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❮ ❯

Craig and Deanne Conover

Sunday Drive

This week, we had an opportunity to get some time in one of our favorite brands Subaru, stemming from the fact that we both owned one when we met must have something to do with our Subaru obsession. Actually, back at that point in our lives, the early ’80s, its vehicles made a lot of sense just as they do today, fairly priced and got great gas mileage.

Since that time, many things in the automotive world have changed along with Subaru; the Outback has become one of the bestselling models in the line, right behind the Forester, although it may not be one of the top 30 bestselling models out there, it definitely has a place in Americana and the hearts of those that really love Subarus.

One of the reasons might be the 8.7 inches of clearance underneath the mid-sized wagon. What that really means is that it is a very capable vehicle in the 4-wheel drive world, but also is a great everyday driver. Not only because it has 4-wheel drive, but also because it is designed to go off road and get around with ease.

It’s also designed to be a great family vehicle, and most importantly, it is designed for the active family on the go. Meaning those that want to explore the outdoors and get there in comfort and safety with enough room for all the extra stuff involved with their many activities. Subaru has become a lifestyle vehicle and generally has one in their lineup for everyone, the Outback has become the active family car.

The question is, will that remain the standard, especially here in Utah where large families are more the norm than the exception, with the introduction last month at the LA Auto Show of the largest Subaru ever in the Ascent. This is the first three-row vehicle for Subaru, and we got a chance to look through it at the show. It seemed to us in size more like a Chevy Traverse. How these two Subarus compete for the family market will be interesting as time goes on.

There are some cosmetic changes for the 2018 Outback that have made it look even more masculine, with updates to the front end that are highlighted by the wider and lower grill openings, along with an entirely new bumper to set off the hexagonal grill. Add to that a new lighting package and it does appear, as Subaru wants you to see, that the front is giving the look of the horizontally opposed Boxer engine.

We like the new look, even though as Subaru claims, this is an SUV, it still has a more wagon look overall, but they are headed in the right direction, and with a ground clearance of 8.7 inches, it will be hard to keep the Outback on the pavement!

The 3.6-liter engine did make quite a difference this time around for us, we liked it better than the smaller 2.5i that was in our last week with the Outback. The extra 81 ponies were well worth the extra for the larger motor. However, the mileage fell off quite a bit as we only got 23.7-mpg average for the week, where a year ago we got 29 with the smaller engine. We would think most would opt for the better gas mileage. We, however, liked having the extra acceleration available on demand.

Enhancements to the Lineatronic CVT (continuously variable transmission) were great, as the engineers have managed to make it quieter with a short-pitch chain and making adjustments to the engine timing under hard acceleration. We felt this was one of the strongest CVTs that we have driven as of late, as it even took us a couple of hours the first day to notice that it was a CVT, not a standard transmission.

Of course, the inside of the Touring Edition features some great creature comfort additions, with a now larger 8-inch touchscreen for multimedia functions that sits front and center and surround by high gloss black accents, giving the feel of a more luxurious vehicle than that of a rugged adventure. There is also a nice, genuine stitching detail on the dashboard, seats and door panels that really add to the Touring trim level.

And in true Subaru fashion, it is the little additions that most will not ever notice that make a huge different, a revised air conditioning system that cools the cabin more quickly, interior power is retained longer after the ignitions shut off, letting the occupants exit the Outback in comfort, and the clock is now easier to read, something we were complaining about in a Lexus we had a few weeks ago that only had analog clock to tell the time!

The Outback Touring comes complete with the Eyesight system from the engineers at Subaru. What this does is add an extra pair of eyes and even an extra foot on the brake, if needed. There really are two new sensors that are located on each side of the rearview mirror at the top of the windshield that continually scan the road ahead and to the sides of the vehicle.

This makes it possible for the Outback to alert the driver if he starts to wander outside of the lane, and will also nudge the vehicle back into the lane with Subaru’s version of lane keep assist. We found that the system performed very well even in the dark of night on the concrete freeway where the lines are sometimes hard to see. It will even alert the driver if he seems to be weaving back and forth in the lane, something that might happen with drowsy driving.

It also comes with adaptive cruise control that will keep the Outback at a certain distance behind the next vehicle in the lane, even bringing the vehicle to a complete stop if necessary. The engineers have even taken this technology one step further by providing an audible beep when the car ahead clears allowing the Outback to return to the set speed.

This system will also hit the brakes if it thinks that the Outback is in eminent danger of a front collision, it will also reduce throttle control and apply brakes if the danger is not as emanate at it may appear, thus either avoiding or greatly diminishing a front end collision. With a Subaru equipped with the Eyesight system that IIHS gives the Outback the highest rating possible when it comes to front end collisions.

Our test ride would even give us a beep if we had been stopped for a minute and the car in front had moved forward, helped avoid those awkward moments when we were not paying complete attention to traffic ahead after stopping at a light. This is the first time we have seen this technology in a vehicle.

Add to all these great safety feature, rear cross path detection and blind spot monitoring and it all adds up to a very safe ride, which is as they say; “What make Subaru a Subaru!” See one today at Doug Smith Subaru in American Fork at 523 West Main, 801-492-1110.

Base Price: $38,690

Price as Driven: $38,690