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Follow-Up Test: 2002 Subaru Outback Sedan H6-3.0
Good Looks and a Whole Lot More
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By Neil Dunlop
Date posted: 12-27-2001
Gorgeous isn't usually the first word that comes to mind when discussing a Subaru. Normally, the Japanese carmaker's products have been applauded for their utilitarianism. Owners value their reliability, smooth boxer engines, all-wheel drive systems and their functionality. But their looks? At best, Subarus can be described as handsome or serviceably good looking, like the person you went to the prom with because the babe never asked.
Yet the first person to see our 2002 Subaru Outback Sedan H6-3.0 test car was wowed by its looks. She didn't know a thing about its full-time all-wheel drive, viscous limited-slip differential, horizontally opposed (boxer) six-cylinder engine, 8 inches of road clearance or its famous reliability. She just dug its looks.
"I love it. What is it? It's gorge…eous." There's that word. Now, the more automotively astute (read: snobbish) of you may discount her comments on the basis that she's obviously uninformed and/or nuts. She's neither, by the way. But it's not the level of knowledge behind her comments that makes them interesting to us, but rather their motive. She just liked the Outback Sedan. She grooved on its Regatta Red pearlcoat body color and the Titanium Pearl cladding that it wears like a skin-tight armored skirt around the lower third of its exterior. She even liked the oversized spoiler on the trunk that others find an obnoxious affectation.
Our impromptu curbside critic also thought the cat's-eye headlights were cool and the 16-inch alloy wheels appealed to her sense of style. The only thing she didn't like was the Outback nameplate recessed into the lower cladding just aft of the front wheels. "Ugh, it's too blockish, and it ruins the sleekness of the car."
We think it bears explaining that we value her opinion in the arena of aesthetics because she has been the art director for several award-winning magazines — that is, the woman knows good looking when she sees it. You may not agree, but there's no accounting for taste. Her input, however, ended at the Outback's exterior. Our friend, while possessing an artist's eye, is mechanically challenged.
That's our department. New for this year is the availability of the horizontally opposed six-cylinder engine in the Outback Sedan. The 3.0-liter powerplant is a vast improvement over the 2.5-liter 165-horsepower four-cylinder variant that was the only engine available in the Outback until 2001. The new, larger engine also answers what had become the mantra of auto writers and owners alike: The Outback's a nice car, but it needs more power. While the H6's 212 horsepower are hardly electrifying, lack of adequate power is no longer a problem, especially in the city, where speeds rarely exceed 40 mph. On the freeway, however, we found shifts from the four-speed automatic transmission and subsequent power delivery maddeningly slow when merging and passing.
When considering the 3.0-liter Outback, it's tempting to expect the kind of spirited performance demonstrated by the Subaru WRX, also released in 2001. This is wishful thinking. At 3,610 pounds, the Outback sedan's avoirdupois taxes the new, bigger engine so power is adequate, not exemplary.
Despite its rather beefy curb weight, the Outback does not have the feeling of solidity imbued by its AWD competitors, namely the Volkswagen Passat 4Motion, Audi A4 quattro and BMW 330xi. Though weighing about the same, those German offerings possess a sturdy, substantial feel that is apparent in the clunk of their doors, the cocooning feel they convey when sat in and the pleasing connection to the road through their steering wheels. We found the Outback's steering quick and responsive, but a touch too light to transmit much road feel.
But the Subaru is a lot cheaper than those cars. Included in the Outback's $28,520 sticker are leather seats, an eight-way power driver seat, heated seats, wood trim, full power accessories, alloy wheels, heated mirrors and a moonroof. Similarly equipped, the Audi and the BMW are about $8,000 more, and the Passat is $4,000 more. In terms of power, the Subaru's 212 horsepower is better than the Passat (190 hp) and a little less than the Audi and the BMW (220 hp and 225 hp, respectively).
We're not sure why the Subaru feels less substantial. Perhaps the automaker did not spend as much time and attention developing sound and vibration damping technology. Supporting this theory are the Outback's noticeable levels of road and wind noise. Also, our test car had a buzz in the driver's door, which may have been related to the non-operational trunk release. We're not trying to say the Subaru is cheaply built (and it should be noted that test cars deserve some leeway for wear and tear due to the tendency of automotive journalists to be — ahem — thorough, with their testing). In fact, we were quite pleased with the Outback's roomy interior.
The leather-clad seats are broad and cushy with the right levels of thigh support and side bolstering to keep us comfortable on long hauls and on twisty roads. The large cabin and its muted, earthy colors and wood trim made for a cheery, airy interior. Adding further buoyancy to our spirits was the superior McIntosh audio system that delivers rich, clear sound.
The only problem we have with the audio system is visual. While we understand that the unit is designed in the trademark McIntosh retro style, it's incongruous to the rest of the interior and smacks of aftermarket cheapness. Appearances can be deceiving, but as well as being comfortable to your body, a car interior should be pleasing to the eye.
As mentioned earlier, one of the primary reasons for the popularity of Subaru vehicles is the all-wheel-drive system that is standard on every car. Indeed, it's one of the most time-proven AWD systems on the market. The automaker actually uses four different versions of AWD depending on model and transmission choices.
The Outback Sedan H6-3.0 is equipped with Active All-Wheel Drive, which employs an electronically managed continuously variable transfer clutch. What this means in the real world is that through a system of sensors that monitor speed, throttle, engine output and transmission, the system anticipates wheel slippage and transfers power to those wheels with traction even before the wheels slip at all.
The Outback Sedan is also outfitted with a limited-slip rear differential that further aids traction. The AWD system works to transfer power between the front and rear wheels and the limited-slip differential works to overcome slippage of either of the two rear wheels. So if one is slipping, power is delivered to the other.
In concert, this technology constantly works to keep you moving in your intended direction, usually without your being aware of it — like a big brother watching your back in high school.
Though it seemed sick to our friends, we cheered during a sleet storm because it gave us a chance to test the AWD system's effectiveness. We pushed the Outback along a twisty, sleet-slick road and were quite bored in the process, meaning there were no moments of anxiety. No wonder Subarus enjoy cultish popularity in New England and mountainous regions where slippery conditions are routine.
Though a little more money may buy more luxury and prestige, there's nothing like the comfort that comes from owning a piece of equipment that has proven itself time and again. The Outback Sedan succeeds in this. Plus, some people think it's gorgeous.
See all the Ratings: 2002 Subaru Outback H6-3.0 AWD 4dr Sedan (3.0L 6cyl 4A) Road Test Scoreboard
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