Tag Archives: off-road

Estate/Sport Tourer, Subaru, SUV, SUV/4X4

Rugged but sophisticated Outback rules

Leave a comment

Subaru Outback

By Bill McCarthy

LONG seen as virtually indestructible, the Outback is not a car that you see a lot of in the UK, so it provided a lot of interest while parked up. Firstly the relative novelty value, secondly the number plate Su13aru and third, it looks pretty good.

It has been around for a long time, 25 years in fact, and has become a staple for those who love full fat off-roaders or those in semi-rural locations, who may need that kind of capability in remote country lanes when the weather closes in.

Subaru says the latest version is simply, the toughest, most rugged, most capable SUV ever produced. It certainly looks the part.

So, rugged and to be honest a little bit agricultural in the past, the latest model is something else altogether. It is the most refined model yet with sharp exterior design and an upmarket interior, dominated by a tablet-style touchscreen, very much in the Volvo mould.

There are three versions, Limited, Field and the range-topping Touring. All are packed with equipment with this mid-range Field model offering goodies such as the latest version of the Subaru Eyesight safety technology, which features facial recognition that detects tiredness in the driver. It can also remember the driving preferences of five users.

Sitting on the Japanese car maker’s new global platform it looks like an estate car on steroids, with it’s high ground clearance and 18-inch alloy wheels, it has a rugged yet sophisticated appearance.

It has coupe-like styling featuring smart lights clusters with LED daytime lights and privacy glass, offset by large wheel arch protectors and protection to sills and bumper and featuring integrated roof bars. It looks more European than ever, which is clearly what Subaru is hoping for.

It is a big car, easily seating five occupants in comfort, and with good head and legroom and good all round visibility.

It is powered by a 2.5 litre Boxer engine mated with the now familiar Lineartronic transmission. Economy is not what this is about, although at around 33mpg for a 2.5 litre engine pulling such a hunk of metal is not too shoddy. That power also gives it a two-tonne towing capacity.

Acceleration is brisk for this kind of vehicle and it hits 60mph in just over 10 seconds, and although I am not a huge fan this type of transmission, the shifter paddles behind the steering wheel give the chance for a more sporty drive.

Though much more sophisticated, it has a dual role as a workhorse with features such as fatigue-reducing water repellent leather-style seats on this model and hard-wearing and washable boot space. But there are plenty of creature comforts including eight-way powered and heated front seats with lumbar support, climate control, heated and powered door mirrors, and aluminium pedals.

In practical terms,  stowage space is huge with 60/40 split rear seat operated by a release lever and accessed via a powered, hands-free tailgate.

As before, the car features Permanent Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive and X-MODE. Using the touchscreen, the driver can switch modes to negotiate snow, dirt, or gravel, or a mud mode for soft conditions where lesser vehicles get stuck. When X-MODE is activated, hill descent control automatically maintains a constant speed when travelling downhill.

Inside the car, the cabin offers a  commanding driving position that ensures optimum visibility. It has a high-end feeling and is much improved on what went before. The touchscreen is very much the brains of the car and controls major functions like navigation, connectivity for smartphones and infotainment.

Today’s vehicles are so safe, but the Outback is one of the safest with the EyeSight Version 4.0 which includes adaptive cruise control, lane assist and centring assistance, plus lane sway and departure warning.

Factfile

Subaru Outback Field AWD

Price: £37,995

Mechanical: 169PS, 2498cc, 4-cylinder, petrol engine driving all wheels via Lineartronic CVT transmission

Max Speed: 120mph

0-62mph: 10.2 seconds

Combined MPG: 32.8

Insurance Group: 17

C02 emissions: 193g/km

Bik rating: 37%

Warranty: 3yrs/60,000 miles

AWD, Land Rover, Manufacturer, Motor reviews, SUV, SUV/4X4, Vehicle type

Another Landmark for Disco

Leave a comment

Land Rover Discovery

By Bill McCarthy

THIRTY years of producing a model is something of a landmark, so it should come as no surprise that Land Rover’s special edition Discovery is called, you’ve guessed it, the Landmark.

The vehicle has notched up 300 awards since its 1989 introduction and goes from strength to strength.

It’s reputation and capability is legendary, whether posing at the school gates, towing the horsebox to the gymkhana or navigating fast flowing rivers and mud tracks in the the Amazon.

And it looks like a landmark, a huge premium vehicle with a commanding road presence.

It does look good, based on the SE model but with the addition of Dynamic Exterior Pack which includes unique Landmark badging, bumper design, and black mesh grille and vents plus black nameplate lettering on the bonnet and tailgate.

There are also two fixed, front and rear panoramic roofs, with sliding cover, front fog lights  privacy glass and 20-inch gloss black alloy wheels and an upgraded sound system.

Key features include a seven-seat setup, where the rearmost pair fold into the boot floor, clever storage options and its even pet friendly with with special provision to make your canine pal comfortable.

At the touch of a button the rear suspension can be lowered to allow the dog to jump on board via the powered interior tailgate and settle into a prepared comfortable area.

The Discovery name is now in vintage territory, but in desirablity terms, remains as fresh as ever

A visual road presence, but still first among equals in terms of off-road capability as all-wheel drive technology advances at a pace. It also costs a wedge to buy, with this model a cool £57,350 price tag, although with a PCP  deal  it can be available for around £499 per month.

It has proven over the years that it can almost go anywhere and technology includes All Terrain Progress Control, which enables drivers to set and maintain a steady speed in tricky conditions. It is available alongside Terrain Response 2, offering a number of driving modes and class-leading wading depth of 900mm. Add to this a towing capacity of 3.5 tonnes and you have a top notch off roader.

JLR is on the road to electrification, but in the meantime, that has taken a back seat for this model with a choice of two two-litre diesel engine set-ups available in  240bhp SD4 and 306bhp SD6 power units.

The 240bhp ingenium unit in this case offers plenty of pulling power and better economy than the higher spec engine, but loses out with performance. Having said that, it pulls the two tonne-plus beast to 60mph in an impressive 8.3 seconds via a slick eight speed gearbox, with a top speed of 121mph.

On the road, the car is a pleasant place to be with the refined engine, barely audible and extensive soundproofing cutting out exterior noise from road and wind. It is expecially relaxed when cruising on the motorway.

The inside is packed with premium kit, high quality soft touch finish, leather seats, heated this and electrically operated that, plus acres of room.

This version offers a choice of Ebony or Acorn grained leather with  satin brushed centre console and unique aluminium mesh finisher, plus the 380W Meridian Sound System. This is operated via the state-of-the-art 10 inch Touchscreen (InControl Touch Pro) which incorporates  navigation, TV,  Bluetooth connectivity,  DAB radio and connnectivity via  Wi-Fi Hotspot, various apps and smart phone connectivity.

Large glass areas allow plenty of light into the cabin as does the double panoramic roof while head and leg room is plentfiful for all, as you would expect in a vehicle this size.

Boot space with the rearmost seats stowed away is impressive and neat touches are the powered interior and exterior tailgate for ease of loading.Stowage space ranges from  258 litres to a maximum of 2,406.

In vehicle name and model terms, the Discovery name is now in vintage territory, but in desirablity terms, remains as fresh as ever, if you can afford it.

Factfile

Land Rover Discovery SD4 Landmark 240ps

Price: £57,495

Mechanical: 240bhp, 1,998cc, 4cyl diesel engine driving four wheels wheels via 8-speed automatic gearbox

Max speed: 121mph

0-62mph: 8.3. seconds

Combined mpg: 30-33

Insurance group: 18

CO2 emissions: 197g/km

Warranty: 3yrs/100,000 miles