Next to the Impreza, the Outback is one of the most revered names in Subaru’s back catalogue. Chances are you probably have one or two which reside in your neighbourhood and you probably had a friend, family member or work colleague who owned one.
Six generations of Outback have passed and now in 2026, we have the seventh instalment of Subaru’s Outback legacy (see what I did there??). Its sports new looks and revised tech, but does it still feel and perform like an Outback should?
The range starts at $54,990 for the entry level Outback AWD at tops out at the $74,990 Outback AWD Wilderness Apex. In between you have the Outback AWD Premium, regular Outback Wilderness and my test car, the Outback AWD touring. Retailing at $64,990 + ORCs, the Outback AWD Touring is smack-bang in the middle of the lineup.
The heart of the Outback AWD Touring is Subaru’s 2.5L horizontally opposed boxer four-cylinder engine mated to a Subaru Lineatronic CVT transmission and of course, Subaru’s celebrated symmetrical all-wheel-drive system. Power sits at around 137kW and torque at 254Nm @3700rpm. Subaru claim combined fuel consumption figures of 8.1L/100km.
Outside the seventh generation still retains the classic wagon silhouette we have come to most closely associate with the Outback as a whole. The shape is familiar, but the latest gen is by far the edgiest and most muscular looking Outback yet. It is also higher and wider, with a taller stance bordering on SUV territory, ideal given its off-road abilities.
A new nose houses a more “square-jawed” front lip, new LED daytime running lights (DRLs) and blacked out front grill. Either side you have a new set of 18-inch alloys, black accents around the wheel arches and lower doors and at the back you have a revised taillight cluster with the now popular full-width LED light bar, block letting “Outback” logo and further lower black accents to reflect the model’s durability. On the whole, I reckon Subaru have done well to blend heritage with a minimalist and modern design.
Inside its very much an Outback but with dashes of new tech. Straight away you notice the 12.3” full LCD instrument cluster which is rather slick. You can cycle through a variety of different screen options from minimalist to conventional analogue dials. Next door to this is the new 12.1” touchscreen infotainment system. It is far sharper and more update than the system before it and not so big to the point of being a distraction while on the move. There is also a good mix of touchscreen and physical buttons to play with. The revised controls for the dual-zone climate control are all intuitive and a nice touch too.
Subaru have thrown just about everything at the new Outback in the form of standard kit. The latest generation of Subaru’s Eyesight Technology is here with a suite of active and passive safety features. Things like Pre Collision Braking, Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Keep Assist, Lane Centering Function, Speed Sign Recognition, Emergency Drive Stop and Emergency Steering.
Also, on hand for the AWD Touring is wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, wireless phone charging, heated and ventilated electric nappa leather seats, heated rear leather seats, heated steering wheel Sat Nav, panoramic 360-degree view reversing camera, USB A and C charging ports fore and aft, electric sunroof, power tailgate, blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert and a revamped Driver Monitoring System with facial recognition. The 12-speaker Harman/Kardon sound system fitted to the AWD Touring provides an audio extravaganza as you could well imagine.
If one were to describe the level of space for those in the rear, words like “cavernous” and “capacious” would be rather apt. Not only is head room considerable and the rear seats are plush and supportive, the rear legroom is very good indeed. There is just so much room to slob out back here. Entry and exit for passengers is also relatively easy and open the power tailgate and lo and behold, you have 513L of boot space.
Move off and the familiar boxer engine blend of mechanical soundtrack is present, but it is by far the most refined sounding Outback yet. In fact, when you dial it back to a comfortable suburban saunter, it provides quiet subtlety and the ride is rather comfortable too.
This new sense of refinement is further amplified when you hit the motorway. While during its time in my care, I was unable to leave Canterbury, but in my minds eye I could imagine traversing the long, wide and twisting roads which riddle the South Otago wilderness, both on and off tar seal, in the new Outback.
However, while the driver monitoring system which among other things is on hand to remind you to keep your eyes ahead towards said tar seal or rough terrain, I found it to be rather too intrusive. It only takes for you to take your eyes off to observe the driving data or ever-so briefly scan your whereabouts on the navigation system and it will “bing” and “flash” to the point of annoyance. I know why its there but sometimes I wish it wasn’t. No biggie however as you can easily switch it off.
Now it wouldn’t be a proper road test of a new Subaru Outback without getting a tad down and dirty. Therefore, turning that new square-jawed front end towards at the dry riverbed and surrounding rough roads adjacent to the Waimakariri river was essential.
While X-Mode doesn’t have as many in-depth off-road modes in the Touring, you must pay a premium for the Outback Wilderness for dual-mode capability, it is still immensely capable. Capable of distributing torque evenly and adjusts the mapping for the Lineatronic transmission and channelling revs and power to where needed most, sand, gravel and rocky surfaces are still able to be dispensed with and dispensed with well.
The seventh-generation Subaru Outback takes the go-anywhere mantle of its predecessors and dresses it up more creature comforts, added practicality and a new look which makes the icon the biggest statement yet to carry the Outback name. There is lots to like here.
RATING: 8/10
