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| 2005 Subaru Outback Review | |||
| Whether you're about to spend $40K on a brand new car, or half that on a used car, it is always important to learn as much as you can about the used car. Read these car reviews to learn about all aspects of the vehicle. Each of the usedcar reviews cover interior and exterior features, options, road tests, and more. | |||
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Introduction
| Road Test
| Inside & Out
| Other Thoughts
| Last Word
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| Inside & Out | |||
Go park this sharp-looking Outback between an Camry and a Highlander - notice how it's almost as tall as the latter? The gaudy styling cues from past Outbacks don't seem to be present anymore; differences between Legacy and Outback seem to end after the tallness, roof rack, and fog lights, plus the functional hood scoop on the turbo models of both. Despite increases in dimensions, Subaru claims 180 pounds have been lost thanks to aluminum in the hood and rear gate, among other places.Opening any of the frame-less doors is a pretty ethereal experience. Once seated, though, it's all substance, and 2005 brings a much-needed splash of style. The good-feeling 3-spoke leather wheel is new and the more artful center stack is new. Crisp electroluminescent gauges exclusive to turbo models light up the dash in a Lexus-like fashion (and in a Pontiac fashion, all dials dance when you start the car). Well-placed cupholders, an upper-dash console (where next year's navigation system will go), rich leather with seat heaters, and a good mix of leather/wood/chrome make this the best Subaru interior I've seen. Best I've heard, too. The modest 120-watt rating doesn't describe the tight trebles coming through the Outback's six door-mounted speakers. An in-dash 6-disc changer and good ergonomics also work. Forgetting MP3 in a brand new 2005 design (except in the top-of-the-line Outback 3.0R Limited) is unforgivable, however. A few things need work: the otherwise smart dual-zone automatic climate controls annoyingly default to recirculate and A/C ON mode instead of its previous settings. The dome light is way back in the middle of the car, making night-time entry/exits a dark affair. (The map lights are too weak to compensate.) And both the power lock switches and the locks themselves work backwards. I'd also like the choice of turning off the daytime running lights. Strangely, the headlights don't work when the car's off. Despite a no-telescope Momo-brand steering wheel (another acute 2005 omission), I was able to find a perfect driving position in the supportive seats. But the second row, with its low cushion and clamped-down footroom, leaves some to be desired. Space isn't bad and the driveline hump isn't much bigger than a front-drive car's, but the Legacy and Outback are still the only mid-size cars that are really EPA "compacts." At least everyone gets a view out of the gigantic sunroof, and newly standard are all the requisite safety features of all-seat 3-point belts and head restraints (the fronts are active), collapsible brake pedal, front-side and all-curtain air bags, and new dual-stage front air bags that turn off the passenger's if none is present. As one of the four remaining wagons in its class, you can easily toss 33.5 cubic feet of junk in the Outback's caboose (11.4 in sedans), plus there's a handy underfloor compartment for small items, tie-down hooks galore, and a 12V power outlet. The easily-folded second row expands space to 66.2. (Outback Limited models shrink those to 32.1 and 61.7.) That has it beating the Mazda 6, Volkswagen Passat, and Chevy Malibu Maxx - a.k.a. everyone - not to mention about 20 junior SUVs you can name. |
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