Subaru’s Outback has been stuck between a rock and a hard place for more than 18 months, with the demise of the diesel and a hybrid nowhere to be seen.
The one form of motivation available, a 2.5-litre naturally aspirated four cylinder petrol engine, delivering a modest 138kW of power and 245Nm of torque.
It did the job, but not much more than that.
Help is at hand however with news this week from Subaru Australia that it has finally succeeded in securing a turbocharged petrol model, with first deliveries expected before Christmas.
The more powerful 2.4-litre horizontally-opposed direct injection turbocharged (DIT) Boxer 4-cylinder petrol engine, delivers a hearty 183kW of power at 5200-6000rpm and 350Nm of torque at 2000-4800rpm.
Fans of the BRZ and Toyota 86 would dearly love to see this engine under the bonnet of their sporty coupe.
Subaru’s Blair Read said the company had heard our customer’s request for a turbocharged Outback “loud and clear”.
“We are extremely pleased to add two all-new, turbocharged Subaru Outback variants to the MY23 Subaru Outback line-up,” he said.
“A more powerful turbocharged engine, coupled with the latest intuitive technology, impressive interior and of course the all-terrain capability of Subaru’s Symmetrical AWD, makes the Outback XT the perfect vehicle for any Australian road trip.”
With the increase in power from the turbocharged engine, comes an increase in towing capacity — up from 2000 to 2400kg.
Priced from $52,190, all-new, turbocharged Subaru Outback will be available in two variants – AWD Sport XT and AWD Touring XT.
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