New "Rugged" Subaru-- 2022 OUTBACK WILDERNESS

[Philpug]

But that looks like the front... They should have parked it in the back, so it could be an Outback behind an Outback, "out back" behind an Outback.

I think it is out back of the Outback...look where the signs are for the Hampton Inn...out front.

 

[dbostedo]

I think it is out back of the Outback...look where the signs are for the Hampton Inn...out front.

But the handicapped spots are surely not out back of the Outback. So the Outback behind the Outback is parked out front of the Outback, and not out back of the Outback. Now they may all be out back of the Hampton Inn, which would potentially make it an Outback behind an Outback out back of an out back Outback.

 

[Wendy]

4Runner for less than $40K:

View attachment 130038

Of course, it gets terrible gas mileage. As for reliability, it will outlive most of us.

What's going to make this really interesting is when the new generation Toyota 4x4s come. They will have both more efficient base engines, plus hybrid options.

Ouch to the gas mileage. Our 2005 Xterra gets about the same. Why isn’t it any better 16 years later? Even if gas is cheap, I hate using lots of gas. I’m looking forward to those new gen Toyotas. We are sticking with the 2015 Outback and 2005 Xterra (that thing’s a beast and is running great) until we can get a good hybrid and/or electric vehicle. And not until we move out of PA so...no more brine in the winter! That stuff is awful on vehicle undercarriages. BTW, I regularly take my Outback on pot-holey dirt farm roads and across fields and over curbs and it’s fine.

Subaru needs a good hybrid version AND COMFORTABLE SUPPORTIVE SEATS in order for me to consider a new vehicle.

 

[princo]

Why isn’t it any better 16 years later?

The 5th generation (current) of the Toyota 4Runner has being running since 2010 with little changes. The powerplant (4.0L v6 with 5spd auto transmission) has not changed at all.

 

[scott43]

But the handicapped spots are surely not out back of the Outback. So the Outback behind the Outback is parked out front of the Outback, and not out back of the Outback. Now they may all be out back of the Hampton Inn, which would potentially make it an Outback behind an Outback out back of an out back Outback.

Easy for you to say...

 

[Wendy]

My Outback had to have the rear wheel bearing replaced (brine salt corrosion). I had a new Outback Limited as a loaner. My god, I swear the seats are WORSE. They look better; more sculpted with side bolsters, but the lumbar support adjustment doesn’t go high enough and the butt part of the seat is too cushy for my tastes. An hour drive down to the Philly ’burbs and my butt/back was in agony. Also, the steering had too much play. My 2015 seems so much tighter.

The bells and whistles are nice in the vehicle, but that stuff is pretty much standard on most new vehicles.

 

[tromano]

I see where subie is going with this.

I put a forester suspension and bigger 28" rubber on my 07 OBS. Has about 10.5" clearance now. Opted to not use AT tires because they were harder to fit and with out a low range I run out of gears before normal blocky light truck tires run out of grip on dirt. I basically made it a OBS cross trek.

My intentions were to have a car that still drives nice on the road and cruises more smoothly on fire roads and wash board, acceses trail heads better than stock and can get to all the fishing spots without issue. Mission accomplished.

I was able to hunt out of it for one season, but it's not ideal for accessing steeper more washed out fire roads to the top of the mountains. Will break it with heavy trail use.

Ended up getting a beater jeep WJ with a modest lift and 31s for hunting rig and it is much more of a mountain trail rig.

Essentially this seems to be what Subie is building here on a larger platform, a nice stock fly fishing rig/grocery getter.

 

[crgildart]

But the handicapped spots are surely not out back of the Outback. So the Outback behind the Outback is parked out front of the Outback, and not out back of the Outback. Now they may all be out back of the Hampton Inn, which would potentially make it an Outback behind an Outback out back of an out back Outback.

It's Australian mate. They do everything upside down so that looks legit.

 

[firebanex]

I can see this as being a very good car for my wife, especially the little extra ground clearance cause my road doesn't get plowed often enough in the winter. We want to replace her impreza because it's too short, but don't want to try to deal with it right now because of COVID.

What I want from Subaru is a remake of the Baja, I love my 06 Baja and want a modern version of it.

 

[Fuller]

I don't understand all the hate for the Subie seats. Mine seem perfectly adequate doing FL to MT 7 times but perhaps I'm too easily pleased.

 

[Philpug]

I don't understand all the hate for the Subie seats. Mine seem perfectly adequate doing FL to MT 7 times but perhaps I'm too easily pleased.

Have you ridden in the passenger seat?

 

[Fuller]

What, and lose my man card? Next you're going to tell me to ask for directions!

 

[John O]

I don't understand all the hate for the Subie seats. Mine seem perfectly adequate doing FL to MT 7 times but perhaps I'm too easily pleased.

