The redesigned 2026 Subaru Outback was named to Autotrader’s Best New Cars of 2026 list, earning recognition for its cargo utility, driving dynamics, and bold new styling. The award arrived as the model’s first-quarter sales fell 32.2 percent compared to the same period last year.
Subaru sold 27,074 Outbacks through the first three months of 2026, down from 39,934 units in the first quarter of 2025. The outgoing model achieved 157,716 annual sales in 2025, making the sharp early decline notable for what has historically been one of Subaru’s highest-volume vehicles.
The redesigned Outback starts at $34,995 and is available now in Premium, Limited, Touring, Limited XT, Touring XT, and Wilderness trim levels. The model represents the most comprehensive styling update in the Outback’s history, with new sheetmetal, raised ladder-type roof rails, and at least 8.7 inches of ground clearance across the lineup. The Outback Wilderness variant pushes ground clearance to 9.5 inches and adds electronically adjustable dampers tuned for on- and off-road use.
Power comes from two SUBARU BOXER engines. The base 2.5-liter naturally aspirated four-cylinder produces 180 horsepower. The XT trims use a 2.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder rated at 260 horsepower. Both pair with a Lineartronic CVT and Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive with X-MODE Dual Mode System, Subaru’s terrain-management feature that adjusts throttle response, transmission shift logic, and brake vectoring for snow, dirt, and deep-snow/mud conditions.
Inside, all trim levels receive a 12.1-inch touchscreen for infotainment and a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster, a departure from the outgoing model’s split-screen approach. Subaru’s EyeSight Driver Assist Technology is standard across the range. For the first time, Highway Hands Free Assist is available on Touring and Touring XT trims, functioning at speeds up to 85 mph on compatible highways.
Cargo capacity is rated at 34.6 cubic feet behind the second row, which seats three across. Fold the rear bench and the Outback’s wagon-SUV shape delivers 75.7 cubic feet, competitive with two-row midsize crossovers that lack the Outback’s ground clearance and standard all-wheel drive.
Autotrader’s Best New Cars list focuses on vehicles that are groundbreaking or offer significant value, with a base price under $100,000 and availability within nine months. The 2026 Outback shares the list with the Cadillac VISTIQ, Ford Maverick Lobo, Honda Passport, Hyundai Palisade, Lucid Gravity, Mazda CX-5, Nissan LEAF, Tesla Model Y, and Toyota RAV4.
Jason Fogelson, managing editor at Autotrader, praised the Outback for continuing to define the segment it created more than 30 years ago. Jeff Walters, Subaru of America’s president and chief operating officer, framed the model as combining the capability and versatility of bigger SUVs with the convenience and affordability of smaller crossovers.
The rhetoric does not yet match the sales pace. Whether the redesign’s comprehensive update can reverse the early trend will depend on how buyers respond to the new styling and technology package over the remainder of the model year. The Outback’s historical strength has been its ability to hold a middle ground that competitors either overshoot or undershoot. The first quarter suggests that ground has shifted, or that Subaru is asking buyers to wait while the redesign finds its footing.
Source: Subaru. Images courtesy of Subaru.
