Subaru Legacy test drive 1999 - 2002 sedan

Stage wagon of increased cross -country ability

The world history of comfortable all -wheel drive begins with Soviet cars. At first there was a small-scale gas M 61-73, then-the victory of GAZ M 72, and after which the Muscovite-410 model of 1957. At the same time, in normal countries they preferred to build good roads, rather than driving cars. Therefore, our cars for a long time remained purely internal affairs, almost unknown abroad. Following the Muscovite-410, a full-wheel drive station wagon Moskvich-411 (1958) appeared. It was a very interesting car with an optimal combination of a comfortable salon, a city body of increased capacity and all -wheel drive. Just what is needed for a rural resident or an active citizen who loves nature. On the conveyor, both Muscovites stood until 1961. There was no further development. It's a pity. If everything turned out differently, today for a comparative test we would have taken a couple to Subaru Legacy Outback of some of our gas or Muscovites.

 

When the Japanese had just felt the soil of consumer addictions, not daring to declare this car as a one -of -a -kind model for outdoor activities, it was decided to try to make a small Legacy for the German market in a special configuration for hunters and fishermen. It was called the Subaru Legacy Hubertus machine. In the fall of 1994, the Subaru Legacy Outback trial party appeared on sale. The car was in demand, and in April next year at the New York Motor Show, the production version of the 1996 model year was already presented. By the 1997 model year, the car had changed slightly, especially externally, but the engine’s power was raised by about 10 liters. with.

 

Subaru Legacy Outback was waiting for us in the courtyard of the car dealership. Around the whole site was forced by cars. Scaring tightness. We were sad, imagining how now we’ll sit in an unfamiliar car, quite large in dimensions, besides with a wagon body, with tinted glasses and quietly farther on a large road, trying to produce as few destruction as possible. In general, a difficult task is figured in reverse a stranger of an unfamiliar car.

 

But quite quickly it turned out that there was nothing wrong. This is one of the differences in a good car and bad. You get behind the wheel - and as if you always only went to Subaru Legacy Outback, because the dimensions are felt well. We confidently go outside and plunge into a dense city stream.

 

The engine works silently, music plays, and it is worthwhile to be a little distracted, as for some reason 100 km/h is immediately gained on a speedometer. We drop, slowly roll on. On the speedometer again 100 km/h. Well, the speed is not felt in Subaru Legacy Outback!

 

It is very nice to go along your daily route, but on a completely different car. I usually had to slow down in front of this hole, here there is a dangerous border, and at this unregulated intersection I always had to give in to a sluggish stream, and on this straight more than 60 km/h never had to accelerate, because at the end a cool zigzag, etc. Now on all these folds of the area, but in a good car, with a double politeness to others, because 150 liters. with. Under the hood, they allow you to be generous to the weak.

 

We go to the bike road to Krylatskoye, to our favorite set. There is no longer snow and there is pure asphalt. This place is away from large roads, and there are almost no cars here, however, sometimes in an abundance of grandmother with granddaughters and dogs with the owners on leashes.

 

We call on the sink. While we are waiting for our turn, car people begin to gather around. They look at the car with interest. A driver’s conversation is tied about cylinders, candles, drives and automatic boxes. As it turned out, everyone knows the Subaru brand in general, and Legacy Outback in particular.

 

On a clean car, we go to act. The road with a serpentine curls uphill. Profiled turns, speed increases. We pass 80 km/h along a steep arc, rubber squeaked once. On all -wheel drive, this is an absolutely safe riding. In general, the bicycle road is insidious. Professional racers do not advise it to frolic on it without learning all the turns. And there are many turns here. But we are not going to rush. For a consumer assessment (do not confuse with the test), a regular drive is enough. Well, or a little in excess of that. But a little.

 

We move to last year's grass. Here is a normal crossed area, the one for which Outback was conceived. An excellent suspension completely swallows the bumps. Without stopping enjoying softness and comfort, we go to the hills. Skeptics at one time tried to blame Outback for too large overhangs. In vain.

 

We had no problems because of this. Especially for making a final diagnosis, we decided to storm a very cool slope and finally became convinced that the overhangs did not interfere. In addition, Subaru Legacy Outback should not be confused with Land Rover Defender. Outback is not for absolute off -road. But where there is at least a hint of a rut, it will pass wonderful. A few more slopes and slopes, some clay - and we return to asphalt. Gradually increasing the speed, we fly all along the same bicycle road and dodge the grandmothers.

 

In recent years, a discussion has been activated on the topic: what is better for an SUV - an automatic box or manual? When the dispute was just beginning, consumers, especially European ones, did not believe in the durability of machine guns. Although they did not refuse to recognize their convenience. But every year, machine guns are becoming more perfect, and the dispute is no longer a fundamental nature. It boils down to a discussion of addictions. Someone is more familiar to the machine, someone is a manual box. Outback with an automatic box brought only pleasure. The machine for off -road has never complicated our life. Well, on ordinary roads and even more so. And when we decided to climb a particularly insidious hill, just in case we forcibly turned on the first gear. And all.

