The 2010 Subaru Outback is Motor Trend's Sport/Utility of the Year but is it, well, attractive?

The Outback is more imposing than ever before: two in. wider and with a ground clearance of 8.7 in., higher than a Jeep Grand Cherokee. From any exterior angle you'll find the 2010 Outback tries to appear more rugged than the outgoing all-wheel drive Subaru.

It's not clear how effective the heavy front grille is, but the design -- thick silver bar with Subaru emblem and three horizontal slats below -- fits the theme already carried by the Forester and Tribeca SUVs. In the center of the lower fascia is a ribbed silver piece of trim, another example of Subaru attempting to loosen the association of the Outback as a car.

Like the last-generation Outback, the 2010 model features headlights that dip a little in the corners, but the new Subaru's lights look as though they've been pulled upward, again enhancing the impression of size.

Around the side, those ribbed bits of body trim continue -- for better or worse, leading your eye to huge wheel arch flares. Like the Legacy, the Outback's taillights extend closer to the center of the vehicle then they did previously, but the real news is with the D-pillars. Whereas former Outbacks had blacked-out D-pillars, the 2010 model's are body colored which, potentially, might continue the SUV theme.

There's a more chiseled feel to the 2010 Outback that gives it a real SUV feel. Step inside the 2009 or 2010 Outback and the vibe is more luxury car than SUV. There's not much to fault in either interior, though we will note the 2010 Outback has a much larger navigation display and a digital information area above the dash.

Overall, do you think the 2010 Subaru Outback is a successful redesign? Let us know in the comments section below.

Photo order from top to bottom: 2010 Subaru Outback front view, 2009 Subaru Outback front view, 2010 Subaru Outback rear view, 2009 Subaru Outback rear view, 2010 Subaru Outback interior, 2009 Subaru Outback interior.