It’s Safe, Stylish and Smart: Does That Make My Subaru Outback Sexy?
Some wouldn’t call it sexy, but it is stylish. And, it’s safe. That makes the Subaru Outback a smart choice. And I think smart is sexy, don’t you? After months of research conducted by my safety conscious husband—who is smart AND sexy, we decided it was the smartest choice for us.
The story behind the Subaru Outback attraction
Our Subaru Outback attraction started on an autumn road trip through Vermont. My husband, Greg, is a native New York City guy who never really saw himself needing a rugged vehicle with all-wheel drive. The streets of NYC are tough, but not in that way. But he kept watching Subaru after Subaru coming and going as we drove through the autumn landscape. It was hard not to notice because it seemed every other car was a Subaru. (Turns out Subaru’s #1 market is Vermont followed by Colorado.)
Fast forward to January when we returned from an epic trip to Antarctica. Upon landing at the snow-covered JFK airport we retrieved our VW Passat—a sedan we’d had for a little over three years. There was nothing wrong with the VW, it had served us well on all our road trips. But, on this particularly snowy day, we got stuck on the Upper West Side in our desperate attempt to get home—having already been delayed eight hours. That’s the day we decided something more capable than a sedan was in order. By the time autumn rolled around again, we had a 2017 Subaru Outback.
Read More: 10 Things My Family Loved About the 2024 Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness
What we were looking for that led to the Subaru Outback
There were many considerations that went into the decision to purchase the Outback:
- We wanted the best crossover SUV we could find, but the step-in height had to be manageable for Greg’s mother who has limited mobility.
- We wanted more cargo room to accommodate our Costco runs and those times when friends and family need rides to the airport with excessive amounts of luggage.
- We wanted something dependable because there’s nothing worse than an unreliable vehicle.
- We wanted something fun—just because we live in a NYC apartment doesn’t mean we don’t want to get out of the city and get a little mud on the tires.
And so the research began
Once the decision was made to find the right crossover SUV, Greg started doing what he does best…researching. The man read every Consumer Report and automotive magazine he could get his hands on. Then he started watching YouTube videos about various SUV’s. He had almost decided the Subaru Outback was going to be the one, but the New York International Auto Show was coming and he wanted to check out every SUV available.
When I say every SUV, I’m not kidding. We spent an entire day at the New York International Auto Show sitting in EVERY SUV on display. As for the Subaru Outback, we returned to check it out so many times the Subaru representatives on hand knew us on sight before the end of the day. By the end of the day, we knew the Subaru Outback was the best choice for us. We ordered ours as soon as the 2017 model was available.
Read our review of the Subaru Outback.
What we love about our Subaru Outback
Safety is a big deal at Subaru and it’s evident with all the safety features that come standard. But it’s not just safety that matters. Here are some of the reasons we love the Subaru Outback:
- The Subaru Eyesight package—Pre-collision Braking, Blind-spot Monitoring, Lane Departure and Sway Warning and Adaptive Cruise Control keep us safe and secure on the road. That’s no easy task on the streets of New York.
- Cargo capacity—for a crossover SUV, there’s an abundance of cargo space. We can buy all the toilet paper we want at Costco and still have room for the necessary cases of wine. It’s also great for loading up all the suitcases for my kids and grandkids when they come to visit.
- Passenger comfort and space—we can fit 5 passengers easily but it’s ideal for 4 adults and Greg’s mom can get in and out without any problems.
- Gas Mileage—the Subaru Outback averages 27 MPG on the highway and 20 MPG in the city which, compared to other SUVs, is much more economical. And, it uses regular fuel. We certainly haven’t missed paying for premium fuel since giving up the VW Passat.
- Subaru’s symmetrical all-wheel drive means all four tires are evenly powered which provides a more comfortable ride.
Read our review of the Toyota Highlander, a Subaru Outback competitor.
What we would change
There isn’t much we would change about our new Outback but there are a few tweaks that would make it perfect:
- Although the Outback has two position memory for the driver’s seat (one for his long legs, one for my short ones) it doesn’t remember the mirror settings which means we have to be sure and adjust those before driving off into traffic.
- We love the easy-to-use navigation system, but we really wish it would allow the passenger to enter addresses while the car is in motion. Navigation can be done by voice while driving but apparently my slight Southern accent is difficult to understand!
- And not that we need to lock the doors when driving around NYC (ha!) we wish the Outback would do that automatically once we start rolling out of our parking lot.
Read More: Love and Puppies — 10 Reasons Subaru Owners Are So Loyal
We’ve had the Subaru Outback for a few months now and have already driven it on numerous road trips and have plans for many more. As Subaru’s ad campaign says “Love Makes a Subaru” – and we do love ours!
