Cars.com Podcast: 2010 Subaru Outback, Suzuki SX4

Subaru and Suzuki, not exactly the biggest automakers out there, but when it comes to the new Outback there is a huge buzz (it’s been the most popular new-car review on Cars.com for the past week) and sales are brisk. Editors Kelsey Mays, David Thomas and Joe Wiesenfelder discuss the wagon/crossover at length, and then they touch on the quirky Suzuki SX4 and where it stands in a sea of tough competition.

You can listen to the podcast via iTunes, or for the first time, you can listen to it here in this post by clicking the play button below.

Cars.com Podcast #26

2010|Subaru|Outback

2009|Suzuki|SX4

Cars.com Reviews the 2010 Subaru Outback

Subaru survived the recent auto industry turmoil by simply releasing a new product that people wanted to buy. The redesigned Forester helped Subaru keep sales rolling earlier this year, and now the company has rolled out a redesigned version of its Outback wagon. Senior editor David Thomas reviews the new Outback and finds a lot to like, even though the 2010 is more like a crossover than his own wagon-like 2008.

2010 Subaru Outback Review

2010|Subaru|Outback

2010 Subaru Outback: Up Close

The last time Subaru restyled the Outback, I was very surprised it didn't get larger. First off, every car, SUV and minivan had been growing with each successive update, whether it needed to or not. Second, the Outback actually needed it. I didn't want the first "sport-utility wagon" to become an SUV, but its backseat had been too snug for too long, and so it continued. The 2009 Outback has less backseat space than many smaller cars do, but Subaru has improved matters markedly in the 2010 version.

2010 Subaru Outback at 2009 New York Auto Show

• Competes with: Toyota Venza, Volvo XC70, VW Passat, Saab 9-3
• Looks like: Subaru’s new design was meant for the Outback, not the Legacy
• Drivetrain: 170-hp, 2.5-liter four-cylinder with six-speed manual or CVT, or 256-hp, 3.6-liter six-cylinder with five-speed automatic; all-wheel drive
• Hits dealerships: Late summer 2009

While the just-released 2010 Subaru Legacy may look a bit awkward in the design department, the all-new 2010 Outback appears much more refined even though it features the same lines and styling. Maybe the company started with the Outback and tried to adapt that design to the Legacy sedan. Whatever the case, the new Outback has a roomier interior, new engine and transmission choices, and improved gas mileage.

Passenger room grows by 8 cubic feet overall, while cargo room grows by 6 cubic feet. Check out the photos below to see how wide the cargo opening is, as well. There’s also 3.9 more inches of rear legroom. Speaking as a current Outback owner, that will be welcomed. Subaru says headroom has increased, but doesn’t say by how much. The car is 4 inches taller than the outgoing model, and despite the increased interior room it’s 1 inch shorter in overall length.

There will be just two engine choices for the 2010 Outback, down from three from 2009 and three offered in the Legacy sedan. What gets the axe? The turbocharged four-cylinder in the 2.5 GT. Instead, there will be the base 170-hp four-cylinder engine and a new 3.6-liter six-cylinder good for 256 hp. Subaru hasn’t released official mileage figures yet, but does say they will be improved over the outgoing model.

The 2010 model also sports 8.7 inches of ground clearance, up from 8.4 inches in the 2009 model.

There will also be three trim levels available for each engine option. Both the 2.5 and the 3.6 will get a base version — 2.5i and 3.6R — plus Premium and Limited trims. All Outbacks come with all-wheel drive, four-wheel-disc brakes, stability control, cruise control and a tilt/telescoping steering wheel. 

There are more photos below.

March Subaru Deals

If you follow our blog, you know that Subaru is one of the few automakers selling more cars in 2009 than it did last year, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t some good deals available on Subaru’s all-wheel-drive lineup, especially if you’re looking for an Impreza or Outback.

Let’s start with the Outback. Rumor has it a new Legacy sedan and Outback wagon will be revealed at April’s New York auto show. If so, that likely means a 2010 Outback would arrive at dealerships in late fall or early winter, at the earliest. Need a car now? 2009 Outbacks get $2,000 cash back right now. If you get a base 2.5i with an MSRP of $22,295, and a Cars.com Smart Target Price of $21,875, the price could drop below $20,000. 2008 models get $2,500 cash back, but in a quick search of local inventory on Cars.com, we found very few 2008 models listed.

