Overview

Subaru's successful formula with the 2021 Outback station wagon has been imitated by several of its rivals, but none of those copycats has managed to get as much traction. The slightly lifted suspension and ruggedized plastic lower body panels have both been found on other wagons, such as the now-discontinued Buick Regal TourX, and we expect Ford to try it soon on an upcoming Fusion Active. The Outback's appeal lies in its adventure-ready appearance, standard all-wheel drive, and cargo-friendly cabin. Two four-cylinder engines are offered—a nonturbo 2.5-liter and a zestier turbocharged 2.4-liter. While the Outback's handling won't thrill a driving enthusiast, its ride is smooth and quiet, and it's interior is roomy—a combination that should satisfy families and adventure seekers traveling to their next challenge.

What's New for 2021?

The Outback was redesigned from the ground up for the 2020 model year, so for 2021 Subaru has made only three minor changes: Adaptive headlamps, a rear-seat reminder system, and a passenger's seatbelt warning light and chime are now standard across the lineup.

Pricing and Which One to Buy

We think the Premium model has the best complement of standard and optional features for the price. While it's only available with the standard 182-hp four-cylinder, upgrading to the turbocharged 260-hp engine costs at least $6000. We don't think the turbo's improved acceleration and 800 pounds of extra towing capacity are worth the money. Instead, the Outback Premium comes standard with an 11.6-inch touchscreen, a 4G LTE mobile hotspot, heated front seats, a power-adjustable driver's seat, more USB ports, and options that aren't offered on the base model. Among those, we'd opt for the more affordable package that adds blind-spot monitoring, a hands-free power liftgate, and passive entry with push-button start.

Engine, Transmission, and Performance

The Outback lineup features a pair of flat-four-cylinder engines: a 182-hp 2.5-liter is standard and a 260-hp turbocharged 2.4-liter is optional. Both mate to a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) that mimics an eight-speed gearbox to mitigate annoying engine drone. Of course, all Outbacks have standard all-wheel drive, which is a Subaru staple (except for the rear-drive BRZ sports coupe). The standard powertrain provides humble motivation, but the Outback we tested had unremarkable acceleration and lazy transmission behavior. While the turbocharged version was considerably quicker, it was plagued by the same recalcitrant transmission. Still, most Outback owners are more concerned with ride quality and limited off-road capability. With 8.7 inches of ground clearance and dependable all-wheel drive, the wagon is able to navigate inclement weather and even rutted roads. Likewise, its suspension provides a docile ride, and its steering is accurate and easy to manage on the highway. However, either version of the Outback lacks any athleticism, which might surprise WRX fans upgrading to the more practical wagon. The wagon's standard engine also can tow 2700 pounds, while the turbocharged version can pull 3500.

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Fuel Economy and Real-World MPG

The EPA estimates the standard Outback will earn 26 mpg in the city and 33 on the highway. The turbocharged version sees a significant dip in efficiency, with ratings of 23 mpg city and 30 highway. In contrast, its Legacy counterpart has thriftier powertrains. Its base engine is expected to earn 27/35 mpg city/highway and the turbocharged option has estimates of 24/32 mpg city/highway. We tested an Outback with each of these engines on our 200-mile real-world highway-fuel-economy route, and they returned an identical 28 mpg. The sedan with the turbocharged four-cylinder got 34 mpg in that same test.

Interior, Comfort, and Cargo

The Outback shares much of its interior with the Legacy, and both have comfortable accommodations and quality materials. While Subaru's cabin design borders on boring, it's functional and has a high seating height. Aside from the base model, every Outback has dual-zone climate control, heated front seats, a power-adjustable driver's seat, and copious USB ports. More upscale features such as a heated steering wheel, ventilated front seats, a power-adjustable front-passenger seat, and heated rear seats are available on fancier trim levels. The Outback also has a spacious back seat that offers an extra 1.4 inches of legroom compared with the previous generation. Its rear cargo area provides 33 cubic feet of space; in our testing, it held 11 carry-on suitcases with the back seat up and 23 bags with it folded flat. The Legacy accepted eight and 22 suitcases, respectively, in the same tests.

