Subject: 2005 Outback

LarryIII · #1 04-21-2004, 05:10 AM

I just posted this on the Yahoo Outback Headquarters site.
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Last Saturday I was at the Reading V SVX Meet, which was held just north of Lancaster, PA about 3-4 miles from Reading, PA. Subaru of America (SOA) was there with a tent, some trinkets, t-shirts, and a new 2005 Outback.
The car was a base model with a 2.5L engine putting out 168 HP. It had a 5-speed manual tranny. My wife and I convinced the SOA people to let us drive it. I only took it for a short spin, so take my impressions with a grain of salt. This 05 OB is alot quicker off the line than our '97 2.5L, auto tranny OB. It is also peppier and accelerates faster. The difference is more than the trannys. They probably changed final gear ratio. The car itself is narrower than '97 OB. The interior fells brighter and more airy.
That may be because the exterior and interior colors were a golden beige. I like the styling.
The seat back did not hit me well and I found it very uncomfortable. It may have needed a lumbar adjustment.
The car handled well and the ride was very, very smooth. I only
drove the car for about 5 minutes and did not get a chance to really put it through its paces.
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Landshark · #2 04-21-2004, 07:06 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by LarryIII
The car itself is narrower than '97 OB.

i sat in the Legacy GT at the auto show, and felt like i was a sardine. seemed very narrow inside, and not as spacious as the SVX or WRX. i don't know if they were going for a 'confined cockpit' feel, but that's what it turned out to be. i could grow to like it i guess.

LarryIII · #3 04-21-2004, 08:23 AM

Alan,

Our '97 OB has (shall we say) "more intimate" seating than any of our SVXes. The seats are closer together in the OB. The "confined cockpit" feel is because of the new side crash impact resistant structures that are now required.

Ron is busy adapting all those empty Box-O-Wine bladders to become side impact airbags in his SVX.