Even More Test Drives of the Subaru Product Line

2014 Subaru Outback 3.6R Limited

The H6 provies much better power, when comparing Outbacks with automatic transmissions, than the H4 (EJ25), though I don't find it nearly as zingy as the FB20 or FA20 engines couples to a manual transmission nor does it have the punch of an EJ25 with a turbo, but, I think it shows and shows well that it is more powerful than the EJ25 with no turbo coupled to an automatic transmission.

I do not think that the suspension was any stiffer than the 2014 Subaru Outback 2.5i Limited with a CVT transmission that I drove previously, however, it felt significantly more responsive and communicative.


This car uses the old 5-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters. In manual mode there is a noticeable delay when you downshift using the paddle. The paddles are thinner and have better tactile feel in addition to more mechanical resistance than those on the 2014 Subaru Outback 2.5i Limited I tested earlier. After the delay though there is a good amount of bite from engine braking, unlike the CVT, in gears 1, 2, and 3.

Also interesting is the fact that you can start from a complete stop at a light in 2nd gear for a less torque-y, smoother, and more gradual acceleration from a light than in 1st gear. I really liked this.
I'm still disappointed by the lack of ability to pull both paddles and shift the transmission into neutral for nice long coasting stops.

Overall I did not feel overly governed by the gearbox computer (nanny).



2015 Subaru Legacy 2.5i Premium

Handling wise this is lower than the Outback. The steering wheel does not provide much feedback regarding what the front wheels are doing at all, though the steering wheel is thinner than the one in the outback and more akin to the steering wheel in the BRZ (and maybe the WRX, but I can't recall). All communication is through the seat and provides a good amount of road feel. Some might complain the ride is rougher than they want. I like it as it is less isolating than the 2014 Oubacks.

As compared to the CVT in the 2014 Subaru Outback 2.5i Limited this one was far more responsive to downshifts. Notably gears 1, 2, 3, and 4 seemed to have good bite and feel when engine braking in manual mode. I was quite pleasantly surprised by this. I don't know why the difference, could easily be a software update, but it was much closer to the reaction I got from the 5-speed automatic transmission in the 2014 Subaru Outback 3.6R Limited (see above) than the 2014 Subaru Outback 2.5i Limited's CVT transmission, when comparing downshifts in manual mode.

My only suggest, look for the black tactile paddles as opposed to the grey smooth ones behind the steering wheel, as both the 2014 Subaru Outback 3.6R Limited and the 2015 Subaru Legacy 2.5i Premium had these paddles while the 2014 Subaru Outback 2.5i Limited did not.