Creating the perfect all-round car is what manufacturers have been trying to do for decades, and Sam thinks that Subaru has pretty much done just that with the new Outback X.
From impressing the suited-up workmates at the office, to picking up the kids, and blasting down the beach on the way home, the Outback X has convinced Sam that it's capable of anything — and we don't blame him.
So the idea is that the X is a little more adventure-oriented than your average Outback. There’s extra off-tarmac ability but also features such as the water-repellent seat fabric that looks tough and can handle the odd water spill or a body covered in wet outdoor clothing.
Under the hood sits Subaru's iconic 2.5-litre boxer engine that makes 129kW and 235Nm of torque. This isn't as much as the turbocharged rally-spec Subaru models of yesteryear, but is more than enough in this application.
Power is sent to all four wheels through a CVT transmission that Subaru calls a Subaru Lineartronic Transmission. As far as this tech goes, the SLT is one of the best: it employs a metal chain/pulley system instead of belts, which makes it more responsive and theoretically more reliable.
First seen on the new generation Forester, the Outback X gets Dual X-Mode, which helps when things get rough. It adds another layer of ability that takes the above functions another step away from on-road tuning and even more towards extremely loose surfaces, obstacles and steep inclines.
"It's the perfect family wagon, the perfect city car, the perfect roadie car, and the perfect go anywhere, do just about anything car." With a verdict like that, how can you go wrong?