2016 Subaru Outback: Perfect for Oregon

Published 12:00 am Wednesday, July 6, 2016

There’s a simple reason the Subaru Outback is so popular in Oregon — the car works very well for the things that Oregonians do and the weather we experience. The Outback provides great utility, all-weather capability, a good set of features, and it’s a tremendous value for your money.

The reasons for the Outback’s success are many, but they start with the basic Sport Utility Wagon design. You can haul five adults and some gear, or a couple dogs, or you can fold down the back seats and make your run to the big box store.

Then there’s Subaru’s symmetrical All-Wheel-Drive, which is the selling point that separates the Outback from other station wagons. The Outback will confidently handle our rain, occasional snow and ice, and if you have to drive across a muddy field. It’s not a big rock-crawling 4WD setup, but it doesn’t need to be in order to meet most needs. And in fact, the Outback will do a lot better in rough terrain than you might expect.

Finally, there’s the fact that the Subaru Outback is reliable, with many cars topping 300,000 miles of service. Subaru has been making the Outback engine in one form or another since 1990. It’s a proven, developed design.

The 2016 Outback offers two engine options — a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder with 175 horsepower and 174 pound-feet of torque, rated at 25 MPG city and 33 MPG highway. There is also a 3.6-liter 6-cylinder engine with 256 horsepower and 247 pound-feet of torque, rated at 20 MPG in the city and 27 MPG on the highway.

All Subaru Outback models use the company’s “Lineartronic” continuously variable transmission, but the CVT is tuned to hold several fixed drive ratios to simulate a 6-speed automatic. There’s a lot of technology behind that, including X-Mode and Vehicle Dynamics Control to help keep the Outback stable under all weather and road conditions.

The 2016 Subaru Outback gives you a generous 73 cubic feet of cargo capacity — as much as many big mid-size SUVs. Up in the front seats, you’ll enjoy a well-trimmed but economical cabin with a full list of technology and safety features. Every Outback delivers a touchscreen multifunction display and a standard rear-view camera. If you move up to the Premium and Limited trim levels, you get heated leather seating front and rear, a larger touchscreen, and full smartphone integration.

One option to mention is Subaru’s EyeSight camera system that delivers adaptive cruise control, pre-collision braking, and a lane departure warning system. I’ve tried this and it works very well — it’s an option you won’t want to miss on a vehicle designed to meet Northwest needs.

2016 Subaru Outback

Base price: $26,520

Price as tested: $34,635

Type: Sport Utility Wagon

Engine: 2.5-liter 4-cylinder (175 hp, 174 lbs-ft)

Transmission: Continuously Variable

EPA estimated mileage: 25/33

Road noise: Average

Curb weight: 3,580 pounds

Final assembly: Lafayette, Indiana