Subaru Legacy Concept at 2009 Detroit Auto Show

• Looks like: The Legacy got taller but not prettier
• Defining characteristics: Vertical headlights and an all-new profile for the brand
• Ridiculous features: Matte silver paint job
• Chance of being mass-produced: This is what the next generation of Legacys and Outbacks will look like

Subaru’s Legacy Concept is certainly a new look for a company known for polarizing designs. Remember the Tribeca’s grille? The Legacy concept is no different, but its polarizing feature is its tall, round roofline. It’s functional for sure, and should provide lots of headroom, but most automotive designs have shifted to severely sloping rooflines, leaving the Legacy Concept looking somewhat out of date.

What’s good is that the concept rides on a longer wheelbase than the old model, and the company says legroom in the front and rear has been greatly enlarged. There are no specs on legroom — this is still a concept — but one gripe about the current Legacy and Outback is their cramped rear quarters. Competition like the Honda Accord and Mazda6 have also grown by leaps and bounds in the rear space department.

The paint on the concept is a matte silver that will never make it to production, but the 3.6-liter six-cylinder and Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive are Subaru standards that will most likely make a production model.

Subaru hasn’t said when a new Legacy will debut, but it could easily turn this design into a production vehicle in short order from the looks of it on the show floor. More images below, including live shots from Detroit.  

Two for One Subarus in Texas

Yes, you read that right: Subaru of Plano, a suburb of Dallas, is selling a pre-paid two-year lease on a new Subaru Impreza for $1 with every purchase of a 2009 Outback. Buyers will have to pay the sales tax and bank acquisition fees on the Impreza, which starts at $17,495 and has a national lease deal of $179 a month for 36 months. The Outback starts at $22,295.

Dealership owner David Thomas — no relation — says he got the idea from a Best Buy sale. He started the deal on Black Friday, the traditional big retail sales day after Thanksgiving. He brought it back for the Christmas holiday because it had been so successful, nearly doubling sales. Thomas says the local Nissan dealer is now offering a similar incentive.

There is one little problem, though: The deal only pays off for Thomas if the Impreza’s resale value holds up after two years.

The campaign is going on through Jan 2, so if you need two cars for the price of one, at least for two years, get down to Plano, Texas.

Subaru dealer entices buyers (Dallas Business Journal)

2008 Subaru Outback: Long-Term Update 2

Since Cars.com doesn’t have an official long-term test fleet, right now my own personal car will have to do. A few of you may remember the purchasing process of my wife and I getting our 2008 Subaru Outback, and how we decided to get it. I also had one previous update.

Now it’s eight months later, and we’ve definitely lived in the Outback for better or for worse. However, there hasn’t been too much worse. I’ve only had one question about reliability, and that was the rubber stripping around the rear door window coming loose. Turns out you stick it back in and that was it; it hasn’t popped back out since, and the car hasn’t needed anything other than routine maintenance (two $30 services).

While we have put under 7,000 miles on it, they are mostly hard-driven city miles of my wife commuting to work. Lots of bumps, lots of snow, lots of bad drivers. Because of that, our average mileage is pretty low, around 20 mpg.

After 16 months, I’ve discovered two truths about the Outback that I think sum up our experience so far:

Subaru Adds Charity to Latest Incentives

It’s probably safe to assume that charitable donations decrease in tough economic times. But the end of the year is coming, and people still searching for a way to give back this holiday season now have an option they might not have previously considered: Have Subaru do your giving for you.

During December, every Subaru purchase will come with a $250 donation to the customer’s charity of choice. That extra little bonus comes on top of regular incentives, like 3.9% financing on a 2009 Subaru Impreza for 36 months, or between $1,500 and $2,000 cash back on a 2009 Outback. It’s called the “Share The Love Event,” and we’ll give credit where it’s due: That’s a way better name than “Shop Till You Drive.” It’s not such a bad idea for a sale, either, even if we’re sure some customers will name their own wallets as their “charity of choice.”

Be sure to check Subaru’s zip-code-based site for deals in your region. Offers expire Jan. 2.

Cars.com Reviews the 2009 Subaru Outback

Long a Cars.com favorite, this versatile Subaru wagon has a lot going for it in terms of safety, reliability and overall functionality. What has changed, as Cars.com reviewer Joe Wiesenfelder notes, is that the Outback now faces much stiffer competition than it did when it debuted. The 2009 Subaru Outback continues its favorable tradition, but does it still have the chops when other models like the Volvo wagons, the VW Passat wagon and the Toyota Venza are closing in on its territory?

2009 Subaru Outback Review