ONE of the double-edged swords of being a motoring journalist is you generally only ever see new cars, in pristine, showroom, condition, while this is a great way to see the 'latest and greatest', it does mean you often don't get to see how a vehicle 'ages' through use.
However, every now and then a rare opportunity arises, where not only can you see how a car has aged, but also how it stacks up against its more recent progeny.
For us, this came up when my 17-year-old son bought his first car a couple of months ago, an absolute time warp rolling history piece, a 2001 Subaru Outback Limited station wagon.
As a multiple Subaru owner, I know how quickly even brand new models get modified, taking an already capable, solid, base car and transforming it into an all-terrain-terror, with lift kits, larger wheels and snorkels just the starting point.
In my son's case, he found a car that had travelled less than 115,000 verified kilometres in 22 years, was a one-owner from new vehicle, and completely unmodified in any way, the only non-original parts were the tyres, it was not even due a timing belt change as yet.
Shortly after taking ownership, he replaced the left front CV boot, almost a consumable item in Subarus, given the interesting places they visit off the beaten track, and also the radiator, as it is supposed to be replaced every 100,000 kilometres, and the polymer top tank had begun to leak.
Being the 'Limited' version, it had the range-topping AM/FM/CD 4-speaker stereo system, cruise control, leather trim and five-speed manual transmission, as well as alloy wheels and the torquey 2.5-litre four cylinder petrol engine.
Yes, there were a few external bumps and scrapes that showed it had enjoyed a life among car parks and other vehicles, but the car itself is straight as an arrow, never been damaged, with all factory body seam filler still in place, while an on-hoist underbody inspection - thanks to Piers at RX Automotive for that! - revealed it had never gone further off-road than the grass carpark at the local bowls club.
When presented with this rare opportunity, not only did I strongly suggest he buy it (clearly, he listened!) but it presented the chance to team up with Subaru Australia, and do a 'then and now' comparison with a newly-released 2023 Outback Sport XT wagon, to help celebrate 50 years of Subaru in Australia.
The comparison was revealing in many ways, not just showing how much had changed, but also how much the Outback has stayed true to its original form over the last 22 years.
Ch-Ch-Changes...
Surprisingly, the Outback is still instantly recognisable, then and now, unlike many other cars which have evolved massively, compared to a 2001 model.
It remains one of the few 'traditional' station wagons still available, where many others have become SUVs or enlarged hatchbacks, the Outback is a 'three box' wagon, with an engine bay, passenger cabin and a luggage area.
Yes, like all wagons, you can access the luggage space via the back seat, but most importantly, it has kept the 'long roof' look which was a big part of Australian family motoring from the 1950s through to the 2010s, when the large SUV began to take over.
This is perfect for carrying long loads without needing a trailer, add a set of roof racks and you can easily take up to seven metres (around 21 foot in old talk), like kayaks, surf skis, awnings and gazebos, as well as long lengths of timber and pipe, the sort of loads that can be a challenge in a curved roof SUV.
Don't get me wrong, I am not anti-SUV, this is just a comparison of load-lugging abilities.
Front on, it is a case of 'the more things change, the more they stay the same'.
The new car has a larger, trapezoidal grille compared to the slim line opening of the 2001 car, and a slightly higher bonnet line, while the headlights are probably the biggest single difference, with the new car going to slimmer LED headlights, compared to the traditional halogen lights that were cutting edge technology at the start of the 21st Century.
The older car has a more prominent front bumper, finished in a grey plastic, which then continues down the flanks of the car, wrapping over the guards to create a small wheel arch extension, giving room for the factory alloys to sit a bit wider off the chassis for better roadholding.
Both cars have an under-bumper intake for airflow under and around the engine, as well as pushing air across the air-conditioning heat exchanger, it is just slightly more prominent, courtesy of a lattice-style look, on the new car.
The lower bumper holds the factory foglights, both mounted at the furthest extremity of the bumpers, allowing them to throw a broad pattern of light in front and beside the car when needed.
Side-by-side, the 2023 version has a slightly (by maybe 20mm) higher bonnet line, however the body lines from the earlier car, stretching backwards from the edges of the grille intake, are just as visible in the new model, running back to the driver and front passenger on both cars.
