The Subaru E-Outback presents a philosophical question: when does an estate become an SUV?
The E-Outback is based on the Subaru Solterra and Toyota bZ4X twins. Indeed, it will get its own Toyota twin in the form of the bZ4X Touring. The bZ4X and Solterra feel like SUVs, or crossovers if you will, because they’re taller and chunkier than a traditional hatchback; but add 155mm to the length and straighten out the roofline and suddenly it looks like a lifted estate and is marketed as such.
This is probably just one of those things only car nerds think about. To everyone else, the E-Outback is simply an EV with 633 litres of boot space. Call it what you want – that’s a lot of dog-carrying potential (the Skoda Enyaq offers 585 litres).
Verdict
Model tested:
Rating:
Subaru e-Outback
Nice to drive on the road and capable off it, a likeably odd duck.
Good
Cavernous and clever boot
Genuine off-road ability
Brisk performance
Bad
Unremarkable infotainment
Average range and efficiency
Limited seat folding flexibility
INTERIOR
Pros
Huge boot
Lots of passenger space
Cons
Basic infotainment
Plain materials
Everything inside the E-Outback feels very robust, if not exactly luxurious, which is probably the right vibe for this sort of vehicle.
All the user interface and infotainment is the same as in the bZ4X, so it’s neither the most modern nor a paragon of analogue simplicity, but you’d probably figure all it out quickly enough.
In the rear seats, there are acres of knee room but, typically for an EV, the floor is very high.
There’s no frunk but the boot is huge and comes with loads of practical features, such as those roof hooks, a light in the tailgate and remote unlocking handles for folding down the rear seats.
The only disappointment for such a lifestyle-oriented car is that the seats only fold in a 60:40 split, so if you want to go skiing with four people, the skis will have to go on the roof. Subaru is planning to offer a ski hatch as an accessory later down the line.
ENGINES & PERFORMANCE
Pros
Brisk acceleration
Smooth and responsive pedals
Cons
Weak regen braking and no one-pedal mode
An off-road-capable EV is still quite a rare thing, and Subaru knows it, so it held the press launch on a former military proving ground. Proper on-road impressions must therefore wait.
With 376bhp, it’s quite quick and will accelerate briskly well beyond UK motorway speed. It doesn’t have the ferocity of a Tesla. Instead it builds more gradually, but in a predictable way.
Brake feel is solid and the off-throttle regeneration is progressive but it’s still pretty weak even in its strongest mode, and it lacks a proper one-pedal mode.
Subaru says this is a question of philosophy: it feels the driver must always be in control and having the car come to a stop by itself clashes with that. Viewed another way, though, it’s denying the driver a bit of control over the regen process.
RIDE & HANDLING
Pros
Capable on rough terrain
Sophisticated off-road modes
Intuitive handling
Cons
Fairly inert on the road
Ride quality is tbc
Like the old petrol Outback, this is fundamentally a road car that can handle some off-roading. It doesn’t have the huge ride height and locking differentials of a Toyota Land Cruiser, but it always gets four-wheel drive from its dual motors and has substantially more ground clearance than most cars (211mm plays 186mm for the Enyaq). Same for the approach and departure angles (17.6deg and 20.2deg beat the Enyaq’s 15.4deg and 16.7deg), while breakover angle is 18.2deg.
For a car like this, the electronic traction control is vital for giving it some off-road ability. To that end, there are two ‘X-modes’: Snow/Dirt and Deep Snow/Mud. With those engaged, the E-Outback will extract itself from soft sand or climb steep and slippery slopes quite easily, despite running on normal summer tyres.
When individual wheels are in the air, you need to keep your foot in it for a moment in order for the systems to clock the wheelspin and do something about it, but they react fairly quickly and effectively.
One new feature is ‘Grip Control’, an off-road cruise control system that lets you set a speed so you can focus on the steering. It’s controlled using a rocker switch on the centre console and, particularly for less experienced off-road drivers, it’s a great way to let the car do most of the work.
On the road, grip is good in the wet or dry, and when it runs out the car is much more likely to fall into understeer than oversteer.
The steering is calm and transmits some feel through that silly little angular wheel.
I can’t tell you much about ride quality, since the proving ground roads were very smooth, but it’s a safe bet that the E-Outback will ride a lot like the bZ4X, which is nicely controlled and pliant.
MPG & RUNNING COSTS
Equally, energy efficiency remains a question mark. Subaru quotes 3.7-4.0mpkWh on the WLTP test cycle, which is fine for a dual-motor SUV but not outstanding. Real-world range between 200 and 250 miles would seem like a safe bet.
Prices have yet to be announced, but the four-wheel-drive bZ4X costs £50,000 and the E-Outback is likely to be a few grand more expensive.
VERDICT
Verdict
Model tested:
Rating:
Subaru e-Outback
Nice to drive on the road and capable off it, a likeably odd duck.
Good
Cavernous and clever boot
Genuine off-road ability
Brisk performance
Bad
Unremarkable infotainment
Average range and efficiency
Limited seat folding flexibility
Whether it’s an estate or SUV, the transformation from Solterra into E-Outback has turned this EV from a somewhat unremarkable option into quite a distinctive one.
Prices have yet to be announced, but it’s likely that an Enyaq or Tesla Model Y will remain a more logical option for most people. An off-roady estate sits in a niche – but one that Subaru says it’s happy to occupy.
TECHNICAL SPECS
Model tested:
Subaru E-Outback
Price:
£53,000 (est)
Electric motor/s:
Two permanent magnet synchronous motors
Drive battery:
Li-ion, NMC
Driveline layout:
Dual motors, 4WD
Model tested
Subaru E-Outback
Price
£53,000 (est)
Electric motor/s
Two permanent magnet synchronous motors
View all specs and rivals
Drive battery
Li-ion, NMC
Driveline layout
Dual motors, 4WD
Power
224bhp (f), 224bhp (r), 376bhp (system output)
Torque
198lb ft (f), 198lb ft (r), system output na
0-62mph
4.5sec
Top speed
112mph
Kerb weight (DIN)
2150kg (est)
Battery size
73.1/69.0kWh (total/usable)
Energy efficiency
3.7-4.0mpkWh
Range
327 miles
Max. charge rate
150kW
Rivals Skoda Enyaq Jeep Compass
Power
224bhp (f), 224bhp (r), 376bhp (system output)
Torque
198lb ft (f), 198lb ft (r), system output na
0-62mph
4.5sec
Top speed
112mph
Kerb weight (DIN)
2150kg (est)
Battery size
73.1/69.0kWh (total/usable)
Energy efficiency
3.7-4.0mpkWh
Range
327 miles
Max. charge rate
150kW
Rivals Skoda Enyaq Jeep Compass
Context:
The e-Outback blurs the line between estate and SUV with 633L boot space and genuine off-road capability.
Context:
This fills a rare niche as one of few EVs designed for serious outdoor adventures beyond paved roads.
Context:
Subaru deliberately avoids one-pedal driving mode, believing drivers should always control braking themselves.
