You cant miss it. An enormous Volvo-like touchscreen lives at the center of almost every 2020 and 2021 Subaru Outback , just waiting to be swiped and touched. The tech wasnt well received during 2020 SUV of the Year testing , but now that weve spent nearly 10,000 miles behind the wheel of our one-year 2020 Subaru Outback Onyx test car? Although some frustrations remain, a recent infotainment system update introduces a few positive changes. What the Outbacks Infotainment Screen Does Well A huge screen will have enormous showroom appeal to those who still associate such expansive digital real estate with luxury cars. And thats true whether were talking about the 12.0-inch screen in the 2021 Ford Edge or the Outbacks 11.6-inch touchscreen. Youll find the Subarus big screen on all but the base Outback, which means every model with an MSRP of about $30,000 on up will have it (the base trim gets two 7.0-inch screens). Youll love the Outback if you like tinkering with settings to optimize displays. At the top of the vertically oriented display is a thin strip of info with a few optionsyou can select one of the Onyx trims X-Mode settings, see audio info, or my favorite, a three-way split screen. Our Outback now shows a compass, a speed limit display, and calendar info (because sometimes one day blends into another). Below that are nine icons you can also customize (sound settings, navigation, and other options). Having the ability to add a home-screen button to a specific satellite radio preset is cool, too. Ive also come to really appreciate the instrument clusters display. In a small space, one available readout shows the song title and artist, often without cutting off the end of the textsome larger displays cant manage the same. And as with most recent Subarus, I get a kick out of the way the car in the display illuminates its taillights when you apply the brakes. What the Outbacks Infotainment Screen Doesnt Do Well At 2020 SUV of the Year testing, we complained that the 11.6-inch vertical screen showed Apple CarPlay and Android Auto on a small portion of the screen. That was an everyday irritation until our Outback recently received a software update at the dealer. The icons on the left side of the CarPlay display were too small and required a careful touch to hit (say, if youre moving from Spotify to Google or Apple Maps). Weve also previously called the HVAC controls at the bottom of the screen miniature; some judges accidentally turned the A/C off while trying to adjust something else. Unfortunately, the latter remains a minor problem. Every now and then Ill want to adjust the fan speed but wait until Im stopped or have finished rounding a curve because operating the bottom of the touchscreen requires looking down and concentrating more than I feel should be necessary. While were on the subject of temperature controls, the physical temperature buttons on either side of the screen should protrude more from the dash or turn into another knob or slider control. That would make it easier to adjust temperature up or down without looking, and without fearing youll accidentally hit one of the nearby defroster buttons. Theres Hope! Details on Subarus Infotainment Update --> Subaru is updating the functionality of 11.6-inch screens in Outbacks and Legacysyoull already find the updates in place on 2021 models; 2020s can get the update installed at the dealer. One update makes the built-in navigation maps more usable. In the past, the TomTom-based system would default to one map orientation every time you started the car, no matter what you chose the last time you were in the car. Even though I like the graphics, that inconvenience was enough to keep me using Apple CarPlay over the built-in nav. The other big update improves the functionality of CarPlay. Finally, the empty space beneath the CarPlay display is gone, since it stretches all the way to the HVAC display on the bottom. That means the display will show whatever app youre using on a greater portion of the 11.6-inch screen, and Apple Maps directions can now appear in the instrument cluster display and at the top of the big display, too. The HVAC controls are still tough to control at speed, though. Subaru tells us its working with Google to help support a full-screen Android Auto layout like the cars newer CarPlay display. The automaker says that before the end of January, it will offer an update for 2020 and 2021 Outbacks and Legacys that adds an engine stop/start home screen shortcut button, improved voice recognition, as well as bug fixes and performance improvements. This update can be installed via USB at the dealer; every update afterward can be done via over-the-air updates from your driveway. If youre curious about the full list of infotainment changes that distinguish a pre-update 2020 Outback or Legacy from a 2021 Outback or Legacy, scroll/swipe to see more info at the bottom of this story. What to Know About the Outbacks Infotainment System Now that our Outbacks system has been updatedand the liftgate button fixed, too the Subarus built-in maps and Apple CarPlay experience has improved. No software update, however, will add easier-to-use HVAC knobs like the ones on the Forester, or more space below the giant screen to (wirelessly) charge your phone: The phone slot beneath the dash is inconvenient to use when the gear stalk is in Park. So although the update improves the experience in meaningful ways, infotainment still isnt the Outbacks strong suit. I much prefer the dual-screen setup in my father-in-laws new 2020 Forester Sport. Thats OK, the Outback makes up for it in other ways. Its not perfect, but the Subarus overall versatility, value, image, and smooth ride make it a top pick in its segment. And were grateful that Subaru is continuing to improve the systembut just the same, Ill be happy if the updated 2022 Forester sticks with its horizontal screen layout and abundance of physical knobs. Subaru Legacy and Outback Infotainment Updates Straight from Subaru, heres the list of updates already on the 2021 Outback and 2021 Legacy , and installable on 2020 models: Apple CarPlay You asked for it, and you have been waiting for itApple CarPlay full screen is finally here. The full screen view will create an even better experience than you already enjoy. (With the release of iOS14, you'll see even more improvementsin your Subaru when you update your iPhone.) Improved CarPlay boot-up time. Turn-by-turn navigation directions for CarPlay now show in the gauge cluster (between speedometer/odometer) and info bar (under clock). CarPlay music can now be seen and controlled under the STARLINK Media app. Android Auto Boot-up time improved Android Auto music can now be seen and controlled under the STARLINK Media app. SiriusXM Introducing Smart Favorites for your SiriusXM presets. Youll see a new star icon on the top right of the preset to indicate its a Smart Favorite. With this feature, you can skip back to the start of a song or even to prior songs from the time your vehiclewas started. Boot-up time improved Album artwork will be displayed while the vehicle is in motion, from any music source. For TomTomnavigation equipped vehicles: Map orientation preference now saved after restart. Vehicle location triangle now easier to see Map updates over the air have been fully enabled. You will be able to get a map update over Wi-Fi or using the STARLINK smartphone app sometime in August of 2020. Stay tuned for another communication. In the meantime, map updates can be also downloadedfrom subaru-maps.com . You can now customize the vehicle Bluetooth name to something other than Subaru. (This is ideal for homes with more than one Subaru in the driveway and multiple phones paired to each.) More on Our Long-Term 2020 Subaru Outback Onyx XT: Arrival: Specs, Features, and First Impressions Update 1: Quirk Takes Some Getting Used To Update 2: Can the 2020 Outback Compete With SUV Functionality? Update 3: Social Distancing and On-Car Camping With Our 2020 Subaru Outback Update 4: 2,000 Miles and Lessons Learned Update 5: Is the 2020 Subaru Outback Safe? The post 2020 Subaru Outback Infotainment Review: Pros, Cons, and a System Update appeared first on MotorTrend .