Subaru has spiced up its Outback range – and increased the number of potential buyers – by linking a sporty new CVT transmission to its AWD turbo-charged diesel models.
The addition comes as part of an Outback facelift with external changes kept to a minimum, but a raft of mechanical improvements to enable the CVT-diesel link. This is the first time a Subaru CVT transmission has been hooked up to a high-torque boxer turbo-diesel.
The long-overdue diesel/auto combination could not come at a better time for the Japanese maker. Last year SUVs accounted for 27 per cent of all vehicle sales in Australia and this year that figure is running at 30.4 per cent, meaning that almost one in every three vehicles sold in Australia is an SUV, a significant change in Australian buying patterns.
The lack of a diesel boxer engine until 2012 held back Subaru Outback sales and then the lack of a diesel/auto combination meant it was not competing against rivals that had the sought-after pairing.
The new Subaru Outback 2.0D CVT comes in two equipment grades, with the upper grade being called the Premium. The base model is $42,490. Premium gets an electric sunroof, leather trim and eight-way power driver’s seat with memory function.
The real bonus in this new CVT is the lack of engine or transmission noise into the cabin. Driven at normal speeds the Outback 2.0D CVT is possibly the smoothest and quietest car on the market under $50,000.
