Originally posted by Red Nj-s
.........that is a hot mom car though

1,000 miles to Leadville: Touring the Colorado mountains in a legally required Subaru

You might not know this, but in the state of Colorado, as well as in Vermont, Massachusetts and parts of east Portland, Oregon, you are legally required to own and drive a beat-up Subaru. The law further states you must have “…a Yakima roof rack with at least one kayak, mountain bike or hang glider attached,” and that the number of gear stickers from Black Diamond, Arcteryx and/or Petzl/Prana “must cover not less than 50 percent of the surface area of said Subaru or Yakima rack itself unless the rear window of said Subaru has already been mostly obliterated by them…”

I was shocked to find this out but wanted to comply with the law -- and fit in with the locals -- so when choosing a vehicle in which to explore every cool mountain town in Colorado, naturally I was legally bound to schedule a Subaru. I chose the generously appointed Outback 3.6R Touring not only because I might be sleeping in it, but because there would be more room for stickers.

The Subaru Outback 3.6R Touring just received a midcycle facelift for 2018, with new front and rear clips and a new shape for the outside rearview mirrors. This sleek new exterior could technically be in violation of the “beat-up Subaru” clause in the state of Colorado, so I would have to work extra hard to get it as dirty and bug-splattered as possible.

My plan was to try to squeeze what might be considered “a vacation” in between the normal and constant stream of subcompact crossover utility vehicle introductions (which I greatly love, really). So in between two of them, I diverted my itinerary to Denver, where a “dark blue pearl” 2018 Outback 3.6R Touring sat gleaming in the midnight fluorescence of DIA. I threw in my gear, which included a down sleeping bag I’d carried as a lumbar cushion on every flight I’d been on so far this trip, which was a lot of flights, and slammed the back hatch closed. With me was my German co-pilot -- because you never know when there’ll be a problem that requires math or engineering. And off we went, west into the Rockies, a Subaru expedition in search of charming mountain towns, if there were any left.

First stop west of Denver was Central City, a Colorado mountain town that oozes charm -- at least in a couple of its square blocks. In one small section, there are several really rustic-cute Old West-looking streets that include an opera house (season starts in about a week) and an art gallery. It was the shining jewel of the 1859 Pikes Peak Gold Rush, spitting out gold ore like a fire hose. But the gold played out long ago, and by 1990, Central City and nearby Black Hawk legalized gambling, and now there are 24 –- yes 24 -- kinda tacky, semi-high-rise casinos piled high like poker chips along two local roadways. Now, while there are still those painfully quaint couple of streets laced with 19th-century mountain charm, the rest of the burg consists of those semi-tacky gambling joints, all luring retirees who really shouldn’t be spending their meager Social Security checks on something so loss-inducing. I would love to know where all the gambling profits really go.

“Shouldn’t we lose 20 bucks at the blackjack table just to be polite?” I asked my companion.

“No,” said the German, who had a Ph.D. or a master's or something in applied mathematics and understood these things. What the hell did I know?

So off we set through the nearly 3-mile-long Eisenhower Tunnel, the Subaru’s 256-hp 3.6-liter flat-six unfettered by the over 11,000 feet of oxygen-sucking altitude. In fact, the Outback seemed unfettered by anything. The Lineartronic continuously variable transmission felt so much like a real automatic that I even used the paddle shifters to speed up and slow down -- and they worked! Subaru does the best transmissions among the current crop of CVTs on the market. Who cares if those “steps” are completely fake? It feels like it’s more efficient.

As the Eisenhower Tunnel squirted us out its western orifice, we decided to head for Copper Mountain, just because …well, who knows why? It was there on the map and sounded cool. But then we called my friend “Colorado Dan” and he said, “Copper Mountain? That’s way too new. Go to Breckenridge. That place has some character.”

It did indeed have character, at least on that one street away from all the big parking lots. Character, in this case, meant independent coffee shops, which, like Subarus, are a legal requirement in the state of Colorado.

We hiked to the top of some 12,000-foot-high ski lift then walked back, got in the Subaru and cruised the main drag of Breck, as they call it. On a quaintness scale of 0 to 5, 5 being some undiscovered part of Disneyland with real elves, The Breck gets a 3. Too many vast, practical parking lots and not enough buildings with character. Though I must say the orange-shirted resort employees were all wonderfully nice.

We headed west toward Leadville.

The thing I always remember about Leadville is it has an airport that sits at 10,000 feet that Rod Millen used to tune his Toyota race truck for runs up Pikes Peak back in the day. We never found the airport, but Leadville’s main street was lined with quaintness of the 19th-century variety: BPOE, Odd Fellows, ancient stone hotels, several independent coffee shops and one place that sold smoothies. We got smoothies. Leadville, God bless it, gets a 2 on our Disney Mountain Quaintness scale, not because it lacks any quaintness along its authentic and genuine Main Street, which is worth the drive, travelers, but because of the sketchy- and scary-looking motels on its fringes and the characters who hung out therein. Yikes.

