Subaru's all-wheel drive system puts the engine's power to the wheels that can best use it. ROADABILITY: All wheel drive has benefits on all surfaces, not merely those with poor traction. SAFETY: For safety, the 1997 Subaru Impreza Outback Sport has standard all-wheel drive, antilock brakes, side-impact door beams, dual front air bags, and child safety locks. That AM/FM/cassette stereo and air conditioning are both standard features, as are power windows, mirrors, and door locks. Instrument and control layout is generally good, although careful use of the front cupholders is necessary to keep the stereo healthy. Fully-reclining front seats have good side bolstering and support for long-distance comfort, and the steering wheel adjusts for tilt.
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![sport utility wagon subaru sport utility wagon subaru](https://cms.qz.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/010612outback2_colorcorrected.jpeg)
The cloth upholstery is done in a modern, youthful op-art motif. The cargo area can be covered with a sunshade, and the rear seat folds with a 60/40 split when necessary. The large rear hatch is held open by hydraulic struts, allowing easy use of the cargo space. A fifth passenger, in the center rear seat, is not unreasonable. It has room inside for 4 people on a regular basis. The two-tone paint scheme, with bumpers and lower side panels contrasting with the main color, is very sport-utilitylike, as are the roof rack and mudflaps.ĬOMFORT: Inside, the smallest Outback is practical with plenty of style and comfort. Bigger wheels and tires, redesigned bumper fascias, and a large hood scoop give the 1997 Outback Sport a more aggressive appearance. The basic Impreza wagon is a conservative, unobtrusive mix of gently-rounded forms.
#Sport utility wagon subaru full#
This year it gets the full Outback treatment and more. Few cars that I've driven have been so much fun in so many different environments.ĪPPEARANCE: The Outback Sport started life last year as a cosmetic package on an Impreza wagon. With all-wheel drive and 6.5 inches of ground clearance, it can handle roads and conditions that will leave most sports coupes in the garage. It combines the practical space and accessibility of a small station wagon with the performance and handling of a sports coupe.
![sport utility wagon subaru sport utility wagon subaru](https://www.thecarmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/20161216223250998.jpg)
After several days of driving in the vicinity of Zion National Park during the press introduction last fall, and a recent week at home, the Outback Sport impressed me with its uniqueness, versatility, and handling. The Impreza Outback Sport is closest in this country to the rally cars in hood ventilation and character. It's mostly cosmetic in function, although it does allow cool air into the engine compartment. The scoop is now found on the sportier 1997 Subarus as a tribute to the company's rally successes. It was ferociously fast and not very practical, needing a can of octane boost with every fillup to keep the highly-tuned engine happy. Called the WRX, it looks like a normal Impreza coupe except for a large hood scoop to feed the turbo and several smaller vents. A street-legal 275-horsepower rally-replica Impreza is sold in Japan. All-wheel drive is used for maximum traction and control. Unlike most race cars, they have a long-travel suspension and plenty of ground clearance. Rally-spec Imprezas have upwards of 300 horsepower from a turbocharged version of the Subaru flat-four engine. Subaru Imprezas have been very successful, winning the title in 1995. The cars run in the World Rally Championship are based on production automobiles.
![sport utility wagon subaru sport utility wagon subaru](https://cdn.drivingline.com/media/2325881/subaru-outback-03-copy.jpg)
High-speed special stages, run over closed, unpaved forest roads, put a premium on sturdy construction and maximum traction. Performance rallying is the branch of motorsports that is closest to the point-to-point road races of the early days of the automobile. as a "sport-utility" look, but don't be fooled. The Impreza Outback Sport may have what is interpreted in the U. The Legacy Outback is a return-to-the-roots all-weather family wagon with sport-utility styling. But the Outback's little cousin has a subtly different character. Subaru's success with the Legacy Outback, "the world's first sport-utility wagon", has spawned a smaller, Impreza-based version. New Car/Review 1997 Subaru Impreza Outback Sport by Carey Russ