This 2020 Subaru Outback Sprints Faster Than the Competition
The Subaru Outback is a widely loved yet difficult-to-classify vehicle. It’s basically a combination of an SUV and a wagon. It provides the benefits of both and also mitigates their drawbacks. The Outback occupies a special place in many hearts thanks to its excellent safety ratings, outstanding reliability, and commendable performance.
And now 2020 Subaru Outback owners have even more reasons to love this ride. Interestingly, it’s the fastest SUV in its class when it’s equipped with a turbocharged engine. Keep reading to learn more about this anomaly of a vehicle and how fast it can go.
The 2020 Subaru Outback at a glance
Wagons often conjure images of unfashionable vehicles that suburban families drove in decades past. Although the 2020 Subaru Outback is often considered a wagon, the 2020 Subaru Outback left behind the corny exterior common to many wagons. Its body looks smart, sleek, and athletic. The Outback got a complete redesign in 2020, and the results are a more polished and mature presence.
It’s also clear that designers took great care to make the inside feel comfortable and look elegant. The Outback provides plenty of legroom and impressive storage space. Consumers can upgrade the upholstery and treat themselves to a heated steering wheel and heated front and rear seats. There’s also automatic climate control.
Plus, the base model comes with Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, and Bluetooth integration. However, the infotainment system can be a bit confusing. It has a steeper-than-normal learning curve to use effectively.
The 2020 Subaru Outback’s performance
The 2020 Subaru Outback base model comes equipped with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine that packs an unexpected, though not stunning, punch of 182 hp. The upgraded, a turbocharged 2.4-liter, can harness up to 260 hp.
Where the Outback really shines is its fuel efficiency. The base model gets about 33 mpg on the highway, and it can go up to 600 miles before it needs refueling. The turbocharged engine can get about 30 mph on the highway and almost 550 miles between fuel stops.
Finally, one of its best features is its all-wheel drive, connected to a continuously variable transmission. It allows the Outback to hug curves and handle most off-roading situations easily.
How fast is the 2020 Outback?
The base-model 2020 Subaru Outback can go from 0 to 60 mph in 8.7 seconds. That’s almost a full second faster than the 2019 model, and the engine in the 2020 Outback is 90 percent new, Subaru says. The turbocharged engine allows the Outback XT to go from 0 to 60 mph in just 5.9 seconds. MotorTrend says that’s as fast as many of the Subaru WRX and WRX STIs it has tested. For comparison, MotorTrend found that the 2020 Subaru WRX takes 5.6 seconds to get from 0 to 60 mph, and the 2020 Subaru WRX STI takes about six seconds.
Competitors like the Kia Sorento and Ford Edge can’t match those speeds. The 2020 Sorento‘s 0-to-60 split is 9.9 seconds, and the 2020 Edge takes 7.6 seconds. Sure, car buyers don’t choose an Outback for its speed. But prospective owners can now add it to the long list of reasons to purchase a turbocharged 2020 model.
