My 2005 Subaru Outback – Practically Luxurious

In my last installment, I detailed my experience with a 2003 Hyundai Elantra GT, which for a low acquisition cost, was a fun reliable vehicle for 3 years and about 110,000 miles.  I had noted that the Hyundai was bookended by two short term engagements with fine but forgettable SUVs, and gave a brief overview of the 2001 Chevy Tahoe LS that preceded it, but made no mention of what came between the Elantra and this week’s subject, my 2005 Subaru Outback — a car that would provide classy practicality beyond my expectations.

I noted that the Hyundai was subjected to a grueling 140-mile daily commute for most of the time I owned it.  As a result, and despite generally solid engineering, it aged rapidly.  Pennsylvania winters and roads – and particularly the old Northeast Extension – could do that to a car, particularly one that is ridden hard and put away soaked in salt brine and cinders.  By 2006, my commute had changed such that I was driving a similar distance, but primarily on state highways and backroads.  I had no desire to invest in the GT, and was admittedly desiring something a little larger and with more cache than the Hyundai, which at the time still carried the stigma of a bargain basement vehicle.  I clearly recall a colleague, a few years my senior in age and level, expressing to me that she had to work hard to get where she was, and she even “had to drive a Hyundai!”  I was interested in the new Infiniti QX and Nissan Murano, and the Infiniti G35, but found they were out of my financial league.  In fact, I could really find little that was both appealing and within my reach at the time, as a relatively newlywed and homeowner.

After a few months reading reviews and researching deals, I ultimately worked my way down to the Ford Escape, which was a reasonably nice little SUV in Limited trim, and the 3.0 Vulcan was a respected drivetrain.  Zeroing in, I found that I preferred the styling of its new Mercury platform-mate, and the local Lincoln-Mercury dealer was more motivated to move metal than any of the import dealers.  I ended up buying a 2006 Mercury Mariner in top-shelf Premier trim with AWD.  In Vivid Red Metallic with Parchment interior, leather/suede seating, and power moonroof, it was a sharp looking vehicle and reasonably nice to drive.  Since it was ultimately a compromise purchase, though, I never formed much of a bond with the little rig.

At the time, my wife was driving a 2005 Honda CR-V, which was a great vehicle and looked good in SE trim, which traded the black plastic bumper covers with body-colored units and matching hard tire cover.  We were perfectly happy with those two small SUVs, but our circumstances changed when, about a year after buying the Mariner, my wife took a role as a pharmaceutical sales representative and was issued a company car (a truly miserable Dodge Caliber), so we no longer needed two cars.  Both vehicles were still upside down on their notes, and we really didn’t have much free cash to cover the difference on a sale.  I called around to see if any local dealers would be willing to accept two vehicles on a trade for one used car.  A few were puzzled by the request and weren’t sure if they could even do it, but our Subaru dealer had no hesitation, saying he’d be happy to have the two late model, high-spec SUVs with winter approaching.  I had liked Outbacks since they were introduced in 1994, and the 3rd-generation model which arrived in 2005 was truly a great looking vehicle, so I began searching their online inventory when something unique caught my attention.

While Subaru Outbacks are certainly not unicorns, the listing was for a model that I could not remember seeing on the road.  The profile identified it as a “3.0R VDC Limited”, and I quickly searched for online reviews of the car.  Identified only by a discreet ‘3.0R’ badge and no other outward trim designation, this model was the flagship of the Outback line, slotting above and carrying a $1200 premium over the $33,020 3.0R LL Bean model.  After reading the reviews, I drove the car and fell hard.

The wagon was visually stunning, in two-tone Brilliant Silver Metallic over Granite Gray Opal, with sharp, powder-coated 17in wheels.  The interior was equally scrumptious, sporting cream leather and carpets, a split dash with black on top and cream below, with a low cowl and waterfall center stack that flowed seamlessly into the console with a gated 5 speed automatic with wood and chrome shifter.  The interior trim was a tasteful mix of argent and woodgrain, and the top third of the MOMO-supplied steering wheel featured real lacquered wood.  Every surface felt rich, and every seam was tight.  And oh my was the sunroof a thing of beauty.  Panoramic roofs were just coming onto the scene at the time, and this one was a fabulous two-panel job with three settings.  The front 10in or so of glass could be popped up to form a wind deflector and provide a little ventilation; the large glass panel could slide halfway back to provide the driver and passenger with a standard sunroof opening; or it could be fully opened to provide even the rear passengers with an open-air experience.  The car gave an aura of quality and luxury far beyond any I had owned to that point.

The Outback was powered by a 250HP version of Subaru’s H6, which provided smooth, quiet, and effortless operation.  0-60 came in a brisk 6.9 sec, and the feeling of all four wheels hooking up instantly via Subaru’s symmetrical full-time AWD system was palpable.   The boxer provided a low center of gravity, aiding in corning stability for the Legacy-on-stilts (8.7 in ground clearance vs the Legacy’s 5.9).  Further supporting its planted feel was the Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) system which combined traction and stability control that worked seamlessly in normal conditions, and could be disengaged for more spirited driving.  The Aisin 5 speed automatic with “Sportshift” sequential manual shifting was also smooth and responsive, but could be a bit shifty in hilly sections.

I drove the Subie for a little over 5 years, making it my longest daily-driver ownership experience to date.  In that time, I added over 150,000 miles to the 30,000 that were on the odometer when I bought it.  Thanks to internet forums, I was made quickly aware of the fragile nature of their head gaskets if not treated to regular coolant service with only Subaru-spec products.  I minded the service manual, and in my ownership the drivetrain and all major systems were flawless.  I did, however, have to replace much of the front-end componentry at about 120-130K miles, and I later learned that a friend with a 2003 H6 had a similar experience.  It also suffered hail damage midway through my ownership, but the high-quality, insurance-provided bodywork and respray allowed it to maintain a youthful appearance.

Unlike some of my earlier cars, I had no significant mishaps or entertaining stories to share from those 5 years. It was solid and reliable, classy yet adventurous, luxurious while eminently practical, and exceedingly well-built, having developed not a single rattle or squeak at nearly 200K miles.  If I had to pick a nit, other than the front-end wear, it would be slightly-elevated wind noise due to the frameless door glass design.  Through several particularly snowy Pennsylvania winters, it was as sure-footed as a mountain goat – unperturbed by even the worst of conditions. Like my Elantra, it was the perfect vehicle for that stage of my life, serving with quiet distinction while I was consumed with advancing my career and establishing a family.  Most importantly, it was the car that securely shuttled my first child home from the hospital through the remnants of a winter storm – she strapped snug and warm in her child seat while her newly-minted daddy drove her slowly and cautiously through the snowy streets of Allentown.

In my history of 14 daily drivers, this car, along with my ’76 Cougar and two future entries, stands among an eclectic group of cars that I would rank as my top 4 COALs.