Adding more punch under the bonnet, courtesy of a turbocharged 2.4-litre WRX motor, adds more to the already impressive breed of Subaru’s wagon – ahem – SUV.
2023 Subaru Outback Touring XT
Every time I jump behind the wheel of a Subaru Outback, I get philosophical. And when it came to this 2023 Outback Touring XT, it was no different.
My first train of thought comes along, ‘This is a nice car’. Then I look through the rear-view mirror, see all of the space and think ‘how good are wagons?’.
But there’s a problem here. Subaru refers to its own Outback as a large SUV, something that competes against the likes of a Kia Sorento or Toyota Kluger. Those two are similar, and this is not.
As much as Subaru might like to position the Outback as an SUV, it’s not. It’s a wagon with some cladding, and it’s all the better for it.
The thinking continues, though. ‘Sports Utility Vehicle … this has a good all-wheel-drive system, a big boot and built-in roof racks. Maybe it’s actually more of an SUV than others?’.
Does it matter? Get in, get comfy, put on your favourite tunes and enjoy what this Outback has to offer: a combination of power, comfort and straight-nosed practicality in a classic wagon format.
If you want a diesel engine or third row of seats, you’ll need to shop elsewhere. But if not, this wagon could really hit the nail on the head.
How much does the Subaru Outback XT cost in Australia?
That’s right. This is a wagon, and I’ll die on that hill.
Borrowing its engine from Subaru’s WRX, this Outback gains the new 2.4-litre turbocharged flat-four engine in XT format. It’s Subaru’s new engine platform known as FA and comes in a variety of formats. The 2.0-litre 2FA20 appeared in the first-generation BRZ/86 sports car twins, which was upgraded to the 2.4-litre FA24.
Add in a turbocharger, and you’ve essentially got the motor in the new Subaru WRX, as well as the Outback XT.
This engine differs in design to the (also relatively new) FB25 found in non-XT Outback models, which is naturally aspirated only and designed with a stronger focus on fuel economy rather than sporting power.
The turbocharged Outback XT makes 32 per cent more power and 42 per cent more torque, giving a three-figure power to weight ratio.
The price premium for stepping up into turbocharged Outback power is $5000, with this test model coming in at $55,990 before on-road costs. Throw in a towbar and you’re looking at over $62,000 by the time you’re in the traffic.
In many ways, this 2.4-litre turbocharged model picks up where the previous-generation Outback 3.6R left off, with its 191kW/350Nm 3.6-litre naturally aspirated flat-six.
Touring refers to top specification, which has things like nappa leather-accented upholstery with heating for front and rear outboard seats, as well as front ventilated seats and a heated steering wheel. There are also LED headlights, an electric sunroof, nine-speaker Harman Kardon sound system, 360-degree camera system, and a new 11.6-inch infotainment system.
The turbo XT engine can also be had in the lower Sport specification, which is priced from $52,190 before on-road costs.
| Key details | 2023 Subaru Outback Touring XT |
| Price | $55,990 plus on-road costs |
| Colour of test car | Sapphire Blue Pearl |
| Options | Towbar – $1293.84 |
| Price as tested | $57,283.84 plus on-road costs |
| Drive-away price | $62,817 (Sydney) |
| Rivals | Toyota RAV4 | Kia Sportage | Skoda Superb |
How much space does the Subaru Outback XT have inside?
Surprise, surprise, that classic wagon silhouette of the Outback carries a classic longroof interior space that makes plenty of sense for family useage. While Subaru cannot compete in the realm of three row SUVs when it comes to space for more than five occupants, those who are accommodated here are well taken care of. It’s predictable, but also predictably good.
Up front, you’ve got a cabin that looks like a busy mix of materials, buttons and dials, but it all comes together and works well in terms of everyday interaction. The dashboard is dominated by the big vertical infotainment display, which itself is surrounded by a big chunk of piano black plastic.
There’s bin-style storage for your phone or wallet – along with two USB (one USB-A and one USB-C) power outlets and an 3.5mm auxiliary input jack – below the infotainment display, and a storage shelf in front of the passenger for extra bits and bobs.
On top of the many doodads you get in Touring specification, the Outback proved to be a comfortable place to spend time. I was also impressed by the build quality of the vehicle overall, which felt rock-solid during my week with the car.
In the back of the Outback, there is plenty of space on offer for adults and kids. There’s a big transmission tunnel to negotiate, so going for two adults is better than three in the back. However, a slightly raised seating position is good for visibility.
