MT GARAGE

Arrival: Subaru Outback TX

EPA City/Hwy/Comb Fuel Econ

23/30/26 mpg

“Subaru hasn't offered a turbocharged Outback since 2009. We have a year to test out the new one.”
Zach Gale

Base Price $35,905 As Tested $37,995

My epiphanic Outback moment happened in a very ordinary restaurant parking lot. When the server delivering our food asked what type of car I was driving, I couldn’t bring myself to say SUV. Because no matter how rugged Subaru makes the Outback look, no matter how many inches of ground clearance it has (8.7), this is an SUV-ified wagon.

For the next 12 months, a turbocharged Subaru Outback is ours to commute, run errands, and adventure with. Will the charm of this 2020 SUV of the Year finalist sway us, or will it spend time in and out of the dealership, as our Ascent did? Join us as we daily-drive Subaru’s best-seller, experiencing the turbo Outback in the never-before-offered Onyx trim.

For a Subaru not wearing a WRX badge, the Outback Onyx is quick. With a 0–60 time of just over 6 seconds, the Outback Onyx moves with more authority than any Outback MotorTrend has ever tested. That’s thanks to a 2.4-liter turbocharged flat-four producing 260 hp and 277 lb-ft of torque.

The 2.4T engine under the hood of the Onyx and two other trims has another fantastic bonus: significantly increased EPA-rated fuel economy (23/30 mpg city/highway versus the 2019 3.6R’s 20/27) and more than 70 additional miles of driving range. For drivers interested in the Outback’s unique appeal but turned off by a base 2.5 engine we’ve described as “gutless,” this could be a real option.

Regardless of which engine you choose, the Outback offers great value if you compare it to two-row midsize SUVs. Although the Onyx does add a few cool visual upgrades (black exterior details and two-tone water-repellent seats), think of it more as the least expensive way to get that 2.4T engine. Like all Outbacks, our 2020 Onyx uses a CVT automatic and standard AWD. For about $36,000, the Onyx already includes the 2.4T engine as well as an 11.6-inch touchscreen, a power liftgate, a full-size spare tire, dual-function X-Mode, two 2.1-amp USB ports front and rear, LED headlights, and the knowledge that you’ve picked