Road test: Subaru Outback Auto

Subaru introduced their new diesel with automatic transmission here in February, writes Trish Whelan. The new 7-speed programmed Lineartronic CVT is now available in the Subaru Diesel Outback.

It has been worth the wait as we recently discovered when we took the car for a test drive.

The original Subaru Outback was launched in Europe in 1996. It combined the comfort, interior space and superior on-road handling of a family estate with the off-road capabilities and ground clearance of an SUV. It proved a winning formula.

The Outback has been upgraded for the 2014 model year with enhanced handling, revised suspension, and the latest version of Subaru's Vehicle Dynamics Control.

But the most significant feature for this version which combines the 2.0 Boxer diesel engine with a Lineartronic CVT transmission which has improved the car's drivability as well as its fuel economy and emissions.

CVT stands for Continuously Variable Transmission and it has been engineered to work seamlessly with the Subaru Boxer engine and Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive to help reduce fuel consumption. The stepless system allows the engine to run within its optimal power range for improved fuel economy while its lightweight compact design helps the car stay as agile as possible. In automatic mode, it adjusts instantly to match your acceleration. In manual mode, you use the paddle shifters off the steering wheel to select the gear ratio that best suits your driving situation for sharper and sportier driving.

This is an ideal car for somebody who wants a rugged, stylish and true rough terrain car without having to go to the bulkier SUVs. At the same time, it's a car that has excellent handling thanks to the low centre of gravity and the permanent 4WD. The low placement of the engine and transmission results in a high level of stability when cornering.

The Outback returns 6.3 L/100kms (44.8mpg) and 166g/km C02 on the combined cycle (Tax Band D of €570 per annum).

The Outback continues to offer a whopping 200mm of ground clearance. The high ground clearance means that your spudstone in the middle of your gateway won't cause you any trouble when taking the car in or out. If you have one of these you're probably likely to have electric gates anyway! It makes the car ideal for dealing with wintry conditions here in Ireland. It's not for nothing that Subarus sell exceptionally well in the North East of the United States and in Canada because they are known for getting you to and from home in sub zero conditions where many other bigger cars simply fail.

For the exterior, 17-inch alloy wheels are standard, along with body-coloured power folding door mirrors and matching colour-coded door handles. Roof rails and a roof spoiler are also standard and a power-sliding glass sunroof, with a sunshade, and UV protected front, side and rear glass also feature as do HID headlamps and rain sensing wipers.

Other items include pop-up headlight washers, heated mirrors, rear window defogger with timer, front and side window defrosters, a windscreen wiper de-icer and larger fog lights. The big power bulge on the bonnet for air intake gives the Outback a really sporty character.

Inside, there is great head and legroom, front and rear. You sit up high so visibility is good, aided by large side mirrors but they don't include blind spot cover.

The dash style is very much Subaru's big, bold look. Some nice shiny, patterned trim breaks up the black dash and along the doors. The steering wheel feels nice.

New SX models feature a full leather interior, with audio and cruise control, and front seat heaters, dual-zone automatic air conditioning, Bluetooth, audio system with USB connectivity and a VGA centre display with rear vision camera. The review car had a sunroof above the front seats which are half leather and offer really good support up along your back. Front ones can be heated for those cold chilly winter mornings. There's also cruise control with speed limiter, and aluminium pedals for a sporty look. The overhead specs case and handgrips are useful additions.

Outback comes with an electronic handbrake as seen in so many new cars in recent times. I prefer the good, old fashioned type that you pull up or let down and know that it is engaged rather than relying on an icon on the screen which takes a few seconds to appear after you apply the brake. That's just a personal preference. This one worked fine.

The many storage areas include a decent glove compartment, good sized door bins, a big and deep double-decker front armrest with USB, Auxilliary and power socket. There's an enclosed compartment on the centre console and an open area on the dash top for oddments.

You get 526 litres of luggage capacity with the rear seats upright. Those seats can fold to make for a completely flat floor.

In tune with the car's robust looks, the review car had a large removable rubber floor mat on top of the carpeted boot floor to ensure it stayed clean. Below again is another compartmentalised area with a jack and toolkit and storage areas for other oddments. Underneath again was a temporary spare.

Two new colours have been added to the Outback: Deep Blue Pearl and dark Grey Metallic. Dealer fit options include satellite navigation.

The SE manual version with 155g/km C02, in Tax Band C of €390 per annum, is priced from €41,995 while the SX Lineartronic with 166g/km C02, in Tax Band D of €570, is from €44,995.

Outback competitors include the Audi A6 Allroad and Volvo XC70.