2026 Subaru Outback Road Test and Review

2026 Subaru Outback ・ Photo by Ron Sessions

Since its inception in 1995 as a slightly lifted wagon variant of the Legacy four-door mid-size sedan, the Subaru Outback has been one of the brand’s top sellers, blending wagon proportions with all-wheel drive and slightly raised ground clearance. Fast forward 30 years and a new seventh-generation Outback arrives for 2026 that adds rough-and-ready SUV design cues, a modernized and upgraded cabin, new EyeSight driver assist technology, and an updated infotainment system while maintaining carlike driving dynamics and standard symmetrical AWD.

The 2026 lineup includes Premium, Limited, Touring, Wilderness, Limited XT, and Touring XT trims. Last year’s base Outback and Onyx Edition trims have been dropped. Base prices this year range from the mid-$30,000s to just shy of $50,000, including the $1,450 destination charge.

Looking the Part

For 2026, the mainstay of the Subaru brand gets its first exterior refresh in more than a decade. The popular, five-passenger mid-size crossover SUV still looks like a Subaru, but the latest Outback is more granitic, less wagonish, and more SUV-like with squared-off sheet metal. A taller hood, revised LED front lighting, and a larger and more upright grille segue into flatter flanks with a more vertical rear window and more robust-looking roof pillar aft of the rear doors. At the rear, a straight-chiseled design highlighted by a full-width LED light bar and large-size upper-case Outback letters emphasize the new, tougher look.

A roof that’s 1.4-inches taller nets gains in cabin headroom and cargo space. However, overall size and proportions remain much like that of an all-wheel-drive wagon with slightly increased seating height and ground clearance.

Some details, such as the chunky, blocky, robotic-looking wheel opening moldings are ones that I don’t care for, but overall the new look is clean, no-nonsense, and connotes SUV strength and capability.

2026 Subaru Outback ・ Photo by Ron Sessions

Boxer Engine Gets the Job Done

Under the hood, things are pretty much unchanged for 2026, at least for now. The available powertrain choices are mostly carryover. A mildly retuned 180-hp 2.5-liter four-cylinder boxer engine with 178 pound-feet of torque powers the Premium, Limited, and Touring trims, while a turbocharged 260-hp 2.4-liter with 277 pound-feet of torque adds oomph to the Limited XT, Touring XT, and upcoming Wilderness models. By my stopwatch, acceleration is somewhat leisurely for the base 2.5-liter with 60 mph achievable from rest in 8-plus seconds, while the 2.4 turbo livens up things a bit with improved throttle response and 0-60 times in the low 6-second range. Both are teamed with Subaru’s Lineartronic continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) with an eight-speed manual shift mode via steering-wheel-mounted shift paddles.

For the kind of unhurried driving most Outback owners engage in, the 180-hp 2.5-liter works just fine. For a mid-size SUV with AWD, EPA estimated fuel economy numbers of 25 mpg city/31 mpg highway/27 mpg combined aren’t shabby. In a day piloting an Outback Limited over 70 miles of mixed paved highways and 20-30-mph dirt trails, the test vehicle displayed an average 26.3 mpg in the onboard trip computer. Is the Outback exciting? Hardly. Can it get you to your destination in all kinds of weather on- and off-pavement? Absolutely. And a cruising range approaching 500 miles with the base 2.5-liter engine, courtesy of a generously sized 18-gallon fuel tank, adds some peace of mind.

Subaru says nearly 8 percent of Outback owners do some light towing, and all models include a standard tow hitch receiver. Tow ratings remain at 2,700 pounds for the naturally aspirated 180-hp 2.5-liter, 3,500 lbs with the 260-hp 2.4-liter turbo.

A gas-electric hybrid version of the Outback similar to the setup offered in the Subaru Forester is rumored to be in the product pipeline in the near term. In the Forester, the hybrid powertrain adds 14 horsepower, a slight improvement in throttle response, is quieter, and raises EPA estimated fuel economy to 35 mpg city/35 mpg highway/34 mpg combined.

2026 Subaru Outback ・ Photo by Ron Sessions

Reworked Cabin

Front and center, the new Outback gets a new, all-digital 12.3-inch color LCD driver display that’s sharp and bright. The driver’s screen is customizable, including one mode that incorporates the navigation map. Overall, the dash design is more modern and uncluttered than last year’s. Riding a recent trend, there are now more physical controls and less need to dive through distracting screen menus for frequently accessed items such as the climate control buttons for the dual-zone system.

