2020 Subaru Outback vs Mazda CX-9

What's the difference?

When the Subaru Outback first arrived in the mid-1990s it was an all-wheel drive station wagon with extra ground clearance for the occasional adventure… and it still is.

That the Outback never morphed into a fully-fledged SUV makes it a rare species in a world that’s fallen under the spell of big, tall, boxy machines.

Being a bit different isn’t the only reason for buying an Outback, however, and the 2.5i Premium I tested could be the pick of the model line-up.  

During my week with the car I drove hundreds of kilometres, did the daily commute and the preschool drop off, had some dirt road fun and even intentionally locked myself out of it.

The result is this: everything you need to know about the Subaru Outback 2.5i Premium.

Tell you what, there's rarely a dull moment in this gig. Well, you might think this is terribly dull, but jumping from the newest Mazda, the CX-30, to the big fella CX-9 was an interesting experience. 

Probably not for the obvious reasons - the CX-9 is Mazda's largest SUV, with seven-seats and the company's powerful 2.5-litre turbo. It's interesting because the CX-9 signalled the start of Mazda's current generation design, with it's slim headlights, simpler surfacing and truly excellent interior.

The CX-9 is probably more than halfway through its lifecycle now, so moving back to the start of the design shift made for some interesting observations.

And due to its age, Mazda's insights over the last few years meant a little re-jig of the range, with the Azami LE disappearing and the plain-old Azami taking over at the top of the of the offerings.