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Infotainment and Connectivity

Base Outbacks feature two stacked 7.0-inch touchscreens, but all other models have a massive 11.6-inch vertically oriented touchscreen. Along with large touch icons and quick response times, the big screen features a rotary volume and tuning knob as well as some physical buttons for climate settings, which makes them easier to use. While built-in navigation, a Wi-Fi hotspot, and wireless device charging are optional, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto integration is standard. Buyers who choose the top-tier Limited and Touring trim levels get a 12-speaker, 576-watt Harman/Kardon audio system.

Safety and Driver-Assistance Features

The Outback earned a five-star rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), and it was named a Top Safety Pick+ by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). All Outback models come standard with the company's EyeSight suite of driver-assistance technology. Key safety features include:

Standard forward-collision warning and automated emergency braking

Standard adaptive cruise control with lane-keeping assist

Available blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert

Warranty and Maintenance Coverage

Subaru provides a competitive albeit unremarkable limited and powertrain warranty. It also doesn't include any complimentary scheduled maintenance such as the Buick Regal TourX.

Limited warranty covers 3 years or 36,000 miles

Powertrain warranty covers 5 years or 60,000 miles

No complimentary scheduled maintenance

Specifications Specifications 2020 Subaru Outback Touring VEHICLE TYPE

front-engine, all-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door wagon PRICE AS TESTED

$38,355 (base price: $38,355) ENGINE TYPE

DOHC 16-valve flat-4, aluminum block and heads, direct fuel injection

Displacement

152 cu in, 2498 cc

Power

182 hp @ 5800 rpm

Torque

176 lb-ft @ 4400 rpm TRANSMISSION

continuously variable automatic CHASSIS

Suspension (F/R): struts/multilink

Brakes (F/R): 12.4-in vented disc /11.8-in vented disc

Tires: Yokohama Avid GT, 225/60R-18 100H M+S DIMENSIONS

Wheelbase: 108.1 in

Length: 191.3 in

Width: 73.0 in

Height: 66.1 in

Passenger volume: 105 cu ft

Cargo volume: 33 cu ft

Curb weight: 3753 lb C/D

TEST RESULTS

Rollout, 1 ft: 0.3 sec

60 mph: 8.5 sec

100 mph: 26.2 sec

Rolling start, 5–60 mph: 9.1 sec

Top gear, 30–50 mph: 4.8 sec

Top gear, 50–70 mph: 6.1 sec

¼-mile: 16.7 sec @ 84 mph

Top speed (C/D est): 130 mph

Braking, 70–0 mph: 171 ft

Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.80 g C/D

FUEL ECONOMY

Observed: 21 mpg

75-mph highway driving: 28 mpg

Highway range: 510 miles EPA FUEL ECONOMY

Combined/city/highway: 29/26/33 mpg – 2020 Subaru Outback Touring XT VEHICLE TYPE

front-engine, all-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door wagon PRICE AS TESTED

$40,705 (base price: $40,705) ENGINE TYPE

turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 16-valve flat-4, aluminum block and heads, direct fuel injection

Displacement

146 cu in, 2387 cc

Power

260 hp @ 5600 rpm

Torque

277 lb-ft @ 2000 rpm TRANSMISSION

continuously variable automatic CHASSIS

Suspension (F/R): struts/multilink

Brakes (F/R): 12.4-in vented disc /11.8-in vented disc

Tires: Yokohama Avid GT, 225/60R-18 100H M+S DIMENSIONS

Wheelbase: 108.1 in

Length: 191.3 in

Width: 73.0 in

Height: 66.1 in

Passenger volume: 105 cu ft

Cargo volume: 33 cu ft

Curb weight: 3917 lb C/D

TEST RESULTS

Rollout, 1 ft: 0.3 sec

60 mph: 6.3 sec

100 mph: 20.6 sec

130 mph: 38.6 sec

Rolling start, 5–60 mph: 6.6 sec

Top gear, 30–50 mph: 3.7 sec

Top gear, 50–70 mph: 4.6 sec

¼-mile: 14.8 sec @ 96 mph

Top speed (governor limited): 130 mph

Braking, 70–0 mph: 176 ft

Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.78 g C/D

FUEL ECONOMY

Observed: 20 mpg

75-mph highway driving: 28 mpg

Highway range: 510 miles EPA FUEL ECONOMY

Combined/city/highway: 26/23/30 mpg Expand Collapse

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