By now, it was starting to get dark, and we peeled our eyeballs for deer. The suicidal little furballs like to lurk on the edges of mountain roads and then leap into your headlights without warning. The Subaru has EyeSight Driver Assist Technology, Automatic Pre-Collision Braking and Steering Responsive Headlights, but none of that can beat four eyeballs peering into the gathering darkness, looking for the four-legged delinquents. We saw several of them and didn’t hit a single one.

Soon we rolled into Gunnison, which seemed to consist of two gas stations and a wide, four-lane street with a traffic light. Disney Mountain Quaintness rating: 1. Nonetheless, just as transcontinental railroad surveyor John W. Gunnison had done 165 years earlier, we spent the night there.

Day 2 started early and we headed to Ouray, a town packed into the upper end of a mountain valley, parked up against and surrounded by the mighty Uncompahgre wilderness. It’s a pretty spectacular setting, and the buildings are all painfully cute and at least 125 years old, or so it seemed. DMQ rating: 3.5 to 4. It would have been a solid 4 if not for the fact that every building in Ouray is either a liquor store or a T-shirt shop.

Ouray sits on Highway 550 which, a little past town, becomes the Million Dollar Highway. The highway got its name either because of its “million-dollar view,” or because it cost a million dollars; historians can’t agree. Either way, it’s worth the drive. Topping out at 11,008-foot Red Mountain Pass, the Million Dollar Highway features beautiful Red Mountains number 1, 2, and 3 to go with its sweeping stone palisades. This may be the most scenic drive in the state, at least the most scenic of the paved drives.

The highway leads to the perfect Colorado mountain town of Silverton. Like most of the high country towns in this part of the state, Silverton was founded on mining. It was settled in 1874 as a mining boom town extracting, you guessed it, silver from the peaks that surround it. The buildings are all either stone or wood and some of the sidewalks are wooden just like on The Rifleman or Gunsmoke. The town is fed a diet of tourists three times a day by the steam trains of the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Rail Road, though a big forest fire during our visit had parked the trains. The thing that really sets Silverton apart, literally and figuratively, is that it is so remote. You can’t fly in since there’s no airport, and it takes at least an hour to drive there from anywhere else, either Durango or Ouray. Highway 550 doesn’t roll through it but rather skirts it to the south. Thus, Silverton itself is completely quiet, never busy, the most peaceful place you’ll ever find. It is the last great undiscovered Colorado Mountain town. DMQ Rating: 5, maybe even 6, though 6 would be officially off the scale and the mathematician wouldn’t like that. We spent the night in the recently refurbished but still painfully charming Grand Imperial Hotel. There was not a sound all night, not even from the ghosts.

Day 3 was going to include an off-road section from Silverton to Lake City over a Jeep trail the went north out of town. I’d driven over it two or three times before in various 4x4s and figured the Subaru Outback, with its Symmetrical AWD, X-Mode with Hill Descent Control and 8.7 inches of ground clearance, could handle the job. But a couple conversations with locals suggested it might not be wise, and wanting to return the Outback to Subaru in good shape, I decided against it. Plus, the forest access routes were all closed because of the fire. (They’re probably open by now, so go check it out. Let me know if you made it.)

So we went to Telluride instead. Telluride is likewise achingly quaint, and since it, too, sits at the end of a big box canyon, there’s no through traffic except the occasional Jeep heading up Black Bear Pass. Telluride is also lined with 19th-century buildings, and the houses splintering off the main street are likewise cute as characters in a Disney movie, but they all cost a million bucks. Some of ‘em cost four million. Hence, the DMQ rating is for Telluride is only a 5 when it could go off the scale to 6 if anyone short of Tom Cruise and Oprah could afford to live there.

From T-ride, we swung the Outback north again toward Crested Butte. While the town was officially incorporated in 1880, everything in it looks like it was built in 2014. It’s so clean and condo’d. DMQ rating: 3.

But it was through Crested Butte that we drove west onto the long dirt road that goes over Kebler Pass. This route had been described to us by motorcycle tourer (and Autoweek reader!) Kurt Richardson and his moto-touring buddies when we met them back in Silverton. Those guys were right, the Kebler Pass was a beautiful drive, 9,980 feet through rivers, lakes and streams carpeted with aspen groves. The Subaru was AWD, of course, so hanging the tail out on this long dirt road was not easy to do, at least not as easy and fun as it would have been with rear wheel drive. The Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive kept power to the front wheels, and there was no handbrake. Plus, we couldn’t go that fast anyway because of all the damned deer. That was fine, it allowed us to ogle the scenery, which was splendid.

