Weekend Athlete: 2008 Subaru Outback

Rating: 9.0 out of 10

I tested the 2008 Subaru Outback L.L.Bean edition using my usual Weekend Athlete race and camping gear, and it earned a very high rating of 9. The downsides are the sticker price — it's more than $30,000, which doesn't leave a lot of cash for s'mores or race fees — and it's a bit sluggish on the highway. Of course, you could forgo the L.L.Bean edition and buy a 2.5i, like someone I know, and save roughly $5,000 — but you'll still have to deal with the highway sluggishness. Either way, in the city or on two-lane roads the L.L.Bean edition is fun to drive and offers good visibility. Watch the video above to see how the Outback earned its ranking.

More Weekend Athlete reviews

By William Jackson | July 18, 2007 | Comments (3)

Comments 

Nate

I've got a 2007 XT Limited, and love it. I test drove all three of the engines, and agree that the normally aspirated 2.5 is a bit too anemic, although many drivers will not mind it.

I actually preferred how the turbo drove to the 6 cylinder, even ignoring the very large price jump to get it.

I do wish they'd continue the 2.5 XT (non-limited) as they did up through 2006, as the leather and sunroof are nice but it ends up being quite a pricy car.

Some Guy

Subaru although greats cars have moved into BMW territory as far as price and it's great that they offer AWD but I found the engines to have no real passing power so I think I will remain a Honda Accord Fan and drive our X3 when the need for AWD comes up.

Some Guy,
I may be wrong but I don't think BMW has a car currently on sale in the U.S. for under $30,000.

Post a Comment 

Please remember a few rules before posting comments:

  • If you don't want people to see your email address, simply type in the URL of your favorite website or leave the field empty.
  • Do not mention specific car dealers by name. Feel free to mention your city, state and brand.
  • Try to be civil to your fellow blog readers. This blog is not a fan or enthusiast forum, it is meant to help people during the car-buying process and during the time between purchases, so shoppers can keep a pulse on the market.
  • Stay on topic. We want to hear your opinions and thoughts, but please only comment about the specified topic in the blog post.
view posting rules

If you have a TypeKey or TypePad account, please Sign In

Search Results

KickingTires Search Results for

Cars.com Search Results for