Patagonia dropped them as sponsor due to cancel culture when they found out about a joke Savagegeese told his classmates in 2nd grade. Good news is that the dynamic duo is in talks with Moosejaw now about sponsoring them.
I like how Jack tries to remain enthusiastic about reviewing cars he could care less about. Mark on the other hand can barely hide his disdain. I love it.
One of my favourite reviews of theirs was the Toyota 4Runner for that reason. He just shits all over the thing the whole review with the owner. . As a 4runner owner, I loved it LOL.
Hey Jack, Hey Mark, my father and I watch your videos religiously and absolutely love the dry humor that we can relate to. However, recently my father passed away. He was a true car nerd, with a love for any brand, but was laid to rest at 51 owning his 2019 WRX. He was my best friend, my car buddy. He had talked about buying a SG hat or t-shirt, but never got the chance to. I will definitely be fulfilling that for him! Keep up the amazing work and content guys!
Hey it’s a year later, but I just wanted to let you know that your comment made me very thankful to have my father with me. Love you bro, I know ur pops is resting easy 🕊️
I have a ‘22 OBW… you can say what you want, make fun of or anything else, but this car is absolutely FANTASTIC!!! I literally bought it on a whim to help out a long time salesman friend during COVID. It has literally moved to the top of my list as one of the very best cars we have ever owned. Comfortable, practical, capable and unbelievably maneuverable.👍🏼
It's worth mentioning if you don't need the extra offroad stuff the regular outback is pretty great. The 2.5 is slow as balls but I drive one for work (mostly highway) and averaged 34mpg. Great video guys!
Yeah and if you really need the off road you probably need more than an Outback. 90% of what we do in the mountains the non turbo outback works. For the rest, we take the raptor.
Subaru knows their audience well. Comfortable enough to daily drive or grab groceries and capable enough to hit the mountains on a camping trip. Bridges that gap between road-tuned SUVs/crossovers/wagons and rough all-terrain Jeep-type vehicles for a relatively competitive price. As always, the geese push out another stellar video. Pretty much the benchmark for automotive reviews at this point.
I can't wait to see these at Starbucks and local Yoga fitness studios...wait a minute, fellas, who am I kidding here. These vehicles will actually be used to go to remote hiking/biking/camping sites and offroading (everything except rock crawling) as opposed to the bro trucks like Raptor, 4Runner and every single full size truck with 35" tires that will never leave pavement! Not to mention this vehicle is 100% better in snow than any truck with an empty bed.
Seems a lot of people here in northern New England are already getting them out into the woods. Lots of these popping up at remote trail heads. Which is pretty normal, it’s usually a mix of Subarus and older Jeeps/Tacomas out there anyway
Or perhaps those actually aren't mutually exclusive. I definitely don't go to Starbucks or yoga centers however I DO wash my truck after it gets dirty. Ever thought of that possibility in your little acorn brain?
Your videos' unbelievable attention to detail explain why you are constantly flooded with offers of business transactions. Also, shoutout Glass Animals on the infotainment shot, always checking what songs you pick for the vids.
I have a 22 Outback Wilderness with over 15,000 trouble free miles on it. I was looking for a reliable ,comfortable, all weather vehicle and this checked all the boxes for me. Best daily driver I have ever owned.
After owning several nice and sporty Legacy and Outback wagons in New Zealand I got a 2017 Outback Touring in California and was very disappointed with its wallowy handling on twisty roads. I put in a WRX rear sway bar ($80). That totally transformed the wallowing and understeer on turn-in when pressing on in the twisties (e.g. Calaveras Rd from Sunol to Milpitas), but still left the highway comfort smooth like a baby's bottom.
@@BruceHoult too true, I went from a 2015 outback which was ok, to a 2018 it was awful on anything other than a straight flat road. Seeing as I would travel the crown range road regularly the WRX rear sway bar made a world of difference.
@@chrisa4853 oh, so it's not just the Americanised models then. Sad. But at least fixable. After returning from the USA I bought an old used 2008 Outback 2.5XT (265 HP turbo) and the handling is great.
I have the '24 OBW, and while its steering is a bit better than the '20 Premium I traded in for it, it's still some of the floatiest I've ever experienced in any vehicle. Look sideways for even a fraction of a second, and you're suddenly drifting into other lanes or toward a ditch. I'd liken it to trying to steer a stick of butter on a hot griddle. But, as long as you keep your eyes constantly locked on the road ahead of you and your hands firmly planted on the steering wheel, it more than makes up for this necessary vigilance with so many other creature comforts and overall capabilities.
Bought mine shortly after watching your video last year. Caught my attention when it was first introduced earlier of last year and put it on my top five list of cars i wished to test drive. But after one test drive i surprisingly enjoyed it more than i thought and decided to go ahead with the purchase. The styling is polarizing but I love it and it's grown on me even after a year with it. Planning on going camping alot with it this year. Also great video by the way! You guys know how to lay down the information for people.👍
Its a sad state of affairs when the market prefers "s"uvs that can't clear a cue ball and refuses to buy vehicles actually designed to fill the very function the market wants. *Read: Minivans and wagons*
Except they don't fit the function or they'd be bought. I don't think anyone out there is buying a Chevy Equinox because they think it makes them look cool.
@@mofayer Exactly. Most people really don't care that much and aren't interested in doing research. A basic CUV from any automaker will meet their needs. Subarus also get _some_ buyers who will use them for light off-roading, but most buyers just think they're better at handling bad weather and like the lack of style.
I've started seeing a few of these on the road. I gotta say I like this so much more than I thought. I saw another channels off-road review of this thing and it blew my mind what it was able to make it through
Yeah, I'm thinking of getting this vehicle over the 4runner because this has a way better ride on pavement and +5 more inches of rear leg room for my kids. Do yourself a favor and watch the outback vs 4runner offroading video.
As a road tripper, the Outback is excellent. You don't really need all of the extra bits. Put some good tires on it and you have a proper jack of all trades.
Falken Wildpeak AT Trails on the Premium model creates the best bang-for-the-buck vehicle out there, especially if you option the sunroof and navigation (for those times when you're outside of cell service and need to keep from getting lost).
I’ve had the regular limited outback from the previous generation. It was my first non sports car but I wanted something bigger now that I have kids and it has changed what I expected from a vehicle. A lot better to commute in this everyday then some of my previous sports car and it fits shit
I have a 2014 2.5L 4 banger (pre turbo) - 175 HP. It's slightly underpowered when loaded up on a road trip with 4 people and luggage. I imagine turbo generated 270? HP and the associated torks bump solves that slight problem. It's a real station wagon - generous second row and big space in the back, with a roof rack. With world class ground clearance and proven AWD. No brainer.
@@myckeee I've said this on another video. From my experience, 2200-3000 rpm light acceleration will get you at best 18 mpg city. Driving normally gets you 15. It's brutal for a 4 cylinder.
This is my first non American vehicle and I love it! I didn't know how I'd feel about the CVT but Subaru has been making it for some time now and it works really well.. Mind you I don't tow with it.
Again another excellent video! I own a 2020 Outback XT Touring and love the car, quirks and all. The drive is incredible and we can go own road trips for hours and not get fatigued.
Nothing beats a turbo CVT platform for using cruise control through hilly terrain. Except maybe a hybrid Ecvt or full electric platform... It exists as an ICE approximation of the electric car experience but falls flat on it's face when it's time to pass on the highway
I purchased a new 2018 Limited for my family mobile: so happy with it! It may be “floaty” but I pass everything but dedicated sports cars on our twisty California canyons with confidence. Outback; jack of all trades, master of none. Perfect all rounder
I live in Sweden and we don't get the wilderness version here. But it would be the perfect car for me and for many people up here. Year round usability for all our crazy weather and perfect for going on adventures in Northern Sweden and Norway. Slap a tent on the roof and just go. Just perfect. It's really weird Subaru don't sell well here, just feels like a missed opportunity for a lot of people who think their Volvo XC60 is gonna get them through a snowy mountainroad..
