Update: Skywater, 2014 Subaru Outback Premium, 1.75 Year Review

My wife and I traveled to see my parents for a holiday. We've been in town a week, and rather than renting a car they were kind enough to let us use their 2014 Subaru Outback 2.5i Premium, named Skywater (after this book, which is a good book) as our errand car and for visiting our friends in the city and surrounding suburbs of Chicago.

Making It Yours, So Long As It Isn't A Manual

As a Subaru owner I get "Drive: the magazine from Subaru"

It often includes articles about what Subaru is doing as a corporate citizen, hype about new models, and reviews of certain things.

This most recent issue (Spring 2016) included an article titled "Making It Yours". The article discussed the accessory installation department of Subaru's Lafayette, IN plant. It is a nice article about the people and process behind having your factory options installed on your new Subaru. But, to me, this also reminds me of one of my chief frustrations with Subaru, which if you follow this blog or have had a conversation with me about cars you have heard (possible ad nauseam), in that if you want nice options with your new Subaru you cannot have them if you also want that new Subaru with a manual transmission. Having tried to get through to Subaru through dealerships, auto show representatives, and Subaru of North America via email and phone I figured I would try with the following email to insider@subaru.com. If you share my frustrations, it would be great if you were to write such an email as well.

Hello Drive Magazine Staff,

[Section as possible letter from reader]

Making It Yours, So Long As It Isn't A Manual

By MooncallerCars

In the Spring 2016 issue of Drive Magazine there was an article title “Making It Yours” on page 17. It was a nice article about options and customizations performed for your Subaru as factory installed options.

The “Making It Yours” article niggles me because at Subaru I am a second class car buyer in terms of options and amenities available if I insist I want to have a manual transmission.

Considering the ever decreasing availability of manual transmission cars in the US market, not just by Subaru but by all automakers, it means that the manual transmission buyer is generally a very discerning buyer who is picky and is likely to tick the option boxes they want on their purchase. It does not make sense to limit the availability of options to this would be buyer based on their transmission choice.

My wife and I currently own a 2014 Subaru BRZ (love it!) and a 1994 Honda Prelude. We’ve been looking to replace the Prelude with something a bit more practical in terms of family room but are frustrated by Subaru’s lack of option availability with manual transmissions.

[End section as possible letter from reader?]

Skywater, 2014 Subaru Outback Premium

Having test driven numerous Subaru vehicles, originally prompted by my parent's search for a new car, they finally got one!
Introducing Skywater!
Skywater is a 2014 Subaru Outback 2.5i Premium with a 6-speed manual transmission. One of the few that was left in the US. Thank you Hodges Subaru for giving me the US inventory list so I could find her.

It's spacious. The rear seats lean back very nicely and tons of leg room, which is nice on long rides in the back. Heated seats and the adjustable lumbar / seat hug is very nice in the driver seat.
On the negatives though, the infotainment is very basic and connecting a device via Bluetooth is kind of obnoxious as it involves the voice command system.
There is more body roll than I would like, I wish it was more like the 2014 Subaru Legacy I had driven, just flatter with more feel.
Skywater provides a rather cushy ride. It is also very quiet by Subaru standards in terms of road noise.
When you properly rev it you will get the Subaru boxer sound.
It's a good car if that is what you need, probably one of the best. But, owning a 2014 Subaru BRZ myself, the 2014 Subaru Outback is too soft.

Anyways, pictures:
(Photo-bombed by Champ the border collie)