Test Drive Subaru Outback Since 2009 Universal

Subaru Outback. Manual therapy

Subaru Outback. Price: 1363500 rub. On sale: since October 2009
In the mid-1990s, Subaru, one might say, became the founder of the segment of all-wheel drive universal. The success of Outback inspired competitors, provoking the birth of a whole line of universal traffic universal: Volvo, Audi, Skoda What did the Japanese answered, bringing the fourth generation of their soldier wagon to the market?
Test pilot
Vladimir Makkaveev, 32 years old, car journalist, driving experience 13 years, personal car - Volvo C30
Subaru Outback briefly revealed on the laurels of the pioneer. Quickly appreciating the attractiveness and gigantic potential of the segment of all-wheel-drive family universal segments, European competitors showed the miracles of the reaction, very promptly complicating the life of Pionera from the country of the rising sun. Recently, the Volvo XC70 and the updated Audi Allroad have practically no chance of a Japanese samurai. But here arrived and the answer of Subaru. Tilling the 4th generation Outback, the company tried to play ahead: continuing the development of off-road qualities and the volume of its wagon, in Subaru, for the first time in this segment, a four-wheel drive with a stepless variation transmission lineartronic was combined.
The appearance of Outback, in comparison with the third generation car, has changed significantly. Plastic operations clearly went to him. True, if you look at the new face of the ossellular station wagon, you can find a lot of national traits in which a slight borrowing from Infiniti and Nissan Qashqai can be traced. Light, but not moreover: it will not turn his tongue with the plagiarism. Rounded shapes, soft lines and the corpped case make Outback similar to good-natured Laman.
In principle, the same associations are traced in the interior. The neutral decoration of the cabin is absolutely not annoying, except that wooden inserts on the doors in combination with gray-blue plastic center console looks somewhat not to the place. But at the same time surprised here at current times there is absolutely nothing. A pleasant dashboard with blue circular backlit monitors is quite original, but no more than that V-shaped central console. But an updated steering wheel of hopelessly conservative design is inspired by the family restraint. Thin knitting needles, trivial gray plastic and angular switches do not carry nor sophistication.
However, the power of the new Outback is not in the image, but in the content. Banal statements that the size does not matter are poorly combined with the realities of the modern auto industry. And therefore, following the last fashion, special attention in the development of a new model The Japanese paid an increase in both the external and internal dimensions of the car. Outback has become 45 mm longer, sprout by 50 mm and added 70 mm in height. The wheelbase has increased by 75 mm, a track of 4555 mm, the volume of the trunk grew by 67 liters. The only thing that had to be sacrificed, cutting on 20 mm depth of the luggage compartment, which is fully justified, given that the distance between the front and rear seats has increased by 62 mm. Well, of course, the clearance: in Subaru, naturally, could not accept the fact that the Volvo XC70 shared outback in off-road characteristics. As a result, the warents of the fourth generation increased from 200 to 213 mm albeit only 3 mm, but more than the Swede. The case of principle!
Despite the traditionally small number of modifications, the scatter of the characters of the new Outback is quite wide. The most powerful version with a 249-strong 3.6-liter motor is aggregated with a 5-speed automaton and a full drive system with variable torque distribution. A 2,5-liter Outback with a capacity of 167 liters. with. Available with both 6-speed mechanics and differential with ukivoft, and with a trump back Outback stepless chain variator Lineartronic. In general, class novelty itself fully justified, giving the variability of the Outback character.
You can not recognize: in the automatic mode of operation of the variator, the car dynamics leaves much to be desired. But this is done in many ways intentionally. Lineartronic is configured on a comfortable ride with maximum resource and fuel savings. But this inhibition is easily cured by manual therapy. In manual mode, OUTBACK behaves an order of magnitude later. For manual control, gear ratio relationship relations are fixed in six points, the switching time is minimized to 100 ms, so that it is necessary to recognize, the Variator from Subaru turned out to be fairly honest and sports: it is very interesting to work with stealless petals here. At the same time, in the total behavior of the car it is felt that the priority when updating the Outback was still the development of off-road qualities. The steering wheel is empty and imposed. On off-road it is even good, but at high speeds of the steering density, it is not enough: on the Audi Allroad highway he is not an opponent. In the medium-speed turns, Outback is already running better, something reminding HC70. Is that transverse rolls in turns a little more, but within a reasonable. In general, in terms of course stability, the Japanese is still inferior to Audi Allroad, and probably Volvo XC70. But the off-road will easily give odds to European competitors.
Variations on the topic
The main technical innovation and the most terrible weapons of the competitive struggle, melting in the depths of the new Outback 2.5i, was a longitudinal stepless variation transmission lineartronic. In addition to the fact that this is generally the first variator, which received a ticket to life in the segment of universal passability, lineartronic can boast the innovative structure of the gear ratio. Instead of a standard metallic belt in the torque transmission mechanism, LUK production chains are used. The use of a chain type variation transmission made it possible to reduce the size of the pulleys and due to the increase in the difference between the maximum and minimum pulley diameter to increase the power range. Compared to stepless variations of belt type, thanks to the circuit, on how to increase the transmission, the effectiveness of the torque transmission increased by 5%.

Love not love
The basic version of the Outback acquired an electronic parking brake. Contemporary
Outback received an optional contactless key and engine start button. Comfortable
Pen for the transformation of the rear sofa. Easily
Driving
Not the most acute car in managing. But off-road qualities above all praise.
Salon
It is quite neutral that for the family car rather plus.
Comfort
The construction of the engine supports allowed to reduce vibration. The suspension is comfortable, although cars for Russia will receive faster shock absorbers.
Security
Hard subframe in the engine mount improved security settings.
Price
2.5i with a variator costs 1,421 300 rubles. A little cheaper of the main competitors.

Advantages and disadvantages
+ Multiflowed character car gives a variator: Sleepy in automatic mode and sports frisky in manual.
- On the Highway, the Ruta lacks density, but it is more likely to be advocate.
 
Specifications
Brand and Model - Subaru Outback 2.5i
Dimensions - 4775x1820x1615 mm
Engine - gasoline, 2457 cm3, 167 hp / 5600 min-1
Transmission - 6-position Stenpeless Variator Lineartronic
Dynamics - Max 198 km / h; 10.4 s to 100 km / h
Competitors - Volvo XC70, Audi Allroad
Our opinion
The brutal solid car may not be so expressive as the Audi Allroad, and not so concise, like the Volvo XC70. But, thanks to the new variator, the Subaru Outback originally combines off-road softness in automatic mode with almost sports aggression during manual therapy.

Posted by: Vladimir Makkaveev
 
 

 

A source: Magazine 5 Wheel [November 2009]