The Subaru Outback is powered by a 2.5-litre horizontally-opposed four-cylinder boxer engine making 137kW of power at 5800rpm and 254Nm of torque at 3700rpm.

Choosing the Wilderness switches to a 2.4-litre turbo version, delivering 194kW at 5600rpm and 382Nm between 2000rpm and 3600rpm.

Both use a continuously variable transmission (CVT) with eight artificial ‘steps’ for a more torque-converter-like experience. Unfortunately, no manual gearbox is available.

The all-wheel drive system sends torque to all four wheels. Normally that split is 60/40 front/rear, but driving style and conditions can even that out to 50/50 as required.

With the switch from a crossover wagon body style to a more traditional and upright SUV, Subaru says the seventh-generation Outback is now shaped to offer living-room-like space.

To that end, large doors open wide for unimpeded entry and egress, the ceiling is high and legroom is abundant.

The dashboard has moved to a cleaner, horizontally-orientated design theme dominated by a 12.1-inch central touchscreen and 12.3-inch electronic driver display. Unlike in the last Outback, this one returns to physical switches and buttons for the climate control and other vehicle functions, for clarity and ease.

Redesigned front seats are more supportive, ventilation is ample, storage is plentiful and vision is excellent thanks to the lofty seating, deep windows, vast windscreen and overall boxiness of this SUV. Subaru says it has also worked hard to quieten down the cabin and use better-quality materials, while preserving the model’s reputation for functionality and durability.  

For its seventh generation, the Subaru Outback is classified as a large SUV, but remains a five-seater.

Subaru says it has worked hard to make the front bucket seats better, with extra support for the pelvis and lumbar areas while being prone to less vibration.

On all grades, the driver’s seat is powered and so is the front passenger seat on Premium and Touring. All have heated front seats and the Touring and Wilderness gain heated outboard rear seats while the Touring alone also scores ventilated front seats and a thigh-support extender.

The rear seat reclines a little, is split 60/40, and has a remote-release lever for each portion operable from the boot.

There are three types of seat coverings available, but none are cloth. On the AWD and AWD Premium, it’s black synthetic leather, while genuine Nappa leather is on the AWD Touring. The Wilderness grades sees a switch to “hydrophobic synthetic leather with an anti-slip embossed finish” that is meant to be hard-wearing and easy to clean.

Subaru does not publish performance figures for the Outback in Australia, but the US-market Wilderness with the 2.4-litre turbo engine is said to achieve a 0-100km/h time of about 6.8 seconds, while the Outback’s 2.5-litre naturally-aspirated engine is around 9.0 seconds. Similarly, in the US, top speed is about 200km/h in the Outback and 210km/h in the Wilderness.

The Subaru Outback with the 2.5L naturally-aspirated engine offers a combined average consumption figure of 8.1L/100km, for a carbon dioxide emissions rating of 183 grams per kilometre. The Wilderness with 2.4-litre turbo version manages 9.7L/100km and 228g/km. Both engines can drink from the standard 91 RON petrol bowser. Filling the 63L tank, expect an average range of about 777km in the Outback and 648km Wilderness.