Subaru Outback Sport XT (2020-2026)
VerifiedAlso referred to as: Subaru Outback Sport XT 2025 and Subaru Outback Sport XT 2027.2 reviews
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- +5
Subaru finally gives us a turbocharged Outback...power is no longer the issue – The Outback is extremely popular here in Australia, but with one caveat...power. Subaru's naturally aspirated 4 cylinders aim to be more reliable by being free of any turbochargers. To overcome power issues, Subaru pairs these motors with a CVT transmission which can keep engine revs in the optimal range to avoid riding in any 'power troughs'. Adding a turbocharger to this motor is simply giving what every Outback owner has been begging for, which is more power.
More power makes a difference here. It's absolutely worth the upgrade for those who have been riding in a non-turbo Outback for quite some time.
You get better power across the rev-range, rather than just in the top end. You get more power for overtaking and off-roading, and thanks to not having to get all of its power at the highest of revs, you should be able to save a little fuel too.
This Sport trim is my pick of the Outback range, as it has some visually exciting highlights on the exterior and water-resistant seats.
Sure the CVT transmission isn't exciting, and this type of vehicle can be a little confusing for some buyers as it's more lifted wagon than SUV.
What is appealing is the rear seat space, boot space, new interior screen and simple operation that makes this an excellent Australian adventure vehicle.
Now that we have a turbocharged Outback here in Australia, any chance we can get that ultra-desireable 'Wilderness Edition'?
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- Transmission: Continuously Variable (CVT)
Nightmare – Subaru Outback XT 2023. DO NOT BUY THIS CAR! ITS A LEMON. This car is not reliable. We bought a brand new car from Castle Hill dealership May 2023 and the car had driven just over 5k and it started spitting excessive white smoke from the exhaust. Both Subaru Australia and castle hill are incapable of diagnosing the problem. They claimed to have resolved the issue four times, every single time the issue reoccurred and we had to take the car back. This is a nightmare, don’t even go near this, stay away, this car is not reliable. If you have booked a car or planning to book/buy please reconsider. If you have bought the same car recently, I highly recommend you to monitor the car every time you sit behind the wheel. All turbo car may potentially have this issue and you may start seeing this after cloaking about 5kms, keep an eye out. Trust me our lives have turned upside down dealing with Subaru and dealership people on this matter, it’s not worth it. There are better cars out there, stay away from this.
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