The 2009 Subaru Outback has come a long way. A decade ago, Crocodile Dundee was serving as this jacked-up wagon’s pitchman in a series of campy television commercials. Today, the Outback has moved decidedly upmarket, with refined exterior styling and a sleek interior layout that rivals that of some entry-level luxury cars. At heart, of course, the Outback remains a Subaru Legacy wagon on stilts, so its premium pretenses aren’t entirely convincing. Nonetheless, the Outback offers a unique combination of good looks, SUV-grade ground clearance and a midsize car’s handling characteristics — as opposed to the supposedly “carlike handling” of 4,500-pound crossovers.So what’s not to like? Most glaringly, the lack of passenger capacity. There is no third-row seat, which is available on most crossovers, and the backseat is rather tight. The Outback may technically be a midsize wagon, but Subaru markets it as an SUV substitute — and in terms of passenger accommodations, it doesn’t measure up. Then there’s the fuel economy, which isn’t as high as you’d expect given the Outback’s relatively light weight. In fact, if you go with either of the two optional engines — the 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder or the 3.0-liter six-cylinder — your gas mileage will be squarely in crossover-SUV territory.
That said, the 2009 Subaru Outback has a lot going for it. All-wheel drive is standard, impressive power is available in 2.5 XT or 3.0 R trim, and it’s among the safest cars on the road. It doesn’t hurt that the Outback boasts unusually sophisticated styling for a midsize car. But we’d still recommend taking a look at competing wagons and crossovers as well, including the Volkswagen Passat wagon, Ford Taurus X, Hyundai Veracruz, Mazda CX-9, Toyota Highlander and Toyota Venza. Premium alternatives include the Saab 9-5 wagon, Volvo V70 and Volvo XC70.
