The 2015 Subaru Outback 2.5i Premium flirts shamelessly with perfection, falling just short, but establishing itself as a vehicle to beat among small and midsize SUVs and station wagons.
The all-new 2015 Outback delivers value, comfort, practicality and features. Competitive five-passenger wagons and SUVs like the Chevrolet Equinox, Ford Escape, Honda CR-V, Hyundai Santa Fe Sport, Jeep Cherokee, Kia Sportage, Mazda CX-5, Nissan Rogue, Toyota RAV4 and Volkswagen Golf station wagon will have trouble matching the Outback.
Shoppers looking at the Outback also sometimes consider larger vehicles, like the Jeep Grand Cherokee and the seven-seat Toyota Highlander, according to data from Autotrader.
The Outback’s advanced features — included automatic braking to avoid front collisions and well-tuned adaptive cruise control — should also draw comparisons to small luxury SUVs from Audi, Lexus, Mercedes and Mini.
Outback prices start at $24,895 for a base model with a 175-horsepower 2.5-liter horizontally opposed four-cylinder engine. All Outbacks have all-wheel-drive and a continuously variable automatic transmission, or CVT. A 256-horsepower 3.6-liter six-cylinder engine — also horizontally opposed, as all Subaru engines are to provide smooth running and a low center of gravity — is available for $32,995.
I tested a well-equipped 2.5-liter Outback Premium — the middle of three trim levels. Its many features included voice recognition, navigation, blind spot alert, lane departure warning, Bluetooth phone and audio compatibility and more. It stickered at $29,216. All prices exclude destination charges.
The Outback’s systems provide a high level of comfort and security without demanding the driver’s attention. One minor exception is the touch screen, which could use larger touch points and be a bit more sensitive for use in a moving vehicle.
The Outback costs less than most comparable competitors. It’s larger and roomier than most five-passenger SUVs. It’s also slightly larger, with more passenger and cargo space, than the 2014 Outback.
The 2015 Outback’s fuel economy substantially surpasses most competitors. Its EPA rating of 25 mpg in the city, 33 on the highway and 28 combined exceeds all competitors except the CR-V and Rogue’s combined rating. Like the Outback, those vehicles use a CVT.
Some drivers don’t care for CVTs’ sound and feel, but the one in the Outback is barely noticeable. It’s tuned to provide strong acceleration from a standstill. That makes the Outback very capable around town. The CVT’s response can seem a bit slow accelerating at highway speeds, but passing performance is fine. It just feels different, which some drivers may think means it’s not responding to the accelerator pedal as quickly as a traditional automatic transmission.
The steering feels a bit numb. It doesn’t provide much feedback through the wheel and seems light at highway speeds. The suspension absorbs bumps well.
The Outback’s interior is roomy and trimmed in appealing materials. The front seat provides plenty of cubbies and bins for glasses, iPods, phones and the like. There’s ample head, leg and shoulder room for the driver and front passenger. The rear seat also has plenty of head and leg room. Large windows provide excellent visibility.
The cargo compartment is larger than all competitors but the RAV4.
Most of the controls are simple, like the climate control system’s buttons and dials. The voice recognition and Bluetooth connections work well.
Subaru worked hard to make the Outback intuitive and easy to use, but it also offers some of the most sophisticated driver aids on the road. An array of optional sensors can provide collision alerts, blind spot and cross traffic warnings, adaptive cruise control, lane departure alert, automatic braking to avoid front collisions and more. It rivals luxury sedans that cost several times as much as the Outback.
Like most Subaru vehicles, the Outback’s styling has lost some of its quirkiness over the years. The new 2015 Outback looks less like a buffed-up station wagon and more like an SUV. It’ practical proportions deliver good visibility and a conveniently low step-in height.
It’s all consistent with a vehicle that flirts then delivers on its promises.
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