Subaru Outback 4dventure | Test Drive

16 January 2023 Redazione News, Stories, Tested

Words Marco Mancino / Photos Gian Romero

My eyes are staring a point well beyond the front hood. I can’t look away, as the only thing I would see would be the void below. Better to keep focused, relying on the incredible symmetrical all-wheel drive and let the Outback get me out of this situation as soon as possible. A scenario like many others, but certainly not for those driving an SUV costing almost fifty thousand Euros, comfortably perched on large armchairs and with the mathematical certainty that one way or another we will get out of this, certainly not thanks to my off-road capabilities.

Subaru’s flagship model – with the exception of the new EV Solterra – still is the Outback. Slightly renewed for its mid-life restyling, it continues to offer the most ambitious engine in the price list, which is the only one available for this specific model. We are talking about a 2.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol boxer, combined with a CVT gearbox which now simulates 8 speeds, instead of 7, still at ease when the road is rough and on motorway sections, slightly uncomfortable when you want to take advantage of this Subaru with greater flexibility, perhaps between the bends that divide us from home to the mountain we are about to climb. Yes, because despite the fact that we are dealing with a huge SUV almost five meters long – 4.8 meters by 1.8 wide and 1.7 high – its natural habitat is exactly what the name suggests, inspired by one of the most remote areas on the planet, the Australian Outback.

Now available with the 4dventure spec and therefore with all the precautions designed for an even more extreme use, the new Outback refines its qualities, remaining a reference in terms of finishings and comfort, still accentuating enthusiasm when you are about to get your hands and wheels dirty. The 4dventure package sits halfway between the Style and the Premium one and, as in the case of the Forester, offers contrasting details that are also taken up in the passenger compartment, where we find seats in water-repellent material and rubber mats ready to be massacred by water, gravel and mud. Then there is the special color of our test model, an Autumn Green Metallic that blends perfectly into the desolate landscape that one kilometer after the other wraps around our slow but consistent march towards the fateful summit.

No hybrid unit this time, but a generous engine like the 2.5 which favors a linearity also conferred by the particular functioning of the often unjustly criticized CVT gearbox (continuously variable transmission), excellent in the city, but which pays off in promptness and reactivity when you need liveliness to overtake. However, the Outback has a very precise and defined identity and it is precisely that of carrying five people and luggage to their destination – equipment for outdoor activities included – regardless of which road one has to face, or even more precisely regardless of the existence of a road. The permanent symmetrical four-wheel drive is well known to anyone who has had the good fortune to sit behind the wheel of a Subaru and with the Outback it is no exception, making up for the generous dimensions by making even the most difficult path a child’s play.

We overcome a dirt section without the slightest problem and when the ground beneath us becomes stony, I decide to lighten up just to preserve the road tyres, but the soundproofing of the passenger compartment and the soft materials with which the entire dashboard is covered keep us company at speeds that rarely exceed 10 kph. In the steeper sections it is advisable to call into question the X-Mode, which takes care of managing automatic braking and traction, removing us even from the most desperate situations. The 21.3 centimeters of ground clearance come in handy on more than one occasion, while from the large 11.6” digital display it is possible to keep the rear video camera under control and thus make up for the poor visibility over the rear window, which seems very away from the driver’s seat. The 4dventure treatment proves once again to be a real added value, an outfit capable of transforming an excellent and sober SUV into an object perfectly at ease both with freshly polished mudguards or devastated by mud.

After trampling on stones for over an hour and exceeding 1,800 meters in height astride a path lost in the middle of nowhere, the landscape opens up and allows space to pull over and rest our bodies tossed from one side to the other of the cabin. The endless load compartment comfortably accommodated a few backpacks, the photographer’s equipment and what was needed for a packed lunch for 4 people. In this context, the Outback demonstrates all its strengths, such as on board roominess, a well-finished passenger compartment that has nothing to envy to European brands, an improved satellite navigator and total connection with any smartphone. And then there is the usual excellence in terms of safety, with an incredibly complete package in terms of project subtleties and the Eye Sight, a system that contributes significantly to keeping the brand at the top of the game.

Turning instead to the only contradiction present, the Outback still has a very large engine and this does not contribute to reduce fuel consumption, even if they can be kept around 9 l/100km, adopting a careful driving style. In fact, the 2.5-litre delivers just 169 horsepower and it does so when the engine reaches 5,000 rpm, so pretty high as far as revs curve concern, a situation in which you will only find yourself during overtaking. The maximum torque is 252 Nm and also in this case intervenes quite high on the tachometer scale – at 3,800 rpm – but learning to dose the throttle and perhaps taking advantage of the paddles that simulate the transition between the 8 virtual ratios available, let you familiarize with the most suitable driving style for this car.

Ok, we can go everywhere then, no matters dirt, mud, snow and we take friends with us, but at what price? The Outback is available with just one engine – 100% petrol – and starts at €45,200 (Style). The more refined Premium sits at the top of the list at €51,200, while the 4dventure sits in the middle with a starting price of €47,450. It goes without saying that for us it would be the best choice, not only in terms of value for money, but precisely because the aesthetic and functional touches of this step level accentuate the off-road nature of an excellent SUV that is perfectly at ease in any context. And then remember that Subaru all-wheel drive is an absolute miracle and that bearing in mind that traditional tires are preferable in 90% of cases of daily driving, it is that holy hand that gets you out of trouble when many more uncompromising 4X4s would end up in painful situations. In the meantime we have crossed the border of the region, crossed a couple of hills in south Piedmont and discovered a dirt road with no way out on which we will come back soon. If there was a vehicle with which to discover some unexplored environment, Subaru is always the best choice.