Got two new subies today

[zyewdall]

An identical pair of white 2007 Subaru Outback wagons. They are the two new company cars, actually... not mine. But I drove one around for a while today... certainly much nicer and modern than my '82 or '89 GL wagons. A bit more powerful too (you can drive with the A/C on even ), though not as much as I expected, for having somewhere over twice the horsepower as the old ones. Maybe it's because they probably weigh 50% more too. Boy have subaru's gotten big in the last 20 years -- they can't fit into parking spaces that my GL would fit into, and you can't quite do a u-ie in the middle of a regular residential street. And maybe the lack of power feeling is partly because I don't have all the auditory clues to let me know I'm at highway speed (the rattling, engine noise, general feeling that I'm about at terminal disintegration velocity... ) so it doesn't seem like I am actually going as fast as it seems in the old ones. I also notice that there is legroom in them now too.

 

I liked the sport mode on the auto tranny -- I could actually put the tranny in the gear I wanted it in instead of letting it shift, which is always my big problem with auto trannies. And I avoided jamming my left foot on the brake as hard as I can, which is my other problem with auto trannies if I don't pay attention. I want to take one of them off-roading, and see how it does compared to the old dual range GL's (No, it's not really a company use, but sometimes we have clients that live up really bad roads that almost classify as off-roading).

[Bucky92]

I drove a 2007 Legacy Sedan down to Washington DC awhile back...nicely designed car!Very Comfortable car! I hated the fact it was an AT even though it had the sport shifter( not impressed)..The car felt heavy and had some major blind spots. I probably would have liked a wagon better..But I agree the power was disappointing...Compaired to my 92 Loyale..yup much better power ..but it still felt like I was dragging an anchor. My 20 Y/O XT6 could run circles around it and I felt handles better also...NOT saying if I could afford one I wouldnt by it..that is wrong..I would..in a wagon version..and 5 spd ( but I heard you cant get 5 spds any more in the US unless its an Imp..is that right???)

[zyewdall]

I think you can still get the 5 spd in the Outback -- I know someone who has one. Unless his is a MY 2006 instead of 2007 -- it's only 6 months old though.

 

Took the Outback offroading last week -- I'm more impressed than I thought I would be.

http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=77288

 

Personally, I still want an EJ22 in my old EA81 though

[porcupine73]

Regarding the availability of MT's in the Outback, check out cars101.com 2008 Outback page. It depends on the trim level; some are available with MT some are not; some have the sportshift autos.