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:
Rear center seatbelt on 5-door models
Rear center seatbelt on 5-door models
1) Center seatbelt tongue plate
2) Connector (tongue)
3) Connector (buckle)
4) Center seatbelt buckle
Fastening the seatbelt with the webbing twisted c ...
When CD is in the player (type A)/ When playing back all CDs in the player (type
B)
When the “CD/AUX” button is pressed, the player will start playback. ...
Selection of manual mode
With the vehicle either moving or stationary,
move the select lever from the “D”
position to the manual gate then move it to
the “+” end or “−” end of the manual gate
to select manua ...