Starting its seventh-generation for 2026, the Subaru Outback offers more screens inside, a quieter ride, more driving aids, and the same powertrain choices.

Subaru recently revealed the seventh-generation, 2026 Outback at the New York International Auto Show. Noticeably departing from the outgoing Outback’s styling cues, the latest one stands taller and looks boxier. More akin to the Forester than the last Outback, the new one shows a more overtly crossover-SUV-like crossover SUV design.

NEW SCREENS INSIDE…OF COURSE

Manufacturers continue to digitize the interior at impressive rates and Subaru is no exception. The 2026 Outback now includes a standard 12.3-in digital instrument cluster as well as an also standard 12.1-in center display. And the latter connects wirelessly to your smartphone via Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Again, all of it standard.

Subaru also reconfigured the center console, swapping out the portrait mounted center display for the more traditional landscape setup. And, fortunately, also added physical buttons and knobs for climate control. The system worked fine as part of the touchscreen of the old display, but this setup makes it easier to intuitively change settings as needed.

Traditional improvements abound as well. The Outback now measures two inches taller at the roofline, which provides additional headroom for both the first and second rows. It also helps provide an additional two cu. ft. of cargo space, 34.6 cubic feet behind the second-row according to Subaru.

Engineering work went into quieting the cabin, too. First, Subaru layered more sound absorbing materials into the headliner to keep out road noise. And tweaks to the sides and roof rails helped mitigate wind noise. If you get thirsty while enjoying the silence, Subaru installed bigger cupholders in the new Outback.

NEW LOOK

Taking steps towards Forester levels of boxiness, the Outback looks more squared off than before. It gets closer to a traditional crossover shape, as opposed to the tall station wagon look that I got used to.

Up front, Subaru filled the front fascia with low mounted fog lights, separate main beams, and daytime running lights just below the hood line.  You also see several layers and patterns centered around a larger grille. Honestly, the Forester looks cleaner between the two.

Highlighting the rear are taillights that run across the full width of the Outback, only interrupted by the Subaru logo hanging out in the middle.

The boxy and textured shape continues in profile. The main attraction here is the strong set roof rails. Subaru says it handles up to 800 lbs. of static load and 220 lbs. while driving down the road. The Outback Wilderness used to exclusively offer such strong mounts up top. No more.

Moreover, Subaru says that the sides of the crossbars will handle up to 220 lbs. as well, allowing you to mount one half of a clothesline or a hammock. Nice touch.

HANDS FREE DRIVING?

Subaru also put a lot of work into the latest version of its Eyesight suite of driving aids, including a bit of sustained hands-free driving. According to Subaru, it will work at speeds up to 85 mph, on designated highways, and only on higher trims of Outback. The system sounds much closer to Nissan’s ProPilot 2.1 than GM’s Super Cruise. I look forward to trying it out soon.

POWERTRAIN CONSISTENCY

Less change occurred under the hood. Essentially, you’ll get the 2.5-liter flat-four engine of the sixth-generation Subaru Forester in the Premium, Limited, and Touring Outback models. It makes 180 HP and 178 lb.-ft of torque and comes with a CVT and, of course, all-wheel-drive (AWD).

The Limited XT, Touring XT, and Wilderness trims swap in a turbocharged 2.4-liter flat-four engine. It ups output to 260 HP and 277 lb.-ft of torque, just as the last generation Outback Wilderness did. And they also make use of a CVT and the same symmetrical AWD system.

OUTDOORSY CHASSIS

While the base Outback falls short of the Wilderness, you still get 8.7-in of ground clearance, more than many crossovers on the road. The seventh-generation Outback also takes the dual-pinion electric steering rack from the WRX parts bin. As a result, Subaru claims the Outback gets more direct and responsive steering. Looking forward to test that claim.

WILDERNESS

Or go full bore and get the Outback Wilderness. Like before, you get an additional 0.8-in of ground clearance, 9.5-in. Subaru makes better use of that clearance now thanks to new adjustable shock absorbers. Other than that, it’s largely the same as before, mechanically speaking anyway. Though work went into the AWD system that goes into every Outback. It’s now capable of faster center differential lockup. As well as a way to better limit wheelspin.

Back to exclusively Wilderness: You get 17-in Bridgestone Dueler all-terrain tires, dual-mode X-mode, and superior approach/breakover/departure angles, 20/21.2/22/5 degrees, respectfully.

Styling wise, several unique features help the Wilderness stand out. That includes an easy to clean interior upholstery, among other things. It largely maintains the Wilderness look we first saw on the 2022 Outback Wilderness.  

CONCLUSION

If you want to check out the new Outback, expect to choose between one of six models. Subaru starts with the Premium trim as the base trim for the Outback, then it goes to the Limited, Touring, Limited XT, Touring XT, and Wilderness. Most will arrive at dealers late this year, with the Wilderness to follow in early 2026.

As that time nears, Subaru will release more detailed information on the Outback and finally let us know how much it will cost. Given the uncertainty around how tariffs will affect price, that may be for the best. As I learn more, I’ll be sure to share. And I look forward to the chance to review one.