The Outback has been part of the Subaru family since right around 1996 and has steadily increased in popularity due to its all around solid performance and practicality. You may remember the commercials that began back in the mid-90’s with Paul Hogan showing how well the Outback handled the Australian wilderness. That little station wagon has changed a lot since then.
The 2020 model weighs right around 3800 pounds with a 2700 pound towing capacity (enough to comfortably tow a Jayco Hummingbird.) It has a spacious interior and modern features that you’d expect to find in a Cadillac rather than the country’s most popular camping car. They offer it with various power plant configurations that range from a 2.5 liter 4 cylinder, to a 2.4 liter turbocharged engine that puts out 260hp.
As for off-road performance, the Subaru Outback does really well in most light off-road situations. The Subaru CVT transmission allows drivers to comfortably navigate challenging terrain at lower speeds. The All Wheel Drive that Subaru is famous for allows it to pull right through snow, mud, and loose rock without issue. Subaru’s X-Mode system helps safely manage even the most technical sections of trails with ease. However, this car is not designed to be a rock crawler. It doesn’t have the same suspension or frame set up that vehicles built on a truck platform have and won’t hold up to the same extreme abuse.
The Outback is great for those who want to go to places that may involve off-road driving. But we don’t suggest it as a substitute for a vehicle with a low-range transfer case and heavy duty axles, such as 4Runners, Wranglers, and Tacomas.