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:
Checking the clutch function
Check the clutch engagement and disengagement.
1. With the engine idling, check that there
are no abnormal noises when the clutch
pedal is depressed, and that shifting into
1st or reverse feels ...
Safety symbol
You will find a circle with a slash through it in this manual. This symbol means
“Do not”, “Do not do this”, or “Do not let this happen”, depending upon the context. ...
When the following messages are displayed
If one of the following messages is
displayed while connecting the USB storage
device/iPod®, determine the cause
based on the following information. If you
cannot clear those messages, please ...