There are a couple of things about the change from car to light truck which should be troubling to Subaru buyers:
- The overall ground clearance will be raised from 7.3 to 8.7 inches. This will have adverse impacts on handling, especially under emergency conditions. This will make the use of stability control systems, heretofore redundant on Subarus, more necessary.
- The height of the rear bumper will be raised to match those of other light trucks.
It is disingenuous of Subaru spokespeople to claim these changes were in response to customer demands - they are necessary because Subaru will be unable to meet coporate fuel economy standards with their current mix of vehicles. By placing the Outback in the light truck category, they immediately reduce the need for increased fuel efficiency. Also trucks are not subject to the same safety standards as cars.
I think I'll be looking at the Legacy rather than the Outback when I go shopping for my next Subaru.
Dave Mauriello