2024 Subaru Outback 2.4 Touring XT Review

The Subaru Outback is the brand’s second-best selling vehicle as of late, slotting in behind the same-ethos-but-smaller-and-less-expensive Crosstrek. And yet, the Outback still feels like the heart of Subaru, embodying the notion that weather conditions don’t matter, you don’t need low-range to go into the woods, and the wagon lifestyle is better than that brought with the downsides of owning an SUV.

I’ve always liked the Subaru Outback. It’s extremely versatile, moderately comfortable, all-weather capable, quite safe, and it flies under the radar in my home region of the Northeast. It’s gotten bigger and more powerful over the years (as has effectively every continuously-running nameplate, save for the Mazda Miata), but it is still uniquely an Outback. This sixth-generation (!) model was launched in 2020 and received some mid-cycle updates for 2023, but the most notable change was the addition of the ultra-outdoorsy Wilderness trim for 2022. That’s not the one we have here; Instead, we tested the top-trim 2.4 Touring XT, which starts at $42,795.

For that money you get a pretty healthily-sized “lifted” wagon, which Subaru for some reason calls an SUV, with a 2.4-liter turbocharged SUBARU BOXER® 4-cylinder that makes 260 hp and 277 lb-ft of torque. It’s unfortunately paired to Subaru’s Lineartronic CVT that does make an attempt to replicate the sensation and performance adjustments of a traditional automatic transmission’s shifts, but it’s not a particularly pleasant gearbox even if it does its job well (and that’s not to mention that buyers likely couldn’t ‘t care less about the Outback’s transmission type).

Fuel mileage is rated at 22 MPG city and 29 MPG highway, neither of which are particularly good. Outbacks with the naturally-aspirated 2.5-liter engine do 26 MPG city and 32 MPG highway, but it’s probably time for Subaru to implement some kind of hybrid system here.

Perhaps more attractive are the ever-important Subaru Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive and included EyeSight suite that award the Outback five stars at NHTSA and earn it a Top Safety Pick+ rating from IIHS. This plus a healthy 8.7 inches of ground clearance (with the Wilderness boasting a truly impressive 9.5” of GC) makes for a vehicle that is deeply comforting and reassuring in everything it does.

Two flus we have with the Outback after our time with it are both technology-related. The StarLink infotainment screen and control unit continues to be excessively-encompassing, slow to respond to inputs, and unintuitive. Additionally, the reverse auto-brake proved to be extremely overactive, frequently applying the emergency brake in thinking we were about to back up into something when we had full control of the vehicle. EyeSight is great, but it isn’t perfect.

As expected, there isn’t much to write about as far as the Outback’s driving experience goes. The suspension does a great job of soaking up bumps and road imperfections as far as vehicles in this price bracket go, undoubtedly helped by the suspension and tires’ sidewall, both of which are fairly generous. There’s no hustle about the Outback’s method of getting you where you’re going, but it’ll do it without fuss and in relative peace.

The Subaru Outback is a testament to the fact that you don’t need an all-out three-row body-on-frame SUV to brave inclement weather and go to your favorite hiking or fishing spot. It could do a few things better, but the Subaru Outback is a vehicle to hit the “jack of all trades, master of none” right on the bullseye, and the niceties and power that comes with the 2.4 Touring XT trim make it feel a punch above what most expect of the nameplate.

Yay

As safe as the day is long

Good ride quality over broken, poor roads

Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive is a staple of northern climates for a reason

Isn’t an SUV or CUV (yes, wagons still rule)

Reasonably affordable as far as new cars with this level of equipment go

Nay

Middling fuel efficiency

StarLink continues to frustrate

Overactive automatic rear braking

CVT is unpleasant to interact with

Bland styling and driving dynamics

The Takeaway

The Subaru Outback is as the Subaru Outback does; it marches to the beat of its own drum and, while that means it suffers on the fronts of fuel efficiency and curb appeal, it’s a very easy vehicle to recommend for a whole slew of reasons that have given it strong staying power over six generations.

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Author: Ross Ballot