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By Jonathan Crouch

The Subaru Outback has been engineered for the Kalahari desert, but in this sixth generation form, should work a bit better in the suburbs too. Jonathan Crouch takes a look.

Ten Second Reviewword count: 35

Almost everything's different with this sixth generation Subaru Outback but ultimately, not much has really changed. Not even for this new era of electrification. But it's still the toughest, most capable 4x4 estate out there.

Backgroundword count: 170

The Subaru Outback. With a history going all the way back to 1995, it was the original off-road-orientated family estate, with an image that, at the turn of the century, placed it comfortably alongside big Volvos and Land Rovers as a preferred choice for the tweed jacketed country set. In more recent times, it's been a rarer sight on our roads - something Subaru's importers would like to change, with the introduction of this much improved sixth generation version. The Japanese brand reckons that this was the original 'Crossover' vehicle. Now this may be true but the way the market now understands 'Crossovers' (as Nissan Qashqai-like SUV-styled family hatches with little off road ability) doesn't fit the Outback's remit at all. With a core market following in wild parts of Australia, America and Asia, it has to be pretty capable in the rough - or at least pretty capable for something that remains a conventional estate car. In this sixth generation guise, launched here in mid-2021, it continues to be.

Driving Experienceword count: 284

Like its predecessor, this MK6 Outback uses a 2.5-litre petrol engine (though there's no longer a diesel option). Subaru says though, that it's a very different unit now, with around 90% of its parts being different, though, somewhat surprisingly, no attempt has been made to build in the company's latest Boxer Hybrid tech that features on smaller Subarus. As before, this petrol engine has to be had paired to Lineartronic CVT auto transmission, which Subaru has now enhanced with a wider range of gear ratio coverage, so the 'box won't be swapping cogs quite so frequently. This MK6 model's use of the latest Subaru Global Platform has allowed the brand to create a much stiffer structure for the body, the front suspension and the rear subframe. Should you ever throw this car into a corner, you should feel the benefit of that because body roll is supposed to be reduced by up to 50%. Through that corner, you might also feel the benefit of the active torque vectoring system that's now been engineered into the AWD set-up (Subaru calls it 'SAWD'). Handling performance and ride comfort have also been increased with significant improvements made to the suspension and chassis, removing vibrations from the steering system, floor, and seats. There's also enhanced off road performance, thanks to an evolved 'X-MODE' system, with Hill Descent Control for slippery slopes. Switch between [SNOW/DIRT] mode to confidently negotiate snow, dirt, or gravel, or [D.SNOW/MUD] mode for soft conditions where lesser vehicles get stuck. The high 213mm ground clearance maximises approach, departure and ramp angles, minimising the risk of the bumpers or chassis getting damaged or stuck. This Outback also boasts a 2,000kg braked or 750kg unbraked towing capacity.

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