Dog lovers, campers, off-road adventurers, and college professors who no longer can afford Volvos are rejoicing over the all-new 2020 Subaru Outback, the sixth-generation version of the lifted, two-row AWD station wagon for people who don't like SUVs but which is marketed as an SUV anyway. It arrives in U.S. dealerships this fall. The biggest news as far as we're concerned is the return of the turbocharged boxer four-cylinder, which has been given a preliminary 260-hp rating. Subaru says Outbacks with the engine—the Onyx Edition XT, Limited XT, and Touring XT—can tow up to 3,500 pounds, while the 182-hp, 2.5-liter naturally aspirated models offer more than 600 miles of range. Other highlights include an 11.6-inch tablet-style central screen, nearly nine inches of ground clearance, 32 cubic feet of cargo room behind the second row, and 75 cubic feet behind the first row. All of that said, we zeroed in on a couple of XTs as two most intriguing variants, and we tapped Subaru car-line planning manager Peter Tenn to get more details on the 2020 Subaru Outback Onyx Edition XT and Touring XT. 1) The Onyx Edition XT's exclusive StarTex urethane upholstery is waterproof. They're heated in front, and dog fur will clean off like it's leather. There's still a bit of leather trim, such as the steering-wheel cover, but Tenn says the Onyx XT may go all-vegan in future updates. StarTex seems the perfect seat material for (stereo-)typical Subaru customers. 2) The Onyx's blacked-out trim looks great. The sideview mirrors and 18-inch wheels are among the black elements applied to the Onyx XT, and the trim gives the Outback a more serious off-road adventure look. 3) The Onyx XT gets Dual-Mode X-Mode. X-Mode is Subaru's name for its off-road tech, and the regular version offer includes hill-descent control to allow the car to safely walk down steep inclines as it works the throttle, traction control, braking, and shifting itself. Dual-Mode X-Mode adds terrain settings to more precisely tailor the power delivery and other attributes to the situation. 4) Only the Onyx XT comes with a full-size spare tire on an aluminum wheel. It's placed below the cargo floor, which eats up some of the storage available there but provides more peace-of-mind when driving off the beaten path. 5) The swing-out crossbars remain. All new Subaru Outbacks retain the handy swing-in-place roof crossbars, which fold into the side rails when not in use for increased aerodynamic efficiency. 6) All XTs come with a dual exhaust. The better for the world to hear your turbocharged song. In addition, XTs also have laminated side glass to keep unwanted noises out. See all 49 photos See all 49 photos 7) The XT models' automatic liftgate is more trick than you'd think. Instead of dangling your foot under the rear bumper as in myriad other SUVs, here you simply tap your elbow—presuming your hands are full—on the big blue Subaru badge on the liftgate. As long as you're carrying your keys, the hatch opens. Once open, you can then tap the cargo cover with your elbow to make it retract out of the way, so you can load that big, heavy box of awesome stuff from Costco. 8) The Onyx and Touring XTs come with a standard, 180-degree front-view camera. Because you don't want to hit a groundhog when you're out in the wilderness—or the back of your garage at home. 9) The top-spec Touring XT has buttery soft Nappa leather seats. They're placed in a tasteful, premium-looking two-tone interior, and they're also heated and ventilated in front and heated in the outboard positions in the back. 10) The Touring XT's standard Driver Focus feature. It involves a camera located just above the center screen that focuses on the driver to monitor for sleepiness or distraction, and it also recognizes up to five drivers and can automatically set the seat and side mirrors. It's optional on XT Limited. 11) There's even more safety tech. Additional safety features on the XT Touring include advanced adaptive cruise control with lane centering and stop-and-go traffic-jam functionality. Swiveling LED headlamps, blind-spot detection with rear cross-traffic alert, and a head-up display are among the 2020 Outback's options. See all 49 photos See all 49 photos<doc-sep>The Outback is Subaru's best-selling vehicle, and for good reason. It's capable, it's versatile, it wears inoffensive looks, and it offers plenty of modern tech in a relatively affordable package. So when it came time to rework the model and introduce a new generation, Subaru took the less-is-more approach to the aesthetic redesign, which only has subtle tweaks. The major changes come inside the cabin and beneath the sheetmetal by introducing a more premium interior, and an all-new XT trim with a torquey new 2.4-liter turbocharged boxer engine. Similar to the approach used to update the 2020 Legacy , Subaru refined the Outback at every level. That started with the car's bones and the Subaru Global Platform . Subaru says the 2020 Outback is 70 percent stiffer in torsional and front-suspension rigidity and 100 percent stiffer in front lateral flex and rear subframe rigidity. The improved structure is also said to be 40 percent more absorbent in front and side crashes. More exciting is the introduction of multiple XT trims, which come