A few weeks ago, Subaru sent over a 2026 Forester Wilderness for a week. Being a fan of most things Subaru, I knew I was going to like it straight away, and after seven days behind the wheel that suspicion was fully confirmed. I’ve been saying for years that Subaru needed to update the Forester. Just last year I opined that it was growing stale, a relic harkening back to the days when Bill Clinton still played a saxophone. It was still comfort food—meat loaf, perhaps—from an era when my knees still worked and I could remember why I came into the kitchen.
For 2025, Subaru insisted the Forester had received a much-needed update. Technically, they were right. From the outside, though, not much had changed. The biggest updates were inside, anchored by a larger 11.6-inch tablet-style touchscreen. All in all, it was still a well-worn recliner, just with new throw pillows. Subaru didn’t offer a Wilderness version until this model year, and that helped. It was finally a properly fitted-out off-road version, a trail warrior ready to get dirty.
It was like someone sprinkled a bit of garlic on top of the meat loaf.
Fast forward two weeks and the folks from Subaru sent another Wilderness version. When I saw the delivery notification, I assumed someone had made a mistake. Maybe a joke. Maybe Subaru wanted to see if I was paying attention.
Turns out, this one wasn’t a Forester at all. It was a 2026 Outback. And the moment I saw it, I knew this was a very different animal. Subaru waited a year for the Outback update and here those updates go far beyond the now seemingly modest changes to the Forester Wilderness. Someone has taken the meat loaf, rolled it out onto an all-you-can-eat buffet, and added carving stations.
The Subaru Outback has been entirely redesigned for 2026, and it shows. It now wears a two-row midsize SUV body style that leans far harder into “utility” than “quirky wagon.” The higher nose, boxier corners, and more upright pillars all contribute to the illusion that it’s grown significantly, though in reality Subaru only made it about an inch taller. Design, however, is a magic trick, and this one works. This new Outback is bigger, boxier, and far more like a big station wagon than the Outback I once knew.
Inside, the changes continue. The cabin has been reworked with more contemporary styling and updated infotainment tech, finally shedding the sense that it was designed during the Obama administration. It still feels durable and practical—very Subaru—but now it feels modern on purpose, not by accident.
Then there’s the Wilderness trim, which is where things get properly serious. The Wilderness and XT models come with a higher-output turbocharged 2.4-liter engine making 260 horsepower. In the Wilderness, that power is paired with 9.5 inches of ground clearance, exclusive adaptive dampers, chunky all-terrain tires, and a burlier exterior that looks ready for a national park brochure or a muddy mistake. This is not an appearance package. This is Subaru leaning fully into the idea that some people actually use their roof racks.
Like the Forester Wilderness, this Outback is a properly fitted-out off-road version, a trail warrior ready to get dirty. But where the Forester feels like comfort food with seasoning, the Outback Wilderness is the full all-you-can-eat buffet—bigger, bolder, and unapologetically loaded. You can still enjoy the meat loaf if you want. But now there’s brisket, prime rib, and something sizzling on a flat-top, and Subaru is quietly daring you not to go back for seconds.
The 2026 Subaru Outback Wilderness
MSRP: $44,995
MSRP (as tested): $48,490
Engine: 2.4 liter, 260 horsepower @ 5,600 rpm, 277 lb-ft torque @ 2,000 rpm
Transmission: 8 Speed CVT w/OD
Fuel Mileage (EPA): 21 city, 23 highway, 27 combined
Fuel Mileage (as tested, mixed conditions): 29 mpg
Base Curb weight: 3,973 lbs.
Exterior Dimensions
Length: 191.7 in.
Overall width with mirrors: 82.9 in.
Overall width without mirrors: 74 in.
Height: 68.3 in.
Wheelbase: 108.1 in.
Ground clearance: 9.5 in.
EPA interior volume: 146.9 cu.ft.
Cargo capacity, all seats in place: 34.6 cu.ft.
Maximum cargo capacity: 80.5 cu.ft.
Interior Dimensions
Front head room: 41.0 in.
Front leg room: 43.3 in.
Front shoulder room: 57.9 in.
Front hip room: 55 in.
Rear head room: 40.5 in.
Rear leg room: 39.5 in.
Rear shoulder room: 57.4 in.
Rear hip room: 55.1 in.
Warranty
Basic: 3 yr./ 36,000 mi.
Drivetrain: 5 yr./ 60,000 mi.
Rust: 5 yr./ unlimited mi.
Roadside assistance: 3 yr./ 36,000 mi.
Greg was a writer for DriveTribe supporting Amazon's The Grand Tour and has been published in major publications across the country including the Los Angeles Times, the Cleveland Plain Dealer and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He was also a contributor to Chicken Soup for the NASCAR Soul, published in 2010, and the Christmas edition in 2016. He wrote as the NASCAR, Formula 1, Auto Reviews and National Veterans Affairs Examiner for Examiner.com and has appeared on Fox News. He holds a BS degree in communications, a Masters degree in psychology. He is currently the weekend Motorsports Editor for Autoweek and a regular contributor to Forbes.
- Caraganza Review 2026 Subaru Outback Wilderness: The All-You-Can-Eat Buffet Subaru Needed - February 8, 2026
- Caraganza First Drive Review 2025 Kia K4 GT-Line: Not Quite a Cougar, But Close Enough - February 1, 2026
- Caraganza Review 2026 Subaru Forester Wilderness: The Forester Finally Learns to Get Dirty - January 25, 2026