2017 Subaru Outback 3.6R Touring (black)

[Sir Henry]

I bit the bullet so to speak and drove home a new Outback yesterday. Well I did most of the driving; the car seems to almost be able to drive itself. If I sway out of my lane without the signals on it tells me, if I follow to close (which I never do) it tells me. But those are just two of the many things it does.

Right now it is just a stock car and I will need to install a hitch and 7-pin wiring with electric brakes. The people that are building my trailer recommended the Outback for towing and they are very familiar with it. They gave me specific part numbers to get and have installed. First is the factory 4-pin wiring. Then I get another specific part that allows the 4-pin to just plug into the back of it and I only have three wires to deal with. The first wire is to be able to charge the trailer battery, the second is for electric brakes and the third for backup lights.

No pictures yet but will be coming soon.

[Sir Henry]

I drove the car home and it has sit in the garage since Monday. Today I put 120 miles on it by driving up to Steven's Pass. It averaged 27.2 mpg up the 4,000 foot pass and back.

A lot of the stuff I doubt I'll ever use although I tried a lot of stuff out. The best feature is the adaptive cruise control. If you are cruising at 55 mph and come upon a car going 53 mph it will slow down to keep a safe distance. Then when the car ahead speeds up you will too to the 55 mph set. This works in stop and go traffic also.

Not the best picture but here it is.

DSCN5603.JPG (2.99 MiB) Viewed 5686 times

[BigAl52]

Looks nice Gene. I test drove the bigger engine once and liked the power it had over the 2.5 but the wife didn't want another outback she wanted the forester. Therefore the reason I had one of those. It had a turbo engine in it which really ate up some highway when you woke up the turbo. Al

[JEBar]

nice looking rig .... hope it will serve you well

[dave77]

I like Subaru's. I'm keeping my Miata for now but it is getting harder to get in and out of the older I get. I would probably get one a little smaller than an Outback, like the CrossTrek or WRX. The BRZ looks interesting but is probably as low as my Miata and if I was getting a Subaru I would want all-wheel drive.

Would be nice to keep the Miata and get a Subaru too but I still occasionally need my pickup (older Ranger) and being single I can't justify or afford having 3 rigs.

[Sir Henry]

I like Subaru's. I'm keeping my Miata for now but it is getting harder to get in and out of the older I get. I would probably get one a little smaller than an Outback, like the CrossTrek or WRX. The BRZ looks interesting but is probably as low as my Miata and if I was getting a Subaru I would want all-wheel drive.

Would be nice to keep the Miata and get a Subaru too but I still occasionally need my pickup (older Ranger) and being single I can't justify or afford having 3 rigs.

I have four rigs -a 1970 F250, a 1987 Bronco II, a 2013 Transit Connect and now a 2017 Outback. I just realized this is my first non-Ford I've had in more and 20 years.

[ditto1958]

I like Subaru's. I'm keeping my Miata for now but it is getting harder to get in and out of the older I get. I would probably get one a little smaller than an Outback, like the CrossTrek or WRX. The BRZ looks interesting but is probably as low as my Miata and if I was getting a Subaru I would want all-wheel drive.

Would be nice to keep the Miata and get a Subaru too but I still occasionally need my pickup (older Ranger) and being single I can't justify or afford having 3 rigs.

I have four rigs -a 1970 F250, a 1987 Bronco II, a 2013 Transit Connect and now a 2017 Outback. I just realized this is my first non-Ford I've had in more and 20 years.

Well, there’s hope for you yet.

[daytime dave]

Nice car Gene. The girl friend's Outback has all that electronic stuff too. My favorite feature is the lane departure prevention. It steers you back of you are going to veer out of lane. The adaptive cruise is a close second.

[Sir Henry]

Nice car Gene. The girl friend's Outback has all that electronic stuff too. My favorite feature is the lane departure prevention. It steers you back of you are going to veer out of lane. The adaptive cruise is a close second.