We made it over 8,755-foot McLure Pass and stayed the night at the Redstone Inn, built in 1899 to house the coal miners working for coal baron John Cleveland Osgood.

Next morning we headed to the former Woody Creek Raceway, now called Aspen Motorsports Park. I’d always wanted to see this place, after noticing it from the air flying out of Aspen. It was founded in 1963 after public sports car races through the streets of Aspen were banned by the state’s governor. The track was closed when we got there but I climbed up a dirt berm and had a look at the 1.1-mile road course. I’d love to come back and drive what are described as SCCA Spec Racer Toyotas.

From Woody Creek, it was only a few minutes to Aspen, our last Colorado Mountain Town. Aspen is, in its own way, a perfect little mountain berg, like many others. The old buildings downtown are throwbacks to the Old West. But everything is overrun now with ritzy chain stores and expensive restaurants. A dinky bag of granola from the farmers market was $15. And the homes look like suburbs of Washington, D.C., or Seattle. DMQ: 4.

And then it was over and we were off to the Denver Airport. We’d put almost a thousand miles on the Outback and it had never faltered. Even though it was summer, and driving was easy, I had no doubt the wagon could have handled the whole route in winter snow, given a good enough set of Blizzaks. If you are looking for somewhere to drive this summer, I suggest the above. But remember that you are legally required to do it in a Subaru. Ask me and I’ll send you some Autoweek stickers to get you started.

The next generation of the Subaru Outback will debut at the New York Auto Show on April 17. At this point, the company doesn't provide any other official details about the latest iteration its venerable model that sits somewhere between a crossover and a lifted wagon version of the Legacy.

Subie's teaser image offers a few details about the new model's design. The Outback (left) has a vertical stack of LEDs in its lower fascia that is different from the lamps on the Legacy (right). The model's protective cladding on the bumpers, fenders, and side sills is also evident here. The Outback rides on a set of black wheels with stylized Y-shaped spokes. A cargo rack is visible on the roof.

We expect the Outback and Legacy to continue to share engines. This means the wagon on stilts should be available with a 2.5-liter naturally aspirated four-cylinder boxer engine making 182 horsepower (136 kilowatts) and 176 pound-feet (239 Newton-meters) of torque. Buyers wanting more performance would be able to get a 2.4-liter turbo flat-four engine with 260 hp (194 kW) and 277 lb-ft (376 Nm). Both powertrains come with a CVT and standard all-wheel drive.

Subie doesn't show the new Outback's interior yet, but one of the biggest updates for the new Legacy is its overhauled interior. All but the base trim of the sedan feature an 11.6-inch portrait-oriented infotainment screen on the center stack that looks very attractive in there. The company touts better material quality for the cabin, too.

Debuting the new Outback so early in the year hints that it could arrive at American dealers before the end of 2019. If not, look for them in showrooms in very early 2020. Subaru may have more details about the release at the model's unveiling.

People have been complaining about Subaru’s desperate need for more power, and the 2020 Subaru Outback fixes that a bit with the 260 horsepower 2.4-liter turbo boxer engine that was introduced in the 2019 Subaru Ascent.

Praise be to the turbo gods. Now if we can only get Subaru to move away from the scourge of CVT transmissions.

The new-to-the-Outback 2.4-liter turbo boxer gets 277 lb-ft of torque with those 260 horses with a towing capacity of 3,500 pounds, getting 23 MPG city and 30 MPG highway. The 2.5-liter naturally aspirated engine is also still around with 182 hp and 176 lb-ft of torque, getting 26 MPG city and 33 highway, Subaru claims.

The 2020 Outback is now plopped on the Subaru Global Platform, offering improved stability and stiffness and improved crash protection. It also gets the EyeSight Driver Assist tech, adaptive cruise control, a driver distraction mitigation system to keep you wired to the road.

The new crossover will be available in Base, Premium, Limited, Touring, Onyx Edition XT, Limited XT and Touring XT trims, with the new Onyx Edition getting black-finish exterior features, 18-inch alloys, and a water-repellant, two-tone grey interior. It’s only available with the 2.4-liter turbo, as are all XT trims.

Every new Outback has 8.7-inches of ground clearance, standard Subaru Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive with torque vectoring, and an X-MODE that includes hill descent control.

Then there’s the 11.6-inch tablet screen, standard on all but the base models, just like the new Legacy also has. It’s definitely taking a page out of the Tesla and Volvo playbook here.

Pricing has yet to be announced.

