The facelifted Evoltis stood front and center at the Subaru booth during this year’s Manila International Auto Show. After all, it was the most obvious one on the stand to get significant changes on the outside. But as it turns out, Subaru also quietly rolled out another updated model.
That model is the Outback, and you won’t see any of its changes when you look at the exterior at first glance. That said, it does get new wheels for the 2023 model year. But you’ll have to dig deeper to see what’s new in this crossover-wagon as more updates are software related.
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You’ll need very sharp eyes to see what’s new inside the 2023 Outback. But if you look hard enough, you’ll notice the new steering wheel button controls and the addition of USB-C ports. To see the other changes, you’ll have to turn on the infotainment system for that. The 2023 Outback receives minor tweaks to the touchscreen, as well as a new multi-information display in the instrument cluster.
Also new this year is the addition of wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, allowing for more smartphone connectivity options in the new Outback. It also gets something called X-Mode Auto Restore that reengages below 40kph when the mode is selected prior to that.
If you were hoping for the 2.4-liter turbo that powers the WRX Wagon and Evoltis the next bit of info might be a bit of a downer. The Philippines-spec Outback retains the non-turbocharged 2.5-liter boxer engine that’s good for 185hp and 245Nm of torque. It’s still quicker than most cars and crossovers on the road, though, with a 0 to 100-kph time of under ten seconds. As for fuel economy, Subaru claims it can get up to 13.7 km/L.
As for the range and pricing, there is only one variant of the 2023 Outback. It’s the 2.5i Touring EyeSight, and it retails for P2,480,000.
