Looking at today’s automobile market, car companies that have devoted themselves to researching automobile technology actually do not have very good sales. For example, Mazda. Although Mazda’s Chuangchi Blue Sky technology is widely praised, its sales have never been very good. Sample. In addition to Mazda, there is another domestic car company that can be called a "technology geek", and that is Subaru. Subaru's performance in the off-road field and horizontally opposed engine field can be said to be very good. However, judging from the new generation of Subaru Outback, it seems that Subaru wants to counterattack. Can Subaru succeed in counterattacking this time?
Will the size of the new Outback please people?
As a medium-sized SUV under Subaru, the Outback is also Subaru's highest-positioned SUV model. Previously, it had won the favor of many domestic consumers with its unique horizontally opposed engine technical features. , but it has never really become popular. Recently, Subaru announced the appearance patent drawing of the new generation Outback. Can the new generation Outback, which has made compromises in body size, win the love of consumers?
From the appearance point of view, the new Outback is relatively more refined. The blackened front grille looks more textured. The vertical dot matrix LED fog lamps replace the previous round fog lamps. The entire front face becomes more fashionable and sporty. Coupled with new wheels and luggage racks, the overall style is sportier and more recognizable.
In addition, the body size of the new generation Outback has also increased slightly, with length, width and height of 4859/1854/1679mm respectively, and a wheelbase of 2745mm. In addition to the wheelbase, the increase in length, width and height will inevitably bring a more comfortable space experience. This also makes the new generation of Outback no longer so weak among models of the same level. I believe it can still compete with the Highlander. capital.
In terms of power, in addition to the current 2.5L self-priming engine, the new generation Outback will also be equipped with a new 2.4T turbocharged engine with maximum powers of 136kW and 194kW respectively. The torques are 293N·m and 376N·m respectively. Traditionally, it is matched with a CVT gearbox. At the same time, the four-wheel drive model is also equipped with a front-mounted full-time four-wheel drive system, which further enhances the vehicle's sports performance. I believe it will be more popular among consumers who pursue performance.
The product is not bad, but why is it not popular?
In fact, Subaru’s model capabilities have always been very impressive, but in China, only technical strength is far from enough. Fans who like Subaru know that early Subaru attached great importance to driving pleasure, whether it was the horizontally opposed engine or the symmetrical full-time four-wheel drive function, it was fully reflected, and as an imported model, The Subaru Outback only sells for 270,800-310,800 yuan in China. The price is much more generous than other imported models. Therefore, the Subaru Outback has always been regarded as one of the strong Japanese rivals of the Highlander. However, due to model size and brand awareness, Subaru missed its position as the mid-size SUV hegemon. This was also the most regrettable thing for early Subaru fans.
However, the failure to become popular in the Chinese market actually has little impact on Subaru. For Subaru, the Chinese market is not its main battlefield. In 2019, Subaru achieved one million sales in the global market, but only sold 25,000 units in the Chinese market. Moreover, Subaru's domestic sales have been poor for a long time. It is still a bit difficult to turn around with one model. , it must match the corresponding product strategy and the strategic layout of the car company itself. Otherwise, the new generation of Outback will only become popular in a small area, and will not become synonymous with a model like the Highlander. If Subaru wants to counterattack in the domestic market, it still has a long way to go.
Editor's Note
In the current car market, it is difficult for niche car companies like Subaru to become popular with one of their excellent models, mainly because now People already have a preliminary understanding of car brands. The niche car brands have become increasingly narrow. Technology geeks like Subaru are not known to most people. No matter how excellent the model is, the car company brand is missing. It is still difficult to become popular despite strong support, so what Subaru lacks is not excellent models, but brand influence that is familiar to domestic consumers. As long as this is available, Subaru's sales will be booming just around the corner. What do you think of the new generation Outback? Can it be compared to Highlander?
This article comes from the author of Autohome Chejiahao and does not represent the views and positions of Autohome.