Subdriven | The Subaru Enthuisast Website

If you’ve ever owned an Outback, then you probably know where I’m going to go here. Ever since Paul Hogan started peddling jacked up Legacies with “Outback” badges to SUV-rejecting drivers in the 1990s, a cult of owners has been as loyal to the ultra-reliable, go-anywhere wagon as some misguided Wacoans were to David Koresh.

The trouble with any cult is, there are just so many fierce loyalists you can coax over while relying solely on hypnotizing charisma, claiming to be the second coming of the son of a greater power, or gluing SUV-style cladding on an economical and utilitarian stationwagon.

As any self-respecting cult will tell you, you need to widen the appeal if you want your cult to continue to grow, making it to the next level of full-on religion, political party or other officially recognized social group. For Subaru, amidst a highly competitive automotive market, this means spreading the appeal of the then somewhat quirky Outback.

Relegating the garish gray side cladding to the most basic of Outbacks is a start. More importantly, the new Legacy, on which the Outback is based, is a much more stylish vehicle. It’s larger in most respects, and its handsome design with more ergonomic interior bolster heavily where the outgoing third generation seemed to fall a bit short. These changes not only make the best Outback ever, they make Subaru’s sport utility wagon much more attractive to those who are normally drawn to higher-end Japanese or European marques.

Every cult needs a charismatic leader, and it seems there is none in the Subaru line more charismatic and luxurious than the Outback R L.L. Bean Edition. This top-of-the-line model comes standard with Subaru’s 3.0-liter H6 engine rated at 250-hp – up from 212-hp in the third generation Outback.

Our test car arrived in a handsome pearlescent white monochromatic tone that gives the Outback a much more European flair. The car’s 5-spoke wheels are the same as the 2.5 XT, though painted in a graphite gray, and attractively contrasted the paint scheme.

The new Outback’s enlarged fender arches and more svelte bumper treatment are much more streamlined and less clunky-looking than Outbacks past. Combined with our car’s monochromatic paint scheme, the Outback looks more sport wagon than SUV, creating more of a hybrid functional-yet-sporty 5-door that many manufacturers seem intent on trying to copy.

Under the hood, the H6 is considerably improved. While the 250 hp figure might be near identical to the L.L. Bean’s stablemate, the 4-cylinder turbo 2.5 XT, Subaru’s 3.0-liter 6-cylinder is a more luxurious engine. There’s less noise, vibration and harshness, and the torque curve – peaking at 250 lb ft - feels much more natural. Torque delivery is much improved over the full-on/full-off feel of the 2.5 XT. Unlike those original Outbacks (and today’s base model), with normally-aspirated 2.5-liter H4, the 6-cylinder feels ready and willing to pull hard and is now fully capable of passing most of its freeway competitors.

Typically, with an increase in displacement comes a corresponding increase in fuel consumption. Combined with all-wheel drive and all things considered, the Outback with 3.0 does reasonably well and is EPA rated at 19 mpg city and 25 mpg highway.

The L.L. Bean comes standard with Subaru’s 5-speed automatic transmission, complete with Sportshift manual shift mode. Unlike the more sport oriented XT model that uses the same box optionally, the luxurious L.L. Bean foregoes the steering wheel up and downshift control buttons and instead comes with controls for the audio system.

Handling is quite improved. The newer cars are lighter than their predecessors and, combined with improved suspension calibration, make for a much more pleasing drive.

The new Outback has been raised about an inch to a ride height of 8.4-inches, which probably makes more than a few SUVs green with envy. At the same time, Subaru engineers lowered the engine about an inch as well, helping keep the center of gravity lower so that handling would not be negatively affected by the car’s higher ride height. In addition, they redesigned the roll-center of the rear suspension, doing their best to make the ride much more car-like while at the same time making off-road ability even more improved.

