Flash Drive: 2026 Subaru Outback Wilderness

The Outback Wilderness, first launched as a 2022 mannequin, had been developed off the present Outback platform. Whereas it was well-liked with Subaru prospects, Jenny Van, automotive line planning specialist at Subaru of America, advised us the brand new 2026 Outback Wilderness “was function designed with off-road use in thoughts. The Wilderness sub-brand is completely crucial to our [Subaru] model. It’s not a distinct segment, however is now a major stream model for Subaru. It’s one thing a variety of prospects are on the lookout for because it has off-road and on-road functionality, providing a steadiness. Wilderness badged fashions are 15% of our gross sales, so that could be a fairly large share of our gross sales and is one thing we anticipate to develop.”

Jenny Van completed with: “There are commonalities between the Outback and Outback Wilderness buyer. Gender is about the identical, however the Wilderness skews youthful.” Our take: Driving down the common age of a model’s buyer is important to long-term gross sales success.

Energy and Drive

The two.4-liter intercooled, twin-scroll turbocharged boxer engine runs on 87 octane. It places out 260 horsepower at 5,800 rpm and 277 pound-feet of torque in a really helpful 2,000-4,800 rpm vary. All 4 wheels are pushed via a constantly variable transmission (CVT) that features a number of drive modes and an 8-speed guide shifting possibility that may be managed with the steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters. The EPA has rated the gas economic system at 21 mpg metropolis/27 freeway and 23 mixed. Clear Fleet Report has intensive expertise driving Subarus, so are assured it is possible for you to to surpass 30 mpg on the freeway.

The usual Symmetrical All-wheel Drive consists of the most recent era of X-Mode which will increase grip and traction in icy, sloppy and off-road situations, including hill ascent and descent management. X-Mode has two techniques with particular person controls for Snow/Filth and Deep

Snow/Mud settings. Hill Descent Management comes on robotically when the system senses the necessity. It labored completely.

On-Highway Driving Expertise

Our drive on paved surfaces was a mixture of in-town cease and go, mountain roads with sweeping turns, a couple of tight twisties, open highways and rural winery roads. The CVT was clean with the pc defaulting to favor gas economic system, which is ok for metropolis and freeway on a regular basis driving.

Nonetheless, at instances it was essential to make the most of the guide setting and paddles to tug a grade or get up-to-speed rapidly. Since there are not any ‘gears’ in a CVT, utilizing the paddles held the CVT in a rev ratio at about 4,000 rpm and roughly 45 mph when climbing a hill. It was very useful and labored completely.

Some would possibly query the presence of paddle shifters on a non-sporty automotive. Within the case of the Outback Wilderness they had been practical and will probably be much more necessary when its loaded with 4 adults and all their gear headed-out for a weekend journey or pulling a trailer (up-to 3,500 kilos).

Subaru says the suspension is “Off-Highway Tuned,” however don’t assume this implies the on-road driving has been compromised. The 4-wheel impartial suspension is properly tuned to place cornering of all kinds below management with physique lean simply and rapidly managed. We examined it in methods you by no means will by pushing it on corners. The concept was to not break the legislation, however to get a really feel for the way the Outback Wilderness would reply in an emergency scenario with your loved ones onboard.

The steady journey is the results of car dynamics and electrical traction management, lively torque cut up and electronically managed dampers. The electrical power-assisted steering was responsive and exact, delivering a great really feel of the street. Mixed, they accepted every thing we threw at them.

The Outback Wilderness is well-suited for 2 or 4 individuals to hit the street for a weekend journey, for commuting or in-town driving for chauffeuring the children or bread-and-butter runs.

Off-Highway – Time To Get Soiled

Subaru has earned a powerful repute constructing off-road succesful SUVs. The whole lot they provide comes normal with the Subaru Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive system that transfers torque to the wheels that want it, on- or off-road. This lively torque cut up constantly varies front-to-rear based mostly on inputs from acceleration, steering angle and yaw price sensors.

The Outback Wilderness can be outfitted with X-Mode, which provides much more grip and traction for sand, mud and snow. The Wilderness trim has extra off-road functionality over the bottom Outback with a beefed-up suspension, tires, below physique safety, upgraded rear differential and better strategy and departure angles.

An enormous issue for the way nicely a car handles off-road driving is the tires. The Outback Wilderness was shod with Bridgestone Dueler A/T 225/65 all-terrain tires, with raised white lettering, on matte black 17-inch rims. This tire carried out very nicely on the off-road course and offered first rate on-road dealing with for a clean journey. Subaru neatly has included a full-size 17-inch matching spare tire.

The paths we drove on the 19,000-acre Cooley Ranch offered the chance to check the Outback’s readiness to assault steep ascents and descents on various surfaces. The Wilderness bundle is as much as the duty, giving house owners the choice to search out forest service roads and even take-on off-road park trails. Activating X-Mode on the steering wheel, we traversed steep sections of onerous and tender grime and even a little bit of mud when crossing a creek mattress.

The 9.5-inches of floor clearance got here in helpful a number of instances, particularly when utilizing the Hill Descent Management, the place the pc retains the downhill velocity below 12 mph. The Outback Wilderness floor clearance bests its key opponents on this recreation of inches.

• Toyota RAV4 Woodland at 8.1-inches;
• the Honda CR-V TrailSport at 8.2-inches;
• the Hyundai Tucson XRT at 8.3-inches;
• the Nissan Rogue Rock Creek at 8.2-inches and
• the Ford Bronco Sport Badlands at 8.8-inches.

Would we take the 2026 Outlander Wilderness on forest roads and for medium difficult off-roading? We’d with confidence.