The outback in general is underrated. Its in that sweet spot for me and it has a huge back seat. If oyu ahve a family and need a "family hauler and look at CRV/CX5/RAV4 etc. for the same money you can get an outback which has more of everything. I chose it over paying 5-7k more to get a 3 row cross over. Its solid and for DD duty, the CVT is fine.
Exactly why i'm getting it. Space wise it's a sweet spot (two dog crates fit in back perfect), zippy, and cheaper than a massive 3-row, capable vehicle.
@@TwoDollarGararge I’m on my 4th turbo Subaru. When are the turbos supposed to break? My 2002 WRX lasted 14 years without issue, never had an issue with my other Subies, either.
@@TonyTenor3000 idk every subaru experience up hear in the north east over 7 or 8 years I've seen turns into german style nickel and diming every piece of hardware rots off and spending 6k in work on a 3k car or modding it and going through 3 engines in a year
I got an Outback Wilderness in November and am loving so far. I cross shopped it with the Honda Passport, Toyota 4Runner and Jeep Grand Cherokee Trailhawk. I landed on the Outback for the following reasons: -cost, significantly cheaper than the other options while providing a ton of value -comfort/safety. This is a family car, so the less than stellar safety ratings of the Jeep and Toyota (and lack of features in the Toyota in particular) disqualified them -it's a wagon. Yes it's lifted, but it's a wagon. The wagon body shape combined with the boxer engine means it actually handles very well for a car with it's ground clearance. The OBW is truly an all-purpose vehicle. I've taken it some on some pretty technical trails and while I needed to pick my lines carefully, I didn't encounter anything that the 4Runner or Jeep could do that the Outback couldn't. I don't rock crawl, so I'm not anticipating really encountering anything the Outback can't do. That said, I've definitely "tested" the skid plates, and they did fine. It's a very capable car that's also a pleasure to drive on a regular basis. And as Jack and Mark point out, it's got personality. This is what Subaru used to be known for - quirky weird looking cars that were a result of engineering practicality at every turn vs styling or following trends. If you're looking for a solid family car that's fast and off-road capable, this is really the only game in town for under 50k CAD. www.reddit.com/r/subaruoutback/comments/qrmz8s/my_first_48_hours_with_the_outback/hl5rke8/?context=3
This is exactly why I bought one. I had a relatively high budget, since off-roaders tend to be expensive, and I still feel strongly that this was the right choice. It's a Jack of all trades and certainly has that nostalgic old Subaru look to it after many years of their lineup looking like normal cars. I think years later, people will look back on this car with much a much warmer sentiment than now. When you need a vehicle to do many things, there must be compromise. This car is what happens when you want "decent" in every category. In my opinion, this car is greater than the sum of its parts.
The amount of value a Subaru vehicle provides over its competitors at the same cost is pretty great, including how much value these vehicles hold and how long lasting they tend to be
That super airy cabin feel and great visibility is a huge factor that sells a lot of Subarus ... we had 3 generations of Foresters in the family and all had the same feel.
its for sure, one of the best youtube car chanel ! I love the point of review you did , I can't wait for your review of new WRX ... Best regard from Brazil !
@@ekscalybur This is my third, and I've liked them all - but it's likely my last. We have one EV in the garage now and whatever replaces my OBW in a few years will be a no-transmission electric wonder. The idea of a 'transmission' will be a quant memory.
@@tomKphotoFortCollins haha maybe in 40 years, electricity prices are sky rocketing and there's barely any place where you can charge a EV vehicle in 5 minutes like a gas vehicle can.
Wilderness owner here. Sold a 2020 mustang gt and bought this in geyser blue. We have had over 40 cars this has been the best all around car yet. By no means is this a sports car. But damn good for what it is.
My wife has an Ascent with the CVT and she doesn’t notice the shortcomings but she also doesn’t drive anything else regularly. When I jump in after driving my truck, the CVT feels awful. But when we went on a weeklong road trip I got in the habit of using the shift paddles to temporarily hold revs and get up to speed faster (freeway merging in Utah can be stressful)
I have an Ascent too and use the shift paddles as well. I hate when auto journalists make fun of shift paddles on CVTs as if they don't serve a purpose. They take you to preset ratios just like in an automatic and are quite useful. I test drove an Atlas recently but one big negative was no paddles. In the Ascent I mostly use them on hills and to help with braking when coming off the highway (I am used to downshifting in manuals). My wife's Legacy doesn't have a turbo so even though it is lighter than the Ascent it feels really slow to me so in that I often use the paddles like you do.
If you mash the pedal, doesn't the cvt automatically maintain the rpm for max torque/acceleration? (like most/all other CVT's)? I'd think by using the paddle shifters to override the computer, you're acceleration would be at least slightly worse.
Random comment here, but Utah’s a beautiful place. I went there for the first time this summer, and I was stunned at how many amazing places there were to see.
@@Bill-NM It depends on the situation. The Legacy, at least in the Premium trim, is geared so much for fuel economy it doesn't like to give you much acceleration. And then it likes to drop the revs back down too soon. Sure if you press the pedal to the floor you can invoke a brisk hit of power but going back and forth between "normal" and full throttle is not the greatest way to drive. Despite the engine being capable of plenty of HP and torque, it just doesn't like to give it to you. The car feels underpowered. It needs a sport mode but without that using the paddles gives much better control. In our previous CVT Subarus (Legacy, Outback, Impreza) and my current Ascent I didn't/don't use the paddles outside of specific, yet still useful, scenarios.
Mark and Jack arrive at the playboy mansion Jack-“I see huge breasts everywhere. Let’s mingle” Mark-“they’re all full of saline, it’ll never last and all those high heels have piano gloss black. So annoying. Take me home”
I work for a fleet management company and the number one vehicle for all areas north of Interstate 40 are Subaru’s. AWD Ford Escapes, Explorers and Chevy Equinox and Nissan Rouges are the distant seconds.
As someone that drives this car I like it alot. Very versatile in what it can do and I enjoy driving it. Only thing I dont like about it is the CVT messing with the acceleration but other than that its a great car
Every time I talk to someone who is looking to buy a SUV, I just tell them to get an outback and leave out the part that it isn't one. Everyone who wants room, efficiency, and "ruggedness", loves it.
When Jack said "gold bullion' was anyone else transported back to the Mercedes AMG E63 Wagon review? Great review as always guys. Appreciate your work.
If Subaru got rid of their CVT it would be the perfect “do it all” vehicle. Better on ice and snow than every vehicle I’ve had (tundra, tacoma, 4runner, jeep gc). I hope they make a truck soon.
Really enjoy your reviews. the best. a few thoughts: what about a few words on the audio system for all your reviews? How about information about front seat comfort for short, and tall people? I'm 6'2 and would love to know how each car accomodates taller drivers...and I'm sure shorter drivers would enjoy as well. Keep you the terrific reviews:)
worth pointing out that the Canadian cars come with the US-optional extra skid plate package and it's very extensive and thick, including a rear diff cover
I miss my 2008 Outback wagon. Too bad it was a piece of crap mechanically. It would be nice if they brought back the Legacy wagon but that's not going to happen.
That's why I have a hard time changing mine. 2005 Outback XT, with limited trim and manual trans. There's nothing like it in the used/new market that rivals with it.
100% agree! It's literally bigger in every dimension than every crossover it competes against but somehow people still call it a wagon. Subaru hasn't even called it wagon for at least the past two generations of Outbacks.
