My first exposure to a Subaru was in the 70’s when a friend was test driving one on the weekend. We drove up from Hamilton to Missoula on icy roads with no problems and spent the night causing trouble without getting caught (the new mall parking lot was big, flat, and great). Fast forward to 2007, when I was looking for my first new car and was considering an Outback. I had my ’93 Escort station wagon, with a manual transmission, for over 10 years and wanted to stay with a manual. The Outback I had seen lost to a 2007 Focus station wagon with a manual transmission. FWD was adequate for annual trips from Western Washington to Montana and California, especially when assisted with winter tires. I tend to wait for my vehicles to earn their keep, so they get pushed around a bit more than normal people. Since the Focus could carry a dozen 10-foot 2x4s inside, when I went to buy the 2023 Outback, my first test was whether it could do the same, and I was pleased that the Outback could carry more than half a dozen boards. Since vehicles of the same style, with manual transmissions, have all but disappeared, it was time to get an Outback. Our Ford Explorer has a sunroof and since our house is surrounded by fir trees, it will occasionally leak, which is one of the reasons my Outback doesn’t have a sunroof. The other reason I didn’t get a moon roof was that I am a Ham Radio operator and wanted to keep my options open. The 2.5l engine performs better than the 2.0l Focus engine and gets similar gas mileage.
I love the Limited trim and look forward to taking the Outback on summer trips to Eastern Washington for some fresh fruits and vegetables. Cherries should start this weekend or next.