The Outbacks, with their raised ride height and high side-walled tires will always have a less controlled ride than that of the low-slung Legacy GT, but there’s not much to complain about when you take the Outback for what it is. Push hard and the car will still understeer, sliding on the tall sidewalls of the tires as the extra weight of the 3.0 in the snout probably adds a slight bit of push all by itself. But let off the gas and point the wheel and the Outback remains very composed and controllable.

Steering is light, but not too light. It’s responsive, and on-center feel is favorable.

Automatic-equipped Legacys get Subaru’s Variable Torque Distribution (VTD) all-wheel drive system. This version of Subaru’s handy all-wheel drive uses a planetary center differential managed by an electronically-controlled continuously variable clutch to distribute the power from front to rear. Subaru’s default torque-split setup is 45:55 front to rear, bestowing the car with a sporty, slightly rearward bias.

The program running the system works quite well. In situations on the edge when the tail begins to swing out, power is transferred to the front should the driver stay on the gas. Unfortunately, most drivers will instinctively lift off the throttle. For those rare few who stand on the gas, though, there is not much that can be done electronically to counter the massive understeer.

During our first spin in the car on a hot August afternoon, we encountered a quick summer shower coating the roads with a light layer of water – just enough to make them slippery. In traffic, a large Mercury made a panic stop - its large mass translating quickly to the ground, bringing it to a stop in a hurried fashion. Riding close in city traffic, we jammed the brakes of our lighter Outback, clamping the binders down on the rotors in an effort to stop the Subaru on the slick and slightly wet pavement. Our ABS system began its pulsating chatter as the wagon’s tires struggled to grip the slippery pavement and the lighter Outback slid toward the now stopped Mercury. Fortunately, we were next to the entrance of a business and were able to very controllably turn one side of the car into the driveway and ride it slightly up onto the sidewalk, stopping to the side of the behemoth Merc. Satisfyingly, everything performed as engineered and even under full braking, the Outback maintained a high level of controllability, keeping us out of harm's way.

Amenities abound in the L.L. Bean, moreso than any other Legacy or Outback. The 3.0-liter models come standard with tire pressure monitoring system, handsome Momo-branded mahogany and leather-wrapped steering wheel. The VDC also gets external turn indicators on the rearview mirrors, a really cool oversized sunroof and a three-frequency garage remote controller, while the stereo gets a subwoofer and MP3 compatibility. The L.L. Bean goes one step further with auto-dimming inside rearview mirror with compass, L.L. Bean embroidered floor mats and leather seats, and a removable trunk liner in the back.

Standard now on all Outbacks are ABS with electronic brake force distribution, dual-stage frontal airbags, front side airbags, inflatable side curtain airbags, eight-way power seat, tilt steering wheel, auto off headlights and cruise control, power door locks, keyless entry and more.

Subaru sells a similar Outback 3.0 VDC Limited sedan and wagon, though they don’t get the bespoke L.L. Bean badging and the wagons outsell the 4-door by a considerable margin. Interestingly, if you want an Outback sedan, you’ll have to opt up for the 3.0 VDC (VDC stands for Vehicle Dynamics Control, an electronic stability system standard on the 3.0 models).

For now, VDC is not only a stability system, but also a top-of-the-line model designator. The system is worth the investment, and as Subaru plans to move upward to compete with BMW and Audi, we’d expect this system to become standard across the range – especially when it’s already standard equipment on cars like the Volkswagen Jetta and Golf. The days of stability control being a high-end luxury option seem to be passing rather quickly.

For 2005, there is no L.L. Bean sedan and if you want a 4-cylinder or 4-cylinder turbo sedan, you’ll have to opt for the lower-slung Legacy.

Options on the L.L. Bean are really nonexistent, unless you count Subaru’s rich array of accessories that can be installed by the dealer. While the L.L. Bean comes standard with accessories like the cargo liner, subwoofer and auto-dimming compass-equipped rearview mirror - owners can still outfit their Outback L.L. Bean with three different cargo nets, upgraded security system with perimeter alarm, trailer hitch, cargo area spotlight, hood protector, front bumper underguard, all-weather moulded floor mats and alloy wheel locks. There’s even a Momo-branded shift knob upgrade for the automatic transmission cars, of which all L.L. Bean models are.