standard with a 2.4-liter turbocharged boxer engine. Like the Legacy, the Outback is getting rid of the 3.6-liter six-cylinder engine in favor of the model's first turbocharged offering since 2009. It makes 260 horsepower at 5,600 rpm and 277 lb-ft of torque at 2,000 rpm, four more horsepower and 30 more lb-ft than the six-cylinder. Subaru notes the 2.4-liter engine offers a 3,500-pound towing capacity, which is an 800-pound improvement and the Outback's highest tow rating ever. It is estimated to get 23 mpg city and 30 mpg highway, compared to the 3.6's 20 mpg city and 27 mpg highway. All Outbacks come standard with permanent symmetrical all-wheel drive and a Lineartronic continuously variable transmission (CVT) that offer an "eight-speed" manual mode and paddle shifters. Base-model Outbacks continue to use a 2.5-liter naturally aspirated boxer engine, which Subaru says has 90 percent new parts. Its specs increase to 182 horsepower at 5,800 rpm and 176 lb-ft of torque at 4,400 rpm from 175 horsepower and 174 lb-ft in the previous model. With the slight increases in power comes a lighter and more agile suspension. Up front the Outback will have MacPherson struts with an internal rebound spring and a new 0.9-inch hollow stabilizer bar. In the back, a double wishbone setup with coil springs and a 0.75-inch hollow stabilizer bar. Overall, the Outback maintains its impressive 8.7 inches of ground clearance. The second shining star of the Outback debut is the available 11.6-inch, which is standard on all but the base trim. It's the focal point of an overhauled interior that comes out the other end much more polished. Subaru says the interior is three decibels quieter at highway speeds, thanks to new weather stripping and thicker insulated glass. On all 2020 Outback trims, EyeSight Driver Assist Technology is standard, including adaptive cruise control and lane-centering. DriverFocus Distraction Mitigation, WiFi hotspot, responsive headlights, reverse automatic braking, blind-spot detection, lane-change assist, rear cross-traffic alert, and front view monitor are also available. The Outback will be the first vehicle to offer the Chimani app within its infotainment system. Aimed at the car's adventurous demographics, Chimani offers guides and information on all 417 U.S. National Parks. The 2020 Outback will be available in Base, Premium, Limited, Touring, Onyx Edition XT, Limited XT, and Touring XT trims. The new Onyx Edition adds to the Premium trim with a blacked-out exterior and a trim-specific gray two-tone interior with water-repellant StarTex seats. It also adds a hands-free power gate and the front view monitor. Pricing has not been announced yet for the new wagon-slash-crossover, but the 2020 Outback will be on sale in the fall.<doc-sep>The new 2020 Subaru Outback wagon sports a familiar look but has plenty of new features. It also adds an optional turbocharged engine with 260 horsepower, reviving the XT model from older Outback generations. The 2020 Outback will go on sale in the fall. As the Subaru Outback enters its sixth generation, it hews closely to the highly successful formula that took it this far: it remains an all-wheel-drive lifted wagon version of the Legacy mid-size sedan, with rugged looks and an adventurous image. But there's plenty of newness in store for the 2020 Outback, as it adds a turbocharged engine option, offers a huge optional touchscreen, and migrates to a new platform that promises improved handling and refinement. A turbo engine has been absent from the Outback lineup for a decade, but it makes its return for 2020 and is once again badged XT. Replacing the outgoing car's 3.6-liter flat-six upgrade engine, the XT uses a turbocharged 2.4-liter boxer-four with 260 horsepower and 277 lb-ft of torque that pairs with a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT). Not only should this provide sprightlier acceleration than before, it also helps the Outback provide a 3500-pound towing capacity, 800 pounds more than before. In other hauling news, Subaru claims a wider rear cargo opening. Now, maximum cargo volume with the rear seats folded sits at 76 cubic feet, three cubic feet more than before. View Photos Michael Simari Car and Driver Non-XT Outbacks make do with a 2.5-liter flat-four that makes 182 horsepower and 176 lb-ft of torque, also with a one-choice-only continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT). Subaru says this engine is heavily revised compared with the previous car's base engine, and fuel economy improves to an estimated 26 mpg city and 33 mpg highway. All Outbacks, of course, have Subaru's signature all-wheel-drive system with torque-vectoring capability, an off-road-oriented X-Mode, hill-descent control, and 8.7 inches of ground clearance. While Subaru isn't yet saying how the new Outback compares to its predecessor in terms of size, we do know that it now uses the company's modular architecture that underpins the Impreza, the Ascent, and the new Legacy sedan on which the Outback is based. This new, stiffer platform promises to provide improved handling and increased refinement, and Subaru says it has added sound deadening to reduce road noise. View Photos Michael Simari Car and Driver The Outback's set of standard and optional features is