New "Rugged" Subaru-- 2022 OUTBACK WILDERNESS

[nay]

A car I've just ordered is going to have those... and several of the various cars I test drove had those. But I'm struggling to see the point. Maybe it's just my legs or preferred seating position - but what help do they provide?

If you are taller it just reduces thigh contact pressure by distributing thigh support. Potentially a nice feature if you have a driver who likes it and one who needs a shorter seat.

 

[Philpug]

When shopping for our Alltrack, Subaru seats, specifically the passenger seat, is what stopped the sale for us.

 

[Ken_R]

This to me is a must, thigh extender:

 

[nay]

I have done about 8, 700 mile drives in the Ascent and even if you are in the back you are comfy. Fuel economy is about 25 mpg on those trips. I dont love CVTs but I dont hate the one in the ascent. Overall after a few years of ownership (2 ski seasons) I am very happy.

Downsides, dont love the fact that you need to remove plastic cladding to use the trailer hitch (one can make a custom one by modding the stock one though). In cold weather the front windows get stuck.

I’ll say again, for any of these Subarus, do an extended test drive for the CVT, particularly city driving with some quick passing throttle. The Ascent tours like a dream, but CVT + turbo can be ‘jumpy’ depending on your throttle style.

We were in Gunnison this weekend starting to clear out our college apartment, and man this thing is a dream at elevation. Up over 11K on Monarch Pass and it didn’t take any extra throttle or feel any different than driving back down at lower elevation. Effortless.

I’d also say in test driving to use the paddle shifters. Back to jumpy throttle mash, the shifter is right where it should be if this was a manual, so flick to the left into manual mode, tee up the ‘gear’ so the turbo is spooled, whip past people driving slow in the canyon when you get a passing zone using the paddles for manual mode, then flick back to CVT.

Paddles are no substitute for a manual for fun because you don’t get to row the gears, but they do work really well and it’s the right offset for what the CVT does perfectly, which is never hunting for gears because there aren’t any. You don’t need as much raw power when you aren’t getting stuck between gears or hunting for gears and in mountain driving at high elevation grades you simply forget this problem ever existed.
Not a big issue with modern 8 speed+ auto transmissions, but with high altitude power loss and and speed grades, CVT + turbo + paddles is excellent. You can also use the paddles for compression braking on long descents when you get behind scared drivers at slow speeds.

And yea, it swallows a really nice amount of gear, and the second row can be slid all the way forward or folded down for more. Not needed here.

 

[Snowfan]

Enjoying nay's Subie Ascent reviews. I sold my Harley and Truck to buy wife a used Lexus so I get the 17 Outback- 150K miles on this 17 (bought new) and still like new. CVT no bother to me as a car nut...I've owned Porsche 911 Turbo and non turbos, 3 Ferrari 308GTSi, several Benz S and E class 4Matic, Bunch of Vette's and long list of other fun cars and have to say my Outback is FANTASTIC in all weather hot or cold. No sadness with CVT and NA engine. Weird to me how others gripe about Outback being an "appliance" and a dud. No dud here....and avg 31.5mpg (-4% from lieometer) for the recent 2426mi. Just a Subie fan post. Next one will likely be Moto Guzzi V85 TT. edit.....If the CVT or head gaskets go it's a simple car-part buy for 1500 on good low mile engine or trans. No worries.

 

[nay]

Did they spell adventure wrong.

 

[François Pugh]

They spelled it en français.

 

[Snowfan]

Did they spell adventure wrong.

ASCENT 2019-2024

LP Aventure your source for lift kits , skid plates , bumper guards , light bars , tires , wheels for Subaru Outback , XV , Crosstrek , Forester , Ascent , Toyota RAV4 , Honda CR-V

lpaventure.com

 

[Wendy]

ASCENT 2019-2024

LP Aventure your source for lift kits , skid plates , bumper guards , light bars , tires , wheels for Subaru Outback , XV , Crosstrek , Forester , Ascent , Toyota RAV4 , Honda CR-V

lpaventure.com

I looked that up and saw that too. But…one of the dictionary definitions of “aventure” is death by drowning, falling, etc. So still kinda weird. LOL.

 

[Wendy]

Enjoying nay's Subie Ascent reviews. I sold my Harley and Truck to buy wife a used Lexus so I get the 17 Outback- 150K miles on this 17 (bought new) and still like new. CVT no bother to me as a car nut...I've owned Porsche 911 Turbo and non turbos, 3 Ferrari 308GTSi, several Benz S and E class 4Matic, Bunch of Vette's and long list of other fun cars and have to say my Outback is FANTASTIC in all weather hot or cold. No sadness with CVT and NA engine. Weird to me how others gripe about Outback being an "appliance" and a dud. No dud here....and avg 31.5mpg (-4% from lieometer) for the recent 2426mi. Just a Subie fan post. Next one will likely be Moto Guzzi V85 TT. edit.....If the CVT or head gaskets go it's a simple car-part buy for 1500 on good low mile engine or trans. No worries.

