While CVTs in general are not our transmissions of choice, when paired with the 3.6-liter, this one is bearable. Modest cruising speeds are obtainable with the tachometer never rising above 2500 rpm, minimizing NVH. With the throttle to the floor, this CVT mimics gearshifts like those in a regular automatic, keeping the rpm away from the redline—and from the steady scream such transmissions often produce. We were impressed with the 28 mpg recorded on our 200-mile, 75-mph highway-cruise fuel-economy test, 1 mpg better than the EPA highway rating. We saw 21 mpg overall during the Outback’s stay, just 1 mpg worse than the EPA combined rating.