We loved our 2001 Outback, but with 170,000 miles, and 13 hard New England winters, we decided it was time to replace it. We compared it to the Forrester and Impreza. The Impreza wsa too small for us, and the Forrester just felt too "trucklike" when driving it. The new OB feels bigger than the old one, but it still feels car-like when driving.
The extra gorund clearance is appreciated-- it has been a hard winter, and it has been nice to be able to get out through 6-8 inches of snow, because the plows haven't made it to our little side street yet!
Past personal experience
Purchased a 2014 Outback Premium in late December 2013 to replace our 2001 Outback. We've had the car 2.5 months, and put 3500 miles on it so far. We love it!
Parked next to the old one, it is about the same length, a little bit wider maybe, but about 4-5 inches taller. The additional height makes the interior of the 2014 feel much more spacious.
You really notice the difference when driving-- height of eye and visibility is better in the 2014.
We're also getting 27 MPG combined in the new car, compared to 23 in the old one.
Powertrain performance
We have the 2.5 engine with the 6 speed manual transmission-- and really like it. In our old 2001 outback, with the 5 speed, it always felt like it needed one more gear to shift to when on the Highway. The 6th gear in the 2014 makes a big difference, and makes for a quieter ride on the highway.
Quietness
A big improvement from the 2001 to the 2014 is that the doors now have frames around the windows-- the old 2001 had lots of wind noise, especially as the car aged and the rubber gaskets didn't fit as tightly.
Front seat support & comfort
The front seats are very comfy, and the seat heaters are powerful and warm up quickly.
We compared the car to a 2014 Forrester, and we think the OB seats are more comfy-- they have more thigh support.
Rear seat room & comfort
The rear seats are much more comfy than in the old Outback. They took a couple of inches out of the cargo area to give the rear seat more room. The reclining seatback for the rear seats is a nice comfort as well.
Feature availability
My biggest complaint with the Premium is that you can't get a backup camera unless you also get the sunroof. I can't take the sunroof-- as I need the headroom it takes away.
Also, the sunroof isn't that great, even if it didn't steal over an inch of headroom-- it is rather small. The one on the Forrester is much nicer.
Front seat support & comfort
Minor complaint-- like every other Japanese car I've ever owned, this one also doesn't seem to understand that feet get cold. The heater is great- it provides lots of heat, and quickly. But when you you set it to floor, the hot air hits you in the lower calf, and then rises. The heat never makes it to your feet!
