Outback 2.5i, 2.5i Special Edition & 2.5i Limited

For the best mileage, the 2.5i manual is your best bet, rated at 20/27 mpg city/highway. Along with 1 mpg better highway mileage, the five-speed stick will help you get better acceleration out of the base horizontally opposed four-cylinder. The automatic has enough oomph for grocery-getting and other errands, but it quickly gets winded when pushed hard. The transmission could use a fifth gear; in many cases you can press the gas pedal halfway down without inducing a downshift, which doesn't help your passing confidence.

Outback 3.0 R Limited

On the other end of the spectrum is the 3.0 R Limited's normally aspirated 3.0-liter H-6 engine, which shaves another city mpg in exchange for ... not much. As the table shows, it brings a negligible horsepower increase and much lower torque — at higher rpm, where you don't want it. This option is the key to towing 3,000-pound trailers, rather than 2,700 pounds with the four-cylinder. If you're not planning to tow, I just don't see the point of this engine.

    See also:

    Windshield wipers
    Windshield wipers OFF: Off : Intermittent LO: Low speed HI: High speed To turn the wipers on, push the wiper control lever down. To turn the wipers off, return the lever to the “OFF” position. ...

    Gasoline for cleaner air
    Your use of gasoline with detergent additives will help prevent deposits from forming in your engine and fuel system. This helps keep your engine in tune and your emission control system workin ...

    Setting passkey
    1. Select the “SET PASSKEY” menu by operating the “TUNE/TRACK/CH” dial. After the currently set passkey is displayed, a new passkey can be entered. 2. Input the new passkey by operating the “TUNE/TR ...