The X-Mode system is also adept at staying out of the picture until it's absolutely needed, as I discovered after forgetting to turn it off on the way home from testing and having it activate out of nowhere when slipping over a hefty speed bump. At its best, this is a vehicle that won't trip over roots or be fearful of mixing it up with mud on a spring-soaked green lane, and you'll definitely get farther with the Wilderness than you would any other Outback thanks to the tires and ground clearance alone. Still, don't mistake the Wilderness for a rock crawler. Just how far from civilization are you likely to get in the Subaru Outback Wilderness? There's no question that Subaru knows what it's doing on the all-wheel drive spectrum, and the 2.4 turbo motor already comes with the brand's clutch-activated 'variable torque distribution' design that shuttles engine output from one axle to the other when deviating from its nominal 45:55 front/rear split is required to maintain traction. A roll indicator is also present to keep you attuned to the attitude of your Outback should you leave even ground behind. In addition to wheel spin-friendly settings intended to handle standard snow-covered roads or dirt surfaces, as well as a 'Deep Snow/Mud' toggle, the Wilderness allows the vehicle to swap back and forth between its low-speed, crawl-type capability and quicker-paced driving, making it a 'set it and forget it' option while playing off the pavement. Subaru has also tweaked the Wilderness trim's X-Mode feature, which allows for more granular control over how its all-wheel drive system parses particularly challenging terrain. Throw in a set of knobby tires on 17-inch wheels and you've got a recipe for respectable approach and departure angles and increase travel thanks to the Outback's stretched-over-stock springs. Subaru has decades of experience building quick, fun, and quirky versions of its various vehicles, and while in the past the company has trended towards STI-induced speed excursions, the recent trend among sport-utility fans is embracing the aura of freedom found in a relatively rugged daily driver.įor 2022 the Outback Wilderness embraces a little bit of both, marrying the model's mightiest 2.4-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder engine (the XT's 260 hp unit that's also good for 277 lb-ft of torque) with a suspension setup that adds nearly an inch of extra ground clearance to the vehicle's already tall stance. All terrain cosplay is the name of the game here, and while the Subaru SUV backs up its extroverted looks with a dose of extra go-anywhere goodies that promise to get you out that much farther from home, the real story after a week behind the wheel is that it asks for almost no compromises from its traditionally practical formula in the process.
More important than its actual trail cred, the Wilderness also brings with it a visual attitude that clearly separates it from other Outbacks on the order sheet. Such is the case with the 2022 Subaru Outback Wilderness, which alongside its Forester equivalent, is as close to a dedicated off-road option that fans of the Japanese brand are going to find in its showrooms. Diversification is the name of the game for automakers hoping to move as many SUVs as possible, and for smaller brands like Subaru that often means getting creative with trim levels and special editions that put a fresh spin on an old favorite.
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