For 2026, the Subaru Outback focused on protein intake and pre-workout drinks. This once-perfectly-functional and, frankly, nearly perfect wagon sized up to a more crossover-like height and weight. Competitors include its sibling, the Forester, as well as crossovers like the Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V.
2026 Subaru Outback Pricing, Specs, and Release Date
- What’s New for the 2026 Subaru Outback
- Design
- Powertrain
- Interior
- Technology
- Safety
- Pricing and Release Date
- Further Research
What’s New for the 2026 Subaru Outback
The Subaru Outback is fully redesigned for 2026, entering its seventh generation. If you’re lamenting the Outback's departure from the station wagon segment, you can come sit by us. As a crossover SUV, the Outback abandons a nerdy-yet-nostalgic market that’s now populated exclusively by European luxury vehicles, and it moves on from an identity that helped put Subaru on the map.
Design
The Outback grows taller by 2 inches, as well as more square, all but fully abandoning its pretense of being a station wagon. That said, the Outback’s new dimensions and updated styling still have a familiar look and feel, rugged and ready to take the family on new adventures, and its 8.7 inches of ground clearance give it a go-anywhere vibe. The styling includes plenty of grayish-black plastic cladding along with features like beefy wheels and new, more upright front and rear fascias for a fresher take on the Outback’s new era. Subaru emphasizes that practicality is still first and foremost the Outback’s key personality trait, so these increased dimensions directly translate to more passenger and cargo space. The Outback comes with familiar features, like standard roof rails with crossbar positioners, and is now available with alloy wheel designs up to 19 inches. The Outback Wilderness features unique styling elements and 17-inch wheels with all-terrain tires.
Powertrain
The 2026 Outback comes with an updated version of Subaru’s 2.5-liter four-cylinder boxer engine, rated for 180 horsepower and 178 pound-feet of torque. That comes with a CVT (continuously variable automatic transmission) with manual shift mode. Go for the XT or Wilderness trim to get a 2.4-liter turbo-four, rated for 260 hp and 277 lb-ft. The star, as always, will be Subaru’s standard symmetrical all-wheel-drive (AWD) system, updated with revised X-Mode selectable driving modes and a faster center differential. The Outback also gets updated steering borrowed from the WRX sport sedan.
Interior
The redesigned Outback features the traditional five-passenger layout, but its taller roof improves headroom. New seats also reduce fatigue and are directly mounted to the chassis for less vibration. The cargo area expands to 34.6 cubic feet, two cubes more than its predecessor, and features a wider load floor than competitors along with plenty of interior hooks and cargo tie-downs.
Technology
Subaru equips the 2026 Outback with a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a new 12.1-inch touchscreen with an updated interface. The system comes standard with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and features updates like physical controls for climate settings, new cloud-based voice recognition, a new, less-distracting Calm Mode, and smartphone-based turn-by-turn navigation in a separate display.
Safety
The 2026 Outback will come loaded with new standard safety technology, such as a steering wheel with haptic feedback for faster communication with the driver and a wider-angle pedestrian camera. Newly available features include an updated advanced automatic cruise control system that can automatically slow down to adapt to curvy roads and a new limited hands-free highway driving system. The latest version of Subaru’s standard EyeSight safety package includes adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, and an emergency stop assist system that safely moves the vehicle from traffic and notifies emergency response if the driver is unresponsive.
The 2026 Subaru Outback has not yet been crash-tested by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) or Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), though the brand traditionally prides itself on stellar safety ratings.
Pricing and Release Date
More information about the fully redesigned, seventh-generation 2026 Subaru Outback is yet to come. The redesigned Outback will be available to order and in Subaru dealerships in late 2025. Pricing information, as well as specific details about trim levels, options, and more specifications, will be available closer to its on-sale date.