Subaru Vortex Reviews

The Outback diesel should be ready by November, although Subaru Australia wants it as soon as possible."The effort has gone into getting an outback here first because our belief is that a diesel SUV has the most potential. That will be followed by a Forester diesel in 2010," says Nick Senior."Then we will turn our eyes to the passenger vehicle range."He rules out a Tribeca diesel and says the push will be with Liberty and then Impreza, although that could be well into 2010 or even 2011."We just don't have the capacity in research and development to change them over in such a short time. The priority was Outback first, Forester second, and the other two later on."While Subaru has been working on diesel there has also been an investigation into the potential of LPG, although the news is not good for Australia."We've looked at LPG and haven't got a solution at the moment that satisfies us," says Senior."There is a cost issue, and there are compatibility and durability issues. We would need to be comfortable with those before we brought in a factory LPG system." 

Subaru admits the Broadmeadows hero is one of the targets for its all- new Outback wagon, which has just been unveiled in the USA as the sidekick to the new Liberty.The Outback will look a little different by the time it gets to Australia, but the basics and particularly a bigger new cabin and an enlarged 3.6-litre engine will be just the same.Subaru Australia is promising to push hard on prices, after boosting the value of its all-new Impreza last year, but is not talking details yet."The Outback displayed at the New York show is obviously for the US.There are some styling cues that we won't see here - the overt SUV stuff," says the managing director of Subaru Australia, Nick Senior."Ours is probably a little more . . . restrained."The Outback will join the Liberty in Australia in September and both, according to Senior, are crucial."They are both important. I think, from a brand point of view, Subaru has been defined by the Liberty."This is 20 years. It's two decades of Liberty and in that time it's had strong customer advocacy and a lot of awards."We are going to play in an important segment of the market. It's a new car and it addresses some of the issues raised in customer feedback. One of those is interior room, so it's a lot roomier and it's a lot more fuel efficient."Early details of the Outback point to a car with a longer wheelbase, a bigger cabin, improved ground clearance, power of 190kW from the 3.6-litre six, and a six-speed manual on both the four and six.The basic body is stiffer, just like the Liberty, which should mean improved safety and less noise inside."The Outback, again, has significantly more interior space.Particularly rear legroom," says Senior, before pointing to a Ford challenge with the car."That opens the opportunity for us, particularly in Australia, to look at conquest sales. And not just from our traditional competitors but potentially from some of the local manufacturers."We'll have a 3.6-litre engine fed by normal unleaded and, particularly in rural areas, that is where I see an opportunity." 

Looking like a cross between a Lexus and a Holden Epica, the newcomer, known as the Legacy in North America, makes its debut at next week's New York International Auto Show.Australia will have a different version of the car, based on the Japanese domestic specification model.The big difference between the US-built Legacy and the Japanese-made cars that will come to Australia, is size.The American cars are slightly wider again to suit local tastes.However, even the Australian Liberty will be slightly wider and longer than the existing model with more luggage room.This translates to more rear legroom, which has been one of the main complaints about the current car.The Liberty goes on sale here in September.It will be available with several new technical innovations, including ‘Lineartronic’ continuously variable transmission and six-speed manual gearboxes on some variants, plus the choice of a 3.6-litre six-cylinder horizontally opposed boxer engine on the range-topper.The car is built on an entirely new platform.Subaru Australia managing director, Nick Senior, says safety, performance and style are all key ingredients in the new-generation Liberty mix."Combined with the high-quality engineering for which Subaru is renowned, it represents a formidable package," he says. 

