If any one has recently bought a Subaru outback wagon 3.0R LL Bean, how do you overall rate the car ?

Answer 1

I bought one recently - like this past Saturday - and I love it! So, I've owned it for FIVE whole days. I do feel qualified to answer your question though and I'll tell you why.

In June 2006 I went car shopping with the expectation of coming home with a Forester, but after 8 years in a Honda Accord, the Forester was just too small and had too choppy a ride for me. I was drawn to a 2006 Outback and took it out for a drive. Now THIS was more like it. It is quite comparable to the Accord as far as size and ride. It doesn't have QUITE as many little nooks and cubbies for storage, but otherwise it was a seamless transition for me. A couple of controls work differently, but overall it is very similar. The only "problem" with this car was the fact that I was so stinking used to a 6-cylinder, 200 hp car that I thought the 175 hp was a bit down on power. I only really noticed it when I was trying to pull into traffic from a stop sign or when I was going about 65-70 and there was no 5th gear to go to. The 2.5i stops at 4 gears and that 4th is not quite the same as the 3.0's 5th.

I took home a Tribeca for a couple of days as a loaner while my car was getting a warranty repair (leak) and the power of the 245 hp 6-cylinder really impressed me in a car that is 560 pounds heavier than the Outback. I finally decided that the ONLY thing I didn't really love about the Outback was the 4-cylinder engine. If it were not for that, I could drive and love this car for my usual 8-10 years. As long as I was planning on having it that long, I figured, I may as well go for the gusto and I got the "Bean," as the sales staff call it.

I've put less than 100 miles on the car, but I can tell that the power is definitely there, even though I am trying to observe some break-in rules for a while.

Overall, I'd easily say that the Outback 3.0 is on par with the 1999 Accord 3.0 that I had. It's is a very good car unless you are looking for a rolling living room like a Buick or a Lincoln. The AWD, VDC, TCS and all those other letters are a really good set-up, too. I'm waiting for our INCH of snow tonight so I can check it out.

I had the 2.5 for 7 months and I've had the 3.0 for 5 days. (My daughter is now the proud owner of a 2006 Outback 2.5.) I think the upgrade was well worthwhile, in spite as answers I received when I asked here a couple of months ago. There is SO much more about this car that is better than the 2.5i. If you can find one, buy it.

Answer 2

I agree with Alan M for the most part. I have an 03 Outback H6 and have driven the 06s as well. The H6 has good power, but if you are looking for power off the block, you might want to consider the turbo. It has a much sharper torque curve and feels much peppier than the H6. Both use premium fuel, but if I remember correctly, fuel economy is about the same. Good luck