staff@slashgear.com (Chris Davies)
2024-06-03 11:30:49
www.slashgear.com
If your priorities, then, are sure-footedness, comfort without straying toward the unspeakably lavish, and practicality, then the 2024 Subaru Outback has clear charm. Best, too, to stick to the low to midrange trims. Though a pleasant place to sit, the more expensive Outback grades don’t quite resonate with that core message so well.
Were it my money, and my priorities, it’s the midrange Onyx Edition XT or Wilderness trims I’d be eyeing. Starting at under $40k, you still get the turbocharged engine but avoid the fancier features which feel like they obscure the Outback’s purity of purpose. Still, for most people it’ll be just fine to skip the extra grunt and head right down the trim walk to the Premium (from $31,195), then add the OP 13 package with blind-spot detection, keyless entry with push-button start, and a power liftgate for $1,400 more.
Will such an Outback turn heads in the parking lot, or on the school run? Will you shiver with barely-contained delight whenever you scoop up the keys? No, no, and no, but expecting that from every car is a recipe for feature-bloat that stands in direct opposition to Subaru’s ethos, here. The 2024 Outback Premium doesn’t set out to reinvent the world, just to help you navigate it with minimal complications.
