We’ve never been fans of crossover SUVs here at BangShift because they are just a giant pile of compromises that lead to vehicles that lack everything from identity to personality and even utility in the worst of cases. We’re continually confused why the little things sell so well in the face of so many better options on the market that seemingly beat them out in every measurable category and even those that can’t be quantified but often seal people’s buying decisions. One of those “better options” is the 2020 Subaru Outback XT. Maybe the term “station wagon” is basically out of the automotive vernacular but when we look at the Outback XT it is what we see. When we drive the Outback XT it is what we feel. When we praise the Outback XT it’s because that’s what this baby is.
In New England and many other parts of the country people want a few specific things in their cars. They want ruggedness, they want the ability to deal with potentially crummy weather, and they want quality without having to take a second mortgage out on the house. The Outback XT delivers on all of those metrics in spades. Standard all wheel drive has made the New England Market one of the strongest for Subaru in the nation. They have become a multi-generational brand here with kids now buying the cars that their parents put faith in when they were going up. The good news on that front is that the brand keeps making better cars.
We love the interior room of the XT which provides ample seating for five full sized people with plenty of leg and head room for all. This is accomplished while maintaining a significant storage area in the rear for whatever you need to put in it. Power comes from a turbocharged 2.4L four cylinder engine which is backed by a CVT transmission. Acceleration is brisk with the XT making the rip from 0-60 in about 6.5 seconds. That’s actually pretty snappy and certainly capable of dusting off lame front wheel drive CUVs. When the going gets rough the symmetrical all wheel drive will be helping you past those feckless front wheel drivers in the snow as well. The Outback has nine inches of ground clearance and while we did not take the wagon off-road it would be perfectly suited for light trail driving and trips into your favorite fishing hole with the family. We averaged about 25mpg in the time we had the car between city and highway driving.
The interior package on our car included the very large portrait style display. Effectively this was a massive dash tablet and we really liked it. There have been more than a few people raising eyebrows at this trend in automotive design with concerns that the touch screens will not have the reliability as tactile buttons and knobs. Us? We think that they are easy to use, clean, and frankly if they need to be replaced we’re guessing the operation is far less difficult than rewiring standard analog controls.
If you are shopping for a crossover SUV, do yourself a favor and drive a Subaru Outback. We really loved the XT model for what it was in terms of room, driving dynamics, power, performance, and price. The price as you see the car here is right around $40,000. Go ahead and try to match the delivery of the Subaru Outback XT across the board for that price in a cramped and underperforming crossover and you’ll come up short. Wagons for the win!
The bottom line is that before you buy a crossover that’s a compromise on everything, drive the Outback XT that delivers across the board!
