The Subaru Outback has had a bit of a cult following over its time in the market. This SUV has evolved from a high-riding wagon into what we see today.
The appeal of the Outback has always been its capability as an off-road SUV that has capable in the wilderness. Today, it’s a versatile crossover SUV with lots of space, an upright driving position, and loads of standard features that make it easy to drive and enjoy out on the roads and trails.
Here are seven things you should know about the 2023 Subaru Outback.
1. All models have lots of room
Even when the Outback was nothing more than a high-riding off-road wagon, it had lots of cabin room and cargo capacity. The seats are extremely supportive and the build of this SUV offers the best in class headroom, legroom, and shoulder room, making it one of the most comfortable SUVs in its class. Even with the rear seats upright, you’ll find 32.5 cubic feet of cargo room in the rear. The rear seat is a 60/40 split-folding model that ensures you’ve got easy access to additional cargo room where you need it.
2. The right and handling are impressive
Subaru delivers good driving dynamics without compromising the ride quality at all. You’ll love how this is translated into the current model year to give you the quality drive you’re after. The suspension absorbs road imperfections to ensure you and your passengers are never jostled around. The standard symmetrical AWD system ensures you’ve got the power desired when you take this SUV out for a ride on the trails or when you need enough grip to handle corners at higher speeds.
3. This Subaru looks tough
The Subaru Outback evolved from a tough, high-riding wagon into an impressive SUV that looks and feels great on and off the roads. The exterior of this SUV has black plastic cladding to protect the body from dings and dents, making it a rugged machine on the trails. You’ll also see an impressive set of LED headlights and taillights while also enjoying the improved front bumper and grille, which make this SUV look even tougher. If you want the most rugged looking Outback, choose the Wilderness trim.
4. Decent fuel mileage from the turbo engine
Unlike some off-road-oriented vehicles, the Outback returns adequate fuel mileage rom the turbocharged flat-4. This engine gives you 23 city/30 hwy mpg which translates to 26 mpg combined. This mileage is pretty good, but if you want to top these numbers, the 2.5-liter naturally aspirated engine can give you 26 city/33 hwy mpg which is an even better figure for your fuel-sipping desired. Which engine will you choose for your Subaru SUV?
5. The Subaru infotainment systems are really good
We’ve never really lauded the infotainment systems in the Subaru lineup, but the Outback offers two models that are pretty easy to use. The lower trims have a 7-inch touchscreen and include the benefits of Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, SiriusXM radio, navigation, and voice recognition. Higher trims use an 11.6-inch screen with all the same features. The larger system is intuitive, giving you a quick and easy way to choose what you want. These higher trims also include the 12-speaker Harman Kardon audio system to provide some amazing sound qualities during your drive.
6. The Outback is a bit noisy
You don’t turn to Subaru for cabin insulation or luxury levels of silence in the cabin area. That said, you’ll want to take the Subaru Outback for a test drive before you buy it. This SUV brings in the wind noise, pedal vibrations, and engine sounds. The sound deadening materials in this SUV aren’t nearly as good as some rivals, but most people don’t look to the Outback for its silence.
7. Plenty of great safety features from Subaru
The Subaru Eyesight suite of driver-assistance and safety features ensures you stay out of trouble when you drive this SUV every day. This system in the Outback includes forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alerts. The Outback consistently receives top scores from both the NHTSA and IIHS, giving you an impressive SUV that’s safe and enjoyable to drive.
Will you drive the 2023 Subaru Outback? This vehicle has evolved from a quirky, high-riding wagon into a crossover SUV with the off-road chops we’ve come to associate with the Outback name.
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