The New Subaru Outback And STI S209 Just Miss Being All-Star Picks

Why compare a Subaru Outback family hauler with the high-performance Subaru STI S209? They have more similarities than you think.

What does a Subaru Outback family wagon have in common with the exclusive STI S209? When Subaru redesigned the 2020 Outback wagon they tucked in a sweet 2.4-liter turbocharged Boxer engine under the hood and called it the Outback XT. But it's more than a turbocharged engine these two Subaru models share.

Here is the first thing these two very different Subaru models have in common. Both were recently selected as the very Best Cars of the Year “contenders” in the Automobile 2020 All-Star Awards. They were considered for the very best cars of the year honors but both fell a bit short of winning.

The 2020 Subaru Outback Onyx XT is designed for those with active lifestyles

Don’t feel too sorry for Subaru. Other contenders to be All-Stars were the Lamborghini Huracan Evo, Porsche 718 Spyder, Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S, McLaren GT, BMW M850i xDrive, and Audi E-Tron.

Second, both Outback and STI S209 are brand new models for 2020. The 2020 Outback wagon gets a complete remodel from the ground up and is the six-generation model to be available for customers. The STI S209 is an all-new model and the very first ”S” model ever sold in the U.S. Before now, they were only available for Japan’s domestic market. Subaru Tecnica International only produced 209 of the exclusive performance models.

The STI S209 is the highest horsepower "S" model ever produced

Third, both have turbocharged Boxer engines. The STI S209 also has an EJ25 2.5-liter turbocharged Boxer engine that pushes out 341 horsepower. This is the last of this engine as Subaru is discontinuing this engine soon. The Outback FA24 turbocharged engine is all-new and comes in the Ascent and Legacy models. It develops a mere 260 horsepower but it’s plenty potent for the family wagon.

Fourth, both Outback and STI S209 feature standard all-wheel-drive, and you don’t pay extra to get it. Even though the STI S209 is a high-performance sports car, it still comes with Subaru’s Symmetrical all-wheel-drive system on every model built. The Outback XT’s calling card is its “go-anywhere” attitude and is designed for off-pavement adventures.

The 2020 Subaru Outback wagon family hauler and high-performance STI S209 sports car have more in common than you think.

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Denis Flierl has invested over 30 years in the automotive industry in a variety of roles. All of his reports are archived on our Subaru page. Follow Denis on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Subaru Report. Check back tomorrow for more Subaru news and updates at Torque News!

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Photo credit: Subaru