Subaru: Diesels get a facelift from chassis to tank

The Subaru Outback diesel provides a plush ride and smart, well-specced cabin. Photo / Jacqui Madelin

Subaru has already introduced its new-look, larger Legacy and Outback. Now there are updated diesels for both cars and for Forester. The more frugal engines address fuel consumption concerns.

These vehicles suit New Zealand conditions - with colourful personas, grunty engines, reasonable handling and four-wheel-drive grip - but Subaru's petrol engines are thirsty.

What's new?

Legacy and Outback bodies are longer and wider, with a wider track and increased boot space.

Their new faces are an acquired taste, but since when have Subarus been pretty? You buy them for their talents, not their looks.

Legacy, Outback and Forester all get the same 2.0-litre diesel engine - the first diesel for Forester - with an updated Denso fuel injection system, and a closed particulate filter in place of the previous "open" version.

Both blitz particles, but the closed system - which periodically incinerates them - is more efficient, so emissions are down.

Like the petrols, these cars get plastic manifolds to cut weight, while ceramic glow plugs heat faster than the old metallic ones, a start-up advantage in cold climates.

Oh yes, and there's a sixth cog for the transmission with first to fourth the same and fifth to sixth more widely spread to improve cruising economy.

The changes don't boost power or torque; indeed the latter is down a tad in the Forester as its air intake isn't quite as efficient.

These new diesels are thirstier; no surprise given the increase in size. But they're also better specced than the base petrols as they're sourced from Europe, hence they're manual only.

Automatics aren't popular there despite their crowded roads, as they drink more fuel.

The company line

Thirstier they may be, but they're still damn frugal, with Forester at a claimed 6.3 litres/199km.

Shame changes to the road user charges structure aren't aimed at encouraging more buyers into diesel cars, which would cut our reliance on imported fuel and bring environmental benefits.

What we say

You can have your cake - a handsome, practical Subaru with plentiful character and four-wheel-drive grip (whether it's a car, an SUV or a crossover) and eat it, too. The diesels are considerably more frugal than the petrol variants. You just pay the premium, with Forester at $45,990, Legacy from $48,990 and Outback $52,990.

On the road

Our brief drive was of the Outback, which is higher-riding than the Legacys but not as off-road-oriented as Forester.

The ride was plush, the cabin smart and well-specced but, best of all, our city, rural, and motorway mixed test route delivered a 6.2 litres/100km thirst under Subaru's 6.4 litres/100km claim.

We look forward to a longer, real-world drive.

Why you'll buy one?

You want a Subaru, without the thirst.

Why you won't?

You can't warm to Subaru's "never-mind-the-looks, it works" approach to body design.