Somewhere amid the parade of crossovers and wagon-like vehicles is the Subaru Outback. Once merely a version of the Legacy wagon, which has since been discontinued, it's now a household name among family-car shoppers. Indeed, a year after its redesign, the Outback has sold more than the competing Toyota Venza and Honda Accord Crosstour combined.

The Outback's formula for success is no secret. Where others have tried in so many ways to reinvent the crossover concept, the Outback is happy to nail all of its essentials: utility, capability and drivability.

Trim levels include the four-cylinder Outback 2.5i and six-cylinder Outback 3.6R, each of which come in three versions: base, Premium and Limited (compare them here). As with all Subarus, all-wheel drive is standard. The Outback was redesigned for 2010; you can compare that version with the 2011 Outback here. We evaluated the four-cylinder Outback last year; this time around we tested a six-cylinder Outback 3.6R Limited.

• Quick With the Six
• Ride, Handling & Braking
• Cabin & Utility
• Reliability, Safety & Features
• Outback in the Market