The next-generation, 2020 Subaru Outback introduced at the New York Auto Show is quite obviously an evolution of the vehicle it replaces. Actually, we wouldn't be surprised if many folks can't tell the difference between the new and previous ones on the outside.

There are many improved elements, however, and one of them is the Outback's unique roof rack system that returns for a third generation. As before, the roof rails swing inward to be their own cross bars. There's therefore no need to mount and remove separate crossbars, or alternatively, keep them on the car where they'll create noise and hurt fuel economy. Considering that so many Subaru owners mount things to the roofs of their cars (bikes, kayaks, gear boxes, skis, tents, etc.), this is one of those things than can really make the Outback stand out from the hordes of compact SUVs out there, including the Forester. The fact that the Outback's roof is lower, and therefore easier to lift thing upon, certainly helps.

Again, the swing-in roof rails were there before. For the 2020 Outback, Subaru added sturdy arches at the edge of the roof rail assembly. Besides looking cooler than the rather bulky old set-up, these serve as large, easily accessed tie-down points for especially large items like kayaks. It seems like a simple thing, but it can actually make a difference in the way people actually use their cars.

Every now and then, the defects of a new car are so serious that they cannot be fixed. Subaru knows this all too well as, last year, a bunch of Ascents were recalled and, instead of being repaired, owners were given a brand new one

That issue was attributed to the welding robots at the plant that makes the SUV, and a similar problem, which affects the 2019 Legacy and Outback, has now been discovered.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) explained that “spot welds located on the duct below the cowl panel may have been improperly applied, impacting the vehicle’s body strength.” In the event of an accident, the structure may perform differently than designed, thus increasing the risk of injury and/or possible death.The campaign includes a total of 2,107 vehicles, out of which 12 percent are estimated to have this defect. The Legacys were assembled between May 31 and June 5 and the Outbacks from May 31 to June 6

Subaru has already bounced the information off dealers, who will inspect each vehicle and decide whether it can be repaired or has to be repurchased. Owners should expect to hear from the company on July 26 and won’t have to pay anything for the fix or for their brand new Legacy or Outback, if technicians decide that their rides must be replaced.

Should you want to reach out to Subaru for more information on the safety campaign, you can do so at 1-844-373-6614, whereas the NHTSA’s Vehicle Safety Hotline is available at 1-888-327-4236.

As automakers hurry to stand out from the growing crossover crowd with high-riding suspensions, chunky tires, and extra cladding, Subaru has been conspicuously absent until now. There’ve been rumors of a more capable Wilderness package in development for a while, but it now looks as if we’ll finally see it debut later this month on the Outback. Subaru has dropped a new teaser for a new Outback model.

The Japanese must have heard our complaints about the previous teaser being zoomed too far out because the new teaser is now too close. It shows the crossover wearing rugged rocker panels, chunkier tires, and unique wheels, but nothing else. Subaru also isn’t providing any concrete details about the new offering, only alluding to what we should expect: “The legendary Outback is the most rugged, most capable vehicle in the Subaru lineup. But what if Subaru pushed things further? Or went higher?”

Subaru goes on to say that the new Outback comes with “more capability and off-road features.” We expect that to mean Subaru will give the crossover an upgraded, higher-riding suspension for more ground clearance, a more rugged look with extra cladding, and other subtle upgrades to improve its capability. We don’t expect it to follow a Jeep Wrangler up Moab, though the extra height and other upgrades, possibly including a skid plate, should help it when it loses sight of the pavement. We don’t expect Subaru to make any significant changes to the powertrain.

We won’t have to wait long to get all of the details. Subaru has announced it’ll reveal the Outback Wilderness later this month on March 30 at 11 a.m. ET. The Outback Wilderness should be the first of several such-branded models, with a Forester Wilderness expected to arrive later this year. Subaru is already a company known for its outdoorsy attitude, and the new Wilderness trim should only bolster that.

Subaru has finally shown us what the hell it meant when it announced a new sub-brand for the Outback. Surprise! For the Japanese carmaker, sub-brand is a synonym for trim. But this new Outback trim could catch the Wrangler Sport Unlimited unawares, with its better breakover angles and road manners.

The Wilderness will sit atop other Outback trims, and will debut as a 2022 model. Its complete model name will be the 2022 Subaru Outback Wilderness. No pricing has been announced yet, but I suggest looking at current trims and pricing upwards. That will still just be a ballpark figure as prices will likely increase slightly with the next model year.

The new trim will sport the usual upgrades off-road drivers look for, like more ground clearance, better tires, skid plates and a beefier suspension. Subaru breaks down the upgrades in the following:

The Outback Wilderness has a higher breakover angle than the base four-door Jeep Wrangler, which is 20.3-degrees (Outback: 21.2-degrees.) The rest of the specs between the Outback and Wrangler are not as competitive, but Subaru actually has something here. Humor me.

