NEW YORK MOTOR SHOW: All-new Subaru Outback debuts

The all-new sixth-generation Subaru Outback debuted at the New York International Auto Show overnight.

The good news is the new-generation crossover wagon is claimed to be the safest, most capable and refined Outback ever.

The bad? It could be late 2020 at the earliest before the new model arrives Down Under.

Indeed, Subaru Australia insiders confirmed with carsales.com.au that the timing for the car’s local launch was still to be finalised.

They stated the company expected to be selling the existing model to the end of the 2020 calendar year.

The delay relates to Japan rather than US sourcing for Australian Outbacks, and the news follows doubts about the local future of the new Subaru Liberty, which is yet to be confirmed for Australia at all.

But the wait for the new Subaru Outback should be worth it. Not only will a turbo-petrol boxer-four model be offered in addition to the standard 2.5-litre four, but the car will boast a substantial boost in technology.

The most obvious manifestation of that is the new tablet-style high-definition Subaru Starlink 11.6-inch touch-screen interface. The portrait-orientated set-up sets the Outback’s cabin apart from other mainstream vehicles in its class

In conjunction with the obvious tech upgrade, so too has Subaru’s EyeSight driver assistance package been improved. As part of the suite, which includes autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control and a host of other assistance systems, the new Subaru Outback features what’s claimed to be a segment-exclusive DriverFocus Distraction Mitigation System.

Subaru says the system “uses a dedicated infrared camera and facial recognition technology to identify signs of driver fatigue or distraction and provides audio and visual warnings to alert the driver and passengers”.

Underpinning the new Subaru Outback is the maker’s latest platform, the Subaru Global Platform, which the Japanese brand says “provides increased safety, dynamics and quietness as well as reduced noise, vibration and harshness (NVH)”.

The benefits of the new platform include increases in both torsional and front-suspension rigidity. Subaru claims it is “100-per cent stiffer in both front lateral flexural and rear subframe rigidity compared to the previous Outback’s platform”.

This should provide benefits in terms of suspension effectiveness as well as crash safety and refinement. Service intervals may also be increased.

Eight airbags, including a driver’s knee airbag, are standard in US models. Although the vehicle is yet to be tested, Subaru is pointing to a full five-star crash rating.

For the US market at least, the flagship engine is a turbocharged 2.4-litre four that develops around 195kW. The 2.5-litre base engine is rated at approximately 135kW. Subaru’s Lineartronic CVT auto (now featuring an eight-speed manual mode) will be the sole gearbox option.

The new 2020 Subaru Outback offers a more peaceful cabin, the company says. Convenience items added to the new vehicle include a hands-free powered tailgate – at least in higher spec models.

In terms of styling it’s very much a case of ‘if it’s not broke’… Although Subaru is playing up the “Dynamic x Solid” and “Active x Tough” concepts, the new car is very closely modeled on the outgoing Outback

“The result is a rugged and functional design that inspires wanderlust and enables active lifestyles,” says the company.