The layout works and the Home screen has large easy to read tiles but the HVACV controls could use a little help, for example, to activate the heated seats having to touch more than one button is one step more than is needed. The front seats are very comfortable with electric power adjustment, the only gripe is they do get hot in warmer weather and there is no cooled seat option so it may make sense to opt for the leather seats on the Touring edition if you want to stay cool.ĭominating the dash is the 11.6-inch portrait-style touchscreen infotainment system which looks great and has crisp graphics. Most of the changes are on the inside and on the Onyx edition you get two-tone water-repellent seats as well as numerous black trim pieces dotted around the cabin. X– Mode deactivates the transmission’s lock-up clutch to better direct power to slipping wheels. X– Mode uses lower gear ratios to generate extra power at the wheels that have grip. My tester came with Subaru’s X-Mode which offers 3 modes, Deep Snow/Mud, Normal, and Snow/Dirt Mode which is programmed to get you out of or through rough and tricky terrain. We took it on a fairly rough and rutted road where we did find some large pools of water to drive through and the Outback never skipped a beat. Off-road the Subaru is very capable and unless you are looking to do some serious rock crawling it will suit most of your off-road needs. The steering is light and easy to manage, and the brakes provide good stopping power through a linear feeling pedal. They’ve sorted the suspension too, it’s super compliant and provides excellent body control on and off-road. Handling is competent and composed and even if you plow into a corner too fast it offers predictable understeer. Subaru has managed to solve that annoying high revving rubber band feel that plagues most CVTs and has programmed this one to act like an 8-speed regular transmission. The extra torque pays dividends for passing slower drivers and except for a couple of gaps in the torque curve, forward progress is swift.Įvery Outback comes standard with a continuously variable transmission which I’ll be honest I have never liked, however, this one is one of the best I have used. I can’t really complain about the XTs performance, yes there’s a hint of turbo lag before it scoots off into the wilderness and it’s pretty adept at corning as well. This engine is also used in the larger and heavier Ascent so when mated to the lighter Outback it’s able to sprint to sixty in 6.1 seconds according to our timing equipment. 0-60 takes around 8.6 seconds so if you want to move along at a quicker pace get the 2.4 turbo engine which has 260 hp and 270 ft-lbs. There are two engine options both having the same displacement of 2.4 liters, the base engine has 182 hp 5800 rpm and 176 lb-ft 4400 rpm and can only be described as adequate. My tester had a couple of options including a STARLINK Multimedia 11.6-inch infotainment display, inc Navigation, Reverse Automatic Braking, and a powered Moonroof for $1,845 on top of a base price of $34,895. The 2020 Subaru Outback XT Onyx edition that I drove looked the part with blacked-out badges, some attractive black rims, and a black vegan interior. I do like the quirkiness of the Outback, it’s not exciting to look at but it is interesting, and the light styling overhaul doesn’t make it stick out amongst older Outbacks, especially my very worn, but still going strong 2011 Outback. Turbo 4 has good power, CVT is one of the best, solid and predictable It offers the consumer a predictable, safe and comfortable family hauler now with smarter technology and some design updates. So, despite wagons being out of favor in the US, most preferring a crossover-type vehicle, Subaru has a hard time building enough Outbacks to satisfy demand. For this reason, Subaru is very careful not to make drastic changes, especially to the exterior, and this is a good thing, particularly for resale value. The Subaru Outback continues to sell well despite the current pandemic, and it has an extremely loyal following, especially in the US market.
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