[JordanMayPhoto]

Okay, so I did some searching and found random threads talking about stuff people wish their 4th Gen Outback had but I did not find 1 single thread with everything listed. Maybe I missed it if so I apologize.

So, what do you think Subaru should have included with your Gen4 Outback? I am going to post a link to this thread on Twitter and tag Subaru so they come over here and look. Same goes for FaceBook. This may not help current owners but it will help future Subaru customers.

1. Double sun visors. My FJ Cruiser had two sets of sun visors per side and it is the 1 thing I miss the most. One to fold down in front of you and the other to swing out to the side window. I really, really, miss this option and wish Subaru made it available. Cheap and easy enough to do. I am thinking of mocking up my own because I tire of swinging it back and forth during sunset driving.

2. More power adapters. The Outback is suppose to be a wonderful road trip car yet it only has power hookups in the front/middle. Why? There should be AC and DC outlets in the front and rear portion of the vehicle for various camping gear.

3. Larger cup holders. With all of the active people that own Outback's it would be nice if the cup holders would hold a 32oz Nalgene water bottle. The most common active water bottle today.

4. Optional non-carpet floor. For those of us that spend a lot of time in the dirt, it would be awesome to see a floor we could hose out with a drain plug.

5. Cargo hooks in the rear floor. There should be at least four no exceptions. Also, the weather mat for the back needs to have cutouts for these so you can still use it.

6. Roll down rear window. Once again, as a road trip/camping vehicle, this would be a wonderful option. Great for sleeping in the back or loading larger gear when you don't want to put it on top.



Those are my main misses by Subaru. Note, this thread isn't for nitpicking complaints about current features. Let's discuss missing options or accessories that we wish our Outback's had. Overall, I love my Outback I just wish it had a few more creature comforts for travels.


Cheers


Jordan

 

[OutbackUFO]

I think you touched on a few things I would not mind having either. The most annoying thing are that the 12V ports have no power when the key is out. I'd like to hook up a solar panel to keep the battery charged while out camping in the boonies. I solved that issue by rewiring them.
The back side windows could use a vent option as well.
I'd like self leveling rear suspension as an option, the Euro cars (3.6) have that. I have King springs so I can tow without the headlight pointing to the stars. And yes the tongue weight is well within the specs for the car. The rear springs in the '11 were/are too soft.
All in all I'd buy another OB regardless but a few extra goodies should at least be offered IMHO...

 

[Reno]

In my research, I came across the website Cars101.com, maintained by Joe Spitz (linked to from AO_River's Buying or just bought a 4th Gen Subaru Outback - what you should know: thread). He mentions on his website the things that he would have like to have seen in the 2013s:

Things I would like to have
Manual parking brake
A compass in all models
Rain sensing front wipers,
Bring back the weatherband radio
Height adjustable passenger seat
Self-registering tire pressure monitors
Splash guards that are larger so they work better
When freezing outside, the outside temp gauge should turn bright blue
Replace the dashboard Eco gauge with an engine temperature gauge
The new rear seat AC vents should also blow warm or hot air, not only cold or cool (it cuts out at app 75*)
A standard retractable cargo compartment separator/dog guard built into the cargo cover like Audi has (had?)

 

[SE95]

Personally that is something I can't stand with the new Outbacks, and would make me hesitant to ditch my current one for a new one. A lack of a temperature gauge in my opinion is just completely unacceptable. I like my vehicles to have as much instrumentation as possible. Heck, I'd like it if they added oil pressure, trans temp, and volt gauges as well. I like knowing what my car is doing.

And I did not realize the new Outbacks don't have any power outlets in the rear cargo area. Is this true? My '04 has one. My friend's '09 Forester also has one in the rear.

 

[gomjabber]

Mine has a rear power port. :8:

 

[Looby]

Mine is missing dozens of little "convenience" items, 90% of which
are of zero interest to me. Individually, they'd all be "inexpensive,"
but collectively, would increase the MSRP by a thou$and or two.