Amenities include air vents, two-step heated outboard seats, and an impressive set of map pockets (big and small) behind each seat. The sunroof doesn’t run into the second row, but you can fit bottles in the doors and plug your phone or other devices into some power outlets.
Seats can fold flat for 1276L of storage (or space for a mattress), while the 522L on offer in five-seat mode is also very good. There’s an oversupply of space for your weekly shopping run, and enough to accommodate a week-long family road trip.
Another good thing for the road trip is the spare wheel: a full-size unit hiding underneath the floor in the back. It’s an alloy as well, which means you could stretch the life of your first tyres by running a five-tyre rotation.
| 2023 Subaru Outback Touring XT | |
| Seats | Five |
| Boot volume | 522L seats up 1276L seats folded |
| Length | 4870mm |
| Width | 1875mm |
| Height | 1675mm |
| Wheelbase | 2745mm |
Does the Subaru Outback XT have Apple CarPlay and Android Auto?
The Subaru Outback range features a relatively new infotainment system in a vertical orientation, sporting 11.6 inches of overall size. The display is crisp and responsive, with some of this real estate is used to control things like fan speed and vent controls.
The supported wired and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone mirroring set-ups only use a smaller portion of the screen. This is particularly the case for me, who lives in Android land. Android Auto takes up only a small portion of the screen size, but still works well enough. Apple users still wont get a whole-screen takeover, but do get to make batter use of the available screen real estate.
On the top part of the screen are some trip computer readouts like accelerator inputs and fuel consumption figures, so the part of the screen that is dedicated to infotainment directly is smaller than you might realise.
Physical controls are still available for functions like temperature adjustments and volume, which is helpful when you’re on the move.
Another interesting bit of technology in this Outback is the driver monitoring system, which comprises a driver-facing camera and infrared LED above the infotainment display. It works well, keeping an eye on your head (and eyes) to check whether you are paying due attention.
One can trick it by leaning over or twisting your head around a little and waiting for the incoming boing of warning. However, during most day-to-day driving in normal conditions, it’s not a system that is overly intrusive.
This system has the additional feature of being able to detect the driver through facial recognition, and then adjusting your climate, infotainment and seating position to suit.
Is the Subaru Outback XT a safe car?
The Subaru Outback picked up a five-star ANCAP rating in 2021, when the new-generation model lobbed.
It scored 88 per cent for adult occupant protection and 91 per cent for child occupants, both very good numbers.
The safety assistance features on the Outback also nailed a good score of 96 per cent, which was mirrored in our driving experiences as well. The systems are there, but they aren’t too obtrusive in everyday driving in varied conditions. And finally, vulnerable road users (pedestrians) scored 84 per cent for protection.
| 2023 Subaru Outback Touring XT | |
| ANCAP rating | Five stars (tested 2021) |
| Safety report | Link to ANCAP report |
What safety technology does the Subaru Outback XT have?
The Subaru Outback is well stacked for safety equipment regardless of specification. There is autonomous emergency braking (AEB) and low-speed reverse AEB, blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert, lane-keep assistance with lane departure warning, emergency evasive steering, driver fatigue detection, 360-degree camera and traffic sign recognition.
While it could be seen as more of a convenience factor, the Outback also has adaptive cruise control (with steering assist) and an advanced speed assistance system.
Airbags inside the Outback number seven, which includes a driver’s knee airbag and dual front, side and curtain airbags. A front centre airbag – something appearing on newer vehicles to prevent front occupants from clashing in the event of a side collision – isn’t used.
How much does the Subaru Outback XT cost to maintain?
Subaru offers a five-year, capped-price servicing scheme for the Outback, which costs a reasonable $2579.31 for five years or 75,000km.
It’s interesting to note that the Outback XT with the turbocharged flat-four motor works out to be slightly cheaper than the naturally aspirated model, and has slightly longer service intervals to boot. Normally that’s the other way around.
Insuring a 2023 Subaru Outback in this Touring XT spec is $1533.74 based on a comparative quote for a 35-year-old male driver living in Chatswood, NSW. Insurance estimates may vary based on your location, driving history, and personal circumstances.
| At a glance | 2023 Subaru Outback Touring XT |
| Warranty | Five years, unlimited km |
| Service intervals | 12 months or 15,000km |
| Servicing costs | $1355.16 (3 years) $2579.31 (5 years) |
Is the Subaru Outback XT fuel-efficient?
