Long Term Report: The Subaru Outback gets a health check

The Subaru Outback is one of those rare cars that pretty much lives in a class of its own. On paper it's deemed a premium four-wheel-drive estate, which sets it up against rivals from Audi, Mercedes and Volvo. But because it has a much lower sticker price – which for our long-termer is £35,000 – that makes it a much more attractive proposition for anyone wanting an estate car with the benefits of four-wheel drive on a budget. The Outback's ownership costs work out at between £10k to £15k less than the more expensive, more premium competition.

At the other end of the scale are cars such as the Skoda Octavia Scout and Volkswagen Golf Alltrack, which are around £7k cheaper than our Subaru. In fact, the only real direct rivals for similar money are the VW Passat Alltrack or the smaller Audi A4 Allroad. Now, while they are all very capable, the Outback is built as a four-wheel drive from the ground up, making it a car with a very clear target market. The competition, on the other hand, makes four-wheel drive an option in an already extensive model line-up.