Many legacy car brands (see what I did there) have a defining era, a decade or so when they were at their absolute best, either down to design, engineering or motorsport prowess. Stick around long enough and they’ll probably have more than one. Some might argue that Subaru’s actually never ended. Reason being that in the 90s, the brand’s stables gave birth to the Impreza, Forester and of course, the Outback. Maybe that’s why the brand has such a long standing community because of the sense of familiarity that their lineup offers.
Don’t get me wrong, keeping a nameplate fresh and relevant for three decades takes a lot of skill, some might argue even more so than putting out a new lineup every 10 years. The Subaru Outback is one such vehicle, born in the early 90s as a Legacy on stilts, it managed to maintain that formula up until this point when the brand’s flagship sedan finally gave up the ghost, leaving the Outback to either die or grow into an SUV.
Naturally, Subaru chose the latter and given the Outback’s iconic status as well as the ongoing boom in SUV sales, it was arguably the right choice on paper. However, this time around, the new model represents the biggest change the Outback has seen in all of its seven generations, so is the recipe still the same at heart?
Let’s address the elephant in the room. A key factor behind the Outback’s evergreen appeal has been its wagon body style and practical proportions. Yes, the new model is now officially an SUV and so larger than the outgoing one, it still prioritizes length rather than height. Measuring in at 4.88m long and 1.72m tall, Subaru have tried their very best to keep it looking like a wagon. Width is a very manageable 1.88m as well, so it will still squeeze through the odd cave opening as it would a narrow multi-storey carpark.
It wasn’t just practicality though, the Outback’s rugged looks also aided in its popularity. This new model checks that box off with plastic cladding around the front, rear, wheel arches and even the bottom of the doors. Speaking of which, the entire door panel opens so you don’t get your trouser legs muddy getting in and out, safe to say that Subaru certainly know their Outback buyers. A point made evident by the ‘ladder style’ roof rails which are not just for decoration, you can actually get a rope around them as well as roof racks etc. It’s got the option of a tow bar as well, rated to 2000kg braked.
Clear to see that while the Outback has become an SUV, it is still geared towards a life that’s lived in the forests or fields rather than a mall carpark, ground clearance is rated at 220mm with approach and departure angles also improved on this new generation vehicle meaning that its claims of ‘going beyond’ will stack up when the terrain gets tough.
Remember that this is still the entry level Outback AWD model for those wanting even more off-road friendly equipment, there are two Wilderness models available that feature improved ground clearance and tech.
It’s not all rough and tumble though because this new vehicle features things like LED headlights and 18 inch alloys with a dark grey finish. There’s a decent variety of colours too, nine in total with this particular vehicle painted in ‘River Rock Pearl’, not the car’s most flattering colour. Personally, I would recommend the ‘Deep Emerald Pearl’ or ‘Brilliant Bronze Metallic’, ‘Crimson Red Pearl’ is not too shabby either!
The changes have been equally aplenty where both the interior layout and technology are concerned.
For those familiar with the Subaru lineup, the biggest noticeable change here is in the central infotainment screen and gauge cluster. Gone is the clunky vertically arranged ‘Starlink’ system, now replaced with a horizontal 12.1 inch infotainment screen, 2.5x times faster processing speed too so they say! A traditional analogue cluster has also been foregone in place of this 12.3 inch LCD unit. Thankfully though despite there being more screen real estate, there is still a largely oldschool feel about the cabin. Buttons and knobs for the air conditioning controls are a welcome addition, this entry level Outback AWD also gets heated seats for both front occupants. There’s a small quadrant of buttons on the central tunnel, the most important one being that which deactivates the automatic start-stop function.
Turn over to the steering wheel and this is where the sense of familiarity returns for the Subaru faithful. The audio controls and adaptive cruise buttons are virtually unchanged from before, having the ‘X-Mode’ shortcut button on the steering is a welcome feature although this entry level model gets only one mode. Otherwise, the cabin is easy to get used to, the synthetic leather seats are comfortable and you do get generous soft-lined door cubbies for added practicality.
Migrating to an SUV body style also means access to the rear seats has been improved as has space in the cabin, all occupants now enjoy additional headroom especially. Boot space is particularly generous too at 530L with a neat ‘hammock’ that doubles up as a parcel shelf and can be draped over the bumper for a clean seat!
Subaru’s famous ‘EyeSight’ suite of safety technology has also taken a leap forward, now integrating a monocular camera and front radar for cyclist/pedestrian detection. ‘Pre-Collision Braking’, ‘Side Alert Assist’, ‘Emergency Driving Stop System’, ‘Emergency Lane Keep Assist’, the list goes on! Nine air bags and an improved structural shell also add to the level on safety on offer in this seventh generation Outback.
Once again it’s a story of fresh versus familiar because while the interior has seen some drastic changes over the previous generation vehicle, press the start button and the ‘boxer beat’ will take you back in time! Admittedly, the Outback is a tried and tested nameplate so why not stick with a combination that has done the same for Subaru through the years. This entry level model is powered by the enduring 2.5L ‘flat four’ engine mated to a ‘Lineartronic CVT’ which delivers power to all four wheels through a ‘symmetrical AWD’ system. How often have you heard that combination on a Subaru but there’s good reason for that, it just works! Yes, the engine takes a while to settle after a cold start but power delivery is relatively smooth once warm and in the event of a front impact, that engine is mounted low so it doesn’t go straight into the driver/passenger.
Power is rated at a 137kW with 254Nm of torque on tap, note that this model is non-turbocharged so figures are down on the Wilderness model which adds a turbo onto the slightly smaller (0.1L) engine. And yes, like all the Subarus of old that have used some variation of this engine, this one too is thirsty. Efficiency is rated around 8.1-8.5L/100km, my testing returned an average figure of 9.8L/100km. Yes, while that doesn’t make for the greatest reading given fuel prices at the moment, I recall one morning where I drove to a farm on a sealed road, drove up a long gravelly driveway and then climbed a very steep, wet grassy hill, all on road tyres and without breaking a sweat, there’s not many SUVs around that can do that!
Indeed, the ability to “go beyond” is a key attribute of the Outback as is its general nature on the go, the suspension has been brilliantly set up for New Zealand’s roads, soaking up the rougher surface whilst being comfortable over speedhumps etc. It seems to particularly excel on gravel and loose surfaces which admittedly make up the majority of our country’s “roads.”
The Verdict
Surviving thirty years in these great southern lands is no easy feat! Now in its seventh generation, the Subaru Outback has gone the way of a full blown SUV but still maintains the key ingredients that made it such a success. Styling is wagon-esque, looks are tough and backed up by genuine off-road capability. The interior is a comfortable place to be and with improvements to both the technology as well as safety features, it’s a step up from the previous model in more ways than one. The question then begs, is this SUV still worthy of the Outback name, my findings would have me say yes, it is!
2026 Subaru Outback AWD: 5/5
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Vehicle courtesy of Subaru New Zealand. Photographs and words by Matthew D’Souza.
