The 2018 Subaru Outback near Hammond, Louisiana is the ideal blend of practicality and off-road performance. While its AWD makes it superb for wet-weather driving, it handles and rides much like the family sedans our customers know and love. For those who need fuel economy, reliability, safety, off-road chops and resale value, the 2018 Outback is tough to beat.
What’s New
This year’s Outback has received a bit of a refresh, with more aggressive headlight and grille styling, optional steering responsive headlamps, and upgraded wheels on the Limited trim. An upgraded suspension offers a smooth ride while insulating glass provides a quieter cabin. The dash has more soft surfaces, and the touchscreen is larger on all Outbacks except for the base models. Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are now standard, and an optional gray interior is available in leather and cloth. We like it for its EyeSight system, touchscreen navigation and audio controls, great fuel economy, and excellent resale value.
Fuel Efficiency
The base, Touring, Limited, and Touring 2.5i trims are all equipped with a 2.5L flat four that’s matched to a CVT and all-wheel drive. The engine puts out a very respectable 175hp and 174 lb. ft. of torque, and the EPA rates it at 25mpg city/32 highway. The 3.6R Touring and Limited have a 3.6L flat six that puts out 256hp and 247 lb. ft. of torque, at an EPA-estimated 20mpc city/32mpg highway.
Standard and Available Features
The 2018 Subaru Outback near Hammond, Louisiana is available in six trims: the 2.5i, 2.5i Limited, 2.5i Premium, 2.5i Touring, 3.6R Touring and 3.6R Limited.
· The base 2.5i has a CVT with paddle shifters and manual mode, 17” wheels, a 6.5” touchscreen with Bluetooth and USB input, and music streaming. All models get hill start assist and hill descent control, manual AC, keyless entry, backup camera, rear window wiper and defroster, adjustable driver’s seat, and fold-down rear seating.
· The Premium version of the 2.5i gets a ten-way adjustable driver’s seat, heated mirrors, front seats and windshield defroster, an upgraded audio system with satellite radio, the StarLink package, dual climate controls, fog lights, and a leather-covered shift knob and steering wheel. Options include EyeSight, navigation, a power lift gate, and a power moonroof.
· The 2.5i Limited now gets keyless entry, push button starting, power passenger seating, 18” alloys, heated rear seating, a 12-speaker audio system, rear cross traffic monitoring, power lift gate and wood-grain trim.
· The 3.6R Limited gets a more powerful engine and transmission combo and responsive headlights. Options include high beam assist, EyeSight, reverse auto braking, and the power moonroof.
· The 2.5i Touring has unique exterior trim and coloring, a brown leather interior, heated steering, EyeSight, roof rails, and more.
· The 3.6R Touring Edition has all the 2.5i Touring model’s features, but with the bigger engine.
Along with the factory options listed here, Subaru dealers offer a variety of accessories and upgrades. Stop by today to see what’s available.
Safety
All 2018 Outback models have a plethora of safety features, including airbags for the front, front-side, and side curtains. Electronic stability and traction controls are also standard, followed up by hill descent control, hill start assist, and X-Mode. Options include the EyeSight collision avoidance system, reverse auto braking, and blind spot monitoring. NHTSA gave the Outback a five-star rating, and the IIHS gave it top ratings in every possible category as well as the Top Safety Pick+ designation.
Driving Impressions
While the vehicle’s great-looking interior and tech features make it the ideal road-trip companion, its off-road capabilities aren’t to be ignored. Its 8.7” ground clearance, AWD, and other features allow it to go where other crossovers fear to tread. Even when it’s not going off-road, the Outback’s features give it great wet-weather driving abilities.
This model year’s revised suspension offers a smoother on-road ride and greater impact absorption. The 18” wheels and tires on the Touring and Limited trims provide a surprisingly comfortable ride, and the 3.6L engine offers ample passing power. However, we like the four-cylinder for its outstanding fuel economy. The 2018 Outback has a carlike ride, even with its high ground clearance. The cabin is extremely quiet, and the controls have an intuitive, driver-focused layout.
Stop by or Call to Learn More about the 2018 Subaru Outback
The market is flooded with compact crossovers, but we think the 2018 Subaru Outback near Hammond, Louisiana is one of the best choices among them because of its safety features, its reliability, fuel economy, and resale value. Stop by to see it in person or call us at (888) 486-3576 for more details.
