1997 Subaru Outback GX review from Australia and New Zealand
"Solid quality car, adequate performance. Look forward to trying a V6 model"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Engine pipe replaced under warranty.
Speaker buzz.
General comments?
Very solid car with excellent road adhesion due to AWD and ABS. Good build quality.
Engine noisy and harsh at mid-high revs, and lacking torque at low revs. This, combined with being a heavy car, means that to move it along quickly you have to put up with a bit of thrash from the motor. Air-conditioner takes toll on performance.
Off road: good transmission, but suffers from lack of clearance and poor approach/departure angles. It's only just adequate to get on and off beaches if the causeway is churned, but once on a beach it's fine. Plastic sump-cover prone to being ripped off when pushing through sand.
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| Nice if I was ever able to afford the repairs to drive it |
| Subaru Head Gasket |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Year of manufacture | 1997 |
| First year of ownership | 1998 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2000 |
| Engine and transmission | 2.5 petrol Manual |
| Performance marks | 6 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 10 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 8 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 9 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 7 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 1000 kilometres |
| Most recent distance | 40000 kilometres |
| Previous car | Toyota Corona |
| Date of Entry | 17th April, 2000 |