The center console is reworked as well. The cup holders now employ spring-loaded fingers to grip a wide variety of container sizes and are moved forward for easier access and to provide a natural, more ergonomic location at arm’s length. Overall, console storage space is doubled. There’s a handy, non-slip shelf above the glovebox that’s perfect for stashing a wallet or second phone. Storage bins in the front doors get larger as well; each will securely hold a 32-ounce water bottle. Just below the climate controls, there’s one USB-A and one USB-C port for accessing content, thoughtfully illuminated. Limited and Touring models add the convenience of a wireless phone charger.

2026 Subaru Outback ・ Photo by Ron Sessions

Welcoming Front Seats

Compared to truck-based SUVs, one of the nicest aspects of the Subaru Outback has been and still is the easy entry into the cabin. Despite the slightly higher seating position this year, step-in height remains reasonable. There’s no need to climb up or crouch down for ingress or egress. Just open a door and slide your butt sideways. No running boards are necessary.

Subaru has always prioritized seat comfort over style. and this year includes a new fatigue-reducing seat design that adds a bracket for increased pelvic support and is claimed to reduce head toss and improve comfort on long slogs. I found the driver's seat offered a good balance of comfort and support during hours behind the wheel both on and off pavement. Both front seats are heated and Touring models also offer seat ventilation. Standard is a power driver’s seat with adjustable height and 2-way power lumbar adjustment, with a power front passenger’s seat included in Limited and Touring grades. Seat coverings are Star Tex faux leather in Limited and Wilderness trims and perforated leather in the Limited and Touring grades. The grippy steering wheel is leather-wrapped on all models and heated in Limited and Touring grades. Depending on the trim selected, the dash and doors feature welcoming splashes of cloth or faux leather.

2026 Subaru Outback ・ Photo by Ron Sessions

Capacious Rear Seat

With generous rear-seat legroom, last year’s Outback was already one of the roomiest five-passenger mid=size crossover SUVs for rear-seat passengers, but for 2026 the new Outback adds another inch and a half of headroom back there, courtesy of a taller roof. The reclining, fold-flat rear seat is again split 60/40 with a fold-down center armrest, cup holders, and a storage box. There’s a 12-volt power outlet for rear seaters at the back of the center console. A standard power moonroof and seat heaters for outboard positions cheer the passenger space in Limited and Touring models.

2026 Subaru Outback ・ Photo by Ron Sessions

Upgraded Infotainment

Increased in size from last year’s 11.6-inch portrait-format infotainment screen, the 2026 Outback upgrades to a new, high-resolution horizontal 12.1-inch infotainment screen which Subaru claims offers quicker processing and improved anti-glare properties. Along with sharper colors and higher mounting in the dash, I found the reduction in glare particularly helpful, especially when driving through bright sunlight mixed with intermittent shade from overhanging trees. All versions of the new Outback feature standard wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto cellphone mirroring capability. Limited and Touring trims add standard cloud-based embedded navigation.

The new system retains a handy analog rotary volume knob for quick, distraction-free adjustments on the fly, but Subaru deleted the rotary tuning knob used previously, a procedure now delegated to on-screen arrows, steering wheel buttons, or voice-control functions. The screen layout is logical and uncluttered with ample-size icons that are easy to read and tap. The Harman Kardon stereo provides decent fidelity, made all the more enjoyable courtesy of improved soundproofing measures taken to reduce engine, road, and wind noise employed in this latest iteration of the Outback.

2026 Subaru Outback ・ Photo by Ron Sessions

Taking it With You

As it has been since its inception decades ago, the Outback is well-suited for outdoorsy hobbies and activities. A standard rubberized custom-fit cargo tray keeps dirt, muck, and slop off the rear carpet. For 2026, the redesigned Outback’s cargo compartment is squared off, taller, longer, and larger overall, now with 34.6 cubic feet behind the rear seat, up from last year’s 32.6. With the rear seat folded flat made easy with mechanical release levers along the cargo area sides, the increase in cargo space grows even more, increasing from 75.6 cubic feet last year to 80.5 cubic feet for 2026. It's also easy to load and unload cargo through a larger opening that’s 2 inches taller compared to 2025. The liftgate is power-operated.

One big change this year is a new design cargo cover that’s more like a tent than the previous window-shade roller design. A Subaru product expert shared that some owners didn’t know where to stash the previous-design roller-type cover once it was removed, a necessary step to gain maximum cargo capacity for bulkier items. The new-design cargo cover clips into place, easily folds, and can be stowed onboard when not in use. Also onboard is a handy cargo-area 12-volt power point.

