Probably part of the reason why the new Legacy looks so bad is likely because they designed it as an Outback first, then converted it to a sedan, or at least that’s how it looks like to me. The front as you’ve previously seen is rather fat and tall and made worse by the upward curving headlamps but it looks fine on a vehicle that’s meant to have a tall stance like the Outback.
Having said that, Subaru is still definitely abit lost in the design department here. While the Legacy had cues from the Lexus GS and the Accord, the Outback ends up looking like a Hyundai Santa Fe. This has been ongoing ever since the “flying vagina” grille of the previous generation Impreza and the pre-facelift Subaru Tribeca, which they promptly “fixed” in the facelift. Some people think any coverage is good coverage, so is any unique design a good design to Subaru?
The Outback is a wagon version of the Legacy but has a 8.7 inch ground clearance for some minor offroading, together with its Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive capabilities. It has a swing-out roof rail, said to be the first vehicle in its segment to have one. Despite being bigger with a longer wheelbase its actually shorter than the outgoing model thanks to reduced overhangs.
The engine options are largely the same as the Legacy – a 170hp 2.5i mated to a 6-speed manual or the Lineartronic CVT, and a 256hp 3.6 litre boxer-6 engine mated to a 5-speed automatic. The boxer-6 car uses a planetary gear-type center differential with electronically controlled continuously variable hydraulic transfer clutch to divide engine power 45:55, adjustable in response to driving conditions. No 2.5 GT for this American model.
Look after the jump for more pix of the Outback.
After dabbling for years in the IT industry, Paul Tan initially began this site as a general blog covering various topics of personal interest. With an increasing number of readers paying rapt attention to the motoring stories, one thing led to another and the rest, as they say, is history. An avid electronic gadget aficionado as well as big-time coffee lover, he's also the executive producer of the Driven motoring TV programme.
the dashboard is too simple…
very ugly and very korean like….stimes wen u try too hard to design sting nice , u end up with sting ugly like this
nothing impressive……
Subaru is never known to have good designs. In fact this can be considered ok compared to other models. They are more know for their technological prowess.
damn ugly..especially at d rear.
I reckon it looks alright actually, only from far away though. If you look at the details you won't be impressed. Thats where Subaru has always failed in design, in the details. This should sell well though.
Question: Are Subarus actually sold in Malaysia? I was there in 2005 and only saw a WRX in my whole two weeks there and was disappointed as, at the time, I owned a 2000 Liberty (I live in Australia where the Legacy is called Liberty as we have a war widow's club called Legacy) and wanted to see examples of my car there. Now I own a Skoda Octavia RS and its a hugely better car!
Arghhh…my eyes! Why, Subaru? Whyyy?!
Look quite similar to new LEXUS RX350.
[quote comment="229059"]I reckon it looks alright actually, only from far away though. If you look at the details you won't be impressed. Thats where Subaru has always failed in design, in the details. This should sell well though.
Question: Are Subarus actually sold in Malaysia? I was there in 2005 and only saw a WRX in my whole two weeks there and was disappointed as, at the time, I owned a 2000 Liberty (I live in Australia where the Legacy is called Liberty as we have a war widow's club called Legacy) and wanted to see examples of my car there. Now I own a Skoda Octavia RS and its a hugely better car![/quote]
Of course Subaru is sold in Malaysia. The funny thing is they spend millions in Motorsport like rallies but nobody seems to know where to find them! In fact, my fren just bought a Forrester, quite good with 2.5L turbo diesel.
The interior is so boring, sterile even. It almost looks like something from the eighties. The exterior isn't too bad… looks a lot like every other cross-over. It must be hard to come up with a nice designs now days, everything is starting to look the same.