Topic: CD Article: 2006 Subaru Outback 2.5i Limited

[Autos_Editor]

Test Drive:

The Subaru Outback continues to be a viable alternative to the standard station wagon or a small SUV, reports Paul Williams. However, the company's recent move "up-market" is pushing the price of a nicely equipped Subaru ever higher, he notes. "Nice as it is, I think Subaru is getting to a tipping point," he says.     More...

[ghost]

wow! 38k for a 2.5i Outback?!  no thanks. gimme a legacy GT anytime.    Still amazes me that the Outback outsells all subaru models!  Was Paul Hogan that good?

[84im]

   38 grand for a 175 hp, four banger? 

[Howswedeitis]

To be sure, 38k is a heck of a lot of money for what you get in
the Outback...

For that money there are surely better cars...the Saab 9-3 Sport Combi
for one. It not only performs better but it's much more comfortable
(Saab seats are some of the best in the business) plus you're getting
a really nicely designed wagon that won't look dated for a long time
to come.

[Bullet Blue]

No doubt a Legacy GT seems like the better buy if you can forgo the extra ground clearance. Perhaps the older folks who I generally see driving this car don't really need all the power of the GT though but still want something that's calm comfortable and can still handle all different types of road conditions.

[Snowman]

  38 grand for a 175 hp, four banger? 

I would say $38k for a 3600 lb 175HP four-banger Outback is far more logical than $38k for a comparable 4500 lb 250 HP V6 SUV.

[Shnak]

No doubt a Legacy GT seems like the better buy if you can forgo the extra ground clearance. Perhaps the older folks who I generally see driving this car don't really need all the power of the GT though but still want something that's calm comfortable and can still handle all different types of road conditions.

That's exactly it... the Outback is in the unique position of being pretty much the only car with close to SUV ground clearance. If you're looking for that type of vehicle, the Outback is pretty much your only option... If you're looking at the Legacy, what differentiates it from all the other sedans out there? There's AWD, and wagon... both of those things have limited appeal to the mass market right now, so a lot of people just end up going with a Camry or Accord instead of the Legacy...

The Legacy has zero appeal to me, while the Outback has always been pretty high on my list...

I would say $38k for a 3600 lb 175HP four-banger Outback is far more logical than $38k for a comparable 4500 lb 250 HP V6 SUV.

Yeah I agree with that too... but there's no doubt that the base Outback is the one that is exceptional value... at $38k, it's less of a bargain...

[a4_tom]

Outback is really an unique combination of SUV-ness and wagon-ness on the market at its price range. You have to spent a lot more for XC70 Cross Country to get this kind of luxury, without the handling dynamics of a Subaru.

[ovr50]

I would say $38k for a 3600 lb 175HP four-banger Outback is far more logical than $38k for a comparable 4500 lb 250 HP V6 SUV.

Not sure which SUVs are 4500 pounds (other than obvious ones of Explorer, Tahoe, etc). Crossovers are definitely a lot lighter than that - the HL for example is about 3850 pounds. IMO the OB with the normally aspirated 4 cyl is underpowered.

[Shnak]

Forester weighs 3157lbs while the Outback weighs 3309lbs... the Forester felt perfectly fine with the 2.5L, so I don't have any doubts that the Outback is just fine with its engine. They're not very heavy vehicle... In comparison, a CRV weighs 3406lbs and a new 4-cyl RAV4 weighs 3436lbs, and both of those have smaller engines than the 2.5 in the Outback and Forester.

[safristi]

I'm amazed that that is the best selling Subie........WDF!!!!...Paul Hogan must be banging ALL the Professors SPOUSES............!!!!! ............a WRX Wagon or the Forrestor Turbo fer me ..If I went HELL BENT on 4wd............ ......"a Dingo ate my BRAIN "..........mate....anuffer Fosters fer the sheilas eh!!!

[ghost]

Apparently the ground clearance of the Outback is higher than the Grand Chero and Ford Exploders. At least that's what the brochure reads. But beside the point, why would old people require such high GC cars? Is it easier to get in?
I'd rather get the Forester XT. However the Legacy/Outback interior is still a notch better than the Impreza based Foresters. 

As for the SportCombi comparo, being a Saab owner (ehehehhe) I can say that people want proven reliability. While the Combi is a handsome wagon, folks who are in this market don't want something that requires constant maintenance which Saab cars are. Subaru's AWD drivetrain and engineering works out of the box with proven reliability. That's why you see so many Outbacks vs. Volvo XC or whatever crossover wagons.