I already paid for a bunch of "standard" crap that I have no use for,
such as: self-dimwiting mirror, hill-holder, roll-up cargo cover (now
collecting dust in the garage), cargo area floormat (cleverly designed
to obstruct access to the underfloor compartment) -- plus some other
useless (to me) bells & whistles that I won't bother to mention.

Don't get me wrong -- I like the car very much -- but I'd like it even
more if there were even more "missing" features, with a lower price,
and a longer list of à la carte "accessories."

...you pay for what you get (whether you wanted it or not),

Looby

 

[adgjqetuo]

Mine has one in the tailgate as well.

I completly agree with the temp gauge. One of the main reasons I opted for the limited was just for the updated gauge cluster that has the temp gauge. This shouldn't be a Limited only option though!!

I would like to see:

• Limited's gauge cluster standard on all models
• More user-custom options within the limited gauge option menu such as:
  * Auto Locking and Un-locking doors when placed in Drive or Park
  * Headlights turning on with windshield wipers are activated
  * Ability to turn remote locking chirp and lights on or off
• Memory Seats and Push button start standard and not part of a $3,000 SAP package
• Rain sensing wipers
• Live tire pressure monitor (live monitoring for each tire)
• Move the clock inside radio, move the outside temp and MPG inside the limited's gauge screen and get rid of the MID

Believe it or not these are all options my 2004 Jeep had (minus push-button start) and I miss them

Hard to believe my 10-year old Jeep had all these features and my 2013 Limited Subaru doesn't.

 

[GasGuzz]

... I'd like it even more if there were even more "missing" features, with a lower price, and a longer list of à la carte "accessories."

No doubt. There’s a reason why the OB is a price leader at $24K.
But ok, how ‘bout some intelligent tech... a TPMS/ECU that can take more than 1 program... make it at least 2, huh... after all, they do sell in snow climates.

 

[Looby]

A lack of a temperature gauge in my opinion is just completely unacceptable.

Most car "temperature gauges" are little more than idiot lights
without the lamps. They're designed to keep the needle very
close to "dead center" except for a narrow not-yet-warmed-up
range and an even narrower much-much-too-hot range. The
only functional difference between that and the Soobie's idiot
light is that a red light will get your attention promptly, whereas
the gauge can (and usually will) go unnoticed for a long time.

If Mother Soobie wanted to let you know the coolant temp,
she could have displayed it (in degrees F or C) in the center
dash readout -- for the price of a dozen lines of source code.
But that would invite a blizzard of "temperature concerns" for
the dealer service departments to deal with.

Looby

 

[SE95]

Most car "temperature gauges" are little more than idiot lights
without the lamps. They're designed to keep the needle very
close to "dead center" except for a narrow not-yet-warmed-up
range and an even narrower much-much-too-hot range. The
only functional difference between that and the Soobie's idiot
light is that a red light will get your attention promptly, whereas
the gauge can (and usually will) go unnoticed for a long time.

If Mother Soobie wanted to let you know the coolant temp,
she could have displayed it (in degrees F or C) in the center
dash readout -- for the price of a dozen lines of source code.
But that would invite a blizzard of "temperature concerns" for
the dealer service departments to deal with.

Looby

Most vehicles have both a temperature gauge and an idiot light. My Outback is the first car I've owned that did not have a temperature readout on the temp gauge, it only says H and C, and not actual numbers. My Grand Prix actually had numbers... and would fluctuate greatly depending on ambient temperature and driving conditions.

But regardless, it is something.

Temperature is one of the basic things about your engine that you should be monitoring. Not having a temperature gauge is, to be put quite bluntly, stupid. And you wonder why we now have generations of people who are completely helpless when the slightest thing goes wrong with their car. Corporate has them right where they want them - in their back pocket, to increase profits at the dealer service departments every time something simple and stupid (read: easily fixed by the user) comes up.

 

[Looby]

Not having a temperature gauge is, to be put quite bluntly, stupid.