Funny I (unintentionally) put my ‘21 forester in a snowy ditch just yesterday in NH… misjudged the trailhead driveway… thought the day was over but that billy goat climbed right out, on stock all seasons no less. No joke
I have a 2011 Subaru Forester with a one inch lift and a manual gearbox. The 2.5 is only 170 horsepower and while it's still slowish the five speed helps a lot. I looked at the Crosstrek when when it came out and even though one could buy it with a five speed it was down a solid 30 horsepower. I chose the Forester over the Outback because of the visibility was worlds better then the Outback. MPG isn't terrible considering it's all wheel drive all the time. I get high as 28 and low as 23. On average I get 25ish day to day. And that's with all terrain tires on it A lot if people pick on these cars and even if one doesn't go off the beaten path if you live where the weather gets bad alot these cars are hard to beat.
Another great review. Greetings from Colorado! Yesterday I took 3 adults, 2 bikes, a dog, an inflatable boat, a large professional camera & lighting rig, 10 days of luggage and a jumbo cooler up to the Continental Divide on challenging forest service roads - TWICE while negotiating on-coming vehicles on super narrow sections (fold your side mirrors in) opposing drivers commented, "nice car!" All that in a 2022 Subaru Outback Wilderness. Rip off those plastic factory skid plates and put on a full set of Primitive Racing protection, then change out the weak factory speakers for a set of Focal Integrations (that are super-efficient and higher resolution than any Harman product). This a seriously fun Colorado car, and the Yokahoma Geolandar tires might be the best factory tire inclusion in the history of the automobile. First factory tire in 40+ years of car buying that I immediately didn't want to replace. Now I'm going to wash the undercarriage with a pressure washer from OG (nice shirt).
PS ... the CVT. It holds hills like nobody's business. When off-roading, it will hill hold at 3mph, 5mph, or whatever you choose. You just steer and don't spend fatiguing hours working the brake pedal. If you hit some rocks at 10mph or so, it will s-l-o-w down to what its megabytes of recorded scenarios think is the appropriate speed. Genius, and very effective. Also, downshifting coming off the highway onto exits with a CVT is faster and more confidence-building than any regular transmission. There, I said it. Plus, just putting the thing into gear is so elegant. Let the old transmissions just die. Then there's the entertainment system. I added a full set of Focal speakers to mine so it sounds great, but they've done two upgrades to the (laughable) firmware version you guys reviewed at this generation's launch. The recent update adds a full-screen 'portrait' version of Apple Car Play that's pretty awesome when running GAIA GPS or other overlanding maps. For me, the negatives are (first world problems) ... no 4-way lumbar, no seat coolers, no way to permanently disable AUTO ENGINE OFF (it's very rough), and no way permanently turn on VEHICLE HOLD. The turbo lag is real and takes time to get accustomed to. Also, the steering assist isn't good - only use sparingly. Rest of the car is GREAT. Full stop.
I've been running Geolandars for 4 years on my Sequoia and they do great on dirt and gravel roads, wet and snow/ice. Quiet on the highway too. Very confidance-inspiring. Probably not the best for purposeful off-roading, but ideal for rural life situations.
@@davidkaminski615 Which exactly describes what the OBW is for. Perfect pairing. Save the 'real' AT tires for rock-hopping with Jeeps in Moab. For the rest of us mortals going camping on rough forest service roads, it's ideal.
I have been driving used Foresters for the last 12 years living on Mt. Hood at 4,ooo ft elevation atop a steep access road. With snow tires on, there has never been an issue driving in 6 months of snow, ice, and cascade cement.. It would piss me off if I went to start my car in the freezing morning and my touch screen did not respond well due to cold. I also don’t want to see less gas mileage.. If I really want to start exploring off-road more, I would get a tacoma or 4-runner over this model... Right now I am in a 2006 forester, and with snow tires on, I have no concern about this coming winter driving... People don’t usually get to test standard Subarus in mountain living scenarios... They do just fine.. Tires are really important.. nice review! Thanks...
Maybe I'm not the target audience, but I really don't get this vehicle. Its really odd looking and I'm not sure if the people that actually require such capability and versatility will take this body style over something more traditional (and more expensive) like the Nissan Armada you reviewed.
They've proved for years that they don't mind Subaru's ungainly styling by buying these things. The plastic bits of this are extra ugly, but by Subaru standards nothing unusual.
I checked one out and honestly it just convinced me to put upgrades on me 2016 Outback. I like the analog controls on it better. The screen's for GPS and confirming what you're listening to. That's about it.
Cvt shouldn’t automatically be a negative. Subaru makes a good Cvt and lot of the reason the drive and gas milage is so good is exactly because of the Cvt. It’s only a negative if your prefer auto or manual-many of their customers care more about how smooth the drive is and the gas milage. I also don’t think it has affected their reputation among their loyalists or the cars reliability. It would be a different story if the Cvt were causing huge reliability issues or the drive itself was terrible but consumer reports gives them best in class ratings for how well the car drives.
I hate the screen. HVAC controls were annoying as hell to interact with during the week we had one on loan from the dealer. Subaru needs to bring back the longer hatch Impreza with a manual. Would much prefer that over fiance's 2020 sedan.
The screen is too narrow so maps are too small and text is scrunched up. Also the HVAC controls would be so much better if you could just press the icons to do what you want instead of it taking you to a second screen. There is no reason why the heated seat icons, for example, don't function just like buttons. Same as recirc. If I want to go to the bigger menu I should be able to long press instead.
@@kamX-rz4uy having a submenu for HVAC was by far the biggest mistake Subaru made. For something you will interact with a lot it's not intuitive or easy to use while driving. Trying to reinvent the wheel when physical knobs will always be more intuitive and less distracting to use day to day. I get why brands are gravitating to a all in one to save cost. I'm in my 30s but I start to sound like an old man the way I talk about nannies and tech in cars 😆.
@@MyGoToUserName - nothing wrong with that sort of 'anti-nanny' thinking as it is spot on. This thing is all about the marketing side winning out over actual engineers as piano black trim, touch screens for basic functions + only a CVT = an 'offroader' aimed mainly at poseurs.
Mark and Jack - question/topic for you - maybe you can do an A/B test (if there's any doubt). Some folks below are saying they can accelerate faster in a CVT-equipped car by using the paddle shifters to manually control the transmission. I say that's bunk. That when the pedal is mashed to the floor, the computer will continuously choose the exact gear ratio so that the engine stays at the exact RPM which creates the most torque/acceleration, resulting always, in the best acceleration the drivetrain is capable of. A human using the paddle shifters can NOT beat that.
Sounds good for a small landscaping/gardening business that doesn't need a truck as a good trailer behind this could work just as well. Edit: if available with a 12 speed manual.
A lot of hate for the CVT, but all things considered it’s really not as bad as you’re making it out. Nobody is going rally racing (or any kind of racing) in an Outback. For the purpose for which the Outback is built, it makes perfect sense. And compared to some of the other CVTs I’ve experienced over the years, the Subaru version (at least the one in the Outback) pairs quite well to the car. My only complaint would be the engine. The 3.6 was a superior power plant, even if it is a bit of a hog.
Great vehicle. Maybe I wouldn't like the soft suspension but it's a lifted wagon that of course Subaru calls an SUV. It's not a pretend off-roader, however.
Great review guys! I can see the appeal of this Wilderness edition, but it's not for me. I hate most CVTs. The look is pretty cool. But you uncovered all the good, the bad & the ugly.
I had my car in for a service and while waiting for a part I had a outback for a loan car. After a few days of driving I almost feel sick with motion sickness, it was terrible. For the first 5 mins I thought it was great but then reality set in. Would not drive one if it was given to me for free.
i understand all the "off road grocery getter" jokes but all jokes aside, it is actually a really fucking awesome car and i REALLY want one. i do a lot of mountain biking, snowboarding, hiking etc etc and all those things CAN in some way require a decently capable car to get to the nicest places and i don't ever want to stop doing the things i love but i also don't ever want to compromise my daily life when i'm not doing those things and the outback wilderness or any wilderness series subaru fits that niche perfectly to touch on the CVT side of things, i feel like they really get too much hate. subaru CVTs are just about as good as CVTs come nowadays and that's important to note. sure, an automatic 8 speed or something like that would be better for power delivery but obviously thats not what subaru is trying to accomplish. objectively, a CVT is better off road because of the exact gears it can give you and the counter argument to that is the power delivery isnt there when you really push it hard to get over a ledge for example. the cvt in the wilderness outback is reinforced and upgraded seemingly a lot in order to give it more ability to put power down and that's good enough for me.
