Quick test | Subaru Outback: family adventures

For many young couples, starting a family is invariably accompanied by questions about the selection of a vehicle. Rightly or wrongly, the compact SUV often appears to be the default choice. A hegemony that Subaru has sought to challenge for decades with its Outback.

Certainly, the family car no longer requires presentations, as it has shaped the identity of the Japanese brand. The current vintage, equipped with standard constant-grip all-wheel drive, still seeks to play in the woods, a positioning highlighted by its unpainted plastic moldings which limit damage during exercise. His posture station wagon also remains the same, relying on a long rear overhang to increase cargo space to a considerable total of 923 L.

The interior also proves to be the strong point of the vehicle, relying on a simple Subaru configuration which emphasizes functionality rather than design. In addition to a long wheelbase of 2.7 m as well as significant headroom, the seats are very welcoming, regardless of the size of the passengers.

The mechanics that share the engine compartment remain flat, two four-cylinders of 2.5 L (182 hp) and 2.4 L turbocharged (260 hp). A hybrid livery would undoubtedly have been necessary to make it more competitive, but the naturally aspirated series mechanics do an acceptable job with fairly well distributed low-speed torque and a consumption of 8.7 L/100 km during the test. . However, we don’t like its rough sound exposed by its CVT gearbox.

The road behavior remains purely ordinary, which suits the desired temperament well. The ground connections absorb bumps with a certain softness, making this Outback an excellent road car. The steering, rather light, offers no real parallel sensation.

An excellent proposition, in short, in a format which has almost disappeared from the radar and which should certainly appear on the list of affordable family vehicles to consider.