[lamawithonel]

I won't involve myself in the debate over performance value, but I found this on the Subaru Canada site listed as a safety feature of the Outback (and implying it's standard across the fleet):

Break-away Engine

Every Subaru goes above and beyond common practice when it comes to your safety. In the event of a head-on collision, the SUBARU BOXER engine and transmission are designed to absorb impact and then break away from the vehicle structure and drop below the passenger cabin for added protection.