Bought one of Saturday for my wife, and one think that surprises me is it being able to take regular gas to get the 260/277 with a turbo. That is pretty impressive. One thing I think is just stupid and poor planning is I just found out they literally have to cut out a big section out of the rear bumper to fit the Subaru tow hitch to fit an adhesive tape stuck on panel. Extremely poor planning on their part. It's like an aftermarket option something Subaru should have developed. Aside from that. It is really nice. Looks aside, HUGE rear leg room, nice touches like place to stow cargo cover, full size geolander spare tire, rear seat releases from the trunk, tie downs etc. Super nice mats. It goes really well, although I wish they would have a straight CVT mode without the fake gear shifts. Oh, and why didn't they choose lifters for the hood, and opted for an old school metal rod ... So weird. Nice that it is based on the FA24 engine, so should be bullet proof given the stock unit can take 500+ HP when tuned. (Don't try that with a CVT transmission though lol).
I’ve live in the Pacnw and we’ve owned 7 Subarus, never a turbo. I’m considering a turbo outback touring next. I’m concerned about it’s reliability. My 2014 Legacy has been flawless, but need a bit more space for road trips.
Subaru has successfully built turbo cars for years. This OB is part of the 6th Gen of Outbacks (started with the 2020 model), and to date, no unusual amount of turbo-related failures have been noted.
Took delivery about a week ago, most of the points disappear after the first 1,000 miles. But yeah, if you want a sports car or a rock crawler look elsewhere. If you want a car to take on long drives and washed out poorly maintained gravel/dirt roads, it's a win. Also test drove the Onyx XT, but felt the increased comfort and factory all terrain tires alone were worth the small price bump. P.S. Getting 25mpg average before engine break in while driving 85 on the highway. Not great, not terrible.
I know I'm in the minority but I don't mind the CVT. As someone who rides snowmobiles and side by sides, the feel and performance of the CVT is very familiar to me. What is funny is that conventional automatic drivetrains strive to be smoother and smoother with no perceptible gear changes and up to 10 gears in some cases. Whereas the CVT is infinitely smooth with fewer moving parts. Embrace the CVT.
I drove an 2019 Ascent for a long trip recently. The turbo/cvt combo was literally the most disconnected out of sync driveline I’ve ever experienced, it felt like it was constantly pulling timing and very was very uneven throughout. Not slow though and we averaged around 22mpg. The adaptive cruise is a game changer, the seats are pretty stiff after awhile. I honestly think with a trans and matching engine tune the car would be light years ahead. I strongly suspect the stock tune is all about emissions and it suffers for it greatly.
Of course it is about the emissions. They need to be legal. As long as people vote for uneducated polititians with no technical knowledge, we will be getting vehicles tuned this way.
WRX of the previous generation has the same engine tuning issues. I hope the FA24 WRX gets different tuning than the ascent. Toyota has figured out the most efficient bore/stroke ratio and I believe the boxer engine isn't capable of utilizing it due to packaging constraints.
@@valdius85 Politicians don't set technical goals, just overall mpg targets. It's up to the EPA and automakers after that. Blame Subaru if they're trying to squeeze out better efficiency by strangling output. That was their decision.
But can you sleep in the back with the seats down? It does seem like this version, more than any other (except the Crosstrek) would be a natural for the manual. Subaru is the majority car up here on The Raincoast (PacNW). -Tom
Disappointed you guys didn’t bust out the Patagonia for this episode
Patagonia dropped them as sponsor due to cancel culture when they found out about a joke Savagegeese told his classmates in 2nd grade.
Good news is that the dynamic duo is in talks with Moosejaw now about sponsoring them.
@@PianoBlackTrimRep. whats the real reason?
@@cibo4569 It was actually a myspace post Mark made back in 2008. Patagonia posted all about it on their Twitter when they found out.
@@12ealDealOfficial what was the post about?
@@cibo4569 I don't feel comfortable typing it out, but Company Man did a video on it:
ruclips.net/video/dQw4w9WgXcQ/видео.html
I like how Jack tries to remain enthusiastic about reviewing cars he could care less about. Mark on the other hand can barely hide his disdain. I love it.
Mark admits that some cars don't excite him, but he's very fair about assessing how well they meet the needs of their buyers.
One of my favourite reviews of theirs was the Toyota 4Runner for that reason. He just shits all over the thing the whole review with the owner. . As a 4runner owner, I loved it LOL.
Jack became the new Mark. Mark became the new Turbowski.
“couldn’t” care less
That's part of what makes this show so much fun to watch. LOL
Wow. Already reviewing the WRX? Wait... oh never mind
Hey Jack, Hey Mark, my father and I watch your videos religiously and absolutely love the dry humor that we can relate to. However, recently my father passed away. He was a true car nerd, with a love for any brand, but was laid to rest at 51 owning his 2019 WRX. He was my best friend, my car buddy. He had talked about buying a SG hat or t-shirt, but never got the chance to. I will definitely be fulfilling that for him! Keep up the amazing work and content guys!
Hey it’s a year later, but I just wanted to let you know that your comment made me very thankful to have my father with me. Love you bro, I know ur pops is resting easy 🕊️
I have a ‘22 OBW… you can say what you want, make fun of or anything else, but this car is absolutely FANTASTIC!!!
I literally bought it on a whim to help out a long time salesman friend during COVID.
It has literally moved to the top of my list as one of the very best cars we have ever owned.
Comfortable, practical, capable and unbelievably maneuverable.👍🏼
It's worth mentioning if you don't need the extra offroad stuff the regular outback is pretty great. The 2.5 is slow as balls but I drive one for work (mostly highway) and averaged 34mpg. Great video guys!
Same here. Great mpg with the non-turbo.
For the money you save with a base outback go buy a used z car, these are large comfy wagons what more do you need it to do
@Spicy Roo 34mpg is around 70-75 mph? Where I live limits are 60 mph and I average 40mpg with the 2.5l brick-shape 2020 Forester.
Yeah and if you really need the off road you probably need more than an Outback. 90% of what we do in the mountains the non turbo outback works. For the rest, we take the raptor.
I get around 29ish cruising at 70 with my 15 legacy
I make fun of my wife’s outback all the time, but every time I take it on a winter road trip I remember that it’s soooo comfortable and functional
I pitched a tent as soon as I saw a SavageGeese video upload.
Subaru knows their audience well. Comfortable enough to daily drive or grab groceries and capable enough to hit the mountains on a camping trip. Bridges that gap between road-tuned SUVs/crossovers/wagons and rough all-terrain Jeep-type vehicles for a relatively competitive price.
As always, the geese push out another stellar video. Pretty much the benchmark for automotive reviews at this point.
I can't wait to see these at Starbucks and local Yoga fitness studios...wait a minute, fellas, who am I kidding here.
These vehicles will actually be used to go to remote hiking/biking/camping sites and offroading (everything except rock crawling) as opposed to the bro trucks like Raptor, 4Runner and every single full size truck with 35" tires that will never leave pavement!
Not to mention this vehicle is 100% better in snow than any truck with an empty bed.
You crazy
Seems a lot of people here in northern New England are already getting them out into the woods. Lots of these popping up at remote trail heads.
Which is pretty normal, it’s usually a mix of Subarus and older Jeeps/Tacomas out there anyway
Sucks they only offer it with a CVT. That kills pretty much any offroad ability this vehicle has.
Wtf is wrong with you
How do you know u know what ppl do with their cars, is your life so fucking sad?
