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2003 Subaru OutbackSubarus best-selling line adds a pickup-truck crossover for 2003, and gets a less-expensive 6-cyl wagon midyear. Joining Outback and Legacy...
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Subarus best-selling line adds a pickup-truck crossover for 2003, and gets a less-expensive 6-cyl wagon midyear. Joining Outback and Legacy sedans and wagons is the Baja, basically an Outback wagon with an open rear cargo bed. Outbacks and the Baja have a raised suspension and SUV-flavored styling, but all these vehicles share a basic 4-dr design with standard all-wheel drive and horizontally opposed engines. Four-cylinder models come with manual transmission or optional automatic. A 6-cyl engine powers these Outbacks: the VDC and H6 sedans; and VDC, L.L. Bean, and Outback H6 wagons, the last a midyear addition. The 6 cyl comes only with automatic transmission. Antilock 4-wheel disc brakes are standard on all Legacys, Outbacks, and Bajas. Front-side airbags are exclusive to the Legacy 2.5 GT and to all Outbacks except the base and H6 wagons. VDCs include antiskid/traction control. All Legacys and Outbacks get revisions to suspension and front styling for 03. And OnStar assistance is newly standard for H6 seda
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18 Reviews from Shopping.com
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The Official Vehicle of the Pacific Northwest
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Pros: Easy to drive, comfortable, decent mileage, excellent snow handling.
Cons: Strains a little up hills with 4 adults plus their ski equipment.
The Bottom Line:
Amazingly affordable, stylish, reliable, and comfortable.
Truly you see this car all over the place in the Pacific Northwest, and I sort of wondered why until I test drove it. This car is amazingly comfortable and handles great in the rain and snow. Driving around here can get pretty squirrely: when it rains after a long dry spell it's especially slick on the roads, but the Outback just hangs on. Up over the mountain passes it handles the hardpack/ice and fresh snow conditions equally well.
It has nice seats front (with seat heaters) and back, great visibility and headroom, lots of cargo space both inside and out, and a worthy HVAC unit. It's roomy enough for 4 skiers with all their gear (skiis on the roof rack). Lots of useful inclement weather features like the wiper heaters (melts the snow around the wipers first) and the heated outside mirrors, in addition to the rear window defroster and wiper, make it much safer in the snows.
It's deceptively roomy: for our last vacation we took 5 people with all their luggage to the airport. When we landed we were picked up by a Jeep Cherokee which couldn't hold all our people and bags!
It's versatile: I've hauled lumber on the roof rack, stones in the back (on the included rubber protective mat), and a baby and a toddler and all their stuff. The baby seat LATCH hooks are easy to get to, too.
It's such a nice car that when my wife was looking for a new car she immediately went for the new '05 Outback (which I'll write about, too). The color scheme and styling are pleasant without being too flashy and have aged well.
The dealer (Carter Subaru) was super nice and absolutely no pressure sales. Their service department is fine, but the Subie hasn't needed anything but the scheduled oil changes and lubes.
I would (and did) buy this car again.
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