| Week at the Wheel | Subaru Outback |

Inside & Out:

Subaru's styling policy is rather conservative and the Outback adheres to it. It wears all of the marque's styling themes, such as the grille and light treatments, but beyond that there is little or no visual drama, just a very workmanlike appearance that reflects that the Outback is to be viewed as much as a tool as it is as a car. Much the same can be said of the interior, which again places function over form. No question that everything works well and will cope with everything that a working life would throw at it, but it lacks a little class and polish in comparison to the best of its rivals.

Engine & Transmission:

At odds with the simple appearance of the Outback, beneath its bonnet beats one of the most advanced diesel engines on the market. Unique to the brand, the boxer configuration of the Subaru's diesel unit gives it perfect balance and exemplary manners as well as contributing to sharper handling thanks to its low centre of gravity. In practice it is a smooth engine with a willingness to rev not always associated with diesels.

Its outputs are competitive, rather than class leading, with 148bhp and 258lb.ft of torque. However, its refinement leaves many rivals wanting - actually matching many petrol engines - and the linear delivery makes it a pleasure to drive. In common with other recent Subarus the gearbox is a little notch-like in its action but the ratios are well spaced to make the most of the engine's strengths and the four-wheel drive transmission transfers the power between the axles as it needs to with no noticeable intrusion.

Ride & Handling:

The boxer configuration means that the engine's weight is carried low in the nose of the car and you can feel the benefits the first time you steer into a corner - the handling is uncommonly good for an SUV and cornering is flat and roll-free. The steering would benefit from a little more weight but it is direct and responsive and combines with the handling to make the Outback quite an entertaining drive, capable of surprising some allegedly more focused vehicles on the road.

As with most Subarus of this ilk the Outback is equally happy off-road and makes light work of the farm tracks and fields that we showed it - it would no doubt relish some harder off-road work as well. Needless to say it's a capable towing vehicle, making it an ideal countryside companion. The fact it combines all of the above with a compliant ride and good road manners makes it a very polished offering.

Equipment, Economy & Value for Money:

The £28,000 Subaru asks for the Outback buys an awful lot of car. Aside from the advanced powertrain beneath the skin, the Outback represents excellent value for money in terms of space and practicality and the standard specification includes a decent amount of equipment. The boxer's ability to extract 50 miles from a gallon of diesel pays huge dividends when it comes to running one day-to-day and even if the real world average is more like 42mpg. that is still a mightily impressive figure for a mid-size SUV - one that will have significant financial implications over the life of the car. Factor in Subaru's enviable record in reliability and customer servicing and the Outback becomes an even more appealing ownership proposition.

Overall:

The Outback is the mid-field general of the Subaru range. There's much to like about it; while the Impreza chases the headlines, it goes about its business with the minimum of fuss, quietly but effectively, in the process proving itself to be one of the best cars the company makes. It is as straightforward as it looks, with few thrills but a huge amount of practicality and it's all the more appealing because of that.