While going down a hill
When you are descending a hill or any other slope while braking with the “SPORT” mode selected, the transmission may downshift to 3rd or 2nd gear depending on how hard you depress the brake pedal, causing engine braking to work.
Reacceleration for a short time will cause the transmission to upshift normally.
NOTE
• A 4th-to-3rd automatic downshift will not occur at speeds above 50 mph (80 km/h) and a 3rd-to-2nd automatic downshift will not occur at speeds above 24 mph (38 km/h).
• Automatic downshifts to 3rd or 2nd may occur even when driving on a level road depending on conditions, such as how hard you depress the brake pedal.
See also:
Hill Holder function
The electronic parking brake system has a Hill Holder function. If the Hill Holder
function is activated, the parking brake will be automatically applied when stopping
on an uphill slope with the ...
Recommended shifting speeds
The best compromise between fuel economy and vehicle performance during normal driving is ensured by shifting up at the speeds listed in the following table.
...
Safety
As mentioned, the Outback boasts excellent crash-test ratings and a better
rollover rating than an SUV. The standard stability system automatically means
there's antilock braking and traction cont ...