Or perhaps those actually aren't mutually exclusive. I definitely don't go to Starbucks or yoga centers however I DO wash my truck after it gets dirty. Ever thought of that possibility in your little acorn brain?
Your videos' unbelievable attention to detail explain why you are constantly flooded with offers of business transactions. Also, shoutout Glass Animals on the infotainment shot, always checking what songs you pick for the vids.
With those gloves, I thought Mark finally filmed the fabled Arby's Mukbang. Great video guys, thanks for the hard work over the years.
I have a 22 Outback Wilderness with over 15,000 trouble free miles on it. I was looking for a reliable ,comfortable, all weather vehicle and this checked all the boxes for me. Best daily driver I have ever owned.
The production quality is as good as ever, so glad you’re getting more recognition now ✌🏻
Why is it taking you guys so long to reach 1mil subs? You guys are some of the best RUclips car journalists out there! Thanks again!
This in the green is a thing of beauty, this is honestly a engineering at is best, it’s so beautiful
Waterbed was a great analogy for the floaty suspension, canoe on a lake is another one. Comfy but not for the spirited
spirited...offroading ;)
After owning several nice and sporty Legacy and Outback wagons in New Zealand I got a 2017 Outback Touring in California and was very disappointed with its wallowy handling on twisty roads. I put in a WRX rear sway bar ($80). That totally transformed the wallowing and understeer on turn-in when pressing on in the twisties (e.g. Calaveras Rd from Sunol to Milpitas), but still left the highway comfort smooth like a baby's bottom.
@@BruceHoult too true, I went from a 2015 outback which was ok, to a 2018 it was awful on anything other than a straight flat road. Seeing as I would travel the crown range road regularly the WRX rear sway bar made a world of difference.
@@chrisa4853 oh, so it's not just the Americanised models then. Sad. But at least fixable. After returning from the USA I bought an old used 2008 Outback 2.5XT (265 HP turbo) and the handling is great.
I have the '24 OBW, and while its steering is a bit better than the '20 Premium I traded in for it, it's still some of the floatiest I've ever experienced in any vehicle. Look sideways for even a fraction of a second, and you're suddenly drifting into other lanes or toward a ditch. I'd liken it to trying to steer a stick of butter on a hot griddle. But, as long as you keep your eyes constantly locked on the road ahead of you and your hands firmly planted on the steering wheel, it more than makes up for this necessary vigilance with so many other creature comforts and overall capabilities.
Bought mine shortly after watching your video last year. Caught my attention when it was first introduced earlier of last year and put it on my top five list of cars i wished to test drive. But after one test drive i surprisingly enjoyed it more than i thought and decided to go ahead with the purchase. The styling is polarizing but I love it and it's grown on me even after a year with it. Planning on going camping alot with it this year. Also great video by the way! You guys know how to lay down the information for people.👍
Its a sad state of affairs when the market prefers "s"uvs that can't clear a cue ball and refuses to buy vehicles actually designed to fill the very function the market wants. *Read: Minivans and wagons*
Yep, minivans and wagons are the superior product.
3 row CUVs are just lifted wagons with AWD
Except they don't fit the function or they'd be bought. I don't think anyone out there is buying a Chevy Equinox because they think it makes them look cool.
Nothing new, by majority consumers have always made their decisions on emotional basis rather than practical/functional.
@@mofayer Exactly. Most people really don't care that much and aren't interested in doing research. A basic CUV from any automaker will meet their needs. Subarus also get _some_ buyers who will use them for light off-roading, but most buyers just think they're better at handling bad weather and like the lack of style.
I've started seeing a few of these on the road. I gotta say I like this so much more than I thought. I saw another channels off-road review of this thing and it blew my mind what it was able to make it through
Yeah, I'm thinking of getting this vehicle over the 4runner because this has a way better ride on pavement and +5 more inches of rear leg room for my kids.
Do yourself a favor and watch the outback vs 4runner offroading video.
@@PianoBlackTrimRep. the 4runner annihilates the subie.
@@DB-sd3cw
And it gets pitiful fuel economy
@@CrazyWeeMonkey still more reliable, capable and durable than the subie.
@@DB-sd3cw
True, but it's got an old-ass engine, interior, and transmission. It's ancient
As a road tripper, the Outback is excellent. You don't really need all of the extra bits. Put some good tires on it and you have a proper jack of all trades.
Falken Wildpeak AT Trails on the Premium model creates the best bang-for-the-buck vehicle out there, especially if you option the sunroof and navigation (for those times when you're outside of cell service and need to keep from getting lost).
I’ve had the regular limited outback from the previous generation. It was my first non sports car but I wanted something bigger now that I have kids and it has changed what I expected from a vehicle. A lot better to commute in this everyday then some of my previous sports car and it fits shit
New drinking game: take a shot every time Jack says “not to mention”. You might finish the bottle in one episode.
I bet that from that comment on youre gonna listen Jack saying it only once every episode lol
That being said, he got worse habits.
This fuckin guy ruined the video.
@@savagegeese How am I supposed to concentrate on pitching tents in my Outback with “Lifestyle Jack” gumming up the presentation.
I hope he says it even more now
I have a 2014 2.5L 4 banger (pre turbo) - 175 HP. It's slightly underpowered when loaded up on a road trip with 4 people and luggage. I imagine turbo generated 270? HP and the associated torks bump solves that slight problem. It's a real station wagon - generous second row and big space in the back, with a roof rack. With world class ground clearance and proven AWD. No brainer.
18 2.5 OB here. Slightly? I’d say heavily underpowered. But getting 30mpg driving with minimal input per tank avg… I’ll keep driving my n/a! :-)
@@myckeee I've said this on another video. From my experience, 2200-3000 rpm light acceleration will get you at best 18 mpg city. Driving normally gets you 15. It's brutal for a 4 cylinder.
@@myckeeeif you think that’s bad imagine the fb20. With 4 people with luggage on an incline in mountains it is terrible hahaha
This is my first non American vehicle and I love it! I didn't know how I'd feel about the CVT but Subaru has been making it for some time now and it works really well.. Mind you I don't tow with it.
Ironically, the Outback makes me pitch a tent.
Hey, the world's so small, good to see you here :-)
@@chch242 I must support my Chicago people!
Again another excellent video! I own a 2020 Outback XT Touring and love the car, quirks and all. The drive is incredible and we can go own road trips for hours and not get fatigued.
what are the quirks?
@@WKaliberr cvt
I would also consider waterproof fabric seat material a quirk.
@@WKaliberr becoming a lesbian
Nothing beats a turbo CVT platform for using cruise control through hilly terrain. Except maybe a hybrid Ecvt or full electric platform... It exists as an ICE approximation of the electric car experience but falls flat on it's face when it's time to pass on the highway
I purchased a new 2018 Limited for my family mobile: so happy with it!
It may be “floaty” but I pass everything but dedicated sports cars on our twisty California canyons with confidence.
Outback; jack of all trades, master of none. Perfect all rounder
I live in Sweden and we don't get the wilderness version here. But it would be the perfect car for me and for many people up here. Year round usability for all our crazy weather and perfect for going on adventures in Northern Sweden and Norway. Slap a tent on the roof and just go. Just perfect. It's really weird Subaru don't sell well here, just feels like a missed opportunity for a lot of people who think their Volvo XC60 is gonna get them through a snowy mountainroad..
The outback in general is underrated. Its in that sweet spot for me and it has a huge back seat. If oyu ahve a family and need a "family hauler and look at CRV/CX5/RAV4 etc. for the same money you can get an outback which has more of everything. I chose it over paying 5-7k more to get a 3 row cross over. Its solid and for DD duty, the CVT is fine.
Absolutely agree on the rear seat. Massive space.
Exactly why i'm getting it. Space wise it's a sweet spot (two dog crates fit in back perfect), zippy, and cheaper than a massive 3-row, capable vehicle.