The Wrangler Sport more than doubles the Outback’s approach angle at 41.4-degrees (Outback: 20.0-degrees) And the departure angle on the Jeep is 36.1-degrees (Outback: 23.6-degrees.) But the Wrangler Sport Unlimited has 9.7 inches of ground clearance. That’s barely more than the 9.5 inches of the Outback.

The Outback also some neat tricks to achieve better traction, with Subaru noting it has a “revised rear differential with a final drive ratio of 4.44:1,” and the Outback’s CVT “was modified to achieve an equivalent final drive ratio at the front wheels.” Subaru claims these two revisions give the Outback more low-end torque and allow it “to climb grades up to 40 percent on a gravel surface.”

Oh, and once you get over that steepish grade, Subaru assumes you’ll be tuckered out from a long day on the trail, and will be pitching a tent on the roof. That’s why the new ladder-frame rack can handle a static load of 700 pounds.

Overall, the new upgrades to the Outback sound good and the new exclusive color is OK. Subaru calls it Geyser Blue. But I don’t blame you if you read that as Geezer Blue; I did, at least.

Just don’t underestimate this old dog with new tricks. The Outback Wilderness seems like it will be a competent off-road machine with good road manners, too. Jeep better watch out. I don’t care how tough the Wrangler is; it’s still not comfortable on the highway.

The last few years have seen the continuing rise of off-road-oriented vehicles. Whether it’s a few-expenses-spared Ford F-150 Raptor or a more modest Jeep Renegade Trailhawk, customers seem to be increasingly obsessed with taking their cars as far as they can. And it’s reached a point that one of the rugged car pioneers, the Subaru Outback, is needing yet another dose of capability. The result is the 2022 Subaru Outback Wilderness, which cranks up the capability while maintaining impressive comfort and refinement. That being said, it has some compromises that mean it’s not the perfect choice for everyone.

To beef up the Outback, Subaru focused mainly on the suspension, tires and bodywork. It features new springs and shocks that raise the ride height, increasing ground clearance from 8.7 inches to 9.5. That actually puts it well ahead of the Ford Bronco Sport Badlands (8.6 or 8.8 inches) and Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk (8.7 inches). Subaru also revised the bodywork not just for style, but for function. The front and rear bumpers are a little more tucked in to improve approach and departure angles, and they feature larger sections of tough, black plastic that tend to wear scuffs and scrapes better. The approach angle is 20 degrees, breakover is 21.2 and departure is 23.6. The aforementioned Ford and Jeep both have better approach and departure angles, though the Subaru’s breakover number falls between them (ahead of the Ford, behind the Jeep).

Rounding out the chassis upgrades are 17-inch wheels with Yokohama Geolandar All-Terrain tires and a standard aluminum skid plate at the front. That can be supplemented with an additional aluminum skid plate under the engine, and steel skid plates for the transmission, differential and fuel tank. The Subaru X-Mode driving mode that adjusts the stability and traction control for low grip situations (and activates hill-descent control) has also been updated specially for the Wilderness. In all Outbacks, there are two types of low-traction settings, and they only operate under 25 mph. But on the Wilderness, the Deep Snow/Mud setting stays on even above 25 mph, and above that threshold, it uses a unique traction and stability logic from the low-speed version. And lastly, the final drive ratio is slightly shorter at 4.44:1 for better low-speed response.

We got to try out these mechanical upgrades at the Holly Oaks off-road park near Auburn Hills, Mich. As is typical for a press launch of an off-road-oriented vehicle, Subaru set up the course we drove through, so it was unlikely we'd be getting stuck, but the Wilderness still impressed. The ground clearance means that you won’t very often be scraping along dirt trails, and with the skid plates, you can confidently tackle rutted, mildly rocky roads. Amazingly, no matter how rutted and rocky the road, we experienced no chassis flex or interior creaks and squeaks. It was easy to get through tight spaces thanks to the narrow body, but the long front and rear overhangs required some extra mindfulness not just when approaching hills, but also when nosing into tight corners.

Helping with that is the Wilderness’s front camera, though the picture quality is quite grainy. The soft suspension also helped take the edge off rough bumps, and it kept the Outback stable and controlled. The tires provided solid grip, and the X-Mode setting allowed plenty of wheelspin so that we didn't get stuck. The Outback lacks the Cherokee Trailhawk’s locking rear differential, and the Bronco Sport Badlands’ dual-clutch rear differential that can move torque side-to-side and effectively lock up, so we suspect those have a bit more ability to get you out of trouble (or deeper into it) when off-roading.

