Subaru Outback Price: £28,995 (SE NavPlus) (From Living Northeast)

Subaru Outback Price: £28,995 (SE NavPlus)

2:49pm Friday 19th February 2010 in

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THE BLOKE at B&Q wasn't budging. Despite my protestations that the Subaru Outback estate could swallow a flat pack shed he was adamant that even to try was a waste of time.

“I've been working here for 15 years and not once have I been able to fit a shed in the back of a car,” he stated firmly. “You need a Transit van or something similar – a car just won't do.”

But he'd reckoned without the Burton household's trusty tape measure.

Before setting out to buy a shed I'd measured the gap between the Outback's wheel arches and I was certain our 6x4ft shed would fit.

Granted, the fit would be tight but the Outback should be up to the job.

And it was. To the general astonishment of B&Q-man the panels needed a bit of flexing but they slid into the gargantuan boot just fine.

“I wouldn't have believed it,” said our DIY pal. “I can't understand why Subaru doesn't sell more of those.”

Until now the answer was fairly obvious: the Outback was a great car but you couldn't buy one with a diesel engine.

Now it's got one there's no reason it shouldn't make headway in its struggle with the Audi Allroad, the Saab 9-3X and the Volvo XC70.

Uniquely, the Subaru has a horizontally opposed piston 2.0-litre turbo-diesel.

It's an unusual layout that's been championed by Subaru for decades. Although flat four engines tend to be more complex than their in-line counterparts the layout contributes to greater refinement and better handling – so there are good reasons for sticking with it.

In the Outback it feels particularly sweet, with plenty of flexibility and only a very modest amount of diesel clatter.

It's smooth delivery makes for a relaxing drive and there's no need to stir the sixth-speed gearbox for hills or steep motorway inclines.

During a week of mixed driving it sipped juice at the rate of almost 45 mpg – an excellent figure given the Outback's size and its permanent four-wheel drive set up. The exhaust emissions of 167 g/km are another reason to choose diesel instead of petrol power.

It's no surprise Subaru expects 70 per cent of Outbacks to leave its showrooms with this engine.

Traction from the 4WD is excellent, snow and ice pose no problems for the Outback, and the firm suspension delivers a surprisingly sporty drive.

From behind the wheel, the Subaru bonnet scoop (a trademark of performance Subarus ever since the Outback's grand-father, the Subaru Legacy estate, nearly 20 years ago) and tall suspension provide an entertaining view.

The interior is beautifully put together and, being Japanese, you can be confident it won't fall to bits in 18-months' time.

Some of the plastics are a notch below those you'd expect to find in an Audi, but the latest Outback no longer feels like a poor relation – something that could not be said of its predecessors.

The clocks, modelled on a gentleman's chronograph wristwatch, are easy on the eye and very clear.

I found the colour touchscreen satellite navigation system, which also doubles up as a handy DVD player, easy to use – although the Bluetooth phone connection was a bit hit 'n miss with my company-issue Nokia.

Setting gadgets aside for a moment, it's the Outback's tremendous practicality that makes it such a good buy.

The rear seatbacks fold flat (with the headrests still in place) to create a load platform that's nearly seven feet long.

If you don't need such a long load bay then passengers in the back seats can stretch out in real comfort.

It's not hard to see why Subaru has some of the best ownership retention figures in the industry.

It's cars are well-built, nice to drive and designed for the way we live our lives.

The latest version of the Outback builds on all that was good about its predecessors and comes with the added bonus of a cleaner and greener engine.

I wouldn't buy another shed without one – just ask the bloke from B&Q.

SPEC CHECK: Engine: 4cyl turbodiesel Max power: 148 bhp Max torque:350 Nm 0-60mph: 9.9 seconds Max speed: 120 mph Av fuel consumption on test: 45 mpg Exhaust emissions: 167 g/km Road tax: £175 Equipment: leather upholstery, Bluetooth, electric windows & mirrors, sunroof, automatic lighting and windscreen wipers, all-wheel drive, heated seats, colour screen satellite navigation and DVD player.