The new car has a second body line in the centre section of the bonnet, which allows the central air intake and fuel injection system a little more headroom for longer intake lengths, adding a slight kick to the engine's torque output.
The most visible change in the two body shapes is down the flanks, in fact it is right at the very rear, in the section between the 'B' and 'C' pillars, with the new car opting for a more upswept rear, which shrinks the third window into a rounded design, taking on a proto-porthole look, with the entire side view of the glasshouse clearly more ovoid-shaped.
By comparison, the 'original' has a very traditional rectangular shaped glasshouse, running closer to the vertical than the newer car, with only a slight inward-sloping angle from the car's waistline to the roof.
From the rear, the two models remain clearly linked by family design DNA, with a vertical lift tailgate offering full access to the load area.
Again, there has been evolution over the years, but mostly in tail light design, as well as some dimensional modifications, but with the tailgates up, the two Outbacks are virtually identical inside, with similar load carrying potential.
Power to the people
Under the bonnet is the biggest difference between the two cars, with the current model Outback XT running a powerful 2.4 litre turbocharged four cylinder, while the first generation made do with a fuel injected 2.5 litre four cylinder.
Despite these fairly obvious differences, it is amazing to see how much they have stayed the same, with Subaru choosing to retain the familiar 'flat four' horizontally-opposed layout.
With more than 45 years of development on the boxer configuration, Subaru have got a pretty good idea of how to design and build a solid and reliable engine delivering a decent punch, as well as the best, and most individual, exhaust note of any car in its class.
The 'old' Outback, powered by the much-loved EJ25 non-turbo engine, starts easily, and quickly settles into the uneven 'thrum' so beloved of Subaru owners, ready to deliver 125 kilowatts of power via the five-speed manual transmission.
While this may not seem a massively powerful engine in the current era, for its time, the EJ25 was regarded as a 'punchy' unit, with 226 Newton-metres of torque available at 4400rpm, which made it especially useful in off-road driving.
Even today, with relatively short gearing, the Outback is comfortable holding its own in traffic, and is forgiving of an inexperienced driver learning how to manage clutch and accelerator in peak hour traffic.
Weekend drives remain a pleasure, and the car has done many trips already, including visiting Mount Mee for some off-road work, and will be doing much more with the pending arrival of my son's red Ps, when he will be travelling far and wide with the Subaru 4WD Club of Queensland.
By comparison, the new model XT has the dual overhead cam (DOHC) 2.4-litre turbocharged engine, which produces a prodigious 183 kilowatts and 350 Newton-metres of torque, driving through Subaru's Lineartronic CVT continually variable transmission.
For the uninitiated, CVTs replace the standard gear cogs of manual and automatic transmissions with a pair of pulleys, which are able to expand and contract to provide the ideal ratio for fuel efficient driving.
While this is possibly the best format for long, constant-speed travel, such as cruising from Brisbane to Sydney or Melbourne, with long unbroken stretches of 100 or 110km/h driving, they do struggle with rapid speed changes, like peak hour traffic.
In this instance, they are in a constant state of flux, trying to match the driver's throttle inputs with the car's road speed, even with the latest generation of computer controls, there is always a lag, and an especially heavy push on the throttle can see engine revs are towards the redline, before the CVT catches up, and the car launches, only to then have to slow, as the cars ahead brake for the next delay.
This is not a Subaru-specific issue, almost every CVT I have driven suffers from the same issue, and in fact the XT's turbocharged motor provides enough power and torque to overcome the lag on minor speed changes, smoothing out the driving experience.
The CVT is a good balance to the higher outputs of the modern turbo motor, smoothing out the power delivery into a more linear progression, which works well in off-road situations, where you don't want a rush of peak power while trying to negotiate obstacles.
Inner beauty
In what seems to be a bit of a recurring theme, the interiors are another case of 'the more things change, the more they stay the same'.
As befitting the flagship model of its era, the '01 Outback is all leather and thick carpeting, with room for five, unless they are my sons, in which case it is four, but not everybody has four boys all over 180cm - lucky me!
