Our New Yearlong Subaru Outback Wilderness Is Ready for Dirt—and Debate
It’s more rugged, more capable, and more polarizing than ever. We’re putting it through a yearlong test to see if it’s worth it.
Going off-roading, taking road trips, or simply tackling everyday chores are all challenges the 2026 Subaru Outback Wilderness was built for and is happy to take on. This Outback marks the first second-generation Wilderness model, so we knew when it was time to order a replacement for our yearlong review Subaru Forester, the only possible answer was the 2026 Subaru Outback Wilderness. Our newest yearlong review vehicle has plenty of adventures ahead, as we’re planning to visit some cool spots across the U.S. and really put it to the test. Is the new Outback Wilderness a better midsize SUV? Did Subaru learn any lessons from its first Wilderness model? And are there any downsides to choosing the Wilderness over other Outback trims? These are all questions we hope to answer over the next year.
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But First, More on Our Outback Wilderness
The Wilderness sits in the middle of the Outback’s lineup, right between the Limited XT and the Touring. The base price of the 2026 Subaru Outback Wilderness is $46,445, which is just below the average transaction price of a new vehicle in the U.S. Similar to other Outbacks, the Wilderness only has two packages available—one with navigation, a power moonroof, and a 360-degree camera view for $2,045 or another that combines all of that plus Nappa leather seats, a 12-way power driver’s seat, an 8-way power front passenger seat, ventilated front seats, and power-folding mirrors for $4,090. We opted for the more expensive option, putting the sticker of our Outback Wilderness at $50,535. That’s certainly not cheap, but time will tell whether that’s a fair value in today’s pricey market.
Overall, our Outback Wilderness is well equipped. The standard 12.1-inch infotainment screen is a massive upgrade over the previous model. Gone is the vertical touchscreen with the slow infotainment system. Now, the infotainment screen fires up quickly and connects with your phone before you’ve even put your seat belt on, something we truly appreciate. The driver also gets a digital instrument cluster in the form of a 12.3-inch screen, which can display full-screen maps from the navigation system or your phone’s favorite maps. We’re also happy to see physical buttons for climate controls and a volume knob, all of which are easy for the driver to reach. And winters shouldn’t be too harsh thanks to heated front and rear seats and a heated steering wheel.
Like all Outback Wilderness models, our long-termer comes equipped with 17-inch matte black wheels with all-terrain tires, adaptive suspension, 9.5 inches of ground clearance, a roof that can support up to 800 pounds of static load capacity, skidplates, and unique bumpers with improved approach and departure angles. The Wilderness’ most important mission is to be a great overlanding vehicle, and all these add-ons help it achieve that. Of course, Subaru’s standard all-wheel drive is included and has been updated this year with new software and a new center differential that should react quicker when it notices wheel slip.
While there are two engines available in the Outback lineup, the Wilderness only gets the most powerful of the two. We’re not complaining. The 2.4-liter turbocharged flat-four engine makes 260 hp and 277 lb-ft of torque and is mated to a CVT. I’m personally not a fan of continuously variable transmissions, but I have to say Subaru has found a way of making them work without feeling stressed. And after a few days of driving it, I’ve been pleased with its responsiveness. We’ll reserve our full judgment and report back on how it does over the next few months, but so far, it’s been decent.
Something we’re not looking forward to is visiting the gas station often. The EPA rates the Outback Wilderness at 21/27/23 mpg city/highway/combined, which is fairly mediocre. Of course, the all-terrain tires, more powerful engine, and all-wheel drive don’t help with this, but it’s the sacrifice we make for a rugged-looking ride. Its 18-gallon gas tank should deliver around 410 miles of range.
