Tough new 2026 Subaru Outback Wilderness unveiled

Fitted with all-terrain tyres and fancy new adaptive dampers, Subaru has unveiled its ‘most capable and advanced’ Outback yet at the 2025 New York International Auto Show – the Subaru Outback Wilderness.

The 2026 Subaru Outback Wilderness is essentially what happens when Subaru engineers look at their already-capable Outback and say: “Let’s make it tougher”.

Expected to arrive in Australia by late 2026, the new Outback Wilderness stands proud with 241mm (9.5 inches) of ground clearance, as the mud-plugging variant continues Subaru’s mission to blur the line between crossover and actual off-roader.

The company has improved its approach angle to 20 degrees (up from 18), breakover angle to 21.2 degrees (up from 19.4), and departure angle to 22.5 degrees (up from 21.4).

In layman’s terms: it can climb over bigger stuff without scraping its belly.

For those keeping score at home, that’s more ground clearance than many full-size SUVs that cost a lot more – including the Toyota Prado Altitude, which has a 221mm ride height.

The most significant technical upgrade is the introduction of electronically controlled dampers that continuously adjust to terrain conditions – what Subaru poetically describes as a ‘skyhook’ effect.

These smart dampers detect what’s happening beneath the wheels and adjust accordingly, which means your coffee might have a chance of actually staying in its cup even when you’re bouncing down a fire trail.

Subaru’s marketing materials stop short of claiming the suspension can predict the future, but they imply it comes pretty close.

Under the bonnet lurks Subaru’s tried-and-tested turbocharged 2.4-litre boxer engine (194kW/376Nm), delivering enough grunt to power through mud, snow and the occasional shopping centre car park.

This is paired with a CVT transmission offering an ‘8-speed manual mode’, which is Subaru’s way of saying “we know you miss real gears, so here’s something that sort of feels like them”.

Paddle shifters are included for those who want to pretend they’re driving a rally car while crawling through the car park at Bunnings.

In terms of optics, the Wilderness variant wears its outdoor credentials on its sleeve with model-specific styling elements. These include ladder-type roof rails strong enough to support a 363kg (800lb) camping tent (static load) – perfect for those who prefer to sleep far away from snakes and goannas.

Big, bold Subaru lettering on the grille and anodised copper-finish accents are joined by meaningful additions like 17-inch matte black alloy wheels wrapped in Bridgestone Dueler all-terrain tyres, reinforced underbody protection, round LED hexagonal fog lights, side cladding and an expanded front bumper.

Inside, the Wilderness comes standard with water-resistant StarTex upholstery, ideal for when you return to your car looking like you just fell into a muddy bog. Meanwhile, for the first time, Subaru is offering Nappa leather as an option, for overlanders who prefer to rough it in luxury.

The tech package includes a 12.1-inch touchscreen and 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, ensuring you can get thoroughly lost in high definition.

The cargo area has increased 57 litres over its predecessor and new utility hooks can hold up to 2kg each, for hanging wet clothes, camping lanterns or the hopes and dreams of actually going off-road more than twice a year.

The 2026 Subaru Outback Wilderness will arrive at US dealerships in early 2026, manufactured in Japan rather than the US.

Pricing will be announced closer to launch but expect to pay a premium for the privilege of owning a vehicle capable of conquering mountain passes that’ll probably only be used for grocery runs and the occasional gravel driveway.

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