Subaru Outback Wagon Coloring Page: Free Printable PDF

Subaru Outback: History & Fun Facts

Born as a Dressed-Up Legacy Wagon

Subaru introduced the very first Outback in 1994 as a raised, cladding-trimmed version of its existing Legacy wagon, dressing up an ordinary station wagon with extra ground clearance and rugged body trim instead of building a brand-new SUV from scratch.

Coining the Term Crossover

The original Outback is widely credited as one of the vehicles that popularized the crossover category, blending a car-like wagon body with SUV-style ground clearance years before most other automakers tried the same formula.

Standard Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive

Unlike many rivals that offer all-wheel drive only as an option, every Outback since its debut has come standard with Subaru's symmetrical all-wheel-drive system, sending power to all four wheels at all times rather than switching in only when a wheel starts to slip.

Powered by a Flat Boxer Engine

Subaru builds the Outback around a horizontally opposed boxer engine, a layout where the pistons lie flat and fire outward instead of standing upright like most engines. That flat shape sits lower in the chassis, helping keep the wagon's center of gravity down near the road.

Roof Rails Built for Real Cargo

The straight roof rails traced along the top of this outline are functional mounting points rather than decoration, designed to carry a cargo box, kayak, or bike rack on family road trips and camping runs.

A Sixth Generation Redesigned in 2019

Subaru launched the sixth-generation Outback for the 2020 model year, adding a new turbocharged engine option and the brand's X-MODE terrain system while keeping the low, long wagon silhouette that has defined every generation since 1994.

Wilderness Trim for Extra Off-Road Reach

Subaru later added a Wilderness trim to the Outback lineup, adding extra ground clearance, all-terrain tires, and reinforced underbody protection for owners who wanted to push the wagon further off pavement than the standard model.

A Best-Seller Built for Long Drives

The Outback has remained one of Subaru's best-selling models in the United States for decades, popular with campers, hikers, and commuters alike for combining wagon-like fuel efficiency and cargo space with genuine light off-road capability.

X-MODE for Slippery Terrain

Subaru's X-MODE system, available on the Outback, adjusts throttle response, transmission behavior, and the all-wheel-drive system with the push of one button to help the wagon claw through mud, snow, or loose gravel without any special driving skill.

Named for the Australian Outback

Subaru borrowed the word Outback from the vast, rugged interior region of Australia to signal a wagon built for wide-open, unpaved country, a name that stuck through six generations of the model even as most owners never leave paved roads.

A Wagon That Outlasted Its SUV Rivals

While many rival automakers dropped their traditional wagons in favor of taller SUVs during the 2000s and 2010s, Subaru kept building the Outback on its lower wagon body, betting correctly that drivers still wanted car-like handling with SUV-style capability.

A Favorite of National Park Visitors

Outback wagons are a common sight in national park parking lots across the country, popular with hikers and campers for a low load floor that makes loading gear easy without the higher step-up height of a taller three-row SUV.

A Boxer Engine Design Borrowed From Racing

The flat boxer engine layout traces its roots to early racing and aviation engines prized for smooth balance and a low center of mass, and Subaru has kept building nearly every model, including the Outback, around that same horizontally opposed design for decades.