2026 Subaru Outback Review
2026 Subaru Outback XT
Suggested Price: Est. $41,000 USD
Engine Specs: 2.4L Turbocharged SUBARU BOXER® 4-Cylinder
Horsepower/Torque: 260 hp / 277 lb-ft
Fuel Efficiency (Observed): 19 MPG
— Guy who did stuff: Yousef Alvi : Photography : Manufacturer
Say farewell to the much loved, station-wagoney Outback. While this new generation retains some identifying styling cues, the tall, straight greenhouse eschews the classic wagon proportions for a more suitable, mainstream crossover identity. Yes, it’s an end of an era. An era that solidified Subaru’s quirky demeanor to the buying masses, but it was also time to face reality. In a world denominated by Crossovers, trying to be the ‘different’ alternative could only get you so far, and with that mindset… the 2026 Subaru Outback was born.
It’s not all doom and gloom though. This new Outback is utterly fantastic in all the ways that matter to a family car buyer. So much so, it wipes the floor with most of its contemporary rivals thanks to gigantic interior room, huge cargo capacity, civilized NVH (Noise, Vibration, and Harshness), and a superb ride quality. These are, after all, the qualities modern-day crossover buyers are actually looking for!
I say a job well done to Subaru in completely nailing all of the above. So much in fact, if you don’t even look at the Outback XT as a worthwhile alternative to the Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V, or even the new Hyundai Tucson, you need to get your head examined. This vehicle delivers utility and comfort in spades, wrapped in the standard Subaru symmetrical All-Wheel Drive package that everyone expects. The engineering prowess shown in the packaging alone is astounding, but the story isn't purely one of triumph.
The Outback is not without faults, though. Let’s start off with the continuously variable transmission (CVT). While it does an admirable impersonation of a traditional slushbox in daily driving, there is no hiding its rubber band nature when you push it. For most people, that is absolutely fine; the CVT is so transparent in the driving experience that you would be hard-pressed to tell it’s a rubber band transmission. Unfortunately, it’s paired to the potent turbo Boxer 4-cylinder engine with the infamous Subaru ECU programming. That means noticeable and dramatic turbo lag, followed by the entertaining turbo woosh when it finally spools up, and the subsequent surge to redline.
All of that dynamic character in a WRX is utterly fantastic—a fun, soulful, and responsive driving experience. But bolt that specific power delivery characteristic to a CVT, and it makes for an uneven, confusing, and quite maddening experience in the 2026 Subaru Outback XT. The transmission logic struggles to coordinate the turbo's sudden onrush of torque, resulting in the car feeling hesitant one moment and ballistic the next. The saving grace is that it only really becomes an issue at more than 70% throttle application. If you’re one of the annoyingly high percentage of people who are afraid to take your vehicle to redline and keep under 50% throttle… you’d be fine. But for idiots like me who actually want to access the 260 horsepower, it’s frustrating. It feels like the car is actively fighting your right foot.
Our relatively green engine, with only 1,000 miles on the clock, also yielded an ‘okay’ 19 MPG in mixed driving. Which, nowadays, is not good at all, especially given the vehicle's segment rivals routinely hit the mid-twenties. I say this again, the engine was still green, and after another 1,000 miles or so, I’d expect the MPG to rise to around the 22 MPG area, but this initial 19 MPG figure was worth mentioning regardless, given the current price of fuel.
Moving back to the good side, the ride quality of the Outback XT is genuinely class-leading. It is compliant, absorptive, and serene. There is no other mainstream crossover that delivers such a satisfyingly comfortable ride as this Outback XT. So much in fact that the recently reviewed Lexus NX we drove a few weeks ago pales in dramatic fashion compared to the comfort delivered by this 2026 Outback. Subaru has dialed in the suspension geometry and damping to perfection, providing a floaty, premium feel without being overly soft or uncontrolled.
The interior room is another triumph of packaging and engineering might. The second-row legroom can be best described as immense. So much that an average-sized adult can easily cross their legs with ease with room to spare! Subaru did not sacrifice cargo room for interior volume either. The rear cargo room of the 2026 Outback can be best described as…. err… huge! So much that it has literally the same amount of room as a mid-sized SUV like the Chevy Tahoe (third row up…obviously). The best way I can describe the gargantuan interior room is this: the Outback can easily swallow a 10-foot, expandable ladder with ease and still have room for a couple of suitcases.
Honestly, my only quibble with the 2026 Subaru Outback XT, beyond the fussy powertrain, is its styling. The previous generation was handsome and traditional in the best sense of the word. This new one… err, not. The passé and annoying split headlight design that everyone now has is in full display here but somehow a bit worse, featuring three distinct and separate lighting elements—the DRL, the main lights, and the fog lights—making the entire front end look like an ADHD-crazed design language. The rear of the Outback is dominated by a full-length taillight that looks exactly like a RAV4. The tall center greenhouse is so tall and straight that it looks just off. The best way I can describe it is that it looks like a vehicle from Pixar’s Cars.
Ultimately, the 2026 Subaru Outback XT is a conflicting machine. It's brilliant in its foundational duties—comfort, utility, and space—but frustrating in its execution of performance and visual identity. You must decide whether class-leading ride quality and Tahoe-level cargo space outweigh the polarizing looks and the maddening marriage of the turbo engine and the CVT.
Yousef Alvi
