2006 Subaru Outback Reviews

Ewan Kennedy road tests and reviews the 2003, 2004, 2009, 2010 and 2013 Subaru Liberty and Outback as used buys.

Subaru's largest passenger car, the Liberty, has a well-deserved reputation for toughness and reliability with Australian buyers. The Subaru Outback is an interesting variant on the Liberty station wagon. On the market since 1996 it is intended as a halfway step between a conventional station wagon and a dedicated 4WD.In its earlier models Subaru Outback had a tougher appearance than the standard wagon because of the additional protective plastic facings on the doors. These were discontinued with the new generation of 2003 to give the vehicle a more upmarket air, though there are many Subaru advocates who preferred the tougher look of the original.Since 1995 only all-wheel drive Liberty models have been sold in Australia, prior to then there were also front-wheel drive versions, even by 1995 these were comparatively rare because buyers had already sussed out the advantages of driving all four wheels.Unusually for Japanese cars, Libertys and Outbacks, indeed all Subarus, are popular with country drivers as well as those from metro areas. Libertys and Outbacks are much loved by snow skiers because their permanent all-wheel drive system makes them safer and more capable in slippery conditions than a 2WD vehicle.Subaru Liberty first arrived in this country in 1989 and struck a chord with local buyers almost immediately. These older models are generally getting long in the tooth so may be near the end of their lives. You’re probably better off avoiding them.Liberty is sold as a four-door sedan and a five-door station wagon, with a much larger percentage of wagons being sold than in other models in the mid-size class. The combination of the traction of all-wheel drive and the practicality of a wagon rear end is a strong one.The engines have a flat ‘boxer’ layout to lower the centre of gravity for improved road holding. Engine capacities in the four-cylinder models are 2.0, 2.2 and 2.5 litres. The 2.0 actually has more performance than the 2.2 being a later design.Flat-six engines began with a 3.0-litre unit in the Outback and later the Liberty range, its capacity increased to 3.6 litres in September 2009. Subaru calls the flat-six engines the H6 - ‘H’ for horizontally opposed, but most owners tend to retain the use of flat-six or boxer for it.There are a couple of high-performance Subaru Liberty variants. The Liberty RS has a 2.0-litre turbocharged unit and was introduced here in 1992. It was on sale for less than two years, when it was upstaged by the smaller and lighter Subaru Impreza WRX, a car that went on to be a huge success.The Liberty B4 sports machine has a twin-turbo 2.0-litre. It first came here in August 2001 but was somewhat of a disappointment in Australia because the engine had to be significantly detuned from the one offered on the Japanese market to run on our lower-octane petrol.These Subarus are reasonably easy to work on and most routine jobs can be carried out by an experienced home mechanic. However, safety items and most areas of the high-performance variants are best left to the professionals.Spare parts prices are about average for a car in this class. The Subaru dealer network, though relatively small, works efficiently. Because of Subarus’ popularity in country areas there are dealers in comparatively remote areas.Insurance charges on all but the turbocharged high-performance Liberty RS and Liberty B4 are moderate. The turbo models can be really expensive to cover, especially if you are a young and/or inexperienced driver. Living in a high-risk area further increases charges. Be sure to get a quote before falling in love with a turbo Liberty as premiums can be scary.Look over the interior trim and carpets for signs of damage, though they usually hold up well to all but the most outrageous of treatment. Mud or a real buildup of dust may indicate a lot of time spent of the beaten track.Check out the luggage area for signs of harsh treatment caused by carrying big and/or sharp loads. Have a look underneath a car, particularly the Outback, for signs of damage through it coming into contact with the ground. Some owners really do treat them as though they are ‘real’ 4WDs.The undersides of the bumpers, especially on their corners, are usually the first to suffer. Be sure the engine starts quickly and immediately idles smoothly no matter how cold the conditions. The sixes are naturally smoother than the fours, but the latter should be pretty good as well. Manual gearboxes should be quiet in operation and gearchanges should be smooth and light. Automatics which tend to hunt up and down the gears, or which are slow to go into gear, could be due for an overhaul. Rust is not common in Subarus, but if one has been badly repaired after a crash it may get into the metal. Call in a professional inspector if there’s the slightest doubt.

