Got mine!
Pickup up my base Outback 2.5XT yesterday. Got it home, went to do some grocery shopping and a cricket run (I keep tarantulas so I ran out of crickets) and basically started looking at removing those airbag stickers. First thing I do with any car I own these days is removing those stupid airbag stickers.
Anyway, love the car so far, it's certainly a different ride than my play car, a Toyota MR2 Spyder, but for a wagon, it's pretty nice. I drove by a Phase II outback this morning and it looks tiny. Drives a bit, I'm obviously not pulling redlines yet but the turbo pulls strong once it hits. No boost guage though.
One thing the 2005 brochure is wrong about is that both the XT and XT LTD has the dual zone auto climate control. My brochure incorrectly states the base XT has manual controls.
I have a 5spd Automatic and I've played with the sportshift. Not as good as a sequential or of course a 5spd, but the +/- controls on the steering wheel is pretty good, especially the shift-down feature where you could have it in the normal "drive" mode but want to pass somebody, rather than allowing the kick-down occur via the throttle, you can simply click the - and it'll go into sport mode for like 5 seconds and then back into drive. Handy. However, the buttons are a bit too close to each other, I would prefer the shift down button to be in the front and the shift up button to be in the back of the wheel (ala the MR2) but it works.
Ride is good for a larger car, noticeable body roll when taken fairly aggressively on turns. Braking feel is not as good as my old BMW or MR2. I have to stop comparing this to my MR2 though, I have a modded MR2 which is an absolute go-kart, awesome brakes and awesome handling.
So, this isn't a really detailed report, but I take the outback on my first trip soon. A sea kayaking trip to Maine and Isle au Haut area and also up by Acadia. Should be fun!
Pros: Power, AWD, 6-CD in-dash changer is nice feature, nice storage under the floor. The Electro gauges are funky.
Cons: temp. tire, my sunglasses don't fit in their holder!
Sure think of others after more driving.
I will have to take pictures of mine tonight and post them online probably by the weekend. Tonight I shall put my roof rack accessories (bike and kayak carrier) on...
Jay