cars news 10: 2016 Subaru Outback 2.5i Limited Update 5: Long Drives and the Infotainment System

We usually strive to put 20,000 miles on vehicles in our long-term fleet before we hand them back. The Outback has blown through that and is now approaching 26,000.

A fair portion of the last part of that has been doing some commuting from L.A. to Palm Springs, where I’ve been involved in a project.

The Outback is really great on longer drives. It’s really easy for a driver to find a good long-term seating position, and the power-adjustable seats include effective lumbar support. With the exception of a little wind noise, it’s admirably quiet between 60 and 75 mph on the freeway. The only thing really creating noise is the rhythmic “kuh-thwok” sound of expansion joints.

Those joints can sometimes be slightly confusing for the Outback’s suspension, sometimes resulting in a slight bucking feeling. But the suspension deals so well with other moderate imperfections, and especially the heavy potholes and cracks of L.A.’s urban zones, that I wouldn’t want to address it and compromise what’s already good.

For some reason on one trip back to L.A., the left front tire was low, which I found out thanks to the pressure monitors. I stopped at Vincent Chevron in West Covina, which might have the nicest gas-station bathroom I’ve ever seen. They also have a schmancy air machine that hits a target PSI selected by the user. It’s pretty nifty. And I can hear some of you already, so: Yes, I double-checked the pressure after using the machine. It was lock-step accurate with my digital tire gauge.

I’ve written before about the harsh throttle tip-in that seemingly is hard to master even after driving the Outback a while, and I’m not the only staffer who has noticed it. Following are the words of Zach Gale, Motor Trend’s production director and buyer’s guide editor.

2016 Subaru Outback 25i Limited front grille

2016 Subaru Outback 25i Limited roof rack

2016 Subaru Outback 25i Limited interior 02

2016 Subaru Outback 25i Limited interior seats

“You’re not fooling me, Subaru,” Gale said. “After spending more than a week with our 2016 Subaru Outback 2.5i Limited, a car I like, the overly aggressive initial throttle response can be quite irritating, and it doesn’t make me think of the car as quicker than it really is. I realize that over time drivers who occasionally want a throttle response between ‘grandpa’s Sunday drive’ and ‘NOWNOWNOW’ can get used to those options, but other CVTs out there do that better. Yes, it’s a shame the Outback isn’t nearly as quick as the new 2017 Honda CR-V I just drove, but Subaru, please at least adjust the initial throttle response. It’s not a deal-breaker, but it’s certainly not one of the Outback’s—or the Forester’s—best features.”

Also for the notebook, another item from Zach Gale, this time about the infotainment system’s interface: “I really like the texture of the volume and tuning knobs, but I’d love to have them a little bigger. Also, replacing the APPS button with one called AUDIO would fit my needs better. To view song info on this Apple CarPlay-less infotainment system, I have to hit two buttons. Easy enough, but many other cars require just one.”

Subaru just introduced Apple CarPlay and Android Auto during their launch of the 2017 Impreza line, so maybe they’ll address Zach’s complaint in the Outback and Forester soon.

One other infotainment-related thing that could be improved in the Outback—and in most cars—is the driver’s view of the touchscreen. It isn’t skewed toward the driver at all. It just points straight at the back window. It doesn’t render the system less usable, but it does create odd glare occasionally. It would be optimal to have the center stack slightly angled toward the driver in the mold of Kia, Volkswagen, and some other manufacturers.