Surely this is more suitable out the back of the shopping centre than out the back of the Aussie bush.Even the reasonably rugged "armadillo" exterior of the old 1990s wagon is now more genteel, while the interior is urban chic with its soft beige leather upholstery and carpets — at least in the Outback 3.0 Premium I drove recently.The Outback's city credentials are assured and you see them being used around the suburbs for picking up the kids from school and the shopping.After a short drive to the shops, my wife confirmed that it was perfect for the job, with lightweight steering, a tight turning circle and plenty of vision. It's a breeze to park in the tightest underground car park.Her only complaint was that she "feels a bit dorky" in a station wagon.I must admit it does look dorky and I don't feel particularly macho driving around in the suburban-oriented wagon. But at least it has all the luxury appointments — and then some.The 3.0R Premium even included optional satellite navigation with a handy touch-screen facility. Very easy to use as you simply point at what you want and away it goes.There is also a facility for quickly finding the nearest point of interest, such as a church or restaurant, accommodation or other city utilities and services. However, how would it go in the real Outback? Would the maps simply disappear into a blank screen? Would I be able to find a place of interest in the bush?And now the Outback 3.0R comes with Subaru's tricky new Intelligent Drive or "SI-Drive" on all turbocharged and three-litre models.Back to the wife: she reckons it feels docile and gutless. This coming from a woman who has never had a speeding ticket in 25 years of driving and thinks that green lights mean you should prepare to crawl."You're in intelligent drive," I explain, and she says, "Why, thank you!""That's not a compliment. You have the car in Intelligent Drive mode, which gives about 10 per cent better fuel economy but makes it feel very lethargic," I explain further."If you really want to give it the berries and shunt a Ford driver off the track, flick the dial in the centre console left or right for sport modes."The two-phase sport modes (Sport and Sport #) boost engine revolutions, regulate the engine and transmission control units and sharpen up electronic throttle response.There is also a flap on the steering wheel to toggle through the three Sport modes. Great for racetracks, but what do these sport modes do for the wagon's outback credentials?With all these unanswered questions the only thing to do was to put it to the test on a dirty weekend. No, that has nothing to do with my wife; it is the title of a book by 4WD expert Brad McCarthy that guides you along 4WD tracks.Dirty Weekends — get it?I chose to do Queensland's Mount Mee Forest track, except stretches of which I was warned I would need low range.So, how did it go?Well, the first thing I noticed was that even before I left town, the roads disappeared off the sat nav.However, with a couple of quick finger points to the touch screen, I opened the longitude and latitude co-ordinates which I could check against the guide in Dirty Weekends In South East Queensland, now in its fourth edition.These were spot on. By marking junctions and turns, I could return and follow the same route without the book.Into the forest, the road quickly disintegrates with corrugations, ruts and slippery gravel on some very steep ascents and descents.In Intelligent mode, the Geolander tyres struggle to gain grip and momentum on the slippery surface.I was a little worried about the Sport and Sport Sharp modes providing too much power in such conditions but they work just fine.The steep slopes are quickly dispatched with smooth power on tap.It understeers a little into corners, then quickly flicks into controllable oversteer if you lift off the throttle.While there is no hill descent, on the downhill gravel sections the ABS provides some help.Best of all, the ride and handling, which is a little roly-poly on the tar, feels quite comfortable and sure-footed in the dirt.Perhaps the grip levels of tar expose the body roll, whereas the slip and uneven surface of a gravel road allows the suspension to do its job and keep the wheels on the ground while providing decent handling and ride comfort.Even quick corrugations are dispatched without anything more than rattling door trims.Despite some reasonable ruts, the 200mm clearance is not an issue on these tracks.It is almost as high as softroaders such as Hyundai Santa Fe or BMW X5 but nowhere near as high as a Jeep Cherokee (239mm). Clearance would only be an issue in rutted deep, soft sand or mud.Most hard gravel tracks should be navigable. Just be careful of loose rocks which could rupture some of the precious organs underneath.The Outback's towing capacity has increased from 1200kg in 1990 up to 1800kg in the current model.However, towing will lower that clearance further.You can buy towing packs that maintain the 200mm clearance but they can cost more than $1000.Over the standard 2.5i, the 3.0R adds mudflaps, headlight washers, headlight adjusters, climate control, door-mounted courtesy lights, steering wheel-mounted audio controls, 300kg more towing capacity and sequential transmission.The Premium adds optional sat nav and McIntosh premium six-CD sound system ($4490), driver's seat with memory, leather, sunroof and paddle shifters for the sequential transmission.Primary and secondary safety is a strong suit for all Subarus and this is no exception with top crash ratings.All Outbacks have four front airbags and the Premium adds front and rear curtain airbags.It may not be a true outback machine, but out back of the city, the Outback works just fine.