Seats are comfortable on longer drives. The perforated leather is good, though not yet on the level of the Europeans. Bolsters are generous and the adjustable lumbar is welcome.

The dashboard is a considerable improvement over what has been a weakpoint of Subaru. Touch and feel are markedly better, with subtly textured low-gloss vinyl dashboard that gives minimal glare but has a more upmarket appearance.

The chrome-rimmed instruments are backlit in red and a white that has a very subtle blue undertone, bestowing the dash with an ultra-cool Xenon-like appearance that is also satisfyingly readable in low-light driving situations.

A handsome upswept center stack plays home to vents, stereo controls, storage bin and gear select. The L.L. Bean’s wood-look trim offers an extremely handsome touch to the flowing lines of the interior and in particular the handsome center stack. Within the useful under-armrest bin, you’ll find an auxiliary power jack and handy channel for phone charger cables or the like, allowing one to close the lid of the bin while utilizing the power jack, snaking the power line through the slot to your phone or electronic toy still outside the bin itself. It’s a simple design that we’re surprised more manufacturers haven’t made use of.

Unfortunately and maybe even ironically, it is within this handsome center stack that the new Legacy / Outback’s quality starts to show its weakpoints. As with the WRX, the finish is a graphite/silver finish that appears as if it’s been sprayed on and not enough spray has been applied. The wood, while attractive, is fairly obviously not real wood. The stereo, though intuitive and with good sound, looks like a nightmare to replace should an owner want to go the aftermarket route. Finally, the driver information computer, with its large digital lettering, looks cheap and outdated compared to many competitors use of dot-matrix displays.

If we sound overly harsh on the L.L. Bean’s center stack, it’s only because it really is such an attractive interior. One of Subaru’s most glaring shortcomings when compared in particular with the Europeans has been its interior. With our L.L. Bean Edition’s lavish insides shod in light beige leather and subtle – almost Swedish – trimmed wood-look accents, Subaru came so close to perfection. Adding a higher-end aluminum finish to the stack, a more tech-oriented dot-matrix driver information center and maybe replacing the cheap plastic lid of the storage box with the European and Japanese navigation system couldn’t have added that much more to the car’s bottom line, yet would have made for one of the best-looking interiors in its class.

Another place the Outback / Legacy falls short of its competitors is one-touch down (and up) window action. We’re told by Subaru that their setup, with only a one-touch down driver’s window, is made that way by design and for safety reasons. Still, with just about everyone - including Volvo - opting for one-touch designs, we can’t help but wonder why Subaru hasn’t simply gone and made it standard.

One of the coolest features of the L.L. Bean and an option on Outbacks and Legacy wagons is the oversized glass sunroof. While the previous generation Outbacks had a tilting glass pane in the front and an opening one in the rear, the large single pane of the new version slides in its entirety to the back of the car, creating a downright huge opening.

There are only two drawbacks that we can see to the gargantuan sunroof. First, at full-open position, you’ll get a bit of wind-noise from the roof-rack cross-bar that remains in place above the opening at the rear. Also, the control is somewhat frustrating, as it’s not one-touch to open the whole way, and even worse, you can’t just keep applying pressure for it to open the whole way. Consider it three-touch at best. These are minor frustrations though to a truly wonderful equipment addition to the Outback range.

All-told, the new Outback is a highly attractive package. Its rigid new structure helped bestow it with a 5-star safety rating in the NHTSA NCAP frontal and side crash tests, making it a very safe choice. And safe for the wallet as well - our top-of-the-heap L.L. Bean has a very affordable sticker of $32,295, which is very competitive when compared to competitors such as Volvo, Audi and BMW.

The Outback, and in particular the L.L. Bean version, have been reborn as much more charismatic choices for the throngs of transportationally challenged. No doubt it will bring more enthusiastic followers to the fold, a fitting leader for the Outback cult.

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