While the Wilderness may not have the absolute trail ability of the American SUVs, it gains back some advantages on pavement, where, if we’re honest, these crossovers will spend most of their time. The big one for the Outback is ride quality and overall quietness. The extra suspension travel and taller tire sidewalls mean that you can float right over giant potholes and cracked asphalt. The car stays smooth and controlled, too, so no worries of feeling seasick. This is a stark contrast to the Bronco Sport that in comparison delivers a ride that would fittingly be described as bucking, as well as the rather truck-like ride of the Cherokee.

Hardly any noise permeates the cabin, either. The all-terrain tires are hushed, the engine is well isolated so that even at high rpm it doesn’t sound rough, and even the coarsest concrete doesn’t compete with the radio or your conversation.

The turbo engine and CVT work well together most of the time, too. The boosted boxer engine delivers its 260 horsepower smoothly, and the healthy 277 pound-feet of torque is available early, starting at just 2,000 rpm. That means the CVT doesn’t have to crank up the revs every time you want to accelerate, but when it does, it’s never sudden or rough. The manual mode is even responsive. That being said, it’s frustrating that getting it to kick down in automatic mode requires a seriously booting the throttle.

The Wilderness isn’t as efficient as a regular Outback, either, due to the combination of revised gearing, all-terrain tires and aerodynamic changes from the added height and different bumpers. Fuel economy ratings are 22 mpg city, 26 mpg highway and 24 mpg combined, versus 23/30/26 for a regular turbocharged Outback. It’s still more frugal than the 23 mpg combined of the Bronco Sport Badlands and the 21 mpg of the Cherokee Trailhawk.

The regular Outback's cushy, high-riding suspension may be great for ride comfort and off-road clearance, but the resulting handling is not great. The Wilderness not surprisingly is even worse. Besides the suspension, a lot of the blame goes to the tires. They’re fairly squishy and lack grip, so there’s a slight delay between your steering inputs and the car reacting. It doesn’t take long for you to find the limits either, and the car only ever wants to understeer. And of course, there’s also a fair bit of body roll.

You experience all this from the Outback’s stylish and spacious interior that's been enhanced with copper-colored contrast stitching and plastic accents, Wilderness tags, a nifty water-resistant upholstery with embossed Wilderness logos, and custom rubber mats. The supple and supportive front seats, spacious but firm rear seats, and cavernous cargo area are shared with every other Outback. In fact, it's here where this ultimate off-road wagon enjoys its greatest advantage over the Bronco Sport and Cherokee Trailhawk. The larger space between its seating rows makes the Subaru far more family-friendly. Our cargo tests of the Outback and Bronco Sport showed that the Subaru enjoys a slight advantage, and the specs would indicate it has a massive leg up over the Jeep's cargo capacity (75.7 cubic feet versus 54.7).

The Wilderness also gets different roof rails than the rest of the Outback line. It sacrifices the trick integrated crossbars in favor of heavier-duty rails that can support 700 pounds when parked (220 when moving). That’s more than enough for a rooftop tent and its occupants, or whatever other extra-heavy things you’d like to put up top.

The cost of entry for the Outback Wilderness is $38,120, which makes it more expensive than the Bronco Sport Badlands ($34,315) and the Cherokee Trailhawk ($37,295). It's also $1,925 more than the similarly well-equipped Outback Onyx Edition XT – the pricier Limited XT and Touring XT remain above them both on the Outback trim ladder. You can get the Wilderness closer to those upper trim level's equipment with a $1,845 option package that includes a sunroof, navigation and rear automatic braking. The extra skid plates available range between $100 and $130 each.

Though it costs more than its most obvious rivals and maybe sacrifices a bit of top-end off-road capability, the Subaru Outback Wilderness may be the best all-around rugged crossover available. It will get you just about anywhere you need to over the weekend, short of something with a low range, plus its big cargo space and easily accessed heavy-duty roof rails will let you bring all your toys. Then, during the week, you’ll love that it doesn’t feel like a truck, and it doesn’t drink fuel like one. either. The extra cost, therefore, seems worth it for this impressive dual-purpose crossover.

Subaru of America, Inc. debuted the 2023 Outback at the 2022 New York International Auto Show. The legendary SUV receives updated styling as well as new safety and in-vehicle technologies. Also new for 2023, the Onyx Edition trim level will be available with two engine options.

For 2023 model year, Subaru Outback will be available in Base, Premium, Onyx Edition, Wilderness, Limited, and Touring trim levels when it arrives in Subaru retailers this fall. The XT models and Wilderness come standard with the powerful 2.4-liter turbo engine. Also, a new Wide-Angle Mono Camera is added to Touring models.

