2010 Subaru Outback Road Trial.

By John Pearley Huffman

The 2010 Outback is bigger and better than before, but it's still a proudly eccentric and weirdly wonderful mashup
of station wagon, SUV and Australian off-road pretense. It hasn't lost its Subie soul–that ruggedness, friendliness
and versatility that make it so popular among Vermont tree huggers, tenured sociology professors and freelance
herbalists–and has gained both more ability and even some elegance. Here are the details from our test drive.

In the '80s, Aussie comedian Paul Hogan ruled the media universe. His "shrimp on the barbie" Australian tourism
ads made Hogan a household name, his 1986 movie Crocodile Dundee was a massive hit, and he helped make
Foster's Lager a worldwide brand by proclaiming it "Australian for beer, mate." But as Hogan's fame has faded, it
turns out his single greatest legacy (and, literally, a Legacy) will be the Subaru Outback. In 1995 he was the pitchman
for the company when the Outback trim option was introduced on the midsize, all-wheel-drive Legacy wagon.
He made the vehicle famous, even if his Aussie persona was more schtick than substance.

Subaru has just introduced the fourth-generation Outback and, though Hogan hasn't been spieling for the company
since 2002, it does him proud.

The Specs

Look for the name "Legacy" anywhere on the new Outback and you won't find it. But that lack of badging is as much
effort as Subaru puts toward obscuring the Outback's heritage. The Outback is a Legacy wagon with a slightly raised
ride height, taller tires, a new grille and slightly more muscled bodywork. And, no surprise, it's assembled on the same
US production line as the Legacy sedan.

Subaru's engineering traditions are all there in the new Outback. The base engine is the familiar 2.5-liter SOHC flat
Four while the optional engine is now the same 3.6-liter DOHC flat Six used in the larger Tribeca crossover.
Opt for the Four and the 170-hp flows through either a standard six-speed manual transmission or a new "Lineartronic"
continuously variable transmission (CVT) automatic. The Six pumps its 256 hp through a five-speed automatic.
Sorry, rally fans, the snorty 265-hp turbocharged four-cylinder that resides under the hood of the Legacy GT
won't be available in any 2010 Outback model.

As in all Subarus, the company's "Symmetrical" all-wheel drive is standard–although there are actually three
different systems, depending on which transmission is used. There's a viscous-coupling center differential with
the manual transmission, an "electronically managed continuously variable hydraulic transfer clutch" used with
the CVT, and a planetary gear system used with the Six's five-speed automatic.
Yet they all work seamlessly (and effectively) in the background with virtually no input from the driver.
And if all-wheel drive isn't enough to save a driver from his own, ahem, driving prowess, there are also
electronic-stability and traction-control systems aboard.

The Outback's basic structure is a steel unibody and, as before, the front suspension uses MacPherson struts.
But the hind end gets a new double-wishbone suspension system.
All four corners have their own disc brake with both electronic brake-force distribution and four-channel
antilock to help operate them.

With the wheelbase stretched to 107.9 inches (2.8 inches longer than before), width up about 2 inches and
overall height up a bit more than 2 inches, the new Outback is a noticeably larger vehicle than before.
But Subaru cut the front and rear overhangs, so overall length has actually shrunk an inch.

With the lightest Outback (a base 2.5i six-speed) weighing in at 3386 pounds and the heaviest (the Limited 3.6R)
at 3658 pounds, the engines are just adequate for moving such substantial mass.

We'd guess 0 to 60 mph in about 12 seconds with the four-cylinder and about nine with the six-cylinder.

But the payoff is in exceptional fuel economy for a vehicle this big that totes around an all-wheel-drive system.

The best economy comes with the four-cylinder engine and, perhaps surprisingly, the CVT transmission–
an EPA-rated 24 mpig in the city and 32 mpig on the highway.
The six-cylinder model's 20 mpig in the city and 28 mpig on the highway are solid numbers too.

The Drive
From the front, the Outback's nose is sort of generic and anonymous looking. But in profile this is one
handsome station wagon, with tough-looking wheel arches and a roofline that sweeps naturally back.
The roof rack, a tool many Outback owners will use on a regular basis, integrates perfectly with the rest of
the trim. The new Outback looks upscale, and it's beautifully assembled with precise panel fit and doors
that shut with an authoritative thud. Inside, the cockpit is a logical layout with door and dash surfaces
perfectly finished and an understated design. Subaru is good at making fake wood look like real wood.

With 4 more inches of legroom than before and rear doors that open wide, the rear seat area is a
substantial improvement over the previous Outback. It's not only a comfortable place for adults, but it's
a rear seat that adults can climb into without much trouble. Up front the seats are relatively flat, and the
bottom cushions could be longer, but it's hard to imagine anyone whining about being uncomfortable.
Though this is a utilitarian Subaru wagon, rest assured, a navigation system and backup camera are
on the options list.

Start up the four-cylinder engine and it settles into Subaru's unique flat-Four idle.
The engine is uncannily smooth and mates perfectly with the CVT. Subaru first brought CVT technology
to America back in 1987 and has been building them for other markets for even longer than that.
The experience shows. This CVT keeps the engine at its power peak
without much audible drone and can be manually shifted using paddle shifters on the steering
wheel to engage non existent virtual gears. Rather than expound on what it’s supposed to do,
let me tell you what the powertrain really does. It tips in painfully slow off idle, winds in a thrashy tizz up
to max horsepower at 5600 rpm and festers there. If there were anything resembling an exhaust note,
it might remind you there’s a Boxer under the hood; gone is the traditional Subie burble. Instead, from
the minute you start rolling, you’re annoyed by a constant cosmic din of CVT chain noise that the
Ford Freestyle’s CVT never had on its worst day, even as an early prototype.
Since CVT-equipped Outbacks get better fuel mileage the advantage the six-speed manual brings
to the table is lower initial purchase cost and much lower repair costs in the long run.
CVTs ALWAYS need to be covered by warranty and are not good for towing stuff.

Riding on beefy 225/60R17 tires (base models get 215/70R16s), and with the suspension tall enough to
produce 8.7 inches of ground clearance, the Outback is not a Porsche-challenging corner carver.
And it's not a hyper-nimble Subaru WRX STi either. Instead, it's a sweet-natured wagon with poised road manners,
a decent ride and light rack-and-pinion steering that never bothers upsetting the driver with any pesky feedback.
Beyond that, it's an excellent scrambler along dirt roads and up some pretty difficult trails. No, it's not a substitute for a
Jeep Wrangler when it comes to truly hairy rock crawling, but when you absolutely, positively need to get to the
skiing class at the snowbound Mont trembant resort just before Christmas break, it's more than capable.

Of course, opting for the Six brings more power. But it also delivers a heavier, more substantial feel to the steering.
By itself, the Six is amazingly smooth, and the heft to the steering isn't necessarily negative.
But the gain in performance doesn't seem to be worth the trouble or expense, considering how brilliantly the
Four works.

The Bottom Line
Subaru is just about the only car company that's actually gaining sales in the current dismal market.
Maybe it's because its core buyers have University tenure and don't have to worry about being laid off.
But more likely it's because the people who want Subarus don't see any ready alternatives and plan on owning their
cars for very long periods of time. Subaru owners may be odd in some ways, but they're nothing if not practical about
their vehicles and determined to wring every last ounce of value from their purchases.
And there's plenty of value in the new Outback–as long as you stay near the bottom of the price ladder.
The base Outback starts at a keen C$25000, but climb up to the Premium or Limited trim levels and the prices rise
up beyond C$35,000 (for a 3.6R Limited).
Still, we think Hogan would be right at home behind the wheel of the new Outback, mate.