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My 2015 Outback is doing great. It’s going to be given to my husband when I get a new Sienna hybrid in the fall. Yesterday I loaded the Outback up with 6 bags of mulch and 2 bales of straw, no problem. It does great in the snow, consistently gets 30 mpg, and can handle crappy rutty farm roads and snow with no trouble. As @Philpug said, I’d prefer more support in the seats but, I won’t have to worry about that when I get my new vehicle…hubby loves driving the Outback.

 

[surfsnowgirl]

Still in love with my 2018 Crosstrek limited in bright orange. They've also discontinued the orange which disappoints me. The only time I'll get another is when the crosstrek gets auto lock and a heated steering wheel and the orange is available again. I love my gas mileage, don't need anything bigger and while some of the lines of the wilderness are cool it's not a must have for me. I also heard many of the key options aren't available in the US version so why do it unless you are the must have the newest of something kinda person. One would also say it's like buying a Rubicon in a Wrangler when you never go off road, why spend the money if you aren't really using it.

 

[Philpug]

I passed a Wilderness on the road today, pretty sharp looking.

 

[Snowfan]

My 2015 Outback is doing great. It’s going to be given to my husband hubby loves driving the Outback.

My wife gave me the 17 Outback so here we go....leaving Texas panhandle now to visit Sugarite abandoned ski area in NM then to abandoned Cuchara ski area in CO. Thursday to Taos to hike to top of Kachina with my fun adopted pooch Hazel. I bought her some booties to help with cuts and wear on pads....we will fish and release and camp for 3 nights fun. Her first swim coming up.

 

[socalgal]

My wife gave me the 17 Outback so here we go....leaving Texas panhandle now to visit Sugarite abandoned ski area in NM then to abandoned Cuchara ski area in CO. Thursday to Taos to hike to top of Kachina with my fun adopted pooch Hazel. I bought her some booties to help with cuts and wear on pads....we will fish and release and camp for 3 nights fun. Her first swim coming up. View attachment 138661

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Sounds like a fun trip! Any particular reason you choose the peaks?

 

[François Pugh]

ASCENT 2019-2024

LP Aventure your source for lift kits , skid plates , bumper guards , light bars , tires , wheels for Subaru Outback , XV , Crosstrek , Forester , Ascent , Toyota RAV4 , Honda CR-V

lpaventure.com

Yes, LP Aventure spells their company name in French

 

[nay]

Still in love with my 2018 Crosstrek limited in bright orange. They've also discontinued the orange which disappoints me. The only time I'll get another is when the crosstrek gets auto lock and a heated steering wheel and the orange is available again. I love my gas mileage, don't need anything bigger and while some of the lines of the wilderness are cool it's not a must have for me. I also heard many of the key options aren't available in the US version so why do it unless you are the must have the newest of something kinda person. One would also say it's like buying a Rubicon in a Wrangler when you never go off road, why spend the money if you aren't really using it.

100%. Having a car that can handle rough roads is a lot smarter than having a truck that can handle highways for most people.

 

[nay]

Yes, LP Aventure spells their company name in French

Nice! Now when you get stuck and have to be extracted by the 4x4 crowd they can figure it was because you couldn’t spell adventure right.

 

[Wendy]

Funny (kinda) story:
Last week my husband and I were on a state park beach that allows vehicles to drive on it…..mostly, the drivers of said vehicles are fishermen who don’t want to carry all their gear on foot out to the beach (it’s a long walk, wide beach, high dunes). Most of these vehicles are Jeeps or pickup trucks running the appropriate tire pressure.

Well, a guy in a new Ford Explorer decided to take a drive on the beach, and got very stuck. Front axel down in the sand. A guy in a Jeep kindly came to his rescue, but there was no tie point at the front of the Explorer. So the Jeep tried to pull him out from the rear. No go. They were at it for about a half hour before we left. Never knew if the guy got out.

But meanwhile, as this was going on, 3 Outback’s went cruising by in the sand!

This was the Jeep and Explorer viewed from over the dunes as we left. I was too self conscious to take a photo of them on the beach….felt bad for the guy.

 

[Ogg]

Funny (kinda) story:
Last week my husband and I were on a state park beach that allows vehicles to drive on it…..mostly, the drivers of said vehicles are fishermen who don’t want to carry all their gear on foot out to the beach (it’s a long walk, wide beach, high dunes). Most of these vehicles are Jeeps or pickup trucks running the appropriate tire pressure.

Well, a guy in a new Ford Explorer decided to take a drive on the beach, and got very stuck. Front axel down in the sand. A guy in a Jeep kindly came to his rescue, but there was no tie point at the front of the Explorer. So the Jeep tried to pull him out from the rear. No go. They were at it for about a half hour before we left. Never knew if the guy got out.

But meanwhile, as this was going on, 3 Outback’s went cruising by in the sand!

This was the Jeep and Explorer viewed from over the dunes as we left. I was too self conscious to take a photo of them on the beach….felt bad for the guy.

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The problem can almost always be traced back to the loose nut behind the wheel.

 

[Wendy]

Did they spell adventure wrong.

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One confusing thing about his Wilderness version, to me at least, is the roof rack. The factory racks have a limited weight allowance. Wouldn’t it be better to offer a rackless options for those who prefer to buy their own towers and cross bars that may have a higher weight limit?