Of the 12 off-roaders tested by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety in the United States just four earned a top rating of ``good'' and three were ``acceptable''.The tests were designed by the institute to provide new roof strength ratings.The Volkswagen Tiguan has the strongest rated roof and the Kia Sportage the weakest.Roofs on the Honda CRV and Ford Escape are marginal, and the Kia's is poor.The Tiguan, Subaru Forester, Jeep Patriot and a car sold in the US, the Honda Element, earn good ratings.The Suzuki Grand Vitara, Toyota RAV4 and Mitsubishi Outlander rated acceptable.The Chevrolet Equinox and Nissan Rogue, both just sold in North America, also rated acceptable.A spokesman for the Australian New Car Assessment Program and RACV chief engineer, Michael Case, says the US test add another dimension to safety information for new car buyers.He says ANCAP will be studying the findings.“The roof crush rating is a useful measure of how the roof will perform in a real rollover,’’ he says.“Rollover is the next area to go in developing tests and rating vehicles.”He says ANCAP will need to look at the IIHS process, particularly how to assess it.The new rating system is based on institute research showing that occupants in rollover crashes can survive better if their off-roaders have stronger roofs.Vehicles rated good must have roofs that are more than twice as strong as minimum federal safety standards require.``We anticipate that our roof strength test will drive improved rollover crash protection the same way that our frontal offset and side impact consumer test programs have led to better protection in these kinds of crashes,'' institute president Adrian Lund, says.The Institute recognises that vehicle roof structures have become stronger over the past few years.Part of the reason is that carmakers have made structural improvements to earn better front and side crash ratings.Strong A and B pillars help prevent intrusion in these types of crashes and also help hold up the roof.``It's not surprising that Volkswagen and Subaru earn good ratings in our new roof test because these carmakers were among the first to ace our front and side tests,'' Lund says.In the United States more than 10,000 people a year are killed in rollovers.When vehicles roll, their roofs often hit the ground with considerable force, deforming and crushing.Stronger roofs crush less, reducing the risk that occupants will be injured by contact with the roof itself.Stronger roofs can also prevent occupants, especially those not wearing seatbelts, from being ejected.In the US, about 25 per cent of deaths in car and van crashes are rollovers but in off-roaders this jumps to 59 per cent.The RACV’s Case says the incidence of rollovers in Australia is lower “but there is still a high chance of death or serious injury”.In the institute's roof strength test, a metal plate is pushed against one side of a roof near the A-pillar.To earn a good rating, the roof must withstand a force of four times the vehicle's weight before reaching 12cm of crush.   

There is more to towing than just hitching the trailer or caravan and pulling into traffic for a trip.Anyone who has lost control of a loaded trailer or caravan can tell you that getting it wrong can have serious consequences.Even taking a load of junk to the tip or picking up a box-trailer load of garden supplies can get ugly — or worse — if you are not adequately prepared.And learning to back and park with a trailer on the tail takes skill.The potential for disaster is everywhere: from choosing the right tow vehicle and preparing it for the job, to carrying too much weight, incorrectly distributing the weight of the load, or failing to maintain a trailer or caravan.STARTING POINTThe first step into tow land is to decide what you want to tow.More importantly, you need to calculate how much it weighs when fully loaded and ready for the road.This will help you work out if you can keep your existing car or whether you need to buy something new, perhaps a four-wheel-drive if you have horses or a big boat, to handle the tow work.TOWING CAPACITIESAll modern vehicles have a rated towing capacity.For example, a big 4WD such as a Nissan Patrol has a maximum towing capacity of 3500kg, but a small car such as a Toyota Corolla has a towing capacity of only 1300kg.The towing capacity includes the trailer or caravan, as well as all its contents, so people intending to tow a caravan should include everything they plan to take with them, including full water tanks.If you