Subaru Outback Sport 2016 Towing Review

Subaru has always made good looking performance station wagons; the Outback Sport is no exception. The spacious vehicle is powered by Subaru’s signature boxer setup which gives the exhaust its signature sound, while the exterior has a bold grill and black skirting around the sills and bumpers which befit its off road image. 

Being behind the wheel of a passenger wagon means you are a bit lower to the ground when in the driver’s seat however vision was still fine - we could see the boat well in the rear view mirrors and, when backing out from our park, the reverse camera performed well.

Suspension was a little soft when driving with the trailer attached but the ride was still smooth. We accelerated up the test hill from 50km/h to 80km/h with the vehicle’s rpm climbing to 5500rpm – once we reached our maximum speed limit and maintained speed, the rpm settled at 3500rpm, with the wagon working the engine and box well to achieve the required power.

The Outback has a number of features that work collaboratively to control the vehicle’s stability under the umbrella title of its vehicle dynamic stability control system - we noticed these come in to play when moving off on uneven surfaces. Elsewhere, the performance was solid across all surfaces and when driving at varying speeds. The cornering and stable steering performed well, making it a pleasurable drive with the only flag being that we noticed our single axle trailer didn’t track true on long straits.

This wagon offers its occupants a comfortable interior and Subaru has placed an emphasis on safety by providing a large range of assistance systems designed to protect passengers and assist drivers. The interior is well finished using brushed metallic surfaces and flat black textured surfaces while the instrument cluster emits a sporty feel with its glowing blue and red gauge lights which progressively change as the engine works harder. 

 Thanks to SeaCraft Miller Moyes for the test boat & trailer.