Subaru, an automaker that usually marches to the beat of its own drum, is joining the mainstream with its newly revealed 2026 Outback. The latest iteration of the popular nameplate that debuted in 1996 finally does away with the lifted-wagon look in favor of a more traditional crossover form factor, draped in styling that ranges from a bit fussy on the standard Outback to utterly overwrought on the likewise-new Outback Wilderness.
Luckily, the new crossover also gets more standard safety equipment, a new interior with a larger 12.1-inch touchscreen, and of course, an updated version of the automaker's signature Symmetrical all-wheel drive.
The 2026 Outback adopts a bluff front end and taller roofline befitting its full-blown crossover status, with a beltline reminiscent of the 2025 Forester. The automaker's first modern application of split headlights shows up on the front end, with unusual, T-shaped driving lights appearing above appealing LED projectors. A slim mustache of trim housing the Subaru emblem connects the daytime running lights, below which sits a square grille opening and plastic-clad front bumper.
Go for the flagship Wilderness trim, and you get a unique fascia consisting of orange-accented projector fog lamps, brush guard-inspired bumper overriders, and a "SUBARU" wordmark across the grille instead of the company's six-star emblem.
From the side, the new Outback's newly chunky C-pillar borrows a note from the Land Rover Defender with a body-colored piece of trim floating in an island of glass and black plastic. The new design element replaces six generations of seamless greenhouse openings, pushing the popular crossover in a new styling direction. The incoming Outback also dials up Subaru's recent trend toward fussy wheel arch extensions, with the front fenders incorporating a WRX-esque vent outlet and the rears comprising four separate pieces of plastic while also engulfing the fuel door like an amoeba.
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The divoted plastic D-pillar trim and bold LED taillight design provide some visual interest as the car departs – ditto the "OUTBACK" badging across the middle of the hatch, above a black plastic rear bumper that looks commendably resilient to dings and scuffs.
With tougher-looking rocker panel trim, white-letter all-terrain tires, and off-road lights incorporated into the hatch, the Wilderness is even more aggressive than the standard Outback. The trim's orange-gold accents abound, and they look as appealing contrasted against the Geyser Blue paint as ever. The 2026 Outback Wilderness has the same 9.5 inches of ground clearance as before, which opens up lots of daylight beneath the car for a rough-and-tumble stance that feels very appropriate to the brand.
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But while Subarus have always faced both praise and criticism for their distinctive, sometimes homely designs, the latest Outback takes things a bit too far. Very little in the design is informed by previous-generation Outbacks, and it resorts to overused trends like unnecessarily shaped plastic cladding and wide script logos (especially the Ford Raptor–inspired front grille).
While the transmogrification from "the world's first sport-utility wagon" to square-shaped crossover may have been inevitable, the Outback could have kept some of its old design cues intact. We're sure Subaru's legendarily loyal customers will still return, though, because there are...
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