In a world of lookalike styling, common mechanicals and shared components, it’s great to come across a product that dares to be a little different. Cue the new Subaru Outback. Where other makers are guilty of over-designing their cars, Subaru doesn’t bother to style them at all. The Outback is bloated and bland in equal measure. And while most stick doggedly to in-line engines, Subaru seems just as determined to boxerise its entire engine line-up, diesel included. So the Outback I’ve just driven is powered by the world’s first horizontally-opposed passenger car diesel engine. And it’s a marvel – impeccably refined, uncannily hushed and frugal too. Rated at 110kW and 350Nm from a swept volume of 2.0 litres, it’s pokey enough to pull the 1.6-tonne, all-wheel drive wagon along at a fair lick. Like the acceleration, the power delivery is in no way explosive with little response below 1800rpm. However, the emphasis is on refined, efficient motorway cruising and sufficient behind-the-scenes towing torque. If you’re OK with the engine’s predilection for 50ppm diesel, then the only real powertrain drawback is a notchy six-speed manual gearbox that will not be hurried. As anyone who’s driven a manual turbodiesel will attest, you soon run out of revs in lower gears and really appreciate a slick and quick ’box. Perhaps Subaru should put a six cog ZF auto on its wish list?

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Inside, that huge, Puffer fish body translates into acres of cabin room for all five passengers and a voluminous boot. Rear seatbacks tilt a few degrees rearwards and fold fully forwards – a feat that can be handily accomplished from the boot as well. The interior design holds no delights – the materials employed are honest but decidedly average, the architecture and layout uninspired. An abundance of large cubby holes is pleasing, but ergonomics are a mixed bag. The steering wheel-mounted audio, cruise control and bluetooth phone controls are ideally placed, but scrolling through the OBC readouts involves pressing a spindly stalk that pokes through the instrument panel cover, mirroring the trip reset switch. A dash-mounted push-button electronic parking brake, positioned far right and out of sight, will take a fair amount of familiarisation too. Annoyingly, the aircon has only Auto or Full auto functions, and the fan noise is overly intrusive in any speed other than its slowest setting and only really effective at higher speeds. Hmm.   

On the plus side, the Outback rides with a genuine suppleness and corners with noticeably less roll than its taller Forester stablemate. 213mm of ground clearance helps negate any worries you may have of tagging that long front overhang.

Other positives are good equipment levels (sunroof, bluetooth, six in-dash CD shuttle, electric driver’s seat, cruise control, etc.) and the constant assurance of Subaru’s symmetrical all-wheel drive. It’s honest, capable, family-friendly and represents great value in a package that feels closer in nature to the much loved, previous generation Forester than the new one. If Subaru can fix its styling, up the interior ambience and fit slicker transmissions, it would dominate this admittedly tiny market segment.