The 2025 Subaru Outback Touring XT SDL blends rugged utility, luxury and comfort. It’s handsome, solid and well-built.

Presented in “Autumn Green Metallic” the warm Earth tone hue complements the Subaru’s outdoorsy character. The Outback combines an appealing visual and functional balance. It has station wagon aesthetics and the height and utility of a crossover. It offers a quiet, composed and satisfying car-like driving experience.

Too much body cladding can cheapen a vehicle’s appearance. The Outback’s ruggedness is enhanced by its tasteful use of body cladding. It’s just right, contributing a layer of visual strength without disrupting a clean design.

The thoughtfully styled interior is finished in soft-touch materials and upscale Nappa leather. Ingress and egress are ideal. The Outback sits at the perfect height. Tall drivers will appreciate the driver’s seat with an extendable thigh support bolster. It’s a standout, comfortable feature rarely found in the segment’s price point.

The Outback’s drive is vault-like quiet. Generous sound deadening insulates passengers from road and wind noise. It’s a serene environment rivaling many luxury brands.

Power delivery is strong; the flat torque curve provides a generous amount of thrust at all speeds. Subaru’s 2.4-liter turbocharged boxer engine produces 260 horsepower and 277 lb-ft of torque.

The engine has evolved from previous Subarus. The raspy Cessna aircraft-like sound has been replaced by a quiet, refined exhaust note.

Steering is intuitive, braking is confidence-inspiring. The ride height strikes a sweet spot between ground clearance and handling stability.

Subaru’s symmetrical all-wheel drive and vehicle dynamics control are standard. It provides competent traction in all weather conditions. No wonder Subaru is a favorite among Snowbelt dwellers.

The EPA fuel economy estimates are 22 miles per gallon in city driving, 29 mpg on the highway, 25 mpg combined. I averaged 23.5 mpg over 240 miles of mixed driving. It’s among the most fuel-efficient AWD vehicles in its class.

The Outback features a generous suite of driver’s assistance features: automatic emergency braking, blind spot detection, rear cross-traffic alert, reverse automatic braking and front view cameras affording a 180-degree field of view. Notably absent is a 360-degree camera system.

While well intentioned, the driver assistance technologies proved as much a nuisance as helpful. The EyeSight system, which includes adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping assist proved adequate, but was overly sensitive. Even while driving attentively, the system sounded frequent alerts and repeatedly nudged the steering wheel. The distraction mitigation system, meant to bolster driver focus was so persistent with alerts and reminders, it was a distraction.

The 2025 Subaru Outback Touring XT SDL has an MSRP of $42,795 and and an as-tested price of $44,356 including destination. It’s among the more competitively priced entries in the AWD sport utility vehicle segment.

Despite technological quirks, the Outback stands out in its class. It’s a solid sure-footed platform with refined road manners, near-luxury comfort and thoughtful interior features. It’s a compelling choice for adventure seekers who don’t want to compromise on handling. https://www.subaru.com/index.html