The problem with any discussion of "handling" is that it can be very objective or very subjective:have you skid tested it like motor-trend....are you SURE it handles better or you think it handles better, because its an outback, and outbacks are cool
might have to do with the new shocks helping out the car as well, 16mm doesn't seem bad unlike the 12mm...pencil
Objective measures could be "G's on the skidpad", "speed through a slalom" or "speed thru a particular corner of a road course"
Subjective measures may be "how much confidence does this car give me thru a corner", "how much does this car lean thru a corner", "how well controlled the ride is" etc.
My guess is most peoples perception or definition of handling are subjective. The fact is that even if a car leans alot going thru a corner, it still may be carrying more speed than the next car that corners flatter.
Compared to my Mazda2 or E30, our Outback "feels" like a pig, but I can probably go thru a steady state corner almost as fast in the Outback and I can still have a bunch of fun in it. Do I think it "handles" well? I really don't know.