I drove a 2006 Outback as a work issued car for a couple years. The AWD system is flawless and the little thing stuck to the road like glue, even in the winter. That's about all the good I can say about it.
I don't care for the boxer engine. It seems rougher than an inline and IMO, was a little weak. The automatic transmission was seriously frustrating. When accelerating from a stop in a normal fashion, it would start out in 2nd gear and was totally gutless. I would have to tromp on the gas pedal to get it to downshift, which took about 2-3 seconds. By this time, that window in the flow of traffic you thought you were able to leisurely pull out into has nearly closed. The only alternative was to drive it like you stole it when in traffic. Not a great thing for your employment status when driving a marked company vehicle.
Lots of folks love them, though and far be it from me to try to change their minds.