Because we did some towing with the Outback during our test, fuel economy figures are relatively high. We saw as high as 16L/100km in the thick of towing a one-tonne van, but also saw around the 11L/100km mark when not towing.
In an overall average, we saw 12.3L/100km. This compares to Subaru’s claim of 9.0L/100km, and a claim of 7.3L/100km for the less powerful and more efficient 2.5-litre engine.
Fuel Consumption – brought to you by bp
| Fuel Usage | Fuel Stats |
| Fuel cons. (claimed) | 9.0L/100km |
| Fuel cons. (on test) | 12.3L/100km |
| Fuel type | 95-octane premium unleaded |
| Fuel tank size | 63L |
What is the Subaru Outback XT like to drive?
It might be beaten in the efficiency stakes, but this turbocharged Subaru motor is much more capable and makes for a more enjoyable drive overall. The caveat here is I reckon the 2.5-litre naturally aspirated mill actually isn’t too bad. It’s good enough for most situations, offering ample punch and response.
However, forced induction gives more torque, which is available lower in the rev range and allows for much better performance, both out of the hole and while rolling. Its 350Nm matches the output of the performance-oriented WRX, while peak power sits slightly lower at 183kW (the WRX makes 202kW).
This Outback is bigger and heavier, but it feels like plenty enough for the application of a big, comfy family wagon. The CVT automatic transmission does a good job behind the turbo motor, but its nature means you don’t often get to explore the high-rev ability of the motor. When you do, it feels fast and willing, but the powertrain often sets itself up to lug away in the mid-range. Less theatrics, but it’s still effective at putting on pace.
The effective powertrain is matched by some well-weighted steering, and a suspension set-up that is unapologetically soft and comfort-focussed. Don’t get me wrong: it works well, providing a good ability to smooth out the rough surfaces of town and country alike.
When you start pedalling harder or confuse this family wagon for the acronymic sports car, you’ll feel the body of the Outback start to wallow around a bit – both laterally and drooping forward under harder braking. There aren’t any moments of control loss that feel like they sneak up on you, and steering feel seems to keep up its end of the bargain.
When towing, that extra power comes in handy for building (and holding) pace on the open road.
We were towing an Ezy Trail Winton 10 small caravan, which weighs 1050kg and would have been 1100kg with the water we had on board. The suspension sat down slightly in the rear with the claimed 70kg of ball weight in this van, but we found the performance of the Outback’s suspension to be up to the job.
That mid-range torque comes in handy by giving you an ability to accelerate without needing to rev the life out of the engine. The car was able to accelerate and hold a speed up steep climbs, which is impressive. However, the smells emanating from the transmission after some hard work were concerning. I didn’t have any issues in terms of warnings or loss of performance, but the smells (that were similar to a burning clutch) tell me that I wouldn’t want to tow up steep climbs or do any additional weight.
On that point, the 2400kg towing capacity of the Outback (up 400kg compared to non-turbo models) is matched to a 4600kg Gross Combination Mass (GCM) and 2200kg Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM). The towball mass limit is 240kg. That means there is enough scope for using your maximum towing and payload capacities at the same time, but don’t forget to account for the ball weight as part of your payload.
| Key details | 2023 Subaru Outback Touring XT |
| Engine | 2.4-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol |
| Power | 183kW @ 6000rpm |
| Torque | 350Nm @ 2000–4800rpm |
| Drive type | Permanent all-wheel drive |
| Transmission | CVT automatic |
| Power-to-weight ratio | 103kW/t |
| Weight (kerb) | 1770kg |
| Spare tyre type | Full-size |
| Tow rating | 2400kg braked 750kg unbraked |
| Turning circle | 11.0m |
Should I buy a Subaru Outback XT?
Although it will get through some extra fuel, we reckon this turbocharged variant of the Outback is the best.
The extra shove available from the powertrain makes for a better vehicle overall. The increased towing capacity will help (but mind the smells), and there is plenty of space on offer for a family of four or five. It’s effective on the daily grind around town, but also comes into its own out on the open road.
And while it might masquerade as an SUV, let’s all agree that it’s not.
Note: Thanks to the team at Ezy Trail Lansvale for loaning us the Winton 10 for the tow test. It’s a small caravan, which is 4.6 metres long and weighs just over 1000kg. It can be configured with either a bed or lounge, and comes with a kitchenette and ensuite.
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