FOR a story of sizeable sales success, few cars can rival the fifth-generation Subaru Outback that launched just before the clock struck 2015.

The jacked-up wagon took 10 years following its 1996 debut to deliver a monthly sales record of 829 vehicles (in March, 2006). Fast forward a decade and in February, 2015, the new Outback eclipsed that with 890 sales and proceeded to deliver almost 11,000 annual sales for the first time – an average of almost 1000 per month.

Sales keep rising following a huge 1198 units in June, 2016, adding to a 5956 half-year total.

So what is the secret to this new Outback? Although also available in base four-cylinder and flagship six-cylinder petrol models, we have the former’s diesel near-twin to find an answer.

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