GALLERY - 2010 SUBARU OUTBACK - 23 PHOTOS

Fortunately - for all of us - Subaru has managed to lather on enough other stuff to make the Legacy's front end appear slightly more ho-hum on the Outback. It's too bad that such a great car, from a great car company, must be taken to task for what is invariably a relatively small issue. With Subaru, however, front fascias have long been a problem. Frankly, as a Subaru lover and automotive critic, I'm sick of it.

Indeed, the 2010 Outback's cladding and ground clearance do something to lift attention away from the strange headlights and on to the Outback's decade-and-a-half-long inherent traits. Sitting in the front seat of a bandwagon that most automakers have tried at some point to join hasn't harmed the Subaru Outback's success. It's still a wagon that looks kind of like an SUV. It still has SUVesque ground clearance (8.7 inches). All-wheel drive goes without saying. Characterful boxer engines remain.

Subaru has tinkered here and there to improve the Outback once again. Distance between wheelhubs is up 2.8 inches. Give credit to the elongated wheelbase for the 4" increase in rear legroom. With help from bodywork that's 2 inches wider, passenger volume is up by 8 cubic feet. Cargo capacity? Up 6 cubic feet. For more on the mechanical front, see this 2010 Subaru Legacy post. 23 images of the 2010 Subaru Outback can be seen below in the Gallery.