By Patrick James on 2013-05-05 - The author has been a motoring writer for more than 16 years. Formerly motoring editor at the Coventry Telegraph, he now produces motoring copy, on new car launches and road tests on a freelance basis.
Subaru Outback 2.0D
SE NavPlus
THINK of the Outback and possibly wild, parched harsh terrain springs to mind.
So it could well be that Subaru named its car with its go anywhere, tackle anything attitude, after some of the most inhospitable terrain on the planet.
The Subaru Outback, with it renowned four wheel capability would, I am sure cope with the worst the Aussie wilderness has to offer, but its more likely it will rarely go off road.
But many people love their four wheel drive capability but they also like the chunky, no nonsense profile the Subaru offers.
It also offers a saloon-like alternative to traditional off-roaders. It is arguably one of the first Sportwagen type of cars, an estate with plenty of attitude.
It has been around since 1996 and is now is its fourth incarnation. It offers a huge road presence, comfortable seating for five together with hatchback practicality.
Add to this the bullet-proof Boxer engine options and the fact that every Subaru comes with a five-year, 100,000-mile warranty and three years' free roadside assistance and it is quite a package.
It is by no means the cheapest of its kind around, but you do get an awful lot of standard equipment for the money, with the range topper proving a delight for those who like their bells and whistles.
Most surprising of all is the diesel Boxer engine, a two-litre power unit that you would think might struggle to pull such a big car.
But there is bags of torque to give it brisk acceleration, while on certain runs the car was recording in excess of 50mpg more than the claimed official figure.
On the motorway it is a brilliantly comfortable cruiser. The only drawback is CO2 emissions are quite high compared to some rivals.
There is no doubt that the quality of trim, equipment and finish has improved dramatically over the years, as it had to, and the Japanese firm obviously doesn't want to confuse customers with a bewildering range of engines and trim.
The seven model range has just a two petrol and one diesel engine available and three trim levels, S, SE and SE Nav with a starting price of £26,795.
Love or hate the styling, you certainly can't ignore it with its huge grille and bulging, muscular curves. If you don't like it at first, it certainly grows on you.
The interior is equally commanding and it offers the kind of stowage capacity you would expect with this type of car.
Boot space with all seats in place is a pretty generous 526 litres, but fold down the one-touch the 60/40 split rear seats and a mammoth 1,677 litres is available - nough to move house over a couple of days.
In addition to that there are multiple storage pockets and cubby holes and cup holders for extra storage, while roof bars are standard.
The comfy front seats have 10-way power adjustment, and leather is standard on all but entry level models, while rear-seats passengers can recline their backrest up to a 20 degree angle
The unfussy instrument cluster features four dials outlined in aluminium rings, and three-spoke steering wheel is leather-wrapped, with integrated audio and cruise controls.
The centre dash is dominated by a touch screen infotainment/sat nav display and all other instruments are handily place and easy to use.
For extra comfort all models offer self-levelling suspension, dual-zone, fully automatic air-conditioning incorporating an anti-dust filter and heating ducts to the rear passenger footwells.
Safety is key for Subaru and the car includes front, side and curtain air bags, electronic stability system, self levelling rear suspension, traction control and hill start.
Subaru Outback 2.0D SE NavPlus
Price: £32,370
Mechanical: 150ps, 1,998cc, 4cyl diesel engine driving four wheels via 6-speed manual gearbox
Max Speed: 120mph
0-62mph: 9.7 seconds
Combined MPG: 44.1
Insurance Group: 12
C02 emissions: 167g/km
Bik rating: 26%
Warranty: 5yrs/100,000 miles
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