already have the caravan/trailer and can borrow a friend's tow car for a while, then it is easy to work out the weight of what you are towing.Just go down to a public weighbridge and roll the trailer on to the scales.Most new caravans have a rating that tells you how much the van is able to safely weigh, then you can compare this figure with the car's towing capacity.If your vehicle doesn't have a specified towing capacity (this often happens with older cars), you are allowed to tow up to 1 1/2 times the unladen mass of the tow vehicle, as long as the trailer and braking system complies with the relevant Australian Design Rule.If the trailer is not fitted with brakes, the mass of the caravan/trailer must not exceed the unladen weight of the tow vehicle, or 750kg.BRAKESThere are two common types of trailer brakes.The older type is mechanical, which triggers a hydraulic system that reacts when the tow vehicle decelerates.New trailers and caravans have an electric braking system that is much easier to control.Apart from being adjustable, electric brakes can be operated separately from the tow vehicle's brakes. If a trailer or van starts to sway, the driver can apply its brakes separately and have a much better chance of bringing it under control.WEIGHT-DISTRIBUTION HITCHA tow vehicle running with its nose in the air and rear almost rubbing on the ground is dangerous.Apart from all the wear and tear it causes, it also affects steering and braking.So a weight-distribution hitch is an important part of safe towing.OTHER GEARIt is a legal requirement for drivers to have a clear view of the road at all times, so you should consider fitting larger mirrors or mirror extenders, especially if towing a caravan.SPREADING THE LOADThe way a trailer or caravan is loaded is important.Put too much weight at the front or too much at the back of the caravan/trailer and it will negatively affect the handling, perhaps leading to a crash.MAINTENANCEMost trailers are stored in the back yard and are not used often, so it is important that they be regularly check and maintained.Wiring can easily corrode, causing lights to stop working, tyres can crack from old age, wheel bearings can dry up and braking systems can seize.The same goes for caravans.They may also be fitted with gas cylinders for cooking, which need to be regularly checked.GETTING IT RIGHTTow-Ed driving instructor John Eggenhuizen, who runs a national towing course, says towing accidents happen far too often.He tells of a just-retired couple who bought a $70,000 Toyota LandCruiser and a $65,000 caravan to set off on holiday, only to lose control and write them off in a crash.Eggenhuizen says such accidents are often caused by poor caravan/trailer set-up and a lack of experience.He says proper training prepares drivers for such situations, but also helps drivers with the sometimes difficult task of backing a trailer or caravan.BUYING A TOW CARBigger is usually better when it comes to tow cars.You don't need to have a giant 4WD, but they are often the best machines for the job.Vehicles designed for carrying heavy loads, including 4WDs such as the Nissan Patrol, Toyota LandCruiser and Land Rover Discovery, are the best if you have a heavy caravan/trailer.Mid-sized 4WDs such as the Nissan Pathfinder and Toyota Prado are also excellent, and family machines such as the Ford Falcon and Holden Commodore are good.Ford Falcon wagons and utes make better tow cars than Holden Commodores and regular Falcons because they have leaf-spring suspensions, and the Ford Territory's extra weight and reduced rear overhang makes it a good tow vehicle.Small 4WDs such as the Subaru Outback or Nissan X-Trail are OK for towing relatively light loads.Turbo diesels are the prime engine choice for many tow cars because they have lots of torque and don't use as much fuel as a petrol engine.Six or eight-cylinder petrol engines are good because towing requires maximum pulling force. The more torque an engine has the better it will be for the job.Four-cylinder petrol engines can pull lighter loads, but often struggle with heavier cargo.TOW DRIVING TIPSAllow extra distance in traffic.Apply throttle and brakes more gently.If the caravan/trailer starts to sway do not apply the tow vehicle's brakes. If the trailer/caravan is fitted with independent electronic brakes, apply them slowly. If not, continue at a steady speed or accelerate slowly.Engage a lower gear for better control downhill.If possible, pull off the road to allow faster traffic to pass and stop more often to rest. 

