Cons: Divisive Design, Glitchy Infotainment, Unerpowered 2.5-Liter Engine<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\nSubaru\u2019s new UI is a welcome breath of fresh air, not only to the Outback but to the entire brand. The iPad-style screen with clunky software is dead, and in its place is a smaller head unit that handles the basics\u2014radio, phone calls, navigation, and settings. That\u2019s it. No fumbling through menus to get to your seat heaters, no laggy displays. Everything is where you need it, easy to find, and struggle-free.<\/p>\n
That said, the new software did have some issues during testing. For one, X-Mode, Subaru\u2019s off-road mode, didn\u2019t show up anywhere on screen when selected and was difficult to get working. What\u2019s more, Subaru\u2019s Eyesight system kept beeping at me to “look at the road,” even when I was, and it kept beeping at me after manually going in and turning it off. Still, those are minor annoyances compared to a vast improvement of the entire system.<\/p>\n
Front and rear passenger space is generally acceptable. I\u2019m 6-foot-2-inches, not to flex, but I fit in every seat perfectly fine, and headroom is great thanks to the aforementioned 1.4-inch bump in headroom over the old model. The rear seats are also a much better place to be with some higher-trim options fitted with outboard heated seats, USB-C ports, and a separate climate control zone. Trunk space is also more than adequate, with a 2.4 cubic-foot upgrade over the last generation.<\/p>\n
\nPhoto by: Zander Sutton | Motor1<\/p>\n
\nPhoto by: Zander Sutton | Motor1<\/p>\n
\nPhoto by: Zander Sutton | Motor1<\/p>\n
Photos by: Zander Sutton | Motor1<\/p>\n
The powertrain for the 2026 Outback remains the same as the previous generation, with your choice of either a 2.5-liter flat-four boxer engine making 180 horsepower and 178 pound-feet of torque, or a turbocharged 2.4-liter flat-four making a much healthier 260 horsepower and 277 pound-feet of torque. This generation has seen vast improvements to the engine components, which means both engines run even more smoothly.<\/p>\n
Driving the Limited model in both engine configurations, the 2.4 turbo comes out on top thanks to the 80-hp bump over the naturally aspirated 2.5-liter, something you can definitely feel on the road. Granted, the turbocharged model does come with slightly lower fuel economy at 21 mpg city, 29 highway, 24 combined, compared to the 25 mpg city, 31 highway, 27 combined of the 2.5. But we think most buyers would be willing to make that tradeoff for the upside of slightly better power and a more overall pleasant driving experience.<\/p>\n
Off the road is where the Outback really shines. Even without real skid plates, the stock suspension and all-season tires help this car far exceed expectations. Driving way too fast over way-too-big rocks in the Arizona mountains, it\u2019s genuinely impressive how well the Outback handles non-paved roadways, considering the Limited trim we drove is by no means an off-roader.<\/p>\n
As well as the Outback handles off-roading, however, the suspension is quite stiff, and if you take any paths more serious than finely packed dirt, your back will suffer. If you\u2019re going to do serious off-the-beaten-path driving, invest in some better tires, or wait for the Wilderness model.<\/p>\n
\nPhoto by: Zander Sutton | Motor1<\/p>\n
\nPhoto by: Zander Sutton | Motor1<\/p>\n
Photos by: Zander Sutton | Motor1<\/p>\n
Pricing across the board for the 2026 Outback is more expensive compared to the previous generation, thanks to the elimination of the base trim, with the Premium now being the cheapest offering you can buy at $36,445.<\/p>\n
The Limited mode tested here, the second cheapest of the bunch, ends up being $43,165 with destination, nearly loaded. An un-specced version costs closer to $41,000. The highest trimmed model, the Touring XT, comes in at a whopping $49,840, while the off-road Wilderness model sits at $46,445.<\/p>\n
The Subaru Outback is still the best version of whatever car it’s aiming to be. Practical CUV? Sure! Mild off-roader? Yep. The people who like this thing are going to buy it. It does exactly what it needs to do and caters to an audience that loves it.<\/p>\n
My assumption is that the internet’s opinions may differ from the actual reception of this car by the broader market, and I say this as someone who isn\u2019t a fan of the new look. At any rate, the new Outback\u2019s interior is great, it has way more off-road credibility than it needs to, and it is one of the few new cars not to follow the trend of “bigger is better.”<\/p>\n
Well done, Subaru.<\/p>\n
Honda CR-V Trailsport<\/a> \n Mazda CX-50 Meridian<\/a> \n Nissan Rogue Rock Creek<\/a> \n Toyota RAV4 Woodland<\/a><\/p>\nThe Honda CR-V TrailSport Is All Looks: Review<\/a> Finally, A Nissan Rogue You Can Off-Road: First Drive Review<\/a> The Mazda CX-50 Hybrid Is for Fuel-Sipping Enthusiasts: Review<\/a> The 2026 Toyota RAV4 Is Still the Compact SUV to Beat: Review<\/a><\/p>\n
\n\n\n2026 Subaru Outback<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n \n\nEngine<\/td>\n 2.5-Liter Boxer \/ Turbocharged 2.4-Liter Boxer Four-Cylinder<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nOutput<\/td>\n 180 Horsepower \/ 178 Pound-Feet; 260 Horsepower \/ 277 Pound-Feet<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nTransmission<\/td>\n Continuously Variable<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nDrive Type<\/td>\n All-Wheel Drive<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nWeight<\/td>\n 3,741 Pounds<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nEfficiency<\/td>\n 24 \/ 27 Combined<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nSeating Capacity<\/td>\n 5<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nTowing<\/td>\n 2,700 \/ 3,500 Pounds<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nPayload<\/td>\n 900 Pounds<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nCargo Volume<\/td>\n 34.6 \/ 80.5 Cubic Feet<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nBase Price<\/td>\n $34,995<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nAs-Tested Price<\/td>\n $43,165<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nOn Sale<\/td>\n Now<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n <\/figure>\n <\/figure>\n <\/figure>\n <\/figure>\n <\/figure>\n <\/figure>\n <\/figure>\n <\/figure>\n <\/figure>\n <\/figure>\n <\/figure>\n <\/figure>\n <\/figure>\n <\/figure>\n <\/figure>\n <\/figure>\n <\/figure>\n <\/figure>\n <\/figure>\n <\/figure>\n <\/figure>\n <\/figure>\n <\/figure>\n <\/figure>\n <\/figure>\n <\/figure>\n <\/figure>\n <\/figure>\n <\/figure>\n <\/figure>\n <\/figure>\n <\/figure>\n <\/figure>\n <\/figure>\n <\/figure>\n <\/figure>\n <\/figure>\n <\/figure>\n <\/figure>\n <\/figure>\n <\/figure>\n <\/figure>\n <\/figure>\n <\/figure>\n <\/figure>\n <\/figure>\n <\/figure>\n <\/figure>\n <\/figure>\n <\/figure>\n <\/figure>\n<\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The Subaru Outback has long been an anomaly\u2014an off-road, lifted wagon that, while larger than the Forester, still isn\u2019t as […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[14],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.undergroundz.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9660"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.undergroundz.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.undergroundz.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.undergroundz.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.undergroundz.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9660"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"http:\/\/www.undergroundz.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9660\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9663,"href":"http:\/\/www.undergroundz.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9660\/revisions\/9663"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.undergroundz.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9660"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.undergroundz.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9660"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.undergroundz.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9660"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}