[Howswedeitis]

Apparently the ground clearance of the Outback is higher than the Grand Chero and Ford Exploders. At least that's what the brochure reads. But beside the point, why would old people require such high GC cars? Is it easier to get in?
I'd rather get the Forester XT. However the Legacy/Outback interior is still a notch better than the Impreza based Foresters. 

As for the SportCombi comparo, being a Saab owner (ehehehhe) I can say that people want proven reliability. While the Combi is a handsome wagon, folks who are in this market don't want something that requires constant maintenance which Saab cars are. Subaru's AWD drivetrain and engineering works out of the box with proven reliability. That's why you see so many Outbacks vs. Volvo XC or whatever crossover wagons.

I'd have to disagree with you on Saab's reliability...I've owned 3 of them and know quite a few other Saab owners and what you're saying is an urban myth just like the one that their parts are more expensive than others.
My first Saab (a 1990 900s) had well over 450,000k on the clock and never had more service than a head gasket replacement at 275k (by the way it never ate more than 1/2 litre of oil every 5k) my second 900 (a '95) I drove to
300,000k and again no major issues. My last Saab a 9-5 had much less mileage (140k when sold) and it was also
bulletproof.

I'd put a Saab 2.0l or 2.3l engine up against any rice burner out there. A maintenance free Timing chain, high quality internals ie piston rings, valve guides, bulletproof bottom end ie crank etc make for what is a very reliable drivetrain. Like all cars service is key...oil changes when needed and regular maintenance will keep them running forever. PS one of my friends runs an independent Saab garage and he has many clients with Saabs with well
over 500,000k on the clock and they just keep on ticking. I've not seen many Japanese cars that can make
that claim.

[davidm]

Apparently the ground clearance of the Outback is higher than the Grand Chero and Ford Exploders. At least that's what the brochure reads. But beside the point, why would old people require such high GC cars? Is it easier to get in?

Exactly!  My mom (61) loves it and is great for carting around my grand-pa (89).  She would take the Outback over the GT in a heartbeat.  But, given the $38k price (which she can afford) she'd freak and get an Impreza Outback Sport.  She really liked her base Impreza service loaner.

As for the height, Mom loves that as well.

[Shnak]

But, given the $38k price (which she can afford) she'd freak and get an Impreza Outback Sport.  She really liked her base Impreza service loaner.

Forget the $38k price, the base Outback @ $32k has more than enough standard features to satisfy most people.

[Bullet Blue]

Forget the $38k price, the base Outback @ $32k has more than enough standard features to satisfy most people.

Then I guess having a Limited Edition seems pointless...

[Shnak]

well that depends what you're looking for... there isn't a huge difference in equipment between the 2.5i and the 2.5i Limited. The extra 6k gives you: 6CD, auto climate control, moonroof and leather. Most people can do without those things.

The base Outback already comes with 17" Alloys, 6 speakers, ABS, rear discs, A/C, trip computer, 6 airbags. For $32k, it's one of the best equipped vehicles on the market!!! Even if I didn't mind leather, I don't think I could convince myself to spend the extra $6k to get into the Limited as I don't think it's worth it compared to the base 2.5i.

[Howswedeitis]

well that depends what you're looking for... there isn't a huge difference in equipment between the 2.5i and the 2.5i Limited. The extra 6k gives you: 6CD, auto climate control, moonroof and leather. Most people can do without those things.

The base Outback already comes with 17" Alloys, 6 speakers, ABS, rear discs, A/C, trip computer, 6 airbags. For $32k, it's one of the best equipped vehicles on the market!!! Even if I didn't mind leather, I don't think I could convince myself to spend the extra $6k to get into the Limited as I don't think it's worth it compared to the base 2.5i.

What's with manufacturers 'lumping' options together like this...I mean if you just want a sunroof you need
to get nailed for the other stuff you don't need...Toyota, Honda et al seem to do this a lot.
A good way to milk their clients I tell you...

[ghost]

Not sure about why Honda or Toyota or any large auto mfg would do this. But I know for Subaru it's economies of scale. You see, Subaru is a tiny car mfg compared to the rest of the car mfgs. So in order to make reasonable profit, they have to 'lump' features together. Hey you can always go with Porsche which will happily charge you $250 for coloured coded centre wheel caps. Or $2500 for powered seats. 

[sirAQUAMAN64]

I think the base Subaru models are all good values. Too bad they stretch the MSRP over such a wide range with so few stand-alone options.

That's why I was diggin' the base Legacies with the SE sunroof pkg.