I have no quarrel with your wish to monitor the coolant temperature,
(or any other temperature, for that matter), but to me, it would seem
stupid to clutter the dash (or add one penny to manufacturing cost) with
a physical "gauge." The ECU already knows the coolant temperature,
and already has the hardware and software for the center-dash display.
So, why spend money for a dinky little gauge with poor readability and
questionable accuracy? ...just "show me the numbers."

Other than rapidly-changing quantities like rpm and mph, there's really
no reason (other than tradition) to have any analog-ish displays at all.

Looby

 

[SE95]

I never said it had to be analog. Any kind of readout would be acceptable, but there would need to be some kind of range. I do occasionally use my bluetooth connector combined with Torque Pro, and I am able to view the ECM coolant temperature that way.

 

[vr4Legacy]

but I'd like it even
more if there were even more "missing" features, with a lower price,
and a longer list of à la carte "accessories."

^ Agreed. Give me more "options" and less "packages". A rear camera comes standard WITH a sunroof and can't be added without?!?!

A temp guage would be nice, even though I know it's a simple digital guage and will stay right in the middle when at operating temperatures, it seems my previous Subarus maintained a somewhat analog readout until then.

A rear window that rolls down would be nice.

A manual transmission with a sunroof would be even nicer...

Honestly I can't think of much else I would add. But then I haven't been spoiled by having stuff I don't need, then thinking I need it.

I like options, but I don't want a $30k car either.

 

[Nickshu]

1.) Auto lock/unlock door feature (with option to turn off/on via guage cluster interface)
2.) Accessories stay powered up after shutdown until the first door is opened (radio, power windows, etc)
3.) Driver's door should maintain control of all power windows even when lockout button is pressed (currently when you lock the windows even the driver is locked out of controlling all but the driver's door)
4.) Seat heater switches changed to push button instead of rocker switches so they auto-off when the car goes off
5.) Better lighting in the rear hatch area (should have a light installed on each side of the rear cargo area, just below the roller cover to illuminate the area better
6.) Bring the compass back in the rearview mirror (NLA in 2013)
7.) Auto headlight option to stay on 30 or 60 seconds after shutdown (with option to select off/30sec/60sec via guage cluster interface)

 

[Gibe54]

1) diesel engine, diesel engine, diesel engine...
2) memory seats
3) leather seats without moonroof
4) hitch factory installed
5) new head lights design for easy bulb replacement

 

[Deanski]

1) HID headlights
2) LED DRL
3) Memory seats driver/passenger with height
4) Better interior lighting
5) Fog back light (one left rear lamp goes brighter when on)
6) More exterior/interior color options
7) side folding mirrors with turn indicators

 

[subiesailor]

Much better light needed for rear hatch - lights mounted in the hatch so when open they shine down and light up the trunk area.
My Limited didn't come with a back up camera - don't really find I need one but if I did the few I've used the only style that makes sense are the in review mirror displays. The rest are simply a driving distraction taking your eyes away from where they should be.

The current roof rack has worked fine for all my odd ball hauling needs but the rails are stupid and chunky for zero reason other than to pander to the SUV crowd in tough looks. The same swing and stow cross bars could easily be used on a roof rail system that was lower profile and offered proper tie down slots through the actual roof rail making the roof gear FAR FAR more user friendly and practical.

 

[Aoeifa]

Wish the cold weather package was available on the 2013 3.6R without Limited package/ leather seats. Seems silly you can get it on 2.5, but not 3.6R. Settled for remote start instead.

 

[jogosub]

Turbo diesel, rear fog light, height/angle adjustable headlights - those 3 items I would like to have as OEM!

 

[OBnube]

In no particular order,

1. Fully adjustable power passenger seat.

2. Power folding mirrors.

3. Pop-out rear quarter windows(power if possible)

4. Enhanced rear seat AC/Heat. Full heat and multi speed blower added.

5. Macintosh Head Unit.

6. Adjustable headrests.

7. More robust rear cargo area lighting.

8. One touch power windows all around.