Promoted as a good replacement for the now defunct 3.6-litre six cylinder in the old model, the new engine is expected to arrive late next year.

A PERFORMANCE four-cylinder engine with six-pot-equalling kapow and a more rugged off-road specification will deliver to the new Subaru Outback, launching in New Zealand tomorrow.

At an event for the new car in Queenstown, Subaru New Zealand managing Wallis Dumper said a highly-celebrated 2.4-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine that presently only avails to the model in North America is NZ-bound, potentially before the end of next year.

It seems possible this engine will place into several derivatives, one with a Wilderness specification that is also set to hit the US soon and is designed to give the car even greater off-road robustness. Wilderness is intended to be a sub-brand - so, ultimately, there will likely be a Forester Wilderness as well, also fitting out with a lifted suspension, knobby tires, black six-spoke wheels, and a rougher appearance, including a reprofile front bumper and beefier side protection.

As things stand, the sixth generation Outback is here in three specification levels – Outback, Outback X and Touring – that respectively price at $49,990, $54,990 and $57,990.

All run an updated version of the previous car’s mainstay 2.5-litre.

This normally aspirated, direct injection flat four unit generates 135kW and 245Nm – so, 6kW and 10Nm more than the outgoing engine. Optimal fuel economy is slightly improved, with 7.3 litres per 100km claimed.

That the new range does not continue with the 3.6-litre six-cylinder engine that ran in a $59,990 flagship appears to be of concern to Subaru NZ.

The H6 was popular with a sector who enjoyed its extra oomph for towing. At peak popularity, it achieved 25 percent of volume, though that desire cooled to an 18 percent take-up toward the end.

Dumper is certain the 2.4-litre, which outputs, in US market format, 193kW and 360Nm would placate Outback fans who had supported the 3.6-litre, which delivered 191kW/350Nm.

All the new Outbacks cost more than their predecessors. In the outgoing line, the entry 2.5-litre car cost $47,490, the medium spec was $49,990 and the 2.5-litre Premium cost $52,490.

Even though the new car looks a lot like the one it replaces, it is by and large a fresh start. Dumper says it is a step up for sophistication; the biggest, safest, most technologically advanced and luxurious Outback ever.

Subaru NZ is also driving interest with an intriguing customer support offer; the warranty cover will double to six years for any owner who also selects a servicing plan that costs $999.

There is no mystery about the MY21’s look and details as it has been on sale in North America for more than 12 months, with the world getting its first look when it was revealed at the 2019 Detroit motor show.

The NZ market look achieves a different grille to the US models and the wheel arch surround design is altered as well.

Outback has been available in NZ for 25 years and the recipe remains highly familiar: A high-riding wagon with a constantly variable transmission always full-time all-wheel-drive.

The body is slightly larger and roomier and bases on the Subaru Global Platform (SGP) that debuted with the latest Impreza some years ago.

The MY21 car has an uprated towing capacity of 2000kg – an increase of 25 percent over the current model.

Subaru New Zealand has tailored an advertising campaign that centres on it being a GOOAT – a play on ‘greatest of all time’ altered to stand for ‘greatest Outback of all time.’

The outgoing Outback contributed about 35 percent of SNZ’s volume but Dumper reckons this one can bring it back to when the model delivered 50 percent of the brand’s volume here.

However, he concedes Subaru will be constrained, because of Covid-19 and also a worldwide shortage of computer microchips, in how many cars it can built.

Dumper says he has been allocated 3500 cars for this year, of which around half will be new Outbacks, yet he is concerned if the model takes off demand could outstrip ability to supply immediately. So, he will work to achieve extra cars if he can.

The new car delivers a 11.6-inch infotainment touchscreen and the latest generation of the company's 'EyeSight' driver assist system, including a driver awareness monitoring system using facial recognition software that arrived with the Forester.

Lane centring, autonomous emergency steering, emergency lane keep assist, speed sign recognition with intelligent speed limiter, lane departure warning with steering wheel vibration and lane departure prevention are fitted, but the full-strength kit is restricted to the Touring.

Other available technologies include forward and reverse autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control and a 360-degree camera.

The model adopts as standard the updated X-Mode selectable terrain response system that has been an ingredient of the current Outback X and also first showed in the current Forester.

This combines driver-selectable drive modes for terrain and weather management with differential locks and hill descent control to simplify and improve capability on non-optimal driving surfaces.