We love our Outback XT and the turbo completely changes the car. This Wilderness edition is very interesting.
From what I've seen the turbo Subarus they're great cars until they start to break then you might as well bend over
@@TwoDollarGararge I’m on my 4th turbo Subaru. When are the turbos supposed to break? My 2002 WRX lasted 14 years without issue, never had an issue with my other Subies, either.
@@TonyTenor3000 idk every subaru experience up hear in the north east over 7 or 8 years I've seen turns into german style nickel and diming every piece of hardware rots off and spending 6k in work on a 3k car or modding it and going through 3 engines in a year
I got an Outback Wilderness in November and am loving so far. I cross shopped it with the Honda Passport, Toyota 4Runner and Jeep Grand Cherokee Trailhawk. I landed on the Outback for the following reasons:
-cost, significantly cheaper than the other options while providing a ton of value
-comfort/safety. This is a family car, so the less than stellar safety ratings of the Jeep and Toyota (and lack of features in the Toyota in particular) disqualified them
-it's a wagon. Yes it's lifted, but it's a wagon. The wagon body shape combined with the boxer engine means it actually handles very well for a car with it's ground clearance.
The OBW is truly an all-purpose vehicle. I've taken it some on some pretty technical trails and while I needed to pick my lines carefully, I didn't encounter anything that the 4Runner or Jeep could do that the Outback couldn't. I don't rock crawl, so I'm not anticipating really encountering anything the Outback can't do. That said, I've definitely "tested" the skid plates, and they did fine. It's a very capable car that's also a pleasure to drive on a regular basis. And as Jack and Mark point out, it's got personality. This is what Subaru used to be known for - quirky weird looking cars that were a result of engineering practicality at every turn vs styling or following trends. If you're looking for a solid family car that's fast and off-road capable, this is really the only game in town for under 50k CAD.
www.reddit.com/r/subaruoutback/comments/qrmz8s/my_first_48_hours_with_the_outback/hl5rke8/?context=3
I am in same shoe. I cant decide between GX460 and subaru wilderness.
This is exactly why I bought one. I had a relatively high budget, since off-roaders tend to be expensive, and I still feel strongly that this was the right choice. It's a Jack of all trades and certainly has that nostalgic old Subaru look to it after many years of their lineup looking like normal cars. I think years later, people will look back on this car with much a much warmer sentiment than now. When you need a vehicle to do many things, there must be compromise. This car is what happens when you want "decent" in every category. In my opinion, this car is greater than the sum of its parts.
Being a somewhat new Subaru owner (19 crosstrek premium), I couldn’t wait to click to watch this
The amount of value a Subaru vehicle provides over its competitors at the same cost is pretty great, including how much value these vehicles hold and how long lasting they tend to be
The Premium trim is an especially sweet spot if you don't want leather seats.
Bad head gasket has entered the chat…
@@herb414 joke doesn’t work anymore with the fa platform
@@michaelwakim2198 I wouldn’t know I only have experience with the EJs. I have gone through 3 of them in the last 5 years.
@@herb414 That's not true anymore.
That super airy cabin feel and great visibility is a huge factor that sells a lot of Subarus ... we had 3 generations of Foresters in the family and all had the same feel.
Ahhhh yiss, great way to start a Monday! Thank you savagegeese, you complete me.
its for sure, one of the best youtube car chanel ! I love the point of review you did , I can't wait for your review of new WRX ... Best regard from Brazil !
“This is a car that I get into and I don’t think about”, everyone else on the road also doesn’t think about this car.
i just wanted to say i appreciate your content. keep up the good work man
Really good colour grading and exposure levels on this one mark, top notch.
"They retuned the CVT..." Annnnnnd I'm out.
It's next-gen off-roading downhill and downshifting on hiway off-ramps. Don't know what you're missing.
@@tomKphotoFortCollins I've driven a few CVTs.
They were awful, and I hated it.
@@ekscalybur This is my third, and I've liked them all - but it's likely my last. We have one EV in the garage now and whatever replaces my OBW in a few years will be a no-transmission electric wonder. The idea of a 'transmission' will be a quant memory.
@@tomKphotoFortCollins haha maybe in 40 years, electricity prices are sky rocketing and there's barely any place where you can charge a EV vehicle in 5 minutes like a gas vehicle can.
@@noventay4 I suck at predicting the future. You seem to be better at it.
Wilderness owner here. Sold a 2020 mustang gt and bought this in geyser blue. We have had over 40 cars this has been the best all around car yet. By no means is this a sports car. But damn good for what it is.
My wife has an Ascent with the CVT and she doesn’t notice the shortcomings but she also doesn’t drive anything else regularly.
When I jump in after driving my truck, the CVT feels awful. But when we went on a weeklong road trip I got in the habit of using the shift paddles to temporarily hold revs and get up to speed faster (freeway merging in Utah can be stressful)
I have an Ascent too and use the shift paddles as well. I hate when auto journalists make fun of shift paddles on CVTs as if they don't serve a purpose. They take you to preset ratios just like in an automatic and are quite useful. I test drove an Atlas recently but one big negative was no paddles. In the Ascent I mostly use them on hills and to help with braking when coming off the highway (I am used to downshifting in manuals). My wife's Legacy doesn't have a turbo so even though it is lighter than the Ascent it feels really slow to me so in that I often use the paddles like you do.
If you mash the pedal, doesn't the cvt automatically maintain the rpm for max torque/acceleration? (like most/all other CVT's)? I'd think by using the paddle shifters to override the computer, you're acceleration would be at least slightly worse.
Random comment here, but Utah’s a beautiful place. I went there for the first time this summer, and I was stunned at how many amazing places there were to see.
@@Bill-NM Yes. That's why people who doesn't understand CVT use the paddles.
@@Bill-NM It depends on the situation. The Legacy, at least in the Premium trim, is geared so much for fuel economy it doesn't like to give you much acceleration. And then it likes to drop the revs back down too soon. Sure if you press the pedal to the floor you can invoke a brisk hit of power but going back and forth between "normal" and full throttle is not the greatest way to drive. Despite the engine being capable of plenty of HP and torque, it just doesn't like to give it to you. The car feels underpowered. It needs a sport mode but without that using the paddles gives much better control. In our previous CVT Subarus (Legacy, Outback, Impreza) and my current Ascent I didn't/don't use the paddles outside of specific, yet still useful, scenarios.
Mark and Jack arrive at the playboy mansion
Jack-“I see huge breasts everywhere. Let’s mingle”
Mark-“they’re all full of saline, it’ll never last and all those high heels have piano gloss black. So annoying. Take me home”
Huge German breasts. Otherwise he'll find them unppealing.
Love how they blurred the speedometer in 5:19.
I work for a fleet management company and the number one vehicle for all areas north of Interstate 40 are Subaru’s. AWD Ford Escapes, Explorers and Chevy Equinox and Nissan Rouges are the distant seconds.
As someone that drives this car I like it alot. Very versatile in what it can do and I enjoy driving it. Only thing I dont like about it is the CVT messing with the acceleration but other than that its a great car
It acts very fast with voice control. You can do almost every command via voice control if one bothers to train it to the drivers voice.
The sound of Mark pulling off his surgical gloves after probing the car.
Every time I talk to someone who is looking to buy a SUV, I just tell them to get an outback and leave out the part that it isn't one. Everyone who wants room, efficiency, and "ruggedness", loves it.
Never in the history of the savageese YTchannel has there been a shorter shopee section , i can feel the love 🤣
When Jack said "gold bullion' was anyone else transported back to the Mercedes AMG E63 Wagon review? Great review as always guys. Appreciate your work.
If Subaru got rid of their CVT it would be the perfect “do it all” vehicle. Better on ice and snow than every vehicle I’ve had (tundra, tacoma, 4runner, jeep gc).
I hope they make a truck soon.
And also stop including the Engine Shut Off Technology. It's terrible.
