Subaru has officially launched its new flagship model in South Africa – the turbocharged Outback XT.
The XT is perched at the top of the company’s local catalogue with a starting price of R959,000.
“Our customers know how capable the Outback is and what ‘XT’ stands for and this car is a real showcase of that – Subaru’s most advanced engineering and technology with much more power,” said Nteo Nkoli, Marketing Manager at Subaru SA.
Performance
The new XT forgoes the 2.5-litre, naturally-aspirated engine found in the Field and the Touring – the other two units in the Outback line-up – for a 2.4-litre, turbocharged petrol-burning powerplant.
This is, in fact, the same drivetrain found in the WRX, though it has been tuned to better suit the Outback’s needs and the result is that the XT boasts a power ceiling of 183kW and 350Nm – 45kW and 105Nm more than its siblings.
The substantial increase in torque and power means the XT has an improved towing capacity of 2,400kg – up from 2,000kg – and its 0-100km/h acceleration time has been lowered to 7.5 seconds, said the automaker.
The Outback also features the brand’s symmetrical all-wheel-drive system, which connects to the engine via a lightweight Lineartronic CVT transmission.
It has a ground clearance of 213mm, too, and fuel consumption works out to 9.0l/100km on a typical cycle.
Features
The new XT shares much of the same equipment as the Touring, though with a few extra details designed to make the flagship stand out.
For starters, the 18-inch alloy wheels have been given a black finish, and it has been updated to feature the latest EyeSight Driver Assist Technology which monitors traffic movements, optimizes the adaptive cruise control, warns you when the car veers out of lane, and recognize speed signs.
In addition to the assistance items bundled with the EyeSight system, the XT is equipped with eight airbags, driver fatigue monitoring, automatic pre-collision braking, lead-vehicle start alert, a speed limiter, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert.
Furthermore, the Outback comes with LED headlights, daytime running lights, fog lamps, rain-sensing wipers, roof rails, and a hands-free electric tailgate for the 522-litre boot, which expands to 1,267 litres when the rear seats are folded.
The highlight of the interior is an 11.6-inch infotainment screen which now comes standard with wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and on-board navigation.
There’s also keyless entry and start, a 12-speaker Harmon Kardon stereo, electronically-adjustable front seats with heating and memory functions, automatic climate control, leather upholstery, a rearview camera, a heads-up display, a sunroof, and rear USB ports.
Pricing
The South African pricing for the updated Subaru Outback range is as follows:
- Subaru Outback 2.5i Field – R728,000
- Subaru Outback 2.5i Touring – R788,000
- Subaru Outback 2.4T XT – R959,000 (new)
Each purchase comes with a 5-year/150,000km warranty and a 3-year/75,000km maintenance plan.
Subaru Outback XT
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