The base 2.5 i models deliver sufficient performance for commuting and daily driving, but don't offer the responsiveness of the more powerful turbo and six-cylinder engines. The 2.5 i engine has been upgraded for 2006 to produce 175 horsepower (a seven-horsepower increase over 2005) and 169 pound-feet of torque. With the five-speed manual and optional short-throw shifter, it's enjoyable to drive on winding roads. With the automatic, it's be a solid commuter and weekend workhorse. The 2.5i gets an EPA-estimated 23/28 City/Highway miles per gallon with the manual, 22/28 mpg with the automatic.

Fitted with the five-speed manual transmission, the 2.5 i and 2.5 XT get an all-wheel drive system using a viscous-coupling center differential that distributes power where it can best be used; the default is 50/50 front/rear but can reach 100 percent to either end if conditions warrant. With the four-speed automatic comes an electronically managed, continuously variable transfer clutch that splits the power as needed, but only up to a maximum of 50 percent to the rear wheels.

We had the opportunity to test a 2.5 XT Limited wagon with the five-speed manual and a 3.0 R wagon with the automatic. We couldn't hear a squeak or rattle in either model, indicating their build quality. Little wind noise was apparent, confined mostly to rushing air around the roof rack. More tire and road noise makes its way into the less well-insulated cabin of the 2.5, but not to any disturbing degree in either.

The turbocharged Outback 2.5 XT, with the intercooler tucked under a distinguishing hood scoop, is much more fun to drive than the 2.5 i or the 3.0 models. Its turbocharged version of the four-cylinder engine makes 250 horsepower at 6000 rpm for more sporting performance. The turbo spools up with minimal lag, and when it hits its stride, at a relatively low 3600 revolutions per minute, it comes on in a linear surge that pulls all the way up to redline. Changing up a gear 500 or 600 rpm before that point delivers more power quicker, however, as it drops the engine back into the deep part of the torque curve sooner. The four-cylinder turbo develops an impressive 250 pound-feet of torque at 3600 rpm, more than the six-cylinder engine. Torque is that force that propels you from intersections and up hills. The turbo is EPA-rated 19/25 mpg with the manual, 19/24 mpg with the automatic.

The action of the five-speed manual shifter is a little vague, a characteristic of Subaru gearboxes. The five-speed automatic, called Sportshift, is easy to shift manually: push the lever forward to shift up, pull it back to shift down. It upshifts on its own well before the engine hits its rev limiter, however, depriving manual shifters a degree of control.

The steering is light and responsive, with good on-center feel. The suspension is properly calibrated to absorb pavement irregularities and undulations without disturbing directional stability, whether in a straight line or on winding roads. There's some body lean in hard cornering, but nothing untoward. These improvements can be attributed to the redesign, which widened the track, lowered the engine in the chassis about an inch to lower the center of gravity, and modified the rear suspension to lower the roll center.

The Outback XT accounts for itself surprisingly well off the pavement, especially when fitted with the five-speed automatic. In the XT, the automatic gets the Variable Torque Distribution version of Subaru's three all-wheel-drive systems. The VTD system uses a planetary center differential managed by an electronically controlled, continuously variable hydraulic clutch to distribute the engine's power. Ideal conditions see the power split 45/55 front/rear to deliver more of a sporty, rear-wheel-drive dynamic; under less than ideal conditions, the split can reach a maximum of 50/50. And under those less-than-ideal conditions, like in deep ruts around curves over seriously uneven ground, the VTD works effectively, catching the rear end just as it begins to drift wide and tucking it back in line. When driven at the limit, keeping the power on actually helps the VTD do its job.

The 3.0 R models are a good choice for driving long distances, as they minimize fuss and bother, and are comfortable, competent and cooperative. A 3.0-liter flat six-cylinder engine makes 250 horsepower. The six-cylinder is not as much fun as the four-cylinder turbocharged XT. And the six-cylinder doesn't generate as much power as the four-cylinder turbo. The bigger engine delivers 219 pound-feet of torque at 4200 rpm. It offers smooth, responsive power around town, and is more tractable and, therefore easier to drive than the turbo. The 3.0-liter flat six-cylinder engine is almost as smooth as a V8 and puts its torque to the road smoothly and willingly, without much ado. It demands less of the driver. The six-cylinder engine with the five-speed automatic gets an EPA-rated 19/26 mpg, about two miles per gallon better on the highway than the four-cylinder turbo.

The 3.0 R will gobble up straight stretches of pavement at high rates of speed, then endure hard braking before carving around curves at speeds well above posted advisory limits, with easily anticipated understeer when pushed. Its VTD all-wheel-drive system will take the 3.0 models off road where few would think of going. But with the upgraded trim and smooth power delivery, the 3.0 models really shine on the interstate and when driven out to dinner instead of off the beaten path.

The 3.0 R VDC Limited is a showcase for Subaru's technological advancements. The Vehicle Dynamic Control combines electronic four-wheel traction control with VTD in a system intended to step in when needed to keep the car under control in emergency maneuvers. The VDC model offers the highest levels of safety.