@@WKaliberr it really is it’ll completely shut down if you have AVH on at the same time.
The CVT is better than an shut box 6 speed auto. You take what you get.
Really enjoy your reviews. the best. a few thoughts: what about a few words on the audio system for all your reviews? How about information about front seat comfort for short, and tall people? I'm 6'2 and would love to know how each car accomodates taller drivers...and I'm sure shorter drivers would enjoy as well. Keep you the terrific reviews:)
I really dig this thing. Despite the CVT even. Great review.
worth pointing out that the Canadian cars come with the US-optional extra skid plate package and it's very extensive and thick, including a rear diff cover
There was a time when the Outback was a station wagon but its not one anymore. It's solidly a CUV now.
I miss my 2008 Outback wagon. Too bad it was a piece of crap mechanically. It would be nice if they brought back the Legacy wagon but that's not going to happen.
That's why I have a hard time changing mine. 2005 Outback XT, with limited trim and manual trans. There's nothing like it in the used/new market that rivals with it.
Lowered a few inches it would still look like a wagon. The Forester is a CUV, stubbier and taller.
@@markmiller3279 It's taller than most of the CUVs it competes against, even if you were to take the roof rails off.
100% agree! It's literally bigger in every dimension than every crossover it competes against but somehow people still call it a wagon. Subaru hasn't even called it wagon for at least the past two generations of Outbacks.
Funny I (unintentionally) put my ‘21 forester in a snowy ditch just yesterday in NH… misjudged the trailhead driveway… thought the day was over but that billy goat climbed right out, on stock all seasons no less. No joke
New WRX looks amazing! - says noone
I got my OB wilderness for 1 month, driven 2200 miles, 90% highway, current mpg is 25.1
I felt like I was camping in a tent while watching this. ⛺️
Since there is no other affordable wagon out there - I’m buying one
Very, very versatile. Still not my cup of tea. Great video as always!
I have a 2011 Subaru Forester with a one inch lift and a manual gearbox.
The 2.5 is only 170 horsepower and while it's still slowish the five speed helps a lot. I looked at the Crosstrek when when it came out and even though one could buy it with a five speed it was down a solid 30 horsepower. I chose the Forester over the Outback because of the visibility was worlds better then the Outback. MPG isn't terrible considering it's all wheel drive all the time. I get high as 28 and low as 23.
On average I get 25ish day to day. And that's with all terrain tires on it
A lot if people pick on these cars and even if one doesn't go off the beaten path if you live where the weather gets bad alot these cars are hard to beat.
We love our outback. The 2020/2021 was a big improvement in interior quality.
We have a 2020 Onyx and love it. Does exactly what we want, and yes...the info system is horrendous. Thanks.
Another great review. Greetings from Colorado! Yesterday I took 3 adults, 2 bikes, a dog, an inflatable boat, a large professional camera & lighting rig, 10 days of luggage and a jumbo cooler up to the Continental Divide on challenging forest service roads - TWICE while negotiating on-coming vehicles on super narrow sections (fold your side mirrors in) opposing drivers commented, "nice car!" All that in a 2022 Subaru Outback Wilderness. Rip off those plastic factory skid plates and put on a full set of Primitive Racing protection, then change out the weak factory speakers for a set of Focal Integrations (that are super-efficient and higher resolution than any Harman product). This a seriously fun Colorado car, and the Yokahoma Geolandar tires might be the best factory tire inclusion in the history of the automobile. First factory tire in 40+ years of car buying that I immediately didn't want to replace. Now I'm going to wash the undercarriage with a pressure washer from OG (nice shirt).
PS ... the CVT. It holds hills like nobody's business. When off-roading, it will hill hold at 3mph, 5mph, or whatever you choose. You just steer and don't spend fatiguing hours working the brake pedal. If you hit some rocks at 10mph or so, it will s-l-o-w down to what its megabytes of recorded scenarios think is the appropriate speed. Genius, and very effective. Also, downshifting coming off the highway onto exits with a CVT is faster and more confidence-building than any regular transmission. There, I said it. Plus, just putting the thing into gear is so elegant. Let the old transmissions just die.
Then there's the entertainment system. I added a full set of Focal speakers to mine so it sounds great, but they've done two upgrades to the (laughable) firmware version you guys reviewed at this generation's launch. The recent update adds a full-screen 'portrait' version of Apple Car Play that's pretty awesome when running GAIA GPS or other overlanding maps.
For me, the negatives are (first world problems) ... no 4-way lumbar, no seat coolers, no way to permanently disable AUTO ENGINE OFF (it's very rough), and no way permanently turn on VEHICLE HOLD. The turbo lag is real and takes time to get accustomed to. Also, the steering assist isn't good - only use sparingly. Rest of the car is GREAT. Full stop.
Bruh those are $600 car door speakers foh
@@BugOnAChip C'mon Dad, can't we have some fun?
I've been running Geolandars for 4 years on my Sequoia and they do great on dirt and gravel roads, wet and snow/ice. Quiet on the highway too. Very confidance-inspiring. Probably not the best for purposeful off-roading, but ideal for rural life situations.
@@davidkaminski615 Which exactly describes what the OBW is for. Perfect pairing. Save the 'real' AT tires for rock-hopping with Jeeps in Moab. For the rest of us mortals going camping on rough forest service roads, it's ideal.
I have been driving used Foresters for the last 12 years living on Mt. Hood at 4,ooo ft elevation atop a steep access road. With snow tires on, there has never been an issue driving in 6 months of snow, ice, and cascade cement.. It would piss me off if I went to start my car in the freezing morning and my touch screen did not respond well due to cold. I also don’t want to see less gas mileage.. If I really want to start exploring off-road more, I would get a tacoma or 4-runner over this model... Right now I am in a 2006 forester, and with snow tires on, I have no concern about this coming winter driving... People don’t usually get to test standard Subarus in mountain living scenarios... They do just fine.. Tires are really important.. nice review! Thanks...
Maybe I'm not the target audience, but I really don't get this vehicle. Its really odd looking and I'm not sure if the people that actually require such capability and versatility will take this body style over something more traditional (and more expensive) like the Nissan Armada you reviewed.
They've proved for years that they don't mind Subaru's ungainly styling by buying these things. The plastic bits of this are extra ugly, but by Subaru standards nothing unusual.
Love your channel. These short precise videos are great
I checked one out and honestly it just convinced me to put upgrades on me 2016 Outback. I like the analog controls on it better. The screen's for GPS and confirming what you're listening to. That's about it.
Cvt shouldn’t automatically be a negative. Subaru makes a good Cvt and lot of the reason the drive and gas milage is so good is exactly because of the Cvt. It’s only a negative if your prefer auto or manual-many of their customers care more about how smooth the drive is and the gas milage. I also don’t think it has affected their reputation among their loyalists or the cars reliability. It would be a different story if the Cvt were causing huge reliability issues or the drive itself was terrible but consumer reports gives them best in class ratings for how well the car drives.
I hate the screen. HVAC controls were annoying as hell to interact with during the week we had one on loan from the dealer.
Subaru needs to bring back the longer hatch Impreza with a manual. Would much prefer that over fiance's 2020 sedan.
The screen is too narrow so maps are too small and text is scrunched up. Also the HVAC controls would be so much better if you could just press the icons to do what you want instead of it taking you to a second screen. There is no reason why the heated seat icons, for example, don't function just like buttons. Same as recirc. If I want to go to the bigger menu I should be able to long press instead.
@@kamX-rz4uy having a submenu for HVAC was by far the biggest mistake Subaru made. For something you will interact with a lot it's not intuitive or easy to use while driving.
Trying to reinvent the wheel when physical knobs will always be more intuitive and less distracting to use day to day. I get why brands are gravitating to a all in one to save cost.
I'm in my 30s but I start to sound like an old man the way I talk about nannies and tech in cars 😆.
