Subaru has a long history of innovation. Along with 1960s sports car maker Jensen, it pioneered the transfer of all-wheel-drive technology from tractors and farm machinery to cars. It matched innovation with an understated individuality: a niche player from the land that gave us many mainstream models.
With the Outback, Subaru again proved it can think outside the box. The Japanese firm claims it was the first crossover or "combi" on the market, arriving in the late 1990s, with Volvo jumping on the bandwagon a little later with its Cross Country V70. According to Subaru, upon the release of the Outback in 1996, the Swedish firm was one of its first customers - it bought one, stripped it and, says Subaru, told its engineers to build a Swedish version. An Audi version, the AllRoad, quickly followed.
Many of the big players are now moving into the crossover market. Mercedes is next in line with its R-Class and BMW is likely to bring out its own version in the near future. Indeed Saab, a fellow member of the General Motors family (GM owns a 20 per cent share in Subaru's parent), is set to introduce its own all-wheel-drive version called the 9-2 in the US next year based on a Subaru Impreza platform - it's also working on a crossover to be called the 9-3X.
Apart from servicing the presumably minor group of motorists who need a car that can carry them to the Shelbourne on a Saturday and head for the hills after a rebellious ewe on a Monday, what other reasons were behind the current popularity of crossovers? Strong market research? Perhaps.
There are other benefits for Subaru. Ironically, in the land of Bigfoot and 7-litre city run-arounds, the Outback is classed as a light truck. Are such utilitarian tags embarrassing? Not at all. In fact, according to some reports, it has adjusted the most recent Outback in order to fit that very category.
It's all about fuel consumption. By meeting light truck specifications and getting into the same regulatory category as pickups and SUVs, Subaru avoids the tougher US fuel economy and air pollution standards for cars.
Subaru can benefit because a thirsty estate that can sink a car firm's average mileage for cars may improve its truck average. In the 2005 model year, light trucks will have to average 25.5 mpg by European measurements. By contrast, each car firm's full fleet of passenger cars must average 33 mpg.
The move will let Subaru sell more vehicles with turbochargers, which pep up performance but hurt mileage and increase pollution. Given that during our test we managed to achieve a respectable 27.3mpg average, perhaps they are not so far off with the Outback.
It's particularly striking that Subaru wants to call the Outback a light truck because many owners see this estate as a rugged alternative to an SUV. Subaru is quick to suggest that it's not another soft-roader but a full-blown off-roader.
Given its lack of ground clearance in comparison to some serious off-roaders we have our doubts. Nonetheless, it does manage muddy terrain with aplomb.
It takes serious car knowledge to spot the difference between the Outback and a Legacy estate. Perhaps the best distinction is height, though you may need a ruler to spot the extra 50 mm, bringing it to 200mm ground clearance. Another telltale sign is stance - the Outback is slightly sloped, as if preparing to pounce.
Another sign of engineering individuality - while others are following Subaru on all-wheel drive, it continues to plough its own furrow with its Boxer engine. The Boxer, also used by Porsche, is laid out horizontally rather than vertically, as are conventional in-line and V engines. The pistons are placed opposite one another. This allows their movement to cancel out vibration.
The 2.5-litre engine offers up 162bhp, less than many competitors but punchy nonetheless, if not quite in WRX territory. Unfortunately it's matched to a four-speed adaptive control gearbox, which has sports mode and is steptronic but could really do with more gears.
We've long found Subarus good at sticking to the road and the Outback was no exception, taking weaving country roads just like a smaller, sportier saloon. An industrial/engineering heritage has meant that perhaps Subaru has spent too long under the bonnet and not enough sculpting the body. Sleek and stylish are not words that easily sit with Subaru. Yet the Outback, and Legacy range for that matter, have a more distinctive look that grows.
Thankfully, Subaru seems to have realised this. The latest Outback ditches the usual bland interior and comes with a much more European feel both outside and in the cabin.
All models come with leather seating - an electric seat for the driver - and a strong sturdy cabin with good quality plastics and easy-to-read dials. There's plenty of space in the back as well, with 459 litres of boot space, increasing to 1,628 litres with rear seats folded down. That's more than enough to round up a few wayward sheep, bring them back to the pen before loading an Edwardian wardrobe and heading for the auction.
As Saab and Subaru come together to develop a new crossover for the Swedes, there's a noticeable similarity between the marques. Both see themselves as slightly unconventional, the choice of those who want to stand out from the crowd without shouting about it. It's a case of discreet individuality.
However, it leads to one problem for Subaru. It's still not a contender in the badge cred race, unless you count the strong reputation it has with the Impreza and among rally fans.
This is not really the demographic profile of the Outback. How it will overcome this hurdle remains to be seen. Certainly the work of Andreas Zapatinas, former Alfa Romeo design chief, suggests a brighter future in terms of styling. If Subaru can match sleeker design with its engineering pedigree, the six star badge may yet shine bright.