Now in its sixth generation, the outdoorsy Subaru Outback has grown from a jacked up, off-road friendly version of Subaru’s Legacy station wagon to a model of its own. The Outback celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2020 with a complete redesign, keeping up with the times but continuing many of the model’s traditions.

The Outback s roomy but not monstrous, capable enough for most situations and efficient without being anemic. It’s also good looking, smartly designed and affordable. It can haul a good amount of stuff and prove valuable on a bumpy trail or snowy commute. In short, the Outback is just at home in toney neighborhoods as it is rugged backwaters. Few cars authentically truly make that claim.

Though totally redesigned in 2020, the Subaru Outback retains both its traditional visual style, rugged and utilitarian, as well as its personality and outdoor-friendly all-wheel drive capability.  Subaru

Since it was new in 2020, the Outback’s changes for 2021 are minimal. Adaptive headlights are now standard and there are new seat-belt warnings and a rear-seat reminder for busy parents.

Subaru offers the 2021 Outback in a whopping seven trims. The base outback starts at $27,845 after a $1,050 destination charge. The Outback Premium’s price lands at $30,095, the Outback Limited starts at $34,645 and the Outback Touring’s price lands at $38,545. Stepping up to the XT models brings a more powerful engine and more features. The Onyx Edition XT starts at $36,195, the Limited XT at $39,045 and the Touring XT at $40,995.

While many other models tend to pivot in one stylistic or functional direction or another, the 2021 Outback stays true to its core DNA. It’s an eloquent evolution of the previous versions. The Outback’s improved aesthetics are similarly contemporary, including crisper hood creases and character lines along the side, and smoother overall body shaping that looks rugged and functional. Up top, the standard roof rails make tying down cargo a cinch. Subaru knows they’ll get used.

The Outback’s interior isn’t heavy on stylish design, but it offers lots of functionality and a massive and intuitively easy-to-use  11.6-inch infotainment screen across the center stack.  Subaru

The Outback’s interior design doesn’t break any new ground, but it’s utilitarian and good looking. The feature that grabs your attention first is the massive, Tesla-like standard 11.6-inch touchscreen taking up most of the center stack. Subaru’s Starlink multimedia system is easy to navigate and equipped with the increasingly essential Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

After a late 2010s renaissance, there are now relatively few wagons like the Legacy still on the market in 2021. Length-wise, it slots neatly between Audi’s A4 and A6 Allroads as well as Volvo’s V60 and V90 Cross Country models, but those wagons are far more expensive and they don’t have as much cargo room. Most Outback buyers will probably compare the wagon to compact crossovers, and in fairness, it’s fractionally taller than Volkswagen’s Tiguan. 

Like many compact crossovers, it prioritizes utility over luxury details. With the rear seats up, the Outback offers 32.5 cubic-feet of cargo space. User-friendly seat release levers make folding down the rear seats simple and fast, expanding cargo space to a full 75.7 cubic-feet. That’s a little more than the Toyota RAV4 or the Tiguan. 

Though the Outback is technically a station wagon, it’s SUV-like in size and scope, with a giant 75.7 cubic-feet of space when the rear seats are folded. That’s a little more room than some crossover rivals.  Subaru

The 2021 Outback offers two four-cylinder engines. Regular Outbacks get a 2.5-liter motor making 182 horsepower and 176 pound-feet of torque. Though slightly smaller at 2.4 liters, the turbocharged XT models have 260 horsepower and 277 pound-feet on tap. Both are driven through a continuously variable transmission. The Outback is quicker in XT form, but the CVT blunts responsiveness.

Subarus aren’t known for fuel economy, but for its size the Outback gets decent gas mileage. The 2.5 liter models are rated at 26 mpg city, 33 highway, and 29 combined, while the XT returns 23 city, 30 highway, and 27 combined. That’s better than Volvo’s V60 Cross Country or Audi’s A4 Allroad as well as the Tiguan, but it’s not as fuel efficient as the RAV4.

A week behind the wheel in the 2021 Outback and one thing became clear: Subaru knows its customers. The company’s buyers want vehicles that can take them far off the beaten path, and the Outback promises to do just that.  

It won’t ford very deep water or climb rocks like a Jeep Wrangler, but the Outback’s 8.7 inches of ground clearance and capable all-wheel drive system mean that it acquits itself quite well in light off-road adventures.  Subaru

The 8.7-inch ground clearance alone is worth mentioning on repeat and can clear a surprising array of challenges, including fallen logs and protruding stones. Its two-function X-MODE all-wheel-drive system sets the wagon up for snow, dirt and mud. It also automatically adjusts traction based on the situation. If the system detects that one wheel is lifted an inch off the ground, it will send power to the other three. It’s immediate and automatic and allows the driver to power through most challenges.

The Outback come standard with Subaru’s EyeSight safety suite, which includes forward automatic emergency braking, lane departure warnings, sway warnings, and adaptive cruise control with lane keeping assist. Blind spot monitoring with lance change assist and rear cross-traffic alerts are included on higher-spec Limited, Touring, an Onyx models. The first two of those also come with reverse automatic braking, which part of an $1,845 option package on the Onyx.

That sort of ready-for-anything disposition makes sets the stage for adventuring through a variety of drive situations. It instills confidence, which is the greatest power a car can gift its owner.

The Outback in its natural element, bringing outdoorsy drivers and their rain boots to the trailhead.  Subaru