Love the Car... But the car software is SO 2006...
Couldn't be happier with the Outback, save a few things. The car drives beautifully, feels safe and solid on the highway and curvy roads. Driver comfort is great, I’m 6’2” and have ample head and leg room. Comfort for the driver is great, but I’m confused about why they cheaped out on the passenger seat?
1. Aside from overall improved comfort, one of the big improvements on the driver’s seat is an extension that pulls out to provide more support and comfort for taller drivers, why isn’t' this standard for the passenger on the top-of-the-line touring model? Does Subaru think we all tour alone? The passenger seat is missing the leg extension and lumbar adjustment. Really this is the top-of-the-line touring model, shame, shame, shame Subaru.
2. The electrical outlet in the cargo compartment should have an Always On option. We plug our cooler in there, but if we leave the car for several hours for a day hike or to go shopping power is cut to the cooler.... and our food.
The control software (dashboard) could use some serious improvement.
3. User Profiles: User Profiles are anemic at best. Profiles should remember ALL my driving preferences – not just seat and mirror positions – how about all my driving preferences like Auto Vehicle Hold, Auto On/Off, etc., etc. etc.
4. User Profiles should allow a user to record/learn multiple facial looks. Now days we frequently get in the car with a mask on and don't take it off until after face recognition gives up. Profiles should be allowed to recognize us with and without mask, with and without sunglasses, with and without a hat.
Allow us to Train the profile with multiple “looks” so the car has a better chance of recognizing us in all our “disguises”.
5. Speaking of profiles, there is an annoying message that comes up and says "Do you want to enable this profile?" ---- WHAT PROFILE? please include the name of the profile you want to Enable. We are not mind readers, we don't know which profile you are about to enable, so we can't answer this question.
The message should read “Do you want to enable Profilename profile?”
6. Allow user customization of the home screen (which is in turn tied to User Profiles): For example in a recent software upgrade you (Subaru) added an On/Off button to the Main screen for one of the features that used to be buried in the car menu. Allow us to show buttons on the home screen that we care about. For example: my wife always feels cold, so she is forever adjusting the seat heat. Currently this requires her to open her Climate Control screen and then reach across the car with her left hand to control seat heat, because roads are not perfect smooth, often she misses or double taps the control ending up with a setting she does not want. If we could add a seat heat "button" to the home screen that allowed her to easily select what level of seat heat she needs, without accessing a menu item and reaching across the car it would make a much better user experience. – And these changes must be tied to Driver Profiles, because then when she is driving that button should move to her side of the control panel and control the driver’s seat heat.
Contact me if you want a complete list of things to fix about the Outback Touring XT