Is Subaru's New Outback Out of Steam?

When I first saw the new Outback at last year’s New York auto show, I was not impressed. You may recall the original Outback was technically the Legacy Outback--a beefed up wagon variant of the mainstream Legacy sedan. As the years progressed, it lost the “Legacy” tag and slowly became more proficient offroad.

With the latest variant, it appears Subaru has thrown out the baby with the bathwater. Q1 sales are down a staggering 31%--and this is for a new “SUV” in an SUV-crazy market. What happened?

To begin with, I disagree with the article’s reference to the new Outback as a “conventionally-shaped SUV”. The proportions--shorter wheelbase, longer overhangs, and lower-slung greenhouse-to-body ratio--still look like a wagon, albeit one that’s jacked up and festooned with far too much plastic. In addition, a $5,000 jump in price leaves you starting with a mundane 180-horsepower, naturally-aspirated boxer engine--not exactly inspiring. That same money will get you a nicely equipped Bronco Sport Outer Banks with a turbocharged L4 (in a vehicle about 200 pounds lighter).

So, despite Subaru’s strong brand loyalty, it turns out that awkward design and questionable value are sufficiently powerful obstacles to keep people out of the showroom. Let’s wait and see what Subaru does to address this...

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