The Outback competes against conventional crossover SUVs like the Hyundai Santa Fe, Chevrolet Equinox and Ford Edge, as well as niche wagon-based rivals like the Buick Regal TourX and Volkswagen Golf Alltrack.Īpple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard regardless of which Starlink infotainment system you get. An embedded TomTom-based navigation system is optional. All trims are also outfitted with standard Starlink Multimedia, which includes popular features like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration, along with apps for iHeartRadio, Yelp!, and so on.
Regardless of powerplant, all Outback models are rated to tow 2,700 pounds.Īll Outback family models include EyeSight Driver Assist Technology, a suite of active safety features including adaptive cruise control, pre-collision auto brake and lane-departure warning with lane-keep assist. The price of entry for the larger-engined models starts at $34,995 before options and destination fee, but it does include more standard equipment. It offers 256 hp and 247 pound-feet for improved acceleration, albeit at the expense of fuel economy. A pricer 3.6-liter flat six-cylinder engine is available on high-end Limited and Touring trims.
The 2019 Outback starts at $26,345 plus $975 delivery for the base 2.5i model, which includes a 175-horsepower, 2.5-liter flat four-cylinder engine paired with a standard Lineartronic continuously variable transmission and AWD. Subaru's well-regarded Outback is a favorite among outdoorsy types. So, which Subaru is right for you? Check out our buying guide below: So far, though, that softness hasn't hurt the brand's growth. In an industry hurtling headlong toward electrification, the automaker offers just one such model, the Crosstrek Hybrid, a plug-in model with limited range and appeal. If Subaru has a major blind spot, it's been its reluctance to embrace alternative fuels. The company's offerings are also well regarded for their practicality, durability and resale value. As one of the very first automakers to enthusiastically incorporate all-wheel drive into its passenger cars and embrace car-based SUV body styles, Subaru's offerings have both defined the modern automotive market and been well served by where it has headed.Īs a brand, Subaru is also well known for its rally racing heritage and for the broad and inclusive nature of its advertising and marketing efforts, with a particular emphasis on speaking to the LGBTQ community, as well as outdoor enthusiasts and pet owners. The brand has come come a long way.įast-forward to today, and Subaru is well regarded as a builder of dependable sedans, sporty cars, and particularly, crossover sport utility vehicles. Subaru's first US model was this tiny, rear-engined 360.
Only a very small number of 1500s were built, but early Subaru would go on to build a number of much more successful small cars and trucks, including the oddball rear-engined 360 (which would become the first Subaru model sold in the US) and the Sambar utility vehicle. It wasn't until the Subaru 1500 of 1954 that the company began building passenger cars. After the conflict ended, the company transitioned into a new entity, Fuji Sangyo Co., which produced gas-powered scooters, among other things. The brand's parent, formerly known as Fuji Heavy Industries ( now known as Subaru Corporation), was actually born in 1915 as the Nakajima Aircraft Company, a company best-known for building airplanes during World War II. Like many other car companies, Subaru didn't actually start out building automobiles. Subaru has become best-known for crossover SUVs like this Forester. Well-regarded for their offbeat combination of boxer engines and all-wheel drive, the Japanese brand's popularity has been on the rise for many years.Īs the 22nd-largest producer of new automobiles globally, Subaru is still something of a small company in the car business, but thanks in part to a longstanding partnership with Toyota, Subaru has been thriving in a consolidating and evolving industry where volume is king. Today, Subaru is best known as the automaker that builds popular models like the Forester and Outback crossover SUVs, along with cars like the Legacy and Impreza.