The city-smart Liberty and its country cousin, the Outback, have been given a mid-life styling freshen and a much more significant injection of smarts with the SI-Drive (Subaru Intelligent Drive) technology on all 3.0-litre and turbo models."SI-Drive gives the driver three cars; a performance version or an economical version depending on the road, the conditions or the driver's emotions," Subaru Australia managing director Nick Senior says."We are particularly excited about being able to offer this technology as it has previously been the domain of much more expensive vehicles."SI-Drive is the culmination of almost two decades of determination and belief in an idea Liberty project general manager Toshio Masuda had as a young engineering student."When I was a student I imagined the day when you would not have to change the engine in your car to get very different characteristics," Masuda says at the Australian launch of SI-Drive. "I kept a belief in my idea and when I became a senior engineer with Subaru I knew it was time to introduce this idea to the world."But although the theory of SI-Drive was sound, he says resistance from some sections of the company was difficult to overcome. "Many in the company thought this (SI-Drive) was not possible because of the technical challenges ... challenges we have been able to overcome," he says.Operating through a simple dial situated on the central console behind the gear shift, the driver can select an economy mode (Intelligent), general driving mode (Sport) or aggressive attack mode (Sport Sharp).From the 3.0-litre engine, Intelligent mode provides performance like a 2.0-litre non-turbo, Sports mode raises the stakes to a 2.5- to 3.0-litre non-turbo equivalent, while Sports Sharp ensures maximum engine response.The reduction in engine output in Intelligent mode - with its consequent fuel saving - is 27 per cent in the 3.0-litre engine, down from 297Nm and 180kW to 200Nm and 147kW.For the 2.5-litre turbo engine, it reduces maximum torque by 19 per cent and power by 20 per cent down to 275Nm and 148kW."It is essential, however, that the driver also matches driving style to the engine output," Subaru's Derek Ashby says. "Aggressive driving techniques will only make the fuel consumption worse."To help drivers stay in the most efficient engine range, SI-Drive cars have what Subaru calls an Eco Gauge in the dash display.Manual models also come with a shift light indicating optimum time to change gears."Real-world testing by Subaru Australia in Australian conditions has shown significant fuel-consumption improvements in I mode compared to S mode," Ashbury says."For example, a Liberty GT manual transmission vehicle in I mode showed a 14 per cent improvement in the city cycle with the highway cycle achieving a gain of 6 per cent over the S mode."The facelift also marks the return of the turbo-charged GT model, this time with the superb 2.5-litre unit from the Impreza STi.With 184kW and 339Nm on tap, the GT comes as a base with a five-speed manual or a pair of Spec-B models with a five-speed auto or the STi's sublime six-speed manual. Spec-B cars also benefit from a Bilstein sports suspension package from the 3.0R Spec-B - and add 18-inch alloys and low-profile rubber.Specification levels across all models have been improved, with one of the key gripes against both Liberty and Outback (the lack of telescopic steering adjustment) answered.There is also brake assist and six-stacker in-dash CD. Higher up the model tree, the turbo and 3.0-litre cars also add a multi-function screen for trip, fuel and SI-drive information, high-intensity discharge lights, dual-zone climate control, expanded multi-function steering wheels and power seats with memory.Subaru has held prices for the 2.0-litre cars ($31,990 manual and $33,990 auto) and trimmed $1000 from the 2.5-litre range ($34,990 manual). The 3.0R remains at $50,990, the 3.0R-B is up $500 to $52,990, while the range-topping GT Spec-B starts at $55,990 (manual).