DAVID Reynolds is finally confirmed with Walkinshaw Racing in  the team's fourth Commodore for this year's V8 Supercar championship. The car for the Carrera Cup graduate is predominantly red, with a giant Bundy bear on the side and a grey tail with support from Holden Special Vehicles.After seven straight second places Chad Reed finally broke through for a win in the latest round of the AMA-World Supercross championship in the USA. Reed finally got a good start in Indiana on his Suzuki and beat home James Stewart, putting the pair equal on points heading to the 10th of 18 rounds in Florida this weekend.THE Indianapolis 500 will have a major Australian connection this year, but not just because Ryan Briscoe and Will Power will be racing for the crack Penske team. The race will be paced by the all-new Chevrolet Camaro coupe, which will be sold in the USA but has been developed in Australia using the mechanical package of the VE Commodore.Jason Bargwanna is gone, back to the V8 Supercar championship with Sprint Gas Racing, but his Mini Challenge team will continue in 2009. Bargwanna Motorsport will continue to field his cousin Scott in this year's one-make series with backing from Rock Energy Drinks and with Brendon 'BJ' Cook joining him as team mate.VETERAN motorsport commentator Barry Oliver will be back at the microphone this year after being dumped last season as the official V8 Supercar track announcer. Oliver, who is also a winning co-driver with Jim Richards in a range of road rallies in Australia, will be calling the Biante Touring Car Masters as the official on-track commentator from the start of the series at the Clipsal 500 meeting in Adelaide.CHRIS Wootton has won a $100,000 scholarship to compete in the 2009 Formula BMW Pacific series, including starts in supporting races at the Malaysian and Singapore F1 grands prix. The young Queenslander was a kart start before moving into Formula BMW and hopes to follow earlier graduates from the series who have made it to Formula One, including Timo Glock, Adrian Sutil and Sebastian Buemi.TWO-time Australian rally champions Simon and Sue Evans have switched to Mitsubishi following the closure of the factory Toyota team which took them to their titles. The pair had originally expected to switch to a Subaru Impreza after taking second at their final Toyota start, Rally Tasmania, but will drive a Lancer Evo IX in a family team alongside Eli Evans, who will continue in a Subaru.

The Subaru Stella is one of the new breed of plug-in electric cars that will be commonplace in the world's major cities within a decade, although it is currently an outright oddity.It is much smaller than a regular Australian city car, only runs for 80 kilometres between re-charges, and would probably cost more than $100,000 - much of the money needed for its high-tech lithium-ion battery pack - if you could actually buy one.But the Stella is not for sale and is only in Australia as the Subaru star at the Melbourne Motor Show which opens on Friday.Like the similarly tiny Mitsubishi MiEV, the Stella is being used as a development tool and to raise public awareness of the electric cars which will take up the motoring slack as the world's oil begins to run out."We will build 100 cars from August. Subaru is building its base as the world's top electric car company," says the head of the plug-in Stella program, Takashi Suzuki."Technically, we can get the top position. It's total technology that gives us the confidence."Subaru has been partnered with NEC on battery technology for more than five years and is also working hard on the charging technology that will entice people to switch to electric cars. The Stella gets a fast- charge top-up in 15 minutes, although a standard fill from a household socket takes four hours.It uses eight individual battery packs hidden under the front and rear seats, which power a 15kW-hour electric motor which produces 150 Newton-metres of torque. There is no gearbox and the sparky Stella hits 100km/h when its electric motor is turning at its maximum of 6000 revs."The performance is the same as a two-litre gasoline engine," Suzuki says.DrivingSuzuki’s estimation of performance seems right as I give the electric Stella a brief sprint around a go-kart track in inner Melbourne. The original plan was for a proper road drive, but that was before the Department of Transport and Road Safety in Canberra decided that only Subaru people would be allowed to drive the car on public roads.The Stella pulls away nicely, feels tight for a Japanese tiddler, and I can feel the regenerative braking topping the batteries as the engine switches to a generator every time I lift off the accelerator.The air-con still works well enough - one of many systems that run off a regular 12-volt slave battery - but the Japanese satnav cannot decide how Melbourne fits into its memory mapping of Tokyo.Then we set off into the city with a Subaru man at the wheel and, despite the breakthrough technology and some giant signs down the sides, no-one looks twice at the Stella.It is still quiet, although very cramped in the back seat, and flows easily with the traffic. It seems to stop well enough but there is - as you expect in an electric car - no noise to warn pedestrians and a louder horn would be a good idea. The 2009 Melbourne International Motor Show... 

