Cars Timeline

Over the years I’ve had many cars. From simply driving for enjoyment to the need for utility each one was special in some way. Here you can get a glimpse of each one.

2011 Subaru Outback 2.5i Limited

I really had discovered I needed a bit more utility than my Nissan Altima could provide but didn’t really consider myself much of an SUV person. Regardless, I started looking around at several small SUVs and the like. I figured that if I was going in this direction I also wanted improved winter handling. After all, we get a little snow in these parts.

While poking around online I found that the Subaru really seemed to be hitting the sweet spot for me in that it offered full–time all–wheel drive but still provided great fuel economy. It was a bit lacking in terms of some of the “tech” gadgets I had grown accustomed to but I decided I could live with that. In fact, my researched soon revealed this was par for the course with Subaru as they generally lagged a little behind other manufacturers.

On July 14, 2011 I brought home my new Subaru Outback.

   

Specifications   +/- All

Engine and Drivetrain -

Engine 2.5–liter SOHC aluminum–alloy 16–valve horizontally opposed 4–cylinder Subaru Boxer® engine with i–Active Valve Lift System
Power 170 hp @ 5,600 rpm
Torque 170 lb–ft @ 4,000 rpm
Transmission Lineartronic™ CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission) with 6–speed manual mode and paddle shifters
CA Emissions SULEV2 (PZEV) and LEV2

Traction and Stability -

Symmetrical All–Wheel Drive  
Vehicle Dynamics Control (VDC) VDC electronic stability control utilizes sensors which constantly monitor wheel speeds, steering angle, brake pressure, vehicle yaw rate and lateral g–forces. If VDC detects a difference between the driver’s intended path and the one the vehicle is actually taking, VDC applies braking power and/or reduces engine torque to help correct vehicle path.
Traction Control System (TCS) VDC also incorporates an all–wheel, all–speed traction control system which senses a loss of traction and applies braking force to the slipping wheel or wheels as necessary to maintain vehicle motion.

Fuel -

Fuel economy (city/highway) 22/29 mpg
Fuel requirement Unleaded gasoline (87 octane)
Fuel capacity 18.5 gallons

Chassis -

Steering Engine–speed–sensing variable power–assisted rack–and–pinion. Turning circle: 36.8 feet.
Suspension 4–wheel independent raised suspension. Front: MacPherson strut type. rear: Double– wishbone. Front and rear stabilizer bars.
Brakes 4–wheel disc ventilated front. 4–channel, 4–sensor ABS with Electronic Brake–force Distribution (EBD).
Brake discs (front/rear) 11.6 inches/11.3 inches
Brake Assist When emergency braking is detected by how quickly the brake pedal is pressed, maximum brake pressure is immediately applied.

Wheels and Tires -

Wheels 17 x 7.0–inch, 6–spoke aluminum–alloy
Tires 225/60 R17 98T all–season

Exterior and Interior Dimensions -

Length/Width/Height 188.2 inches/71.7 inches/65.7 inches (with roof rails)
Wheelbase 107.9 inches
Track (front/rear) 61.0 inches/61.0 inches
Headroom (front/rear) 38.7 inches/39.3 inches
Legroom (front/rear) 43.0 inches/37.8 inches
Shoulder room (front/rear) 56.3 inches/56.1 inches
Passenger volume 102.4 cubic feet
Cargo volume 34.3 cubic feet
Maximum cargo volume 71.3 cubic feet with rear seat lowered
Base curb weight 3,564 lbs
Ground clearance (at base curb weight) 8.7 inches
Towing capacity 2,700 lbs

Exterior -

Projector–beam low–beam (with Auto–on) and multireflector high–beam headlights
Fog lights
Front underguard
Body–color folding side mirrors
Windshield wiper de–icer and heated side mirrors
Roof rails with integrated and retractable cross bars (150 lbs maximum capacity)

Seating and Trim -

10–way power adjustable driver’s seat with power adjustable lumbar support
4–way power adjustable front–passenger’s seat
Heated front seats
Reclining rear seats
60/40–split flat–folding rear seatback
Leather–trimmed upholstery
Woodgrain-patterned accent trim on doors and console

Convenience -

Electronic parking brake with hill-holder function
Driver’s auto up/down power window
Electronic cruise control
Leather–wrapped 3–spoke steering wheel with audio system, cruise control and Bluetooth® wireless phone on/off, navigation system voice–command buttons
Manually adjustable tilt/telescoping steering column
Automatic manual mode or Lineartronic™ CVT transmission paddle shifters
8 cup holders
Overhead console with dual maplights and sunglasses storage
Retractable/removable cargo–area cover
2 cargo–area grocery bag hooks and 4 cargo tiedown hooks
Cargo–area underfloor storage
Removable cargo–area tray

Audio and Communication -

Harman/Kardon® Audio Package: 440–watt 9–speaker Harman/Kardon® premium audio system with amplifier, subwoofer, MP3/WMA/AAC playback capability, XM® Satellite Radio and Bluetooth wireless phone capability
6–disc in–dash CD changer
Auxiliary audio jack for portable media players
XM® Satellite Radio

Instrumentation -

Analog speedometer, tachometer, “eco” fuel economy and fuel level gauges
Digital trip computer displaying fuel economy, digital clock and ambient temperature

Climate Control -

Dual–zone automatic digital climate control system with controls for temperature, 6–speed fan, airflow direction, dual–zone lockout and CFC–free air conditioning

Security -

Keyless entry system with answer–back electronic chirp
Antitheft security system with engine immobilizer