2017 Subaru Outback Review

If you simply need a big wagon that can get down and dirty for not a lot of money, it's hard to beat a 2.5i Premium. Nicely equipped with heated front seats and a good mix of tech, it's a great choice that dispenses with fuss and frills.

Aside from the Outback's abrupt gas pedal, this is an easy car to drive, with a soft suspension, a manageable size and a CVT that doesn't wind out the revs too much.

One of the Outback's weakest areas, at least if you go with the four-cylinder engine (175 hp) instead of the 3.6-liter six-cylinder (256 hp). There's not much power with the four-cylinder ever, and it takes 9.6 seconds to reach 60 mph.

The brakes don't feel all that powerful around town, with a spongy pedal feel. At our test track, the Outback stopped from 60 mph in 123 feet and did it with considerable nosedive.

This is a precise system that responds quickly to input. Effort is appropriate, though some drivers will feel it errs a bit on the heavy side.

There's significant body roll when rounding corners in the Outback, so it doesn't feel particularly nimble.

Aside from the Outback's abrupt gas pedal, this is an easy car to drive, with a soft suspension, a manageable size and a CVT that doesn't wind out the revs too much.

The standard all-wheel drive adds confidence to light off-roading, and it's a well-tuned system. The Outback is more rugged than most crossovers or other wagons. Ground clearance is better than most.

We were suitably impressed by the Outback's seats, both front and rear, which provide all-day comfort. The soft suspension delivers a smooth ride quality, but there's more road and wind noise than we'd like.

The front seats are fantastically plush with supple leather and generously wide with lateral support. The door and center armrests are well-padded, and the driver's seat has power lumbar adjustment. The rear seats are also comfy, though the cushions are on the short side.

A generally soft, comfortable ride, thanks to plentiful suspension travel. Parking-lot speed bumps barely even register. It soaks up small ripples with ease, but strangely, certain big hits at speed come through to the cabin.

There's some tire noise over road surface changes, a bit of tire hum and wind noise from the side mirror/front roof pillar window area. The engine only gets loud at high rpm, and the transmission rarely lets it wind out that far. Engine noise on the highway is hardly noticeable. Quiet idle, too.

Subaru did a nice job updating the Outback's interior controls from the last generation. Beyond that, all the previous Outback goodness remains: plenty of passenger and cargo room and terrific outward visibility.

All controls are within easy reach. We like the old-school, single-knob mirror controls. Temperature knobs and buttons are large and easy to use. The new navigation touchscreen has large icons and quick responses. The digital clock and outside temperature readouts are tiny.

The front doors are large and open wide, making entry a snap. But the tall ride height and wide rocker panels make it harder to step out. The rear doors don't open wide, but it's still easy to get in and out thanks to near-perfect step-in height.

Essentially the Outback is a tall-riding car, and that's what it feels like to drive it. Although it's lower to the ground than most typical SUVs, the height from the driver's seat feels more SUV than wagon.

Excellent front headroom and really good elbow room thanks to the big door cutouts. In the rear, there's decent headroom and good elbow room and kneeroom. Foot space under the front seats can be a bit scrunched.

There are slim pillars all around, especially the side roof pillars just behind the driver's head. The big rear window and large side windows make for minimal blind spots. Large side mirrors. All trims have a backup camera as standard equipment.

Compared to the last generation, this current Outback is a huge step up for Subaru. The interior has plenty of soft-touch material on the dash, window sills and door inserts. The trim textures are nice too, with convincing fake wood on the Limited. The controls feel solid and work well.

With its easily accessible cargo area, spacious rear seats and low roofline, the Outback offers excellent all-around utility.

The front bin has a security door, and the armrest bin is two-tiered. Cupholders lack anti-tip functionality, but the cellphone slot is excellent.

Power hatch opens wide, and there's 35.5 cubic feet of space behind upright rear seats. A sturdy rubber mat helps keep cargo from sliding around and reduces worry about dirty, muddy items. Max cargo capacity is 73.3 cubes. The boxy shape and low liftover point make for easy loading of large items.

The Outback is rated to tow 2,700 pounds with the four-cylinder, or 3,000 pounds with the six-cylinder. Those are better numbers than those of the base Honda CR-V or Toyota RAV4.

The Outback is graced with a modern and reasonably user-friendly touchscreen interface, available in either 6.2- or 7-inch sizes. Some functions require unnecessary dexterity, but it's one of the easier systems to use. Also packed with abundance of features and smartphone-connectivity apps.

The 2.5i Limited offers a 12-speaker Harman Kardon audio upgrade that includes a subwoofer. Navigation is optional on Premium and Limited trims and features clear graphics and pinch-zoom functionality.

Starlink Multimedia uses an iPhone or Android smartphone to activate on-board voice-controlled apps such as Pandora and iHeartRadio. Allows voice-to-text messaging ability. Premium and Limited trims also include Siri Eyes Free to control iPhone functions through voice commands.

The EyeSight driver assist system bundles adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane departure warning and intervention, and forward collision mitigation with automatic emergency braking. EyeSight can also detect pedestrians.