SUV Reviews

Say the words "Subaru Outback" and people know what you're talking about - that station wagon that has some off-road pretensions because of its higher ride height. So is this new-generation 2021 Subaru Outback more SUV than ever before?

Sitting in the middle of the 2021 Subaru Outback range – but standing out in its own right – is the mid-spec Outback AWD Sport.The Outback AWD Sport variant has a list price of $44,490 (MSRP – before on-road costs), positioning it among higher-spec midsize SUV rivals, but also squarely against the Forester Sport from within its own stable, and the Toyota RAV4 Edge which is that brand’s sportier looking AWD petrol SUV.The AWD Sport grade has a number of visual differentiators over the base model car, gaining dark 18-inch wheels, black exterior trim finishes, fixed roof rails, a power tailgate, water repellent interior trim with green stitching, heated front and outboard rear seats, sports pedals, light-sensing headlights (auto on/off) and it gets built in sat nav, plus a front view and side view monitor for parking/low speed driving, too.That’s in addition to the standard gear fitted to the entry-level model, comprising LED headlights, an 11.6-inch touchscreen media system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Bluetooth phone and audio streaming, four USB ports, a six-speaker sound system and DAB+ digital radio. There are electric adjustable front seats, and dual zone climate control as well.And there’s an array of safety technology by way of the fourth-generation version of Subaru EyeSight, with the camera-based safety system working for forward AEB with pedestrian and cyclist detection, as well as lane keeping assist, speed sign recognition and more. The Outback range also comes with blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert, as well as reverse AEB, as standard.As with the models above, the Outback AWD Sport is powered by a 2.5-litre four-cylinder ‘boxer’ engine, which has 138kW of power and 245Nm of torque. It is teamed to a continuously variable transmission (CVT) automatic, and it has all-wheel drive as standard. Claimed fuel consumption for the Outback AWD (and all models) is 7.3L/100km. Towing capacity is 750kg unbraked / 2000kg braked.

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