Subaru has just joined Mitsubishi and Smart in the push to put effective, affordable plug-in electric cars on Australian roads.It is using its stumpy Stella city car as the teaser, with preview drives and a high-profile appearance at the Melbourne Motor Show so people will know it is serious about effective battery-powered green cars.Mitsubishi and Smart are pushing hard to have their cars on sale in 2010 but Subaru is taking things slower and there is no firm timetable yet for the Stella, or the plug-in cars to follow it."It's very much a long-term project. Subaru will have an electric car on sale in Japan this year but it won't come here in the short to medium term," says the managing director of Subaru Australia, Nick Senior."It's a domestic program for Subaru at this stage. They are telling is it is very, very low volume to start."Even so, Subaru Australia wants people to know it has the technology to compete with the plug-in leaders and that the Stella - even thought it looks like a tiny box with a battery - is a genuine runner."It's an electric car. It's the future," says Senior."We are going to be one of the first companies in the world with an electric car on sale. We have brought the car here to show what is possible. There are challenges involved, but it's here and it's driveable."Subaru planned a huge test drive program but was reigned-in by the Department of Transport and Road Safety, which ruled the single Stella could not be driven on public roads. Instead, the first drives in Australia were restricted to a go-kart track in Melbourne.Senior says Subaru is already working on a business plan but is struggling to make the numbers work, at least for the Stella."We wouldn't even consider it at this stage. The cost would be prohibitive," he says."One of the biggest issues in the short term with these cars is that they are going to be expensive."But he believes Subaru, which is working on exclusive battery technology, is pushing ahead quickly on plug-in technology."We need longer travel times and shorter charge times. This does only 80 kilometres between recharges."Senior is only admitting to long-term goals with the Stella but believes it will lead to serious Subaru electric cars."Basically, if you turn off your fridge in the kitchen you can run the Stella," he says."But I wouldn't expect to see anything serious on sale before the middle of the next decade. There is a lot to be done to make it viable, starting with the charging infrastructure as well."But the industry is proud of meeting the challenges over the past 10 years on a range of fronts and it is responsive and aware of all the electric car issues. We'll get there." 

Like how a former president of the United States had a father who also did the job and how another ex-president's wife had a big stab for the same job.And like the thought that one of the world's best car makers is Subaru yet, purely coincidentally, the same car maker is one of the world's most dreary car designers. Remarkable.I don't know what you think — and really, I do care — but the latest Subaru Impreza hatch just does not do it for me. It doesn't stand out on the road and say: Look at me, I'm the latest and greatest.It says: Yep, me again.That's an awful shame. The Impreza is very well screwed together and has the best safety in its class, equalled only by the Mitsubishi Lancer.The hatch is nice to drive, feels solid on the road, has understated cabin features and though a bit more expensive than others, has the lure of things like the maximum safety star rating and all-wheel drive. It just looks, well, ordinary.AppearanceNow there's another Impreza. One that doesn't look ordinary and, in WRX trim tested here, actually looks like something you would pleasantly park in your driveway without your boring neighbour starting hee-haw noises over the fence.This is the Impreza sedan.Sit inside and it's all the same as the hatch. But walk around the outside and it has a cute tail that balances out the profile.The WRX gets a rear spoiler atop this boot lid, further impressing the audience.There is also a STI-look grille that successfully hardens up the almost floral decoration of the one on the standard hatch.The Impreza is finally balanced, in proportion and now armed with sufficient styling to draw attention. That can only be good.There is a certain austerity to the cabin but no complaints about the finish.Inexplicably, the audio system in the WRX is one of the best around in terms of sound quality and the enveloping nature of the speakers.The touch-screen system (optional) is excellent and sat-nav is appreciated though the buttons are weeney making it awkward for the driver to change the modes.And the seats are a pleasant compromise between sports and comfort, with sufficient lateral support so tired bodies like mine can plop in and creak