The All-New Subaru Outback Leapfrogs The Hot Forester After A Huge September

The 2020 Subaru Outback is the new star. See how it leapfrogged the Forester compact SUV and took the top spot in September sales.

The 2020 Subaru Outback has been down-and-out all year but made a massive comeback in September. Subaru of America reported the 2020 Outback wagon led the entire Subaru all-wheel-drive lineup with 17,023 sales, a 51 percent increase in September 2020 compared with the same month a year ago. The newly-remodeled Outback was in a significant slide all year before last month, falling further behind the top-selling Forester.

What a difference one month makes. The redesigned 2020 Outback was the lead model that helped Subaru of America reach a new record in September with 60,103 vehicle sales. It was also the best-ever September for the wagon. It topped Forester by 1,375 models delivered to customers. The Forester compact SUV still leads all models with 134,082 sales compared with the number two Outback's 106,346 units through the first three quarters of the year.

What's new for the 2020 Outback?

Outback is all-new for the 2020 model year and gets extensive updates over the outgoing model. According to Consumer Guides, the new Outback "offers an ideal blend of passenger and cargo versatility, on-road refinement, all-terrain capability, and luxury." Check out the full model details.

Outback isn't your typical wagon, and it's hard to slot it in any category because it does many things well. It offers a car-like ride but offers SUV shoppers a lot more.

Does the Outback have enough power?

The Outback wagon now comes with two engine options. The all-new 2020 Outback XT comes with the Ascent-sourced 2.4-liter turbocharged Boxer engine that replaced the 3.6-liter six-cylinder powerplant, and other trims feature the upgraded 2.5-liter naturally aspirated engine. You can read our road test of both engines here.

Is the Outback fuel efficient?

In Consumer Reports testing, the 260 horsepower, 2.4-liter turbocharged engine in the Outback "gives the wagon effortless acceleration yet still got 24 mpg overall in our tests."

The base 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine achieved 28 mpg in their test. The EPA estimated fuel mileage is 26/33 city/highway and 29 combined mpg for the 2.5-liter Outback. The 2.4-liter turbocharged engine gets 23/30/26 mpg.

Is the Outback reliable?

According to Consumer Reports, the Subaru brand should be on your shopping list. They scored the 2020 Subaru Outback wagon/SUV third best in its category. CR scored Outback high in four areas; performance, reliability, safety, and owner satisfaction.

Should I buy a 2020 Outback or wait for the 2021 models?

Subaru is motivated to move 2020 Outback models and offers the best lease deals on any vehicle in its lineup. You can lease a 2020 Outback for $249 per month, and Subaru continues its no-interest financing on the 2020 models through November 2, 2020. The 2021 Outback is $259/month on a 36-month lease and 1.9 percent financing.

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Denis Flierl has invested over 30 years in the automotive industry in a consulting role working with every major car brand. He is an accredited member of the Rocky Mountain Automotive Press. Check out Subaru Report where he covers all of the Japanese automaker's models. More stories can be found on the Torque News Subaru page. Follow Denis on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

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Photo credit: Competition Subaru St James, NY