2015 Subaru Outback

The Subaru Outback has always been the Boy Scout of the car/wagon/crossover crew, with its standard AWED and rugged, foul-weather-defeating demean. While that demean won’t likely change, reports say the Outback is getting a Legacy -style work-over for the 2015 model year and will make its grand entrance at the 2014 New York Auto Show this spring.

Since the Outback is essentially the wagon version of the Legacy, it makes sense the recent changes to the 2015 Legacy would make their way over to the Outback. What this means for the Outback is a new exterior look with a similar reworked grille, headlights and raked Winfield. The extra body cladding and plastic bits that make an Outback look like an Outback will surely make their return.

Inside, the same redesigned dashboard, instrument panel and canter console with softer touch, more premium materials will be present. The couple -like look of the new Legacy obviously won’t make the jump as cargo room and rear passenger headroom are bigger priorities in the Outback.

History tells us the power-train offerings will be identical as well. The new Legacy offers two engine choices: a 2.5-tiler flat-four making 175 horsepower and 174 pound-feet of torque and the 3.6-litter flat-six putting out 256 horsepower and 247 pound-feet of torque. Unfortunately, both engines are stuck with CVT transmissions with no conventional manual on the horizon.