The all-new 2026 Subaru Outback Wilderness falls into that second category.

When the Crystal White Pearl Outback Wilderness arrived for our weeklong test drive, the first thing we noticed was just how different it looked from the Outbacks we have driven in the past. Subaru has completely redesigned the Outback for 2026, and the new look is considerably more rugged. Gone is much of the softer, wagon-like appearance of previous generations. In its place is a taller, more upright and almost box-like SUV design that gives the Outback a much more adventurous personality.

And we liked it

We had the Outback Wilderness for a week of everyday driving, which meant commuting to work, running errands and simply going about our normal routine. But our week also included a special trip that gave us a chance to see what the Wilderness could do when we took it up to Wallsburg, Utah, for the Power Mountain Festival.

Courtesy Suburu

Craig was doing sound, lights and video for the festival, and most of the equipment had already been installed before we took the Outback up for the first day. That meant we didn’t need to haul an entire production system, but there were still some last-minute cords, cables and equipment that needed to make the trip.

The Outback’s large rear cargo area handled the job without a problem.

That is one of the things we have always appreciated about the Outback. It may be capable of heading down a mountain trail, but it is equally good at swallowing up the stuff we carry around in everyday life.

For 2026, Subaru has made the cargo area even more useful by giving the Outback a more upright shape. With the rear seats folded, there is up to 80.5 cubic feet of cargo space, and the squared-off design makes it easier to load larger items.

We found that especially useful with the equipment we needed to take to the festival. Cords and cables aren’t particularly exciting cargo, but they have a habit of multiplying when you’re working an event. The Outback gave us plenty of room to get everything packed away without having to play the familiar game of “how are we going to fit this?”

Courtesy Suburu

Once we headed toward Wallsburg, we started to appreciate another part of the Wilderness package.

Ground clearance

The Outback Wilderness sits 9.5 inches above the ground, and that is a number you can actually appreciate when you’re driving a vehicle like this. The additional clearance gives the Wilderness a confidence-inspiring stance and helps when roads become rough, uneven or simply less predictable.

The Wilderness also gets the rugged suspension, all-terrain tires, standard Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive and Subaru’s dual-function X-MODE system. The latter gives the driver additional traction settings for conditions such as snow, dirt, deep snow and mud.

We didn’t go looking for the most challenging trail in Utah during our week, but we did have plenty of opportunities to appreciate the confidence that comes with knowing the vehicle has been designed to handle much more than a trip to the grocery store.

Courtesy Suburu

And that is really the secret to the Outback Wilderness.

You don’t have to be an extreme off-road enthusiast to enjoy it.

The 2026 Wilderness is just as comfortable running errands around town as it is heading into the mountains.

The engine certainly helps

Under the hood is a 2.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder BOXER engine producing 260 horsepower and 277 pound-feet of torque. Power is sent through Subaru’s continuously variable transmission and Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive.

Courtesy Suburu

The Wilderness also has a 3,500-pound towing capacity, giving it the ability to pull a small trailer, boat or recreational equipment.

During our week, we found the turbocharged engine to have plenty of power for everyday driving. It doesn’t feel like you are driving something designed solely for crawling over rocks. Instead, it has the power necessary for merging onto the freeway, passing slower traffic and climbing mountain roads while still maintaining the easygoing personality we expect from an Outback.

Interior Suprise

Subaru has completely reworked the cabin for 2026, and it feels much more modern than the previous Outback.

The dashboard is dominated by a new 12.1-inch infotainment screen, while a 12.3-inch digital driver’s display sits directly in front of the steering wheel. The two-screen setup gives the Outback a much more contemporary appearance and puts a tremendous amount of information right where you need it.

Courtesy Suburu

We particularly liked having the large screen for navigation, audio and smartphone functions. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are included, making it easy to connect our phones without having to dig around for a cable every time we got into the vehicle.

Thankfully, Subaru didn’t fall into the trap of making everything a touchscreen.

There are still physical controls for some of the functions we use most often, and we appreciate that. When you’re driving, being able to reach for a knob or button without taking your eyes off the road is a good thing.

The Wilderness interior also carries its own personality. There are durable materials, Wilderness-specific accents and upholstery that looks ready to handle the kind of outdoor adventures the vehicle was designed for.

The seats are comfortable, there is plenty of room for passengers and the cabin feels like a place where you could spend several hours on a road trip without getting tired of being there.

Safety

The 2026 Outback comes with Subaru’s latest EyeSight Driver Assist Technology, which provides a long list of driver-assistance features. Adaptive cruise control, lane-centering assistance, pre-collision braking, lane-departure warning and lane-keep assistance are all part of the package.

The Outback also includes blind-spot monitoring with lane-change assist, rear cross-traffic alert and reverse automatic braking.

Those systems don’t replace an attentive driver, but they provide another level of awareness that we appreciate in an everyday vehicle.

There is something comforting about driving a vehicle that seems to be paying attention along with you.

We also liked the driving position in the new Outback. The more upright exterior design translates into a commanding view of the road, while the higher seating position gives you the feeling that you are driving an SUV rather than a traditional wagon.

At the End of the Week

Subaru hasn’t abandoned what made the Outback popular. It has simply pushed the vehicle farther toward the SUV side of the equation.

Most of our week was completely ordinary. We drove to work, ran errands and went about our daily routine. Then came the trip to Wallsburg for the Power Mountain Festival.

For Craig, the trip had a purpose. He had already set up the sound, lighting and video equipment for the festival, so the Outback wasn’t being used as a production truck. But we still needed to haul those last-minute cables and equipment up the mountain.

It did exactly what we needed it to do.

That combination of everyday comfort and weekend capability is what makes the Outback Wilderness so appealing.

Base Price: $44,995

Destination Charge: $1,450

Price as Driven: $48,480