Driving Subaru’s Outback Sport Touring XT AWD – a special edition high
riding wagon that sits at the top of the Outback range at $57,490 plus on-
road costs. Distinguished with special Geyser Blue exterior paint and black
18-inch alloy wheels, also highly equipped. Power source the traditional
2.5-litre horizontally opposed four-cylinder turbocharged driving all four
wheels through a continuously variable automatic. As has always been the
case with this mainstay Subaru, the drive experience most reassuring. It’s
not an SUV but a high riding wagon with a go-anywhere ability and it just
gets better year on year. Yes, it’s been around for a while in its current
guise and varied little over the years – just more refined and better
equipped, a firm family favourite, practical with good rear seat room and
load space and importantly a five-star ANCAP safety rating. The
turbocharged engine perhaps showing its age a little in that it uses more
petrol, and it does require higher grand 95 octane petrol – I achieved
11.1L/100 with mainly urban driving - but it is a permanent all-wheel drive
and the tractability in the recent rain was confidence inspiring. It does have
a full-size spare, peace of mind for those that venture off road. Warranty
five-years/unlimited km.

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Subaru’s Outback has been a firm family favourite for over 25 years. I’m
driving the Outback Sport Touring XT, a special edition turbocharged
model that sits at the top of the Outback’s model range priced at $57,490
plus on-road costs. The Outback best described as a high-riding wagon
and the Sport Touring XT identifies with dark 18-inch alloy wheels and
special Geyser Blue exterior paint. Inside, premium features such as Nappa
leather seat inserts, power front seats, heated and ventilated seats, nine
speaker Harman Kardon sound and a power sunroof and tailgate. The 2.5-
litre horizontally opposed turbo four-cylinder features 350Nm of torque and
links to a continuously variable automatic transmission. A very well sorted
interior with large central touchscreen and nice instrumentation but a lack
of buttons for aircon a disappointment. Both seat rows offer good room
and are well equipped with USB ports and aircon outlets. The Subaru
Outback has varied little over the years – and why should it - it’s a practical
design that gets customers coming back for more – its gained more
equipment over the years and more features and more refinement – a
practical family wagon with a go anywhere ability – the Sport Touring XT
special edition offering that little bit more.

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There’s now only one diesel powered medium sized SUV on the market
and fortunately it will be here for a while – the 2025 Kia Sportage remains
the last medium SUV with diesel power proving the most popular
powertrain in the Sportage SUV line-up. Diesel power currently represents
36 per cent of Sportage sales growing from 30 per cent for most of last
year. And despite the New Vehicle Efficiency Standard penalties coming
into effect on July 1 Kia suggests the diesel option will remain for some
time, the company able to offset penalties by achieving credits from its
popular EV3 and EV5 models as well as a growing number of hybrids. The
current 2.0-litre turbo diesel remains popular with its 416Nm of torque
giving it a very relaxed performance - well suited to the four-wheel drive
only diesel range.

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