My friend just bought a 2012 Outback, 6 sp manual. He decided to upgrade his car because of the many engine oil leaks in the 01 that drove him crazy.
We went for a spin in the car and he commented on the following about the new car:
- The engine is not as peppy
- The engine is not as smooth.
- The clutch engages too low and the gas pedal does not respond as fast, leading to almost stalling when going from a stand still.
- When shifting from 1st to 2nd, it seems that the electric throttle keeps the RPM too high, just as if the engine had a very heavy flywheel.
- The finishes are way worse on the 12
- The headliner, by the front windshield , ends on a straight cut, no edging or termination.
- The front part of the cover for the cargo space gets dislodged whenever you recline the rear seats.
I did concur with his assessment. I also noticed that the sub frame is separated from the body with some small diameter metal spacers. Makes me wonder how this car is going to age. The load concentrated on those spacers is alot. The shifter moves, feels and sounds like a toy car's.
One thing is for sure... the outback is not in the list of options for my next car.