- Olga Kokorina
- Translated by Olga Apetenok
- Ru He Fr
The 5th generation Subaru Outback. 2017 restyling
The Subaru Outback is a five-seater estate produced by Subaru (Japan) since 1994. The car is based on the Legacy model and has an increased ground clearance, an SUV image and increased cross-country ability. Currently, Israeli buyers can buy the fifth generation of the car, which debuted in 2014 and underwent restyling in 2017. After the restyling, the fifth generation Outback became even more modern and safer.
The model can boast of an excellent steering response, image of a reliable car, decent cross-country ability, excellent capacity, high safety and good equipment. However, the car has poor sound insulation and a small angle of approach. The combination of a 2.5-liter engine and a CVT is also hard to explain: the consumption is low, the power is sufficient for comfortable driving on the highway, but with a complete load, there may be a lack of traction when overtaking when driving uphill.
Exterior and interior
The exterior of the 2017 Subaru Outback has been renewed. The restyled car can be recognized by a new radiator grille with a chrome strip, a bumper of a new shape and a changed finish of the lower part made of unpainted plastic. The estate acquired new alloy wheels, new LED low and high beam headlights, as well as the Steering Responsive Headlight (SRH). The housings of the exterior mirrors have changed, and a video camera peephole has appeared in the right housing. Now the manufacturer offers new body colors, amounting to ten! The estate is 4,815 mm long, 1,840 mm wide and 1,675 mm high. The wheelbase is 2,745 mm, the minimum turning radius is 5.5 m, and the clearance height is 200 mm. The standard tire size is 225/50R18.
As a top-class estate, the new Outback features a very spacious passenger compartment, measuring 2,030 mm in length, 1,545 m in width, 1,240 mm in height and 559 liters of luggage space (VDA method). The trunk opening is 824 mm high and 1,175 mm wide, making loading large items very easy. Ease of use is increased by such solutions as a large compartment under the floor (47 liters) and an electric tailgate.
The restyled Subaru Outback is equipped with new navigation and air conditioning panels, a reduced-diameter heated steering wheel with large buttons. The dashboard with double decorative stitching. The adjusted climate control system has become more efficient, and the temperature display screens are now located inside the adjustment knobs. The rear passengers have a separate USB charging socket. The new 8-inch multimedia system supports smartphone integration via Apple Car Play and Android Auto. The rear-view camera now has dynamic markings, and the images from the front and right side cameras are also displayed on the screen, while a separate button for the video surveillance system is located on the central tunnel next to the X-Mode off-road mode button.
Power trains and chassis
The 2017/2018 Subaru Outback has acquired improved brakes and noise isolation, other steering and suspension settings. In the Israeli market, the estate is available with a 2.5-liter boxer gasoline engine producing 175 hp. There is only one transmission, the Lineartronic CVT, equipped with a manual mode, which allows you to control the car using the paddle shifters. As for dynamic performance, the car accelerates to 100 km/h in 10.2 seconds, while the maximum speed is 198 km/h.
The FB25 engine (175 hp, 235 Nm) has been upgraded: some of its components have been replaced with lighter ones; vibration has been reduced; the engine and CVT readjustments have reduced fuel consumption and noise coming from the engine compartment. In general, engine and transmission performance has been optimized for better revolutions and smoother operation. The previous fuel-efficiency figure has improved by 0.2 liters, and now the gasoline consumption is 6.75 l/100 km in the extra-urban cycle. It should be noted that the Subaru FB series power units belong to high-tech third-generation engines, and due to a number of design features, high thermal load often leads to increased consumption of oil, the quality and characteristics of which require special attention.
The chassis of the 2018 Subaru Outback traditionally includes independent suspensions: the MacPherson strut in front and a double wishbone suspension at the rear. Performance-optimized stabilizers and dampers ensure confident turning at high speeds. The estate is equipped with a symmetric all-wheel drive system, X-Mode system, which regulates the operation of the engine, transmission and stabilization system to achieve optimal cross-country performance. To activate it, you need to press a special button on the center console. The estate is also equipped with the Active Torque Vectoring system, which slows down the front wheel, which turned out to be on the inside maneuver radius when turning.
Equipment
The 2017/2018 Subaru Outback for Israel under the name Special Edition 2.5 includes: LED headlights, leather interior, heated front/rear seats, 8 way power driver seat with the memory function, dual-zone climate control. There are also adaptive headlights, heated steering wheel, electric tailgate, panoramic sunroof, navigation system, various driver assistance systems and other options.
The standard equipment responsible for the safety of the driver and passengers of the new Subaru Outback includes seven airbags: front side airbags and curtains (front and rear on both sides), a driver’s knee airbag. Active electronic assistants include: Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC), Hill Start Assist, Torque Distribution and X-Mode Suspension Adjustment, Hill Descent Assist. The list of equipment includes an around view monitor, front and side view cameras, blind spot monitoring and lane keep assist system, collision avoidance systems. The maximum speed for using cruise control has been increased from 100 to 120 km/h.