The Outback lineup (except the recently released Wilderness) receives a bolder look thanks to a new front fascia incorporating a more prominent grille; redesigned LED headlights and fog lights; and a more rugged front bumper cover. On the sides, the expanded wheel arch cladding adds to the vehicle's bolder new look while providing additional protection.

The 2023 Subaru Outback comes standard with the latest version of EyeSight Driver Assist Technology. The enhanced system operates more smoothly and under a greater range of conditions. These improvements are thanks to a wider field of view, updated control software, and the addition of an electric brake booster.

The top-level Touring trim adds a Wide-Angle Mono Camera that works together with the dual-camera EyeSight system. The additional camera further expands the field of view to recognize pedestrians and bicycles sooner when the vehicle enters an intersection at low speed. EyeSight gives an alert to the driver, and, when necessary, applies brakes to avoid collisions with crossing bicycles and pedestrians. Also new for Touring is a full LCD Smart Rear-View Mirror with auto-dimming, compass, and Homelink®.

On models equipped with Blind-Spot Detection with Lane Change Assist and Rear Cross-Traffic Alert, EyeSight includes Automatic Emergency Steering. The new feature works in conjunction with the Pre-Collision Braking System to help avoid a collision at speeds less than 50 mph.

ONYX EDITION UPDATES

The Onyx Edition is now available with the 2.5-liter naturally aspirated SUBARU BOXER® engine. The Onyx Edition features black-finish exterior elements, 18-inch alloy wheels, and badging as well as an exclusive gray two-tone interior. Further, the seats are wrapped in a water-repellant durable StarTex® material. The Onyx Edition builds on the Premium trim and adds Hands-Free Power Gate; Front View Monitor; Dual-Mode X-MODE; and full-size spare tire.

PERFORMANCE AND CAPABILITY

The 2023 Subaru Outback delivers the optimal blend of SUV capability and car-like ride and handling with standard Subaru Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive, Active Torque Vectoring, Vehicle Dynamics Control and X-MODE with Hill Descent Control. The 8.7 inches of ground clearance (9.5 inches for Wilderness) is greater than that of many SUVs, yet the Outback maintains a comfortably low step-in height for both front and rear passenger entry.

Standard on XT models, the 2.4-liter turbocharged BOXER engine delivers robust all-around performance with 260 horsepower at 5,600 rpm and 277 lb-ft of torque at 2,000 rpm. Meanwhile, the standard naturally aspirated 2.5-liter BOXER has a responsive 182 horsepower at 5,800 rpm and 176 lb-ft of torque at 4,400 rpm.

All 2023 Outback models are paired with a Lineartronic CVT featuring an 8-speed manual mode function with steering wheel paddle shifters. The 2.4-liter turbo delivers an estimated 23/30 mpg city/highway and has a 3,500-lb. towing capacity, the most of any Outback in history. The 2.5-liter achieves up to an estimated 33 mpg and a range of more than 600 miles on a single tank.

STRUCTURE AND SAFETY

Introduced for 2017, the Subaru Global Platform has been optimized for the Outback, boasting a structure that is 70-percent stiffer in both torsional and front-suspension rigidity. It is also 100-percent stiffer in both front lateral flexural and rear subframe rigidity compared to the previous Outback's platform. Crash protection is improved, as the new body absorbs over 40-percent more energy in front/side crashes than the prior model. When a crash is unavoidable, the Subaru Outback protects driver and passengers with eight standard airbags, including a driver knee airbag. Subaru expects the 2023 Outback will achieve top safety scores when it is tested later this year, including a TOP SAFETY PICK+ rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).

Standard EyeSight Driver Assist Technology includes Advanced Adaptive Cruise Control with Lane Centering, which provides steering assist when the vehicle veers toward the outside of its lane, helping the driver maintain a direct path. The DriverFocus™ Distraction Mitigation System uses a dedicated infrared camera and facial recognition technology to identify signs of driver fatigue or distraction and provides audio and visual warnings to alert the driver and passengers. Additional available driver-assist technologies include Reverse Automatic Braking; and EyeSight Assist Monitor with head-up display.

An available Front View Monitor captures images within the driver's blind spots in front of the vehicle and displays a 180-degree view on the 11.6-inch display, providing safety and assistance when checking road conditions ahead, parking, and off-roading.

COMFORT, CONVENIENCE, AND VERSATILITY

All trim levels feature power door locks, windows and side mirrors; Welcome Lighting; Sound Insulation Windshield; and One-Touch Folding Rear Seats. Moving up to the Premium trim adds the All-Weather Package; a 10-way power front driver seat with lumbar support; and LED rear gate light. The Limited trim gains Keyless Entry with Push-Button Start and heated rear seats (outboard position). The Touring trim adds ventilated front seats and a heated steering wheel (360-degree) to its roster of standard features.