out.Naturally the sedan has a bigger boot than the hatch though it still has a high floor. Combined with the small lid, it will limit the car's cargo-carrying flexibility though some relief is in the split/fold rear seats.The boot floor hides a space-saver spare and there's precious little room for anything else.FeaturesThe WRX comes standard with pretty much everything you'll want in a small car.It seats four adults, has climate airconditioning and electric windows and mirrors. There is a six-disc CD player and iPod jack, trip computer and cruise control.There is also height and telescopic steering wheel adjustment, height adjustment for the driver's seat, privacy glass for the rear doors and DataDot security technology.As the penultimate Impreza, the exterior gets colour-coded door handles and mirrors, alloy wheels, the mandatory spoiler and body kit.PricingThe hatch and the sedan versions of the WRX start at the same $39,990 — the same as in previous years despite the jump in performance and features.But the test car added leather upholstery, the sat-nav system — which replaces the six-disc CD player with a single-disc unit to allow room for the DVD map — and sunroof. Subaru bundles these three together and offers the WRX for $45,480.DrivetrainThe flat-four gets more power but the accent is on its delivery to the four wheels.That engine is still 2.5 litres and there's a turbocharger to give it a kick, resulting in power rising 26kW to 195kW and torque to 343Nm from 320Nm.This all arrives at higher revs which is a surprise given how much easier the car gets off the mark. The torque hits its peak at 4000rpm (previously 320Nm at 2800rpm) and power at 6000rpm (previously 169kW at 5200rpm).A graph (unavailable for viewing) may show a fatter torque band at lower revs.The flat-four engine drills through a five-speed manual — “no need for a heavy six-speed,” Subaru says — and ends at the front wheels and, via a limited slip differential, the rear wheels.Disc brakes are all around with ventilated units up front. Spot the WRX models by their red-painted calipers on show behind the spokes of the 17-inch alloys.Suspension is MacPherson struts at the front and, in a recent move, double wishbones with coils at the back that replace the struts used in previous models.Subaru has also tweaked the suspension with firmer joints to sharpen steering input and flatten out the bends.DrivingA decade-old Subaru can be identified just by cranking over its starter motor. You don't have to see the car to know it’s Subaru.Well, the latest one is less easy to pick by sound. Better body insulation has muffled the dentist-drill starter and a bigger exhaust system has muted the exhaust note. Not killed the note, merely turned the volume down a tad.The latest WRX gets quieter and has added a bit of softness in the power delivery despite the extra kilowatts and Newton-metres.From the driver's seat it's nice and simple and a lot like before.But press in the clutch and engage first and the shifter feels positive with less resistance than the older model.Drive the machine and the box shows shift improvements especially the downchange into second cog and then into first.The engine is a winner. Less fussy than before and with almost no willingness to stall off the mark, it displays more low-end guts to make driving so much easier.That rush still comes on hot from 2000rpm and pushes through 3000rpm with a bit of a thrust at about 4000rpm. There's no harshness about the delivery — it's smooth, linear and easy to control.The box, also, suits the extra torque. The WRX would run harder with a six-speed unit but, in truth, the five felt fine and given the engine's flexibility, was a no-brainer. It’s lighter and cheaper than a six, too.Impreza steering is a tad firm but that suits the car and the way it's supposed to be driven.Subaru has played with the suspension but you'd never call it harsh. It's a good balance between smooth and coarse bitumen with the only bit of nagging aimed at the noisy tyres.Basically, an easier WRX to drive and own. And, thankfully, prettier.SnapshotSubaru Impreza WRXPrice: $39,990 ($45,480 as tested)Engines: 2.5-litre, flat-4-cyl, turbocharger, intercoolerPower: 195kW @ 6000rpmTorque: 343Nm @ 4000rpmFuel economy (official): 10.4 litres/100km, (tested): 10.8 litres/100kmTransmission: five-speed manual; constant 4WD