comprehensive. The EyeSight bundle of driver-assist features is standard across the board, and all trim levels but the base model get a huge 11.6-inch vertical touchscreen with all sorts of connectivity options including Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Additional features available on upper trim levels include cooled seats, a forward-camera view system, and an LTE WiFi hotspot. Trim levels include base, Premium, Limited, and Touring, all of which have the naturally aspirated engine, and Limited XT and Touring XT, which have the optional turbo. There's a special Onyx Edition XT that combines the Premium's feature set and the turbo engine along with a blacked-out exterior appearance package, a two-tone gray interior with water-repellent seats, a full-size spare tire, a power liftgate, and the front camera system. We expect pricing to mostly hold the line from the current Outback's $27,320 starting price, with XT models cresting the $40,000 mark when fully loaded. It will hit dealerships this fall. View Photos Michael Simari Car and Driver This content is imported from {embed-name}. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io<doc-sep>
The Subaru Outback has always been a left-of-center contender in the midsize crossover-SUV space. It's more of a tall wagon than an upright sport-utility vehicle, with plenty of ground clearance and lots of space inside. We like the Outback because it thinks slightly outside the box. And the brand-new 2020 Outback that debuts at the New York Auto Show this week offers updates that broaden the model's appeal without straying from that charming formula. For starters, the 2020 Outback now rides on Subaru's global platform, which underpins the Ascent, Crosstrek, Forester, Impreza and redesigned 2020 Legacy, the latter of which largely forms the basis for this redesigned wagon. The new Outback isn't much larger than its predecessor, but Subaru says the structure is significantly stiffer than before. On the powertrain front, the big news is the return of a turbocharged engine option. In its higher XT trims, the Outback uses the 2.4-liter turbocharged flat-four engine from the Ascent and Legacy, tuned to produce 260 horsepower and 277 pound-feet of torque. Paired with a continuously variable transmission, Subaru estimates fuel economy numbers of 23 miles per gallon city and 30 mpg highway with this engine, plus the ability to tow up to 3,500 pounds. Non-XT models will use Subaru's 2.5-liter naturally aspirated flat-four engine, with 182 horsepower and 176 pound-feet of torque. This engine is slightly more efficient, with Subaru estimating fuel economy of 26 mpg city and 33 mpg highway. As with the turbo engine, the 2.5-liter H4 is paired with a continuously variable transmission and all-wheel drive. Subaru says the 2020 Outback has a number of improved suspension components that ought to make it more enjoyable to drive. Should you want to venture off the beaten path, the Outback offers 8.7 inches of ground clearance -- the same as before -- and all models get the company's X-Mode function with hill-descent control. Enlarge Image Steven Pham/Roadshow Inside, the new Outback gets a massive tech upgrade, by way of the 11.6-inch, portrait-oriented infotainment display, which is standard on all but the base trim level. This new touchscreen runs an updated version of the automaker's Starlink infotainment system, with optional TomTom-based navigation and a new app called Chimani (which kind of sounds like a granola-based snack), which gives detailed information about all 417 national parks in the US -- how appropriately Subaru. Whether you get the big touchscreen or opt for the base model, every 2020 Outback comes standard with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Bluetooth audio and over-the-air updates. All Outbacks also come with Subaru's EyeSight safety tech, which includes adaptive cruise control and lane-centering tech. LED headlights, reverse automatic braking, blind-spot monitoring, a head-up display and a front-view camera are all available as options, or bundled into higher trim levels. Otherwise, the Outback's interior isn't radically larger than before, though Subaru says it's a lot quieter, with better overall materials. The Outback has 75.7 cubic feet of space behind the front seats -- about the same as other midsize crossovers -- and can be had with a hands-free power liftgate. Instead of kicking your foot under the bumper like on many cars with this tech, the Outback's system activates when you wave a hand (or arm, if you're carrying grocery bags) in front of the Subaru logo on the hatch. Enlarge Image Steven Pham/Roadshow For the extra rugged among us, Subaru offers the Onyx Edition Outback, which starts with the second-from-base Premium trim, and adds water-repellant seat material, unique 18-inch wheels and the turbocharged 2.4-liter engine. The Onyx Edition also gets a hands-free power liftgate, front-view camera and a dual-mode X-Mode drive setting. The Onyx Edition XT is one of several 2020 Outback models, including Base, Premium, Limited, Touring, Limited XT and Touring XT. Pricing for all of these models will be announced when the Outback arrives in Subaru dealers this fall. Originally published April 17, 8:30 a.m. PT.