Subaru Outback test drive 1998 - 2002 station wagon
Obedient opposition
The politician who does not seek to be in the spotlight is bad. A good recipe is to go into a frank opposition. Like the new Subaru Legacy Outback 3.0. The appearance in the spring of 1996 of a car called Subaru Legacy Grand Wagon, which was called Legacy Outback a year later, can be considered a significant event. It is this car that the Japanese company Fuji Heavy Industries has designated a new direction in the development of the world automotive industry - all -wheel drive universals of increased cross -country ability. Although attempts to cultivate such a car were before. It is enough to recall AMC Eagle or an all -wheel drive station wagon based on Peugeot 505.
Getting. Outback does not mask under the jeep, but makes it clear with its appearance that it is capable of more than an ordinary station wagon. He is, as it were, in opposition and both. He has a very original appearance. To blame Outback for creatively rethought borrowings in other brands and models will not turn the tongue. As a result of restyling at the end of 1998, Outback received a three -section headlights, a more massive plastic coat with a edging of the arches of the wheels along the perimeter of the lower part of the body and the lining on the thresholds with protrusions in the front. The shape of the rear optics blocks also changed somewhat, the rear bumper turned out to be more massive. The masculine principle became more pronounced, as if a boxer, starting in lightweight, lifted the muscle mass and went into a half -lane class.
In this guise, the public was presented with a version with a new 3-liter engine. Completing it specially designed by 16-inch discs from a light alloy with 215/60 tires, which are standardly installed only on this version. Plus, a small stroke is the modest n6 3.0 nameplate on the decorative grille of the radiator and the rear door, which will tell you the sophisticated that they were no longer even in front of them, but a boxer-mushroom that took place.
The path to the elite. The opposition’s intention to take his place in the ranks of the elite is evidenced by a very rich standard equipment. First of all, the steering wheel made of natural wood with leather linen, from the world famous company MOMO, is noteworthy. The front console is somewhat reorganized, in which the central place is occupied by the square block of the audio system with the CD player, framed by imitation of wood. The skin of a special arrangement of light beige on the seats, heating the front and the electric drive of the driver's seat are also a mandatory option of a 3-liter version. By the way, the skin on the seats is certainly good, but probably involves the presence of some special and expensive clothes on the driver, since ordinary jeans and autumn jacket glide on it.
Without mandatory set, automatic climate and cruise control, electric drives of windows, double hatch and lateral mirrors. The latter - with heated. The algorithm of the work of the hatches is very intelligent: both are controlled by one key and until the first, second, sliding, will not open. They are located immediately one after another, the first hatch simultaneously plays the role of a spoiler, which does not allow the run for the wind to host in the cabin. And another distinctive bar - dials of devices have a stylish thin edging from resembling titanium material.
Reasonable argumentation. In the cockpit, Outback reigns a relaxed atmosphere of mutual understanding. The motor does not start, it turns on, and the worker makes himself felt only by the position of the tachometer arrow and light, even pleasant pulsation on the steering wheel. Gas - and the subsequent soft, but very powerful jerk presses the body into the seat. A cursory look in the rear -view mirror for a second is confused: why are they all there, did I really jerk red? No, just the speedometer arrow has already jumped over the stock mark, and Outback did everything so softly and silently that the speed set turned out to be almost imperceptible. Excellent smoothness, good sound insulation, a comfortable suspension on the subframe, minimize contact with the environment both by ear and touch. However, red was again lit again. At the first moment, the behavior of the brake pedal is somewhat discouraged: you are waiting for an immediate reaction, and the car begins to slow down when the pedal has already left quite deeply.
So far, the 3-liter version is equipped only by an automatic checkpoint. A winding slot under the checkpoint selector, as it were, implies the ability to work with handfuls manually. But it is better not to do this: when moving from the second or third to position D, you almost always miss and get into the neutral. Moreover, in this checkpoint with electronic controls there are three fixed Normal, Power (also sports) and Winter modes. The difference in the behavior of the car in the first and second modes is small, but still noticeable. In Power mode, the machine gun acts more actively to the gas increase and later switches to a higher gear, due to which the engine is more clearly expressed. A slightly upset some inhibition of the reaction to Kick Dawn was a little, which, however, is largely compensated by the excellent traction characteristics of the new motor in a very wide range of revolutions, with a distinct capture at the peak of the moment, at 4000 rpm. And in most cases, the need for a sharp transition to a step lower to accelerate to arises. If you do not consider the 3-liter outback as a sports car.
Own line. Subaru handling is a topic for a separate article. Let's just say that it is almost impeccable. The standard equipment includes the VDC system (dynamic stabilization of the car), which takes into account the speed of rotation of the wheels, the angle of rotation of the steering wheel and engine speed. With a scheduled breakdown into the VDC skid, it slows down the masking wheel and strangles the engine, helping to restore the normal trajectory. Which happened to experience when the rear wheels on one of the turns fell on the snow-tunnel plow. Under chattering, the absorb, with the simultaneous reset of revolutions, it would seem that Outback was ready to wag the tail. The same system, together with a 50 percent distribution of torque along the axes and the winter mode helped to easily overcome the pardon lane covered with wet snow. A short walk along the winding suburban paths made the most rainbow impressions, and only one unpleasant offending left: on unwashed Russian roads in slushy weather, side glasses are directly opposite the mirrors are quickly covered with a dirty suspension, and to see what happens behind and from the side is extremely difficult. Especially in the dark. Nevertheless, the car turned out to be very successful, of those with whom it is a pity to part and which you remember for a long time. And a comparison of prices with close in spirit and letter models of other companies shows that the 3-liter Outback opposition is very firmly occupied by the presidium.
Text Andrey Timofeev, photo Alexey Ilyin
Source: "Autopilot"