Holden has caught on, so has Ford, but both have got a long way to go if they want to catch up with Subaru who hit the market in 1996 with the first family wagon with the ability to go off-road. As Holden rolls out the Commodore-based Adventra all-wheel drive wagon, and Ford makes noises about its all-new Territory which is due in 2004, Subaru’s Outback continues to rack up sales in a market segment that shows no sign of slowing.The idea of blending a regular family wagon with all-wheel drive makes a lot of sense. You get the roominess of a wagon, the dynamic safety of all-wheel drive, and the ability to explore bush tracks in the one package. The great news is that you don’t have the massive size and on-road clumsiness of the bigger four-wheel drive wagons.MODEL WATCHSubaru made no bones about the Outback when it was launched in 1996. It was a Liberty wagon put on a course of steroids, they admitted, but it was conceived to offer buyers the flexibility of a four-wheel drive without the downsides of size, compromised safety and sloppy chassis dynamics. It was perfect for the buyer who wanted an all-round vehicle with reasonable off-road capability without sacrificing the comfort and style that goes hand-in-hand with a passenger cars.It was clear from the outset that the Outback was a jacked-up Liberty wagon. It looked like a Liberty, but with increased ground clearance, although the large front and rear overhangs rather limited its approach and departure angles.Add to that the lack of low range gearing and no real protection for vulnerable components underneath and you get the idea that the Outback wasn’t intended to go deep into the bush. Subaru admitted as much at its launch when it quoted data that said as many as 95 per cent of new off-roaders never leave the black top.To give it the ability to go off-road Subaru raised the suspension by 35 mm and fitted some 70-series tyres to 15-inch rims, which resulted in 200 mm ground clearance and made it comparable to many more serious off-roaders.The suspension was also retuned to handle the tough stuff, with retuned shocks and springs, and increased wheel travel, which made it quite comfortable even when traversing some relatively rough forest tracks.But it was at its best on slippery surfaces when its all-wheel drive and passenger car chassis dynamics combined to give it an assurance and level of safety unheard of in an off-roader.Power came from Subaru’s 2.5-litre horizontally-opposed double overhead cam four cylinder engine. Boasting a modest 115 kW and 221 Nm it was sufficient to give the Outback good performance without ever threatening to leave you with whiplash.More performance was unleashed in 2000 when the H6 was released with the 3.0-litre engine, which delivered 154 kW and 282 Nm, but ran on PULP.Initially there was no choice of gearbox, it came with a four-speed auto and that was it. Still, it shifted smoothly, and there a choice of ‘power’ or ‘regular’ shift modes, and a ‘hold’ button that would lock the trans and control up or down shifts. The choice was expanded to include a five-speed manual with dual-range four-wheel drive in 1997, which added to its off-road prowess if you were serious about going bush.Inside there was plenty of room even for tall occupants with generous front and rear seat leg and head room, plus generous load space in the rear. The 70/30 split-fold rear seat added to the capacity and flexibility of the interior, and there was a retractable blind to cover the contents in the load area.The interior was also well equipped with lots of knickknacks, like delay courtesy lights, cup holders, and a powerful sound system.Two models were launched. The regular model which came with alloy wheels, ABS, remote central locking, cruise, fog lamps, power windows and mirrors, roof racks, and velour trim. On top of that the Limited got standard air-con, dual airbags, leather and wood grain, and CD sound.IN THE SHOPSubarus are generally bulletproof in the mechanical department. Subaru dealer servicing tends to be on the high side, so check service record carefully to see that it has been done, and who has carried it out.Although few Outbacks travel off-road, apart from the odd foray down a gravel road, look for signs of bush bashing anyway. Take a look underneath to signs of impact that might have damaged exposed componentry. Get it up on a hoist if you’re not sure.Tyres can wear out quite quickly, particularly on the hotter H6 model, and 50,000 km is not unusual. Brakes also need doing around 50,000 km.OWNERS SAYOutback owners are generally lavish with their praise of the car. They particularly like the combination of the wagon size and flexibility with the safety of the all-wheel drive system. Many say it’s great for towing, and a number have towed pop-tops and campers around the country on their holidays.One, Darren Wilkie, has been off roading in his and says it performed exceptionally, handling creek crossings, steep heavily rutted tracks, and soft sand with surprising ease.Main gripe is the headlights, which a number of owners say are “poor” to the extent that they have replaced them with more powerful units.LOOK FOR• good build quality• tough, reliable mechanical package• roomy accommodation for family• safety of all-wheel drive• handling on slippery roads• surprising off-road capability