The Subaru Outback has long been one of the most recognizable vehicles on the road, and everyone understands its appeal. It’s a safe and reliable family car with the off-road prowess of a mountain goat, but no need to advertise that fact with overly aggressive styling. It kept its roots obvious – it started life as a wagon and reached maturity as a wagon-like SUV.
The Outback has a cult following and is consistently one of the 25 best-selling vehicles in America.
But Subaru took a risk this year. The company redesigned the Outback completely, giving it a boxier look more in keeping with the midsize SUV class where it competes.
The Outback has the same virtues it has long had, with a spacious cabin, Subaru’s well-reviewed symmetrical all-wheel drive (AWD) system, and the planted driving feel of a low-mounted boxer engine. But it looks radically different than ever before.
It took some of us in the KBB newsroom time to get over the surprise. But we’ve spent some time with the new Outback and have come to like it a lot.
The top of the Outback lineup is the Touring XT. It features mechanical improvements over other models (chiefly a more powerful engine) and added creature comforts like heated and ventilated seats lined in supple Nappa leather.
The Outback Touring XT carries an MSRP of $47,995 and a $1,450 destination fee, for a total sticker price of $49,840.
It comes standard with almost every feature Subaru offers, which is why there are no option packages to add to the Touring XT – everything is included. You could still add accessories, such as a Thule rooftop tent to go full Outback. Certain colors come at a $395 premium, including the Deep Emerald Green Pearl we’d choose.
2026 Subaru Outback Touring XT
Other features you’ll find on the fully loaded 2026 Subaru Outback Touring XT include:
- 260-horsepower turbocharged 4-cylinder boxer engine
- Symmetrical AWD
- X-MODE traction and stability enhancement with modes for different surfaces
- Hill descent control
- Active torque vectoring
- 19-inch aluminum alloy wheels
- LED steering responsive headlights
- LED fog lights
- Automatic power-folding side mirrors
- Rain-sensing wipers
- Windshield wiper de-icer and heated side mirrors
- Heated and ventilated front seats
- Heated rear outboard seats
- Nappa leather upholstery
- Leather-wrapped steering wheel and shifter
- Power liftgate with height memory function and automatic close
- Hands-free driving assistance
- Illuminated USB-A and USB-C ports in both rows of seating
- Dual-zone climate control
- Harman Kardon premium audio system
- 12.1-inch multimedia system with navigation
- Wiress Apple CarPlay
- Wireless Android Auto
- 4G LTE Wi-Fi Capability
Let’s explore a few of our favorite features.
What3words Navigation
As far as we know, no one officially tracks this, but we’d guess that most drivers in 2026 just use phone apps for navigation. The 2026 Subaru Outback is one of few cars on the road, however, where we’d advise you to use the car’s navigation over what Apple CarPlay or Android Auto gives you.
That’s because Subaru uses what3words, a technology that allows navigation to points more specific than an address. Zeroing in on a 3-square-meter location, the Outback’s navigation can guide you to the loading dock of a building or, being a Subaru, to a specific trailhead or kayak launch. There’s a learning curve, but it’s a nifty system for finding places off the beaten path.
Nappa Leather Seats with Heating and Ventilation
Some of Subaru’s main rivals also have luxury divisions. Toyota has Lexus. Honda has Acura. Volkswagen has Audi. Subaru does not have a luxury brand to feed. So Subaru designers have no need to ever hold something back for the luxury brand.
Case in point – the leather seats in the 2026 Outback Touring and Touring XT use soft, supple Nappa hides. That’s rare outside the luxury classes. The front seats also come with both heating and ventilation in both Touring trims. Even the rear seats get heating at the outboard positions in every trim except the base Premium.
Turbocharged Power
The XT in Touring XT marks it as a turbocharged model. All Outbacks get low-mounted boxer engines. Their low center of gravity contributes to that secure, road-holding feel longtime Subaru fans love. But other trims get a 180-horsepower version. Touring XT models use a 260-hp turbocharged version.
The added power makes the Outback feel more capable, particularly if mountains are part of your everyday life as they are for many Subaru owners.
More on the 2026 Subaru Outback
Read our full review to learn more about the Outback or see Outback models for sale near you.