There is a two piece moonroof/sunroof, with tilt and slide opening, and a general feel of high-end build quality which is a hallmark of Subaru manufacturing over the years.
That said, the front seats are manually adjustable only, the driver's seat is front and rear height adjustable by two winders on the seat base, although it stays well and truly at ground floor in this car!
The steering wheel is height adjustable only, a bit of a shock to the system after many years of height and reach adjustments, that said, I can find a comfortable position when it is my turn to get behind the wheel.
The cabin ergonomics are good, with switchgear pretty much where you expect it to be, and the controls are all large size, making it easy to drive by braille, without needing to take my eyes off the road.
One interesting area is the clear face of the steering wheel, with no buttons or controls in evidence, instead the main cruise control switch is on the dash, to the right of the steering column, while there is a secondary stalk on the steering column to set and adjust the speed.
The '01 model is a pre-Bluetooth vehicle, and wasn't that a culture shock!
This means no Apple CarPlay, no phone connection, no navigation, or any of the other modern conveniences we now take for granted.
The interior has aged well, yes, there is some cracking in the seats where the original owner did not keep up the leather conditioning, but this just gives the Boy Wonder something to do on his weekends.
But more importantly, there is no sagging of doors on hinges, the roof lining is as good as when it was new, and the sunroof seals just like it did at the factory.
The only interior fail is the driver's sun visor, which flops around a little, it looks as though the pivot point has worn a little with time, but not enough to cause sagging or preventing it from functioning, it just droops a fraction when you fold it down - not a bad effort for a 21-year-old car!
As expected, the Sport XT is a paragon of modern design and functionality, with a place for everything and everything in its place.
The seats are a highly practical water repellent cloth trim, with 8-way power adjustment for the driver, while both fronts and the two outside rears are all heated for winter comfort.
Compared to the single zone automatic climate control of the '01 car, the Sport XT gets a dual-zone unit, while the big difference is the upgrade to the HarmonKardon entertainment unit, which adds DAB digital radio, Bluetooth, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as getting eight speakers but loses the CD player...
The steering is now height and reach adjustable (yay!), while the steering wheel is loaded with controls for audio, telephone, cruise control, as well as the multi-function display, in place of the simple two dial instrument cluster of the earlier car.
A long-time Subaru Club member, who has stuck with his favourite older model cars, inspected the XT Sport and inquired if I was now rated to fly Boeing jets, so packed with controls did he find the new wheel!
Having watched these functions evolve and refine over the last 20 years, I am pretty comfortable with the amount of fingertip control in the modern version, so to have someone point out how much things have changed was a bit of an eye-opener.
When it comes to occupant and vehicle safety, Subaru has been one of the leaders, often earning the tag of 'Japanese Volvo' for its focus on keeping things in one piece and headed in the right direction.
While the '01 car has effective ABS brakes, and front airbags, matched with accurate steering and the inherent grip of All-Wheel-Drive - a Subaru specialty - it has nothing on the latest XT Sport.
In addition to everything fitted to the older car, the new model adds a laundry list of safety systems, starting with radar-controlled adaptive cruise control capable of tracking cyclists and with a 'drive off' function if the car ahead starts moving.
This is backed up by Subaru's Eyesight suite, using a mix of cameras and sensors to control auto headlights with adaptive lighting which can selectively operate the LED headlights to dim the high beams to avoid oncoming traffic but keep the road shoulder lit up to spot incoming hazards like wandering animals and stray pedestrians.
Eyesight also incorporates all the collision detection technologies like Lane Keep Assist, Blind Spot Monitor, Lane Change Assist, Rear Cross Traffic Alert and Reverse Automatic Braking, while other standard features includes dual front, side and curtain airbags, along with passenger seat cushion and driver's knee airbags, Lane Departure Warning and Prevention, Autonomous Emergency Steering, Pre-Collision Braking and Brake Light Recognition.
Driving Wheels
As expected, the XT Sport is an all-round better performer than its predecessor, but that is not to say it is all one way traffic.
Clearly, one of the big differences is the five-speed manual gearbox against the new CVT, as well as the more powerful turbo engine in the new car, but as good as it is, there is a slight sterility in the Sport XT compared to the '01 Outback.