For powering and pairing personal devices, Outback provides front and rear USB A ports and two 12-volt DC power sockets as standard. Front and rear USB C ports are added to Premium trim and higher.

With a cargo floor length of 75 inches with the rear seatbacks folded, the 2023 Outback offers up to 75.6 cu ft of cargo. And with a wide rear gate opening, the Subaru Outback can comfortably accommodate long items such as camping gear, golf clubs or strollers. For added convenience while loading the vehicle, an available Hands-Free Power Gate allows the owner to open the rear gate by simply waving in front of the Subaru emblem (positioned in the center of the rear gate), and a single-touch lifting cargo cover provides easier access. For additional cargo versatility, the Outback offers standard roof rails with tie-down points and integrated and retractable cross bars. Outback Wilderness retains its stronger roof rails that allow for roof tent capability.

BOLD DESIGN

The Subaru Outback's exterior emphasizes ruggedness and functionally while evoking a sense of adventure. For 2023, the Outback lineup (except Wilderness) receives a new front fascia that includes an aggressive front bumper cover; larger grille; and redesigned LED headlights and fog lights. The wheel arch cladding has been updated to improve functionality.

The interior design uses a wide windshield and long lines from the center of the instrument panel to the door panels to create an open environment. The tablet-style 11.6-inch Full HD center information display (dual 7.0-inch display on base) offers direct touch controls for multimedia, HVAC, X-MODE, and vehicle settings.

The top-of-the-line Touring trim leverages luxurious appointments inside and out, including new Black Nappa leather with contrasting tan stitching, high-gloss black molding for the pillars, chrome plating decorated door handles and satin tone plated side mirrors.

SUBARU IN-VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY

The 2023 Subaru Outback debuts the latest version of the STARLINK 11.6-inch Multimedia Plus system with standard wireless Apple CarPlay® and Android™ Auto with full screen display. The system features an 11.6-inch high-resolution touchscreen with combination meter integration and improved on-screen controls for audio, HVAC, X-MODE and vehicle features. Additional standard features include new Valet Mode; Bluetooth® hands-free phone and audio streaming connectivity; AM/FM stereo; rear vision camera; SiriusXM® All-Access Radio and SiriusXM Travel Link® (4-month free subscriptions); HD Radio®; and over-the-air updates.

The 11.6-inch Multimedia Navigation system includes voice -activated navigation powered by the latest version of TomTom® and SiriusXM Travel Link (3-year free subscription).

The 2023 Outback is the first vehicle in the Subaru model line up to integrate what3words (W3W), an innovative location technology that provides a simple way to communicate precise locations using just three simple words. W3W has divided the world into a grid of 10-foot squares and given each square a unique combination of three words - a what3words address. Customers can navigate to and share trailheads, scenic overlooks and other hard to find places with precise accuracy using just three words. The feature is standard on models equipped with the STARLINK 11.6-inch Multimedia Navigation system.

The Outback is built at Subaru of Indiana Automotive (SIA) in Lafayette, Indiana along with the Ascent, Impreza, and Legacy.

This may strike some readers as a bit of a hot take, but I think it’s generally good when your car protects you from a collision. As the size of vehicles on American roads grows ever larger, and drivers become ever more distracted, it’s more and more important for cars to ensure their occupants are safe.

With that goal in mind, the IIHS recently revamped its side-impact tests to more accurately simulate the forces involved in real-world crashes. The impact barrier, a big block on wheels designed to hit like an SUV, now weighs more and moves faster. Those factors, combined with its SUV ride height, mean that midsize sedans are struggling — and even failing.

The IIHS recently tested seven midsize sedans against the new criteria, and found only one worthy of a Good rating: The 2022 Subaru Outback. Debate can rage, given the Outback’s wagon silhouette and lifted ride height, as to whether it truly deserves entry into the “midsize car” class, but those two differences seem to have made the car safer for side impacts.

The Hyundai Sonata and Volkswagen Jetta were each found to be “Acceptable,” and the Honda Accord “Marginal.” The rest of the crowd, the Camry, Altima, and Malibu, all earned “Poor” ratings — primarily due to their size.

David Harkey, president of the IIHS, said as much: “With vehicles that sit lower to the ground, the striking barrier hits higher on the door panel.” With a test built to simulate impact from a “higher-riding pickup or SUV,” a low ride height is an inherent disadvantage — the test barrier hits these cars on the windows and pillars, rather than the door panels.

The IIHS’s test is biased in favor of high-riding crossovers and trucks, but it’s a reflection of the world (and the cars) around us. Cars have grown, ride heights have increased, and they’ve put the rest of us at risk.