Subaru Outback 2.5i

When I laid eyes on the new Outback 2.5i from Subaru’s 2007 range, my first thoughts were that this car would make a great partner for the Sea-Doo personal watercraft (PWC) that has featured prominently in TrailerBoat over the past few months. Like most cars in the Subaru range, the Outback offers a really sleek and sporty experience, both on the eye and behind the wheel; so much so that an old, beaten up tinnie wouldn’t look right behind the Outback. A small sportsboat or PWC is more this car’s thing.

Subaru markets the Outback as a true recreational vehicle and the 2007 Outback range has received something of a facelift both inside and out to enhance this reputation. Each All-Wheel Drive Outback now comes with a reversible, washable cargo floor, telescopic steering wheel, 17-inch alloy wheels, and six-stack in-dash CD player.

Like its predecessors, the 2007 Outback range is powered by Subaru’s specially developed Boxer engine. Under the bonnet of the 2.5i is a single overhead camshaft horizontally opposed Boxer that’s capable of delivering 121kW of power at 5600rpm and 226Nm of torque at 4400rpm. Subaru claims the Boxer engine provides better balance under the bonnet and increased overall vehicle stability, which is no doubt further enhanced by Subaru’s trademark All-Wheel Drive.

From the driver’s seat of the Outback you get a low profile view of the road and surrounds. The dash display is directly opposite the driver, something I found rather practical and refreshing, given my own vehicle’s dash display is centrally-mounted. All Outbacks have steering wheel-mounted cruise control buttons and now feature an MP3 and WMA-compatible audio system. Given many boats these days are going the same way, there’s no need to spend time burning CDs or recording a mixed tape (remember those!) for a long trip on the road. In the case of the Outback, if you’re tech savvy with your music, your ears will be well looked after.

The 2.5i test vehicle came with some premium variants including adjustable power driver’s seat with dual memory function, electric sunroof, leather trim, and tinted side and rear windows. When these features are added to the standard cup holders, leather gear shift and park brake handle, and sports seats, you’ve got a great little sports wagon at your disposal.

The cargo area has plenty of space to store provisions and luggage required over a long haul and I particularly liked the reversible dual surface that is now standard across the range. The polypropylene base will be incredibly useful when the car is used for outdoor activities and sand, grass, dirt and the like creep into the car no matter how hard you try to keep it out. When it’s being used as an urban people-mover, simply flip the surface and there’s black carpet to upholster this area that complements the interior nicely.

A day touring the rolling hills of the Yarra Valley, an hour east of Melbourne, proved the perfect way to put the Outback through its paces. The test car had Sportshift four-speed automatic transmission and was equipped with a satellite navigation package. The Outback range also comprises of a 2.5i automatic, 2.5i Premium manual and automatic, and 3.0R automatic and Premium automatic.

I’m tipping a car like this will certainly appeal to those who like their action fast and furious on the water and, with a towing capacity of 1500kg (with brakes), it will handle a PWC or a small sportsboat with weight to spare.

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