 

Another general -working discussion was about the brakes and also over time affected Outback. It is believed that the disc brakes of all wheels are not suitable for this SUV. The rear should be drum. But this is for the combat apparatus, not for the city all -wheel drive. At the same time, the presence of such a claim to Subaru speaks only in his favor. So, the car was appreciated very high.

 

But still it is impossible to treat Subaru as an SUV. If you try to classify it, then this car can be located at the very top of the hierarchy of urban all -wheel drives. That is, he is almost an SUV. With purely urban comfort and a margin of cross -country ability sufficient for outdoor activities.

 

If we talk about the shortcomings of Subaru Legacy outback, then one really is. Too rich interior decoration. Suede seats with leather fragments on which the Outback word, suede inserts in the doors, villous rugs are supplanted. If you go to Subaru for hunting, take a friend, a couple of spaniels, inventory, etc., then the car will then have to be cleaned until the next weekend. But for normal existence in the city, a suede salon is perfect.

 

Of the additional equipment, I really liked two hatches in the roof. In most cars, hatches eat several vital centimeters above the head. Subaru has a high roof, and both glass hatches do not interfere. At the same time, the first hatch, which is over the driver and front passenger, repeats the shape of the roof bend and is not cleaned, but only rises on one side. And the second hatch can be lifted, and completely pushed into the roof to shoot at flying ducks, marshmalling the rear seat.

 

Ergonomics in Outback is wonderful. The driver and passengers are equally convenient. The roof, as stated, is high, and even a gentleman in the cylinder is enough space above the head. In addition, no matter how hard they were trying to sit in front, they will not succeed in constraining those sitting from behind. The driver's seat has only mechanical adjustments: longitudinal, tilt of the back and height of the entire seat. The passenger seat is deprived of this last adjustment. Thanks to suede upholstery, you sit like glued. Much nicer than slippery skin.

 

The steering wheel has height adjustment. It is sheathed with wonderful black skin. The left steering wheel lever is responsible for lighting (dimensions, near/distant, turns), the right - for the wipers. There are a lot of wipers.

 

On the left door is a small control panel for electric drives of all windows and door lock. A wood panel is made. Above the salon mirror is a small panel for control of both hatches and separate lights for each of the sitting in front.

 

The devices are remarkably read and conveniently located. On the left is a large round fuel level indicator, then a speedometer digitized to 220 km/h, then a small vertical board with very beautiful backlight. It indicates the position of the lever of the automatic gearbox. A little to the right - a round tachometer. The extreme on the right is the indicator of the temperature of the coolant. Both on top and below are two blocks of control lamps. On the left, under the instrument panel, there is an electric power control lever and a heating button. A little higher, on the left and right of the steering wheel - four large keys. The extreme left - turning on the rear foglight headlights, with it there is a lamp washing button next to it, to the right of the steering wheel - the rear window heating button and button for turning on hefty front fogs.

 

On the console, everything is combined no less wonderful and affordable. The upper panel is responsible for the control of the climate installation. It’s good that you don’t have to move anything anywhere. Only buttons with understandable symbols of the distribution of flows. Below are control of the angle of inclination of fog headlights and electronic hours. Under them is a radio. It is not included in the standard equipment, and the most modern Kenwood installation was on this machine, which, when the engine is turned off, was independently closed by a lid imitating a plug. The radio was with a CD changer and in addition had a huge subwoofer in the luggage compartment. Under this Kenwood there are an ashtray and a small container with a lid for all sorts of small objects. In this place, the console smoothly passes into the tunnel. Convenient lever of an automatic box with a leather knob. The tunnel passes into the armrest and a small box between the seats. Next to the lid of this armrest are two front seats buttons.

 

This outback has the most powerful in the range of a 2.5 -liter engine, of course, opposition. This engine design, in addition to other advantages, allows you to shift down the center of gravity and allows the designer to turn around with the layout.

 

The suspension of all the wheels is independent - Macpherson, the front and back on the subframes. And in front and behind the reptile stabilizer. Moreover, the rear asymmetric. L -shaped levers of the front suspension stamped, two rear suspension levers are tubular, and the third is stamped. Very reliable.

 

The bottom is made as smooth as possible, without protrusions. Even the exhaust system was carried out along the cardans of the transmission and removed into the developed body tunnel. Car clearance 200 mm. A good off -road indicator.

 

On the car stood urban rubber Bridgestone Duler H/T 205/70 R15. On the day of our departure to nature, it was dry, but such rubber will not work for driving along a crossed rut, something is needed.

 

Subaru Legacy Outback is a machine with an optimal price ratio and consumer properties. Almost an SUV for the money of a city comfortable station wagon. As always, a wonderful car is specifically for Russian off -roads abroad, in this case in Japan.
 

 

Sergey Aslanyan, Alexander Pikulenko
 
 


 

A source: Motor magazine [No. 5/1997]