The Subaru Outback has stood proud as one of the last wagons available in the United States. As the nameplate enters its seventh generation and celebrates 30 years on the market, it’s going to look a bit different. The new 2026 Outback is upright and boxy, with proportions arguably more befitting of an SUV than what used to be a long-roof Legacy. It’s rugged outside, more spacious inside, and the list of available tech has gotten predictably longer, too. The Wilderness trim is also returning for especially outdoorsy buyers.
Unveiled at the 2025 New York Auto Show, the 2026 Outback is sure to turn heads—for good or bad reasons, we’re not quite sure. Much stockier than the current-gen model, it features a taller front end characterized by split headlights and a larger grille. There’s plastic cladding everywhere, and most of it’s been indented with “tough” shapes like trapezoids and hexagons. The light bar out back (sorry) accentuates the sense of width.
While press shots often show high-spec trim levels, Subaru points out that the roof rails pictured here come standard across the range and have an 800-pound static load capacity. (That is to say, when the vehicle is parked, like for a roof nest.) The load capacity in motion checks in at 200 pounds.
Inside, the Outback’s design has arguably shifted in a more analog direction. There’s a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a more squarish 12.1-inch touchscreen that runs on a new, faster infotainment system, which both look pretty modern. However, the new climate control interface uses a monochrome, retro-LCD-looking strip surrounded by physical buttons and dials. Looks aside, we expect that Outback owners will welcome this change, as it should make it easier to fiddle with heating and cooling while wearing gloves. That big instrument cluster doesn’t need to be a distraction, either, thanks to a new “calm” mode.
There’s more space for people and gear, too. Trunk space checks in at 34.6 cubic feet, an increase of two cubes over the current Outback, and the passengers enjoy more headroom regardless of which row they’re riding in. Subaru also tells us that it reduced wind noise by 10% by redesigning the cladding and roof rails to be more aerodynamic. Additional sound-deadening material has made the cabin quieter in general.
Subaru’s well-regarded EyeSight suite of electronic driving aids is standard. It includes adaptive cruise control, lane centering, lane sway warning, and emergency stop assist, and it relies on a wider-angle camera to detect pedestrians sooner. Highway Hands Free Assist tech that works at up to 85 mph is available. This system lets the driver take both hands off the wheel in specific conditions and when the Outback is traveling on a designated highway, though it doesn’t make the wagon autonomous by any stretch of the imagination.
One aspect that hasn’t changed significantly from the last-gen Outback is the drivetrain. Power comes from a 2.5-liter flat-four that sends 180 horsepower and 178 lb-ft of torque to all four wheels via a continuously variable transmission (CVT) and Subaru’s symmetrical all-wheel-drive system. For context, the current Outback’s 2.5-liter makes 182 hp and 176 lb-ft of torque. The company notes that the engine has been revised, but it stopped short of providing details. Buyers who want more power will be able to get a turbocharged, 2.4-liter flat-four rated at 260 hp and 277 lb-ft (figures also unchanged from 2025), though that mill is again paired with a CVT.
Subaru hasn’t revealed whether a hybrid system will be available. Nothing is official, but we wouldn’t be surprised to see one at some point.
Driving dynamics have never been the Outback’s main selling point, but that could change for 2026. The new model gets a version of the WRX‘s electronic power steering rack to deliver a more direct and natural steering feel, according to Subaru. And the wagon hasn’t lost its off-road chops: Every trim offers 8.7 inches of ground clearance, so the Outback sits almost an inch taller than a Chevrolet Tahoe.
The 2026 Subaru Outback will join the new Forester on dealer lots in late 2025, while the brand noted that the Wilderness model isn’t scheduled to arrive until early 2026. At launch, buyers will have six trim levels called Premium, Limited, Touring, Limited XT, Touring XT, and Wilderness, respectively, to choose from. Pricing information and a full set of specifications will be announced closer to the new wagon’s on-sale date.
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