With the older car, there is a greater feeling of control, you have to drive it to get results, where the XT can be programmed, and then left to its own devices to achieve the desired outcome.
This is where subjectivity versus objectivity comes to the fore, without a doubt, the XT Sport is the better car, the steering is sharper, the engine more responsive, even allowing for the turbo, and the CVT makes for a relaxed experience.
That said, the '01 car offers a more visceral experience, the joy of winding the engine out towards the redline in low gears, hearing the boxer motor clear its throat and unleash a delightful, throaty rumble.
While it doesn't exactly pin you to your seat, it is still a joy to be experienced in an era of whisper-quiet motors that are so well insulated from the passenger space, you only really know something is going on because the speedo is climbing.
The manual gearbox is a little notchy going into second, but that is part of the driving experience, you have to know how to rev match the engine and gearbox, and then they gear engages with a delightfully mechanical 'snick', and you are away.
This works on both up- and down-shifts, and requires a degree of mechanical sympathy with the car, knowing what is happening underneath and around you, rather than just getting behind the wheel and away you go, oblivious to what the car is trying to share with you.
Despite being more than 20 years old, the '01 car still sits comfortably on the road, there is sufficient travel in the suspension to deal with the patchwork quilt of roads in Southeast Queensland, and holds its own over broken and rutted tracks, although a lift kit and shock absorber upgrades are on the cards to allow forays further off-road with other Subaru Club members.
This is one of the joys of owning a Subaru, old or new, they can go a fair way off the beaten track with only minimal changes to the standard car, mostly just a more aggressive set of tyres for better grip, and yet you are sitting in passenger car luxury.
The new car is just as capable in the same situations, and in some ways, is better, thanks to upgraded electronic controls for the CVT, including eight pre-programmed 'step points' for the transmission, which effectively mimic a manual gearbox,
The steering column-mounted paddle shifters take full control when the gear selector is pushed into 'Manual' mode, giving the driver full control, and allowing specific points to be held, such as for travelling down steep and slippery tracks.
Where the '01 car has High and Low ranges for the all-wheel-drive, the XT Sport has a single drive ratio, however with the bottom gears offering 3.2:, 2.3: and 1.6:1 options, this gives good low-speed control for off-roading.
With the standard ride height offering a minimum 213mm of ground clearance, almost identical to the '01 model, a careful driver, with an external spotter and the onboard sensors and cameras, will find crawling over rough ground a relatively simple task, reinforcing the Subaru mystique of going a long way out, and getting back again in one piece.
As previously mentioned, the CVT is a highway runner's delight, the 'bands' making tiny adjustments to keep the engine in the 'sweet spot', providing the best possible fuel economy for the chosen road speed.
Stop-start traffic is not so user-friendly though, with the CVT needing to reset constantly, going from acceleration to cruise and then stop again, with engine revs spiking while the transmission adjusts to the situation.
Again, this is not a Subaru-specific issue, all CVTs face this challenge, and many have that same 'buzz-go-stop' response, but it can be frustrating at times, just the same.
The Last Word
So, what did we learn from this whole experience?
Well in some ways, not a lot, other than, yes, Subaru have long made, and continue to make, some fantastic motor cars, the longevity of the body especially, in terms of structural integrity and rigidity being an absolute high point, and inspiring confidence that you can buy a Subaru today, and it will be just as good 20 years later.
There was also the reassurance that if they change something, there is a good reason for it, whether it is a new design or construction technology, improved metallurgy in engine blocks and other materials, or just keeping abreast of government rules and regulations, to keep the cars relevant, now and in the future.
Going beyond that, there is a feeling you are dealing with a company that recognises its past, just as much as it looks to the future.
Placing the cars side-by-side, you can see that yes, they have evolved over time, but there are clear and visible links to the brand's history, so that owners of a 2001 car can feel just as connected to a 2023 model, while still enjoying the differences between the two cars.
While there are no directly interchangeable parts between the two, the similarities in look and feel keep the lineage going, and for owners and fans of the brand, it is that intangible feeling of connection that is part of the ownership experience.
And yes, I would buy a new Outback, just as much as I encouraged my son to buy his car.
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