p##03#
On the road, the new Outback drives almost identically to the normal Legacy. The suspension is appreciably softer, but there is a subsequent benefit in terms of ride comfort. The handling is good (albeit with slightly more body roll than its more sporting biased stable mates) and the suspension soaks up mid-corner bumps with ease. Ultimately the car does move into understeer, but not under normal driving conditions and it's progressive and safe when it does arrive.
The steering is a little numb to start with, but weights up nicely under load and is pleasantly direct. The brakes are strong and effective and stood up to everything thrown at them, which is a good sign, as the Outback is intended as a tow car as well. As expected, even in 3-litre trim, the Outback isn't as much fun as the spec.B, but then it would be wrong to expect it to be and the difference isn't huge. Certainly in the context of a 'soft-roader' the Outback stands toe to toe with the
Volvo XC70, X3
et al in offering fine road car manners in all conditions.
The latest generation of Subarus look set to address the weakest aspects of their forebears. The exterior and, in particular, the interior styling and quality are big improvements. Detail changes to the chassis and engine further enhance the dynamic package (always a strength) and make the 2007 Legacy range much more of a mainstream threat than before. Expect it to be a more familiar sight on our roads, if not quite as ubiquitous as certain models in the BMW range.
2007 Subaru Outback UK range overview
- Subaru Outback 2.5 S: £21,625
- Subaru Outback 2.5 S Automatic: £22,625
- Subaru Outback 2.5 SE: £23,925
- Subaru Outback 2.5 SE Automatic: £24,925
- Subaru Outback 2.5 SEn: £25,325
- Subaru Outback 2.5 SEn Automatic: £26,325
-
Subaru Outback 3.0 R Automatic: £28,495
- Subaru Outback 3.0 Rn Automatic: £29,895
