Extreme Makeover Subaru Edition: The 2026 Subaru Outback Wilderness
- Mike Hagerty
- Feb 25
- 4 min read
You know that car---it's a Subaru Outback. For years---decades---it's been what most people would call a station wagon with all-wheel drive. It's an icon.
Station wagons have been getting thin on the ground for a long time now. Volvo is pulling the plug on its V60 and V90 wagons at the end of this model year, leaving only the Audi A6 Allroad, the BMW M5 Touring and the Mercedes-Benz E450 4MATIC All-Terrain as vehicles their manufacturers will acknowledge as wagons (I'd argue the Toyota Crown Signia and the Honda HR-V are, too, but never mind that now).
And the Outback? It has joined the ranks of rugged-looking SUVs.
There is great debate over this move on the interwebs. Some people hate it, some love it. Some even say that it's still a station wagon, but that it just looks like an SUV now. Subaru Parts Plus, an authorized Subaru dealer, seven years ago, dove into the question with this clever quiz:
I'll save you turning your computer upside down. The Impreza is the only station wagon pictured (it's since been discontinued), according to the EPA. Which means the Outback was an SUV even when it looked like a station wagon.
Now, it looks the part.
Why did Subaru feel the need to change an icon's appearance? That's a question they don't answer. Here's the closest they get to it, in the official news release:
"The all-new 2026 Subaru Outback steers the iconic SUV in a new styling direction while staying true to its roots as a practical everyday vehicle. The new, bolder exterior design conveys a more powerful presence on the road. The front of the new Outback is stronger and broader in its appearance, with headlights vertically placed at its four corners to emphasize its functionality on- and off-road. The all-new front fascia is more upright than its predecessor, with body-color styling elements framing the headlights and larger grille for a more rugged appearance. The lower front fascia is textured for better scratch resistance and improved aerodynamics.
Along the sides, the Outback retains its signature proportions but adapts its silhouette with a boxier profile to emphasize its height and durability. The all-new Outback’s flatter roofline highlights its generous cargo space and ample interior passenger space. Behind the rear passenger door, a wider rear roof pillar communicates the robust support and structural rigidity of the new Outback."
"Conveys", "emphasize", "highlights" and "communicates" are doing all the work in that bit of PR-speak.
My take? The market is in a place where rugged=sales (a point proven by the success of the Wilderness trim itself), and square and beefy=rugged.
Mission accomplished. My site, my opinion: The new Outback, especially in Wilderness trim, looks like a vehicle that means business, and it has the pieces necessary to back that up.
The new styling improves approach, breakover and departure angles significantly. The Outback Wilderness has 9.5 inches of ground clearance, the suspension has been re-tuned for greater stability on rough terrain, and it rides on Bridgestone Dueler all-terrain tires.
There are no changes under the hood. The 2026 Outback retains the venerable 2.4-liter turbocharged BOXER four with 260 horsepower and 277 lb-ft of torque and it uses a continuously variable transmission (CVT) that has an eight-speed manual shift mode function. The EPA fuel economy estimate is 21 mpg city/27 mpg highway.
All-wheel drive is, of course, standard, but it has been revised, offering faster center differential lockup and reduced wheelspin when off-roading, and incorporating steering angle data for better stability at turn-in and cornering on higher-speed roads. It's paired with Subaru's X-Mode system with Snow/Dirt and Deep Snow/Mud modes.
And none of those off-pavement improvements hamper the Outback Wilderness' usability in daily street, highway and freeway driving. In fact, the off-road tires contribute to a smoother and quieter ride. There's more than adequate power.
Out back in the Outback (Mike...), there's 34.6 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seat and 80.5 cubic feet with the second row folded flat.
Rear seat passengers get serious room to stretch their legs---39.5 inches.
Inside, it's a completely new interior---yet still instantly, unmistakably, a Subaru.
The base price of the 2026 Subaru Outback Wilderness is $44,995---$46,445 including destination. That money buys a lengthy list of standard equipment (see the window sticker at the end of the review).
In fact, the Outback Wilderness is so well equipped, that our tester only had one option package, number 23, which bundles the newly redesigned and much improved 12.1 inch multimedia system with navigation, a power moonroof, a surround-view monitor system, black Nappa leather-trimmed upholstery with copper stitching, ventilated front seats, a 12-way power driver's seat with four-way lumbar support and leg extension, an eight-way front passenger seat, and black power-folding heated exterior mirrors with turn signals ($4,090).
That puts the bottom line on the window sticker at $50,535.
One more thing---see those two bracket-type things on either side of the Subaru logo? They're there to hold long items...skis, fishing poles, surfboards...upright while you do whatever else you need to do before loading back up or heading off to adventure. They prevent them from sliding down and possibly scarring your tailgate on the way.
Subaru seems to have thought of everything with the new Outback. It is a true multi-purpose vehicle that doesn't ask you to compromise comfort for capability or vice-versa.
Bravo.
2026 Subaru Outback Wilderness at a glance:
Price: $44,995 base/$50,535 as tested
Engine: 2.0-liter turbocharged BOXER four-cylinder
Horsepower: 260
Torque: 277 lb-ft
Transmission: CVT with eight-speed manual mode
Curb Weight: 3,973
0-60 Acceleration (manufacturer data): N/A
EPA Fuel Economy Estimate: 21 mpg city/27 mpg highway
Fuel tank capacity: 18 gallons
EPA Range Estimate: 414 miles