Touch screens are terrible and do not belong in cars. You don't have to take your eyes off the road to use real knobs.
@@MyGoToUserName - nothing wrong with that sort of 'anti-nanny' thinking as it is spot on. This thing is all about the marketing side winning out over actual engineers as piano black trim, touch screens for basic functions + only a CVT = an 'offroader' aimed mainly at poseurs.
Mark and Jack - question/topic for you - maybe you can do an A/B test (if there's any doubt). Some folks below are saying they can accelerate faster in a CVT-equipped car by using the paddle shifters to manually control the transmission. I say that's bunk. That when the pedal is mashed to the floor, the computer will continuously choose the exact gear ratio so that the engine stays at the exact RPM which creates the most torque/acceleration, resulting always, in the best acceleration the drivetrain is capable of. A human using the paddle shifters can NOT beat that.
Sounds good for a small landscaping/gardening business that doesn't need a truck as a good trailer behind this could work just as well.
Edit: if available with a 12 speed manual.
Another great video guys , hoping to see the
911 GT3 video drop soon when you guys mentioned it in July , fingers crossed!!!!!!
Jack not doing this review in a Sasquatch costume was a real disservice.
You guys have a great channel!
A lot of hate for the CVT, but all things considered it’s really not as bad as you’re making it out. Nobody is going rally racing (or any kind of racing) in an Outback. For the purpose for which the Outback is built, it makes perfect sense. And compared to some of the other CVTs I’ve experienced over the years, the Subaru version (at least the one in the Outback) pairs quite well to the car. My only complaint would be the engine. The 3.6 was a superior power plant, even if it is a bit of a hog.
I had to stop and make a voice memo clip of "Nothing says performance like a CVT" so I can play it back at appropriate moments in life.
Great vehicle. Maybe I wouldn't like the soft suspension but it's a lifted wagon that of course Subaru calls an SUV. It's not a pretend off-roader, however.
I was just thinking about this exact car, so happy SG made a video on it
That gold bar! 😅
"it's a wagon..."
"It's a ruggedised wagon!"
Great review guys! I can see the appeal of this Wilderness edition, but it's not for me. I hate most CVTs. The look is pretty cool. But you uncovered all the good, the bad & the ugly.
I had my car in for a service and while waiting for a part I had a outback for a loan car. After a few days of driving I almost feel sick with motion sickness, it was terrible. For the first 5 mins I thought it was great but then reality set in. Would not drive one if it was given to me for free.
And apparently this one makes that feeling a lot worse!
i understand all the "off road grocery getter" jokes but all jokes aside, it is actually a really fucking awesome car and i REALLY want one. i do a lot of mountain biking, snowboarding, hiking etc etc and all those things CAN in some way require a decently capable car to get to the nicest places and i don't ever want to stop doing the things i love but i also don't ever want to compromise my daily life when i'm not doing those things and the outback wilderness or any wilderness series subaru fits that niche perfectly
to touch on the CVT side of things, i feel like they really get too much hate. subaru CVTs are just about as good as CVTs come nowadays and that's important to note. sure, an automatic 8 speed or something like that would be better for power delivery but obviously thats not what subaru is trying to accomplish. objectively, a CVT is better off road because of the exact gears it can give you and the counter argument to that is the power delivery isnt there when you really push it hard to get over a ledge for example. the cvt in the wilderness outback is reinforced and upgraded seemingly a lot in order to give it more ability to put power down and that's good enough for me.
I SEE THAT INTEGRA TYPE R WITH THE MUGEN WING IN THE BACK
Bought one of Saturday for my wife, and one think that surprises me is it being able to take regular gas to get the 260/277 with a turbo. That is pretty impressive.
One thing I think is just stupid and poor planning is I just found out they literally have to cut out a big section out of the rear bumper to fit the Subaru tow hitch to fit an adhesive tape stuck on panel. Extremely poor planning on their part. It's like an aftermarket option something Subaru should have developed.
Aside from that. It is really nice. Looks aside, HUGE rear leg room, nice touches like place to stow cargo cover, full size geolander spare tire, rear seat releases from the trunk, tie downs etc. Super nice mats. It goes really well, although I wish they would have a straight CVT mode without the fake gear shifts.
Oh, and why didn't they choose lifters for the hood, and opted for an old school metal rod ... So weird.
Nice that it is based on the FA24 engine, so should be bullet proof given the stock unit can take 500+ HP when tuned. (Don't try that with a CVT transmission though lol).
no, you need to use premieum fuel to get top HP/torque
@@drunksquirrel2051 it's pretty darn quick even on regular (and I drive a 2018 STI).
Well, it is a turbo engine, and if you're driving it around like you guys did in this video, I'd say that 20 mpg is pretty darned good! ;-)
I’ve live in the Pacnw and we’ve owned 7 Subarus, never a turbo. I’m considering a turbo outback touring next. I’m concerned about it’s reliability. My 2014 Legacy has been flawless, but need a bit more space for road trips.
Subaru has successfully built turbo cars for years. This OB is part of the 6th Gen of Outbacks (started with the 2020 model), and to date, no unusual amount of turbo-related failures have been noted.
Great work. Watched this even though the car is really uninteresting and painfully ugly.
Took delivery about a week ago, most of the points disappear after the first 1,000 miles. But yeah, if you want a sports car or a rock crawler look elsewhere. If you want a car to take on long drives and washed out poorly maintained gravel/dirt roads, it's a win. Also test drove the Onyx XT, but felt the increased comfort and factory all terrain tires alone were worth the small price bump. P.S. Getting 25mpg average before engine break in while driving 85 on the highway. Not great, not terrible.
no excuses, review the prius lineup
doing my pull up routine to this intro because the geese is savage.
I love the Outbacks but it seems with each new design that it’s turning more n more into an SUV instead of a wagon. That I don’t like.
I know I'm in the minority but I don't mind the CVT. As someone who rides snowmobiles and side by sides, the feel and performance of the CVT is very familiar to me. What is funny is that conventional automatic drivetrains strive to be smoother and smoother with no perceptible gear changes and up to 10 gears in some cases. Whereas the CVT is infinitely smooth with fewer moving parts. Embrace the CVT.
The fact that they put a CVT in this type of vehicle is an insult to injury.
I drove an 2019 Ascent for a long trip recently. The turbo/cvt combo was literally the most disconnected out of sync driveline I’ve ever experienced, it felt like it was constantly pulling timing and very was very uneven throughout. Not slow though and we averaged around 22mpg. The adaptive cruise is a game changer, the seats are pretty stiff after awhile.
I honestly think with a trans and matching engine tune the car would be light years ahead. I strongly suspect the stock tune is all about emissions and it suffers for it greatly.
Of course it is about the emissions. They need to be legal.
As long as people vote for uneducated polititians with no technical knowledge, we will be getting vehicles tuned this way.
WRX of the previous generation has the same engine tuning issues. I hope the FA24 WRX gets different tuning than the ascent.
Toyota has figured out the most efficient bore/stroke ratio and I believe the boxer engine isn't capable of utilizing it due to packaging constraints.
I have a 2019 Ascent and the overly firm seats with aggressive lumbar are my main complaint. They really dropped the ball there.
The real solution would be to put a toyota engine and transmission in a subaru... gasp! Honestly though I'd buy that in heartbeat.
@@valdius85 Politicians don't set technical goals, just overall mpg targets. It's up to the EPA and automakers after that. Blame Subaru if they're trying to squeeze out better efficiency by strangling output. That was their decision.
Can't wait for the WRX review 😂
The Wrx "wilderness edition" that went on display earlier this month?
Sure would be nice to see the real WRX
This isn’t the new WRX?
But can you sleep in the back with the seats down? It does seem like this version, more than any other (except the Crosstrek) would be a natural for the manual. Subaru is the majority car up here on The Raincoast (PacNW).
-Tom
And can you open the hatch from the inside to get out once you wake up.