Straightforward-To-Perceive Controls

There may be one normal Outback Wilderness inside, with optionally available seat and expertise packages. The bottom Wilderness is supplied with absolutely animal-free inside surfaces and water resistant StarTex (an artificial upholstery materials) in black with copper-colored stitching and the Wilderness emblem embroidered on the entrance seat headrests. It comes with thick rubber all-weather mats and a rubber cargo tray. We put these to good use as driving off-road will get messy and the mats and tray captured the entire gunk we left behind.

The seat possibility bundle has Slate Black nappa leather-based, additionally with copper accent stitching. This bundle is greater than the leather-based seating improve because it features a energy moonroof, 360º encompass view monitor, energy folding exterior mirrors and a 12-way energy adjustable driver’s seat with reminiscence and a leg extension.

The bottom Outback offers the entrance passenger 4-way guide seat changes, however when upping to the Wilderness trim they get 8-way energy changes with warmth and air flow.

The skinny A-pillars, excessive seating place and tall home windows present glorious ahead and facet visibility. The configurable 12.3-inch digital instrument gauge cluster works as an info show for car capabilities. The horizontal 12.1-inch touchscreen homes navigation and, normal on Wilderness fashions, the 12-speaker, 576-watt with sub-woofer Harman Kardon sound system for AM/FM HD and SiriusXM radio, wi-fi Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. USB-A and C ports and wi-fi telephone charging are normal.

The rear seat’s head, shoulder and leg room was ample for 2 adults, three in a pinch. Comfort options features a fold down armrest with cup holders, heated outboard seats and USB-C cost ports.

You bought gear? The Subaru Outback Wilderness will eat it up because the cargo space is urging to be packed for a weekend street journey. With the 60:40 cut up rear seat upright space for storing is 42.8 inches, when folded it grows to 75.9 inches. The widest level between the wheels is 43.3 inches and the peak is 34.1 inches measured to the panoramic moonroof. There are a number of cup and bottle holders with the biggest able to holding a 32-ounce container. Restroom breaks in your street journey might be frequent.

Enhanced Rugged Exterior

The Outback exterior design is boxier total than the outgoing mannequin with a flatter roof, a steeper rake to the rear raise gate glass and quick entrance and rear overhangs. The brand new design consists of Wilderness-only cues of anodized copper accents on the physique and roof rail tie-down factors, redesigned facet rocker panel safety and cladding, a horizontal off-road truck-like entrance grille, vertical headlights, black hood decal, fog lights and utterly redesigned entrance and rear bumpers and twin entrance and rear tow factors. The outside energy mirrors are heated as are the windshield wipers for de-icing.

If you’re placing the 9.5 inches of floor clearance to work, you’ll respect the Outback Wilderness’ enhanced fender brush guard cladding, although it’s additionally helpful when encountering a wayward buying cart. Cladding can be discovered throughout the entrance and rear fascia.

The Outback Wilderness is prepared for some severe tenting, that includes ladder-style roof rails with load capability rankings of 800-pounds static (possibly for 2 adults and enormous canines in a tent), laterally (for an awning) of 220-pounds. The dynamic roof cargo ranking is 220-pounds. To make loading roof cargo simpler, new for 2026 are built-in rope tie-down hooks within the rack rails.

Exterior colours obtainable at no extra price, on both the Outback or Outback Wilderness, are Crystal Black Silica, Crimson Pink Pearl, Crystal White Pearl, Magnetite Grey Metallic, Ice Silver Metallic and Sapphire Blue Pearl. Deep Emerald Inexperienced Pearl and River Rock Pearl are $395 further. Geyser Blue, at no premium, is completely obtainable on the Wilderness.

The ability hatch, with LED tail lights, has a small lip spoiler and a wiper. New this 12 months are raise gate gear rests to tie-down skis and snowboards with out scratching the paint.

Security and Comfort

The Outback Wilderness comes with lively and passive superior driver assistamce techniques (ADAS) which might be all a part of the EyeSight system. Security expertise consists of a number of airbags, superior adaptive cruise management, automated pre-collision braking and throttle administration, emergency cease help, freeway lively lane change help and lane departure warning. Within the case of an accident or different emergency, the Starlink Related Companies characteristic will place a name to emergency providers.

Security options additionally embody blind spot monitoring with lane change help, a 360-degree digicam and Security Exit Alert that notifies occupants, earlier than exiting the car, of obstacles and pedestrians with an audible and visible warning. There may be additionally a rear seat reminder to test yet another time earlier than exiting to make sure no youngsters or canines have been left behind.

Extra comfort options embody twin zone automated local weather management, rear imaginative and prescient digicam, push button begin/cease, distant keyless entry, steering wheel with audio and Bluetooth management switches, tire strain monitoring system and 4-wheel disc anti-lock brakes.

Pricing and Availability

The 2026 Subaru Outback Wilderness, assembled in Gunma, Japan, rolls into sellers starting in early 2026. The bottom costs, together with the $1,450 vacation spot and supply price, ranges from $46,445 to $50,535. Subaru has the complete pricing and choices.

Observations: 2026 Subaru Outback Wilderness

The 2026 Outback Wilderness must be well-liked with loyal Subaru house owners, plus many ready to personal an Outback for the primary time. The Outback Wilderness proprietor is more likely to take part in out of doors actions and hobbies comparable to tenting, climbing, fishing and backpacking. They’re into kayaking, biking, cross nation and/or mountain biking, mountaineering, snowboarding and snowboarding. Subaru’s analysis reveals 58% are canine house owners and three% personal chickens. Does this sound such as you?

Ultimately the 2026 Outback Wilderness will fill the wants for these wanting a completely succesful weekend journey SUV that may additionally deal with a commute and household in-town errands.

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Story by John Faulkner. Images by John Faulkner and Subaru.