Have you ridden in the passenger seat?

Comfort is completely subjective. If you find the seats uncomfortable, you're not wrong. And if you find them comfortable, you're not wrong either. It's a very valid reason to rule out a car, but doesn't mean everyone will come to the same conclusion.

 

[Philpug]

Comfort is completely subjective. If you find the seats uncomfortable, you're not wrong. And if you find them comfortable, you're not wrong either. It's a very valid reason to rule out a car, but doesn't mean everyone will come to the same conclusion.

The seats are fine for one position but there is very limited adjustability...and as I said earlier, this isn't just a Subaru limitation. In our searching, there was not an Asian branded offering that has more than a 4 way adjusting passenger seat in the sub $40K range.

 

[Rudi Riet]

Ouch to the gas mileage. Our 2005 Xterra gets about the same. Why isn’t it any better 16 years later?

Because MPG standards were lowered during the most recent administration in an effort to drive more car sales and to stimulate the petroleum industry. Also, there's been a push toward "bigger is better" with the marketing of cars over the last decade, and the new 4Runner is portly and about as aerodynamic as a dumpster (same goes with most full-size SUVs). When people want more horesepower combined with a tall, non-aero body the MPG can - and does - suffer.

Frankly I'm a fan of small format wagons. The last iteration Jetta/Golf Sportwagon was a great form factor, as was the A4 Avant. The Imprezza wagon is great, as is the Mazda MX5 (tho finding the AWD variant is a needles-in-haystacks venture). There's now an AWD Prius that is a de facto 5-door though not a proper wagon (and the Prius V will not be getting the AWD treatment, sadly).

But the hot hatch and practical-size wagon market is, as noted earlier, mostly dead in the U.S. where people are sold on the idea of bigger cars being better. I'm not sold on that in the least, especially living in a dense urban area where a full-size SUV (and even a modern Outback) is a big car to drive and park in the land where curbside parking is king. My 21 year old Audi A4 Quattro is the perfect size for what I need to do. It's fuel efficient (even with the roof rack and the Thule roof box on board it doesn't take much of a hit), the 1.8L turbocharged straight 4 cylinder engine is great, the 5-speed manual gearbox is crisp, and the Quattro system simply works like a charm.

That said, if I were getting a new Audi it would be the A3 as the newer A4 has grown a bit too big. Either that or I'd find one of the last of the Golf Sportwagons with 4Motion.

To be realistic, tho: my next car will likely be hybrid or fully electric - at least if I can squeeze some more years out of the A4 (which still has less than 75,000 miles on it thanks to it being my mom's for many years).

 

[coskigirl]

When I bought my new, ginormous for me, Highlander, the only way I was willing to do it was with a hybrid. It’s not a Prius but I’m averaging around 33.5mpg.

 

[dovski]

The Cyber Truck is coming Very interested to see the production design as my understanding is they reduced the size by 5%. That said its angular lines have grown on me so I no longer think it is the ugly truckling. Also with a 500 mile range this is likely the first EV that I would truly feel comfortable driving on our mountain road trips as I think this vehicle has the range and moxy to handle 8-14 hour winter drives in the mountains. Will see what the actual performance and price is when they get to my reservation which may not be for a few years

 

[John O]

The seats are fine for one position but there is very limited adjustability...and as I said earlier, this isn't just a Subaru limitation. In our searching, there was not an Asian branded offering that has more than a 4 way adjusting passenger seat in the sub $40K range.

But again that's subjective. Just because the passenger seat doesn't offer the range of adjustment you want doesn't mean it's inadequate to everyone. It doesn't meet your needs, but it may meet the needs of others just fine.

 

[François Pugh]

So.....about this engine braking with the CVT, how is it split between front and rear wheels?
Inquiring minds want to know. (Not that I'm a big CVT fan)

 

[DanoT]

The Cyber Truck is coming Very interested to see the production design as my understanding is they reduced the size by 5%. That said its angular lines have grown on me so I no longer think it is the ugly truckling. Also with a 500 mile range this is likely the first EV that I would truly feel comfortable driving on our mountain road trips as I think this vehicle has the range and moxy to handle 8-14 hour winter drives in the mountains. Will see what the actual performance and price is when they get to my reservation which may not be for a few years

The thing that I would be concerned with is trying to heat the passenger compartment in really cold temps with only a battery as a heat source. In my experience as an RVer, battery powered electric heaters are pretty much worthless. Also lithium batteries don't do that well in really cold temps and thus require their own built in heater if being used in winter temps which will negatively affect the EV truck's range.

Once at the ski resort for a week or a weekend with an EV, I would guess that a heated indoor parking spot would be a requirement.

Personally, I am much more interested in a hybrid truck and as a Toyota fanboi I am happy to report that Toyota is committed to eventually building a hybrid version for all of their vehicle offerings.