The lane departure is okay. What I don't like about it is it doesn't always work. And if it doesn't always work then you can't depend on it. The adaptive cruise control almost always works and you can predict when it is not going to work like going around a city corner.

The main drivetrain of the car is what makes it desirable for me. The six-speed transmission actually works to have the effect of a continuous gear.

[daytime dave]

Yes, that drivetrain is hard for me to get used to. It is seemless. I'm one who senses when the tranny is about to pop up or down. I loose that sense in the Subaru. I hope you really enjoy it.

[Sir Henry]

Yes, that drivetrain is hard for me to get used to. It is seemless. I'm one who senses when the tranny is about to pop up or down. I loose that sense in the Subaru. I hope you really enjoy it.

It helps if you drive it by the RPM and not the acceleration or speed.

On a separate note the city gas mileage dropped to 22.3 mpg. That is my mpg goal pulling the trailer on the highway.

[BigBlue]

That is a beauty! Love the Outback in black, especially the touring with the brown leather interior. I also have a 2017, but I went a might cheaper with the 2.5 Premium. I do have a hitch for towing a small utility trailer and for a hitch basket for deer hunting. Here's mine alongside my Wife's Legacy

[Sir Henry]

I'm just now getting to the point where I can recognize a Subaru from different angles and from further and further away. I never really noticed them before and bought one on recommendation of the trailer builder. Plus I have friends that own them and have ridden in them a hundred times.

It just turned 300 miles and I will fill the tank up today for the first time.

The hitch install went as planned and it looks factory. The December 3rd trailer pickup date is approaching fast.

[tractortad]

Actually, I think your Subaru is in a continuous gear - it is equipped with a CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission). The six speed is only simulated by the CVT when you use the paddle shifters...

[BigBlue]

Actually, I think your Subaru is in a continuous gear - it is equipped with a CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission). The six speed is only simulated by the CVT when you use the paddle shifters...

I believe your correct, that is the way my 2.5 is. I never understood why they feel the need to simulate shifts. I'd be happier if it were just a smooth transition, but I guess some people like that feeling of shifting gears.

[Sir Henry]

Actually, I think your Subaru is in a continuous gear - it is equipped with a CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission). The six speed is only simulated by the CVT when you use the paddle shifters...

I believe your correct, that is the way my 2.5 is. I never understood why they feel the need to simulate shifts. I'd be happier if it were just a smooth transition, but I guess some people like that feeling of shifting gears.

I will use it pulling a trailer over Steven's Pass. I want to be able to lock it into one speed and drive by the RPM. The 3.6R has enough power to pull it 60 mph over the pass but the manual says to limit the speed to 45mph over steep grades.

[BigBlue]

Actually, I think your Subaru is in a continuous gear - it is equipped with a CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission). The six speed is only simulated by the CVT when you use the paddle shifters...

I believe your correct, that is the way my 2.5 is. I never understood why they feel the need to simulate shifts. I'd be happier if it were just a smooth transition, but I guess some people like that feeling of shifting gears.

I will use it pulling a trailer over Steven's Pass. I want to be able to lock it into one speed and drive by the RPM. The 3.6R has enough power to pull it 60 mph over the pass but the manual says to limit the speed to 45mph over steep grades.

I believe you can put it into manual mode by putting your shifter into drive and moving the shifter to the left and use the paddles to shift. That's the way my 2.5 is anyway.
The tires that came with my car were Bridgestone Dueler H/P Sport AS and after a brief encounter with a 6" snow fall last season I decided to put Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2 snow tires on it. I only have 4,000 miles so the original tires are still like new, but they weren't too good in snow.
I do love that Touring version of the Outback! It wasn't around yet when I bought mine and when I saw it I was sorry to have missed the opportunity. I was even tempted to trade mine for it, but I'd take a beating, both from the dealer and my wife! We bought a 2017 Suburu Crosstrek for our daughter in July and she loves it.

[Sir Henry]

Yes I use the paddles just like yours. The Touring has everything I need to pull the trailer plus I like the looks of it.