This isn’t how I’d build my Subaru Outback: The 3.6R has too much power up front, not enough stopping power to go around and a big sticker price to top it all off.



I’m feeling some déjà vu here -- something about the jumpy, hard-to-modulate throttle, periodically annoying electronics and brakes that feel like they’ve been smoked by a weekend of autocrossing seems very, very familiar. I’ve mentioned this before, I think, though looking back through old Subaru review notes I can’t seem to find evidence.

All this is a shame because the Outback -- even in its larger-than-ever sixth generation -- is an incredibly useful, usable car and a great representation of what Subaru is all about.

On the brake front, it’s not that the car doesn’t stop; it just has that drum-brake feeling of uncertainty before things grind to a halt. Looks like I’m not the only one here to notice.

The EyeSight suite of driver assist/safety tech remains a mixed bag, complete with lane-departure warnings, blind-spot warnings, forward collision alert and an (untested) emergency-braking system; I had a good experience with it last time I was in an Outback. Some weird voodoo made it hypersensitive -- and hyperannoying -- this time around, which led to lots of beeping and flashing in what seemed to be average highway driving. I’d be inclined to ditch it and pocket the extra cash, but it’s standard on this pricey Touring trim.

The cabin occupies a weird semi-premium space. There are nice touches here and there (woodgrain on the dash, etc.), but they feel like just that -- touches on top of what is a rugged and plasticky, if fundamentally solid, interior.

The Outback’s form factor is tough to argue with. If you’re looking for the theoretical handling advantages a wagon-ish vehicle offers compared with a taller crossover, you won't find it here on account of the acceleration and braking characteristics and the numb steering. That I drove a taut Audi Allroad the night before certainly didn’t do the Subie any favors.

And if you’re looking for value, I’d point you toward the lower-trimmed Outbacks. The 3.6R Touring is loaded, and the surprising $39,070 sticker reflects that. Unless you’re concerned about having the highest-tech onboard active safety gear, choosing a trim that doesn’t come with the EyeSight system will save you both money and aggravation. Further, sticking with the 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine will keep you well under the $30k line while providing a powertrain that’s arguably better-matched to the vehicle at hand.

At $28,570, the 2.5i Premium gets you most of the Outback’s good parts without as many drawbacks. It might just be the sweet spot.

--Graham Kozak, associate editor

The 2017 Outback Touring comes standard with Subaru's EyeSight safety technologies.

OTHER VOICES:

It used to be that the best case for the 3.6R version of Subaru's lovely Outback was that it came with a traditional automatic transmission instead of the continuously variable automatic found on the four-cylinder cars. A quick look at the spec box will show the CVT now has been standardized across the line; a test drive will show it doesn't really matter -- Subaru's Lineartronic CVT has become good enough it's no longer a deal-breaker for the enthusiast.

Despite the extra 75 or so horsepower, the flat-six Outback doesn't really feel that much faster than the four-cylinder model; it doesn't get any more towing capacity; fuel economy drops by 5 mpg city and highway and it costs $2,600 more than a comparably trimmed 2.5i model.

You get the picture.

Thanks in part to excellent road manners (I never felt the brake anomaly the other testers reported), a spacious, well-trimmed interior and outstanding safety/reliability record, the Outback remains my favorite affordable family truckster, but the 3.6R feels superfluous. The 2.5i is a better Outback in almost every way, and if you want a quick, fun Subaru crossover, go for the turbocharged Forester XT.

--Andrew Stoy, digital editor

I can’t recall my last time behind the wheel of the 2.5i, but in the case of this 3.6R, whatever I thought of its power, weight, road manners, etc., all fell away to my annoyance over two things: Throttle tip-in is crazy touchy, and braking feels like it takes double the space to pull the car to a stop.

Seriously, no matter how delicately that initial step on the gas pedal, the car slingshotted off the line; every time I thought I’d adjusted, my head bounced back against the headrest as I eased jackrabbited away from a stop. And then when trying to scrub off some of that unintended speed, the brakes just felt soft, requiring so much extra effort on my part to slow the car. The combination wasn’t endearing.

--Natalie Neff, editorial content manager

Vehicle Model Information

ON SALE: Now

BASE PRICE: $39,070

AS TESTED PRICE: $39,070

POWERTRAIN: 3.6-liter H6, AWD, continuously variable transmission

OUTPUT: 256 hp @ 6,000 rpm; 247 lb-ft @ 4,400 rpm

CURB WEIGHT: 3,856 lb

FUEL ECONOMY: 20/27/22 mpg

FUEL ECONOMY: 20.7 mpg

OPTIONS: None

PROS: Space, power, better than ever CVT

CONS: Expensive, smaller four cylinder is a better match

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