2024 Subaru Outback

Last year's Subaru Outback received new infotainment tech and a facelift, so it continues this year with minimal changes. It is still the second-most popular Subaru in the USA after the Crosstrek, thanks to being a perfect blend of car and SUV in one practical package. The Outback's ability off the beaten track far exceeds that of the far more expensive Mercedes-Benz E-Class All-Terrain and Audi A6 allroad, so people will also cross-shop crossovers such as the Subaru Forester and Honda CR-V. Thanks to its Subaru Global Platform shared with normal cars such as the Legacy and Impreza, it doesn't shudder and shimmy like a ladder-frame SUV and the upshot is car-like handling and far better efficiency than a huge 6,000-pound behemoth with dual-range gearing. Sure, the base 182-horsepower engine is short on punch, but Subaru gives you the choice of upgrading to a powerful 260-hp turbocharged engine. To cap it all, the IIHS's safety review of the Subaru Outback ranks it best in its class. With no fewer than nine trims in the lineup, there's an Outback for every taste and budget.

The price of the new Subaru Outback Base trim is $28,895 this year, the only trim under $30k. In order of ascending price, it is followed by the Premium at $31,195, the Limited at $35,795, the Onyx Edition at $36,105, the Onyx Edition XT at $39,360, and the Wilderness at $39,960. The top trims all exceed $40k, starting with the Limited XT at $40,195, the Touring at $40,345, and the Touring XT at $42,795. These prices for the Subaru Outback are MSRP, and adding the destination fee will cost you an additional $1,295.

It might be a jacked-up station wagon and not a genuine SUV, but the Outback doesn't encourage enthusiastic driving and is more at home at a sedate pace on all manner of uneven surfaces, blotting out the shocks from divots and potholes before they can disturb the cabin's peace and tranquility. It's quiet and comfortable in the city and on the highway, but the base engine lacks punch and, with the Outback's substantial heft and lazy CVT, it resorts to noisily revving out the powerplant under heavy throttle demands. The torquey turbocharged engine provides satisfying performance and gets along better with the transmission, but there is some turbo lag and the CVT still responds to your commands in its own time. So while an Outback will corner confidently and securely enough, the whole package is set up for comfort and it's best you slow down and enjoy the view on the way to that campsite.

Don't let the Outback name fool you; it's nothing more than a Legacy station wagon that has been lifted and ruggedized. And we mean that in the best way possible because it turns out Americans love the recipe. It goes to show that you don't need a hardcore SUV to go places and have adventures; a high-riding station wagon with AWD can do the job just as well most of the time. This is also why Americans bought more Outbacks in 2022 than Foresters. The Outback used to be a well-kept secret - a perfect combination of car-like handling and efficiency with decent SUV ability - but the secret is out: It's all the SUV most people will ever need. We couldn't agree more.

Our favorite trim is the Onyx Edition XT, mostly because it's the cheapest trim with the turbocharged engine. The weak base engine spoils the Outback formula a bit and the upgraded engine is a must, working much better with the CVT and riding the mid-range torque wave instead of noisily revving the engine out all the time. It has the Premium's bigger infotainment screen, heated front seats, and power driver's seat, but adds a few desirables such as a power sunroof, hands-free liftgate, and additional driver aids. It looks smart in its blacked-out livery and the StarTex upholstery is more practical and weather-resistant than normal cloth. Most importantly, its MSRP still squeaks in below $40k, so it won't break the bank.