Liberty GT/GT Spec BMotoring journalists spend a good portion of their time on launches sifting through the marketing hype to find the hard facts. When Subaru claimed their SI-Drive gave the Liberty owner 'three engines in one', an eyebrow was raised in skepticism rather than surprise.But all that was needed to prove Subaru’s point with SI-Drive was a steep hill.Of the three SI-Drive modes, it is the 'Intelligent' (economy) mode that makes the biggest impact. Subaru claim the Intelligent setting reduces engine output to that of a 2.0-litre naturally aspirated car, regardless of the actual engine under the bonnet.The first steep hill in a turbo GT model was met with the appropriate minimal enthusiasm from the engine, slowly pulling up the incline before reluctantly kicking up a gear - and sipping a little more fuel.A similar incline in the default setting of Sport (the setting on which the Liberty’s fuel figures are based) brings a completely different response from the engine; the hill disappears behind familiar dollops of mid-range turbo torque.The frugal Intelligent setting is excellent on downhill and long highway stints, still providing enough power to accelerate around slower traffic, but drinks slightly more than Sport mode on the hills and feels frustratingly limited when the going gets tough.The best result from the SI-Drive was to leave it in Sport until a long flat highway stretch, then remembering to return to Sport through the bends.On the other end of the scale, the Sports Sharp mode picks up the throttle and gear changes in the automatic models with noticeable speed.The shifts are further hastened by a new blip function that briefly raises the rpm on the upshift, resulting in a smoother gear change and minimal shift shock.Shifting itself in the autos is a more involving prospect thanks to the excellent wheel-mounted paddles, easily allowing the driver to select gears even when in full Auto mode when the twists tighten.The manuals are still the pick for sports enthusiasts, particularly the GT spec B with its excellent new suspension, sublime symmetrical all-wheel-drive and newfound flat torque churning through the STi gearbox.SI-Drive is also available on the manuals, leveling its fuel consumption to a claimed 10.9L/100km; the same consumption as the auto, and only fractionally higher than most of the tiny turbocharged hot hatches on today’s market despite four doors, a boot and all that extra booty...Outback 3.0RAs a crossover car, the Outback has been a raging success for Subaru.The Outback has caught up to the Liberty a little in the looks department, with the revised corporate grille producing a more integrated and modern look that still stands apart from the Liberty wagon, but shared its sloped-roofed, understated style.Now riding on 17-inch alloys, the turn in is sharp and the wheels and suspension communicative, though it does not share the Liberty’s neutrality under pressure.On the twisted roads around Healesville in Victoria, a place well known to Subaru from its Rally of Melbourne days, the top-shelf Outback kept pace with the Liberty nat-atmo cars, but suffered more bodyroll on the tight bends.Not surprising, considering its higher clearance for off-road and towing ability (and it still drinks the same as Liberty at a respectable 11.1L/100km).Buyers would be hard-pressed to find a more capable all-wheel-drive with this much standard kit and five-star safety for the asking price.Samantha Stevens is a reviewer on the CARSguide test team. Her work appears here and in the Sunday Telegraph CARSguide. A version of this review, as well as other news, reviews and analysis appears in the Sunday Telegraph.