Not just for show, the new Outback comes standard with raised, ladder-style roof rails. Roof carrier static load capacity is a generous 800 pounds.

2026 Subaru Outback ・ Photo by Ron Sessions

Keeping it Safe

Safety ratings for the 2026 Outback had not yet been released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) or the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety when this review was first published. However, the Outback has consistently received high scores and was an IIHS Top Safety Pick in 2024.

For 2026, the Outback gets expanded EyeSight advanced driver assist technology. In addition to existing features such forward pre-collision mitigation with auto emergency braking, adaptive cruise control with lane centering, lane-keeping with haptic steering-wheel alerts, and reverse automatic braking, it adds a standard DriverFocus Distraction Mitigation system that monitors the position of the driver’s eyes as well as a new emergency stop assist system that can detect a distracted or disabled driver and safely bring the vehicle to a stop along the side of the road.

Also rolling out in early 2026 with Touring and Touring XT trims is a new hands-free Highway Driving Assist. Using 3D high-definition maps, GPS data, millimeter-wave radar, and a bank of three forward-facing cameras, it works on select interstates and divided highways up to 85 mph. Other new features on Touring and Touring XT include automatic lane changes with turn-signal selection and slowing for curves when adaptive cruise control is engaged.

The standard back-up camera is equipped with a washer for cleaning the camera lens, which came in handy after a two-hour off-road leg during the drive evaluation. Limited XT upgrades the standard backup camera to one with a surround view that shows an overhead view of the Outback and its immediate surroundings.

2026 Subaru Outback ・ Photo by Ron Sessions

On- and Off-Road

The Outback’s superpower is its ability to take on occasional bumpy, washed-out, or uneven off-road terrain with ease, while delivering on its primary mission as a suburban shopping cart with a smooth on-road ride and overall drive characteristics of a passenger car.

There are notable refinements this year. A new dual-pinion electric rack-and-pinion steering system feels more lubricious with less friction and delivers sharper, more precise responses to inputs. It works well with the Outback’s standard active torque vectoring feature which brakes an inside wheel to reduce understeer. Brake pedal response is satisfyingly more linear with the electronic power brake booster better delivering more predictable stopping performance. Ride quality feels a tad more upscale as well, courtesy of well-tuned vertical body damping. Impact harshness from ruts and bumps is well-controlled, even on XT turbo models with the new-for-2026 19-inch wheels and shorter-sidewall tires. The new Outback’s cabin is definitely quieter than in past iterations, tamping down intrusions of engine, road, and wind noise.

During the almost two hour-long trek along a forest trail marked with sizable gullies and berms and stretches of jagged, potentially tire-piercing, rocks poking up through the dirt and gravel, I never once had to engage X Mode and one of its advanced drive modes. If one or more wheels lost traction, Symmetrical AWD automatically transferred drive torque to the ones with the most grip. The Outback just plodded onward, unfazed. One consequence of the exterior redesign did, however, pop up. The taller hood made it a little harder to see terrain on steep uphill inclines, a situation where a low-mounted front-facing camera would come in handy.

The off-road drive proved that the base Outback’s generous 8.7-inches of ground clearance is more than sufficient for the vast majority of situations one might encounter. Then, for those Outback buyers who may want to venture a bit further afield, there’s the Wilderness model, due out in early 2026. In addition to increasing ground clearance to 9.5 inches, the Wilderness upgrades to grippier 17-inch all-terrain tires, underbody protection, the Outback’s first adaptive suspension dampers, and an expanded Dual Mode X-Mode traction control that adds snow/dirt and deep snow/mud drive modes. Along with the hardware upgrades, the Wilderness brings more aggressive cladding and bumper designs as well as all-weather cabin floor mats.

2026 Subaru Outback ・ Photo by Ron Sessions

Going Granitic

About $5,000 pricier than last year’s model albeit with an increased list of standard features, the 2026 Subaru Outback remains a solid, no-nonsense choice for buyers looking for a versatile, everyday mid-size wagon with civilized on-road manners, all-weather usability, and surprisingly capable off-pavement abilities. It’s about the same size as before, just a tad taller and boxier-looking with increased headroom and cargo space. An all-new, more-modern cabin is easy on the eyes and incorporates an all-new horizontal infotainment system. The Outback’s EyeSight advanced driver assist technology adds more features, including the brand’s first hands-free assist for use on limited-access highways in top Touring and Touring XT trims.

2026 Subaru Outback ・ Photo by Ron Sessions