Comments by "Stephen Hendricks" (@stephenhendricks103) on "" video.

  1. FInally a major update for the Outback. For the Subar-ite faithful it's about time. I'm inclined to feel that a naturally aspirated six is a better choice than a turbo 4 in this class. The Ascent uses the same engine and (imo) it's outclassed by the V6's in the larger midsize class. So perhaps the application in the smaller (and presumably lighter) Outback will be more competitive. I'm not a fan of CVT's in general but there's no denying that all CVT's are not created equal and if I were shopping in this class I'd give it a chance. Otherwise, Subaru has seriously improved the interior features, appointments, and quality of materials. It's no longer necessary to apologize for the interior with the excuse that offering full-time AWD means serious cost cutting elsewhere. And the overall looks are a major improvement, as well. The Outback no longer looks like the styling was done by a committee from REI. And for those who love that look, there's always the Forester. Finally, for those of us who hold onto the fond memories of station wagons when they were kids, the Outback offers one of the few options available. (Though I'm sure Subaru marketing folks have to put a hundred bucks in the penalty jar if they ever forget to refer to the Outback as an SUV.) The wagon configuration sacrifices some overall cargo space, especially for tall or stacked items, compared to the boxier shape of some competitors but the overall shape feels and drives less top heavy and the sacrifice is small. Here in the Pacific Northwest expressing anything less than awe and admiration for any Subaru risks loss of friends and alienation of neighbors. It's a cult, very nice and mostly polite, but a cult, nonetheless. If it turns out there are some major negatives that emerge when actual reviews are available I'll be careful to keep my mouth shut about them in conversations with my many Subar-ite friends.
    8