Kia Sportage vs Subaru Outback
What's the difference?

Kia Sportage

$29,999 - $64,220

2025 price

View pricing & specs

Subaru Outback

$48,990 - $62,690

2026 price

View pricing & specs

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Mercedes-Benz G63

Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class

Mercedes-Benz GLB-Class

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Mitsubishi Pajero Sport

Summary

2025 Kia Sportage

2026 Subaru Outback

By Andrew Chesterton

By Marcus Craft

Safety Rating

Engine Type

Inline 4, 2.0L

Turbo 4, 2.4L

Fuel Type

Unleaded Petrol

Premium Unleaded Petrol

Fuel Efficiency

8.1L/100km (combined)

9.7L/100km (combined)

Seating

Likes

Svelte styling
Sorted ride
Spacious backseat and boot

Maintains Outback spirit
All-around drivability
Off-road capability

Dislikes

Slightly weird slow-speed steering
Feels under-specced in cheaper grades
Short and expensive service intervals for hybrid

Gold edging
Needs better all-terrain tyres
More off-road goodies would add to the appeal

2025 Kia Sportage Summary

An updated Sportage is a big deal for Kia. It's the brand's best-selling model in Australia and around the world, and arguably has never faced more and stiffer competition.

There's a new Mazda CX-5 around the corner, this time with a hybrid, and Toyota has just whipped the covers off its new RAV4. And that's before you mention Hyundai, Volkswagen, Honda or the litany of Chinese newcomers all here for slice of the pie.

Kia tells us this mid-life update is designed to look better, drive better, offer better tech, better safety and better equipment right across a vast range that includes petrol, diesel, hybrid, two-wheel drive, all-wheel drive, turbo and non-turbo alike.

So the question is, is all of that enough to keep the Sportage fresh in the face of all this new competition? Let's go find out.

View full pricing & specs

2026 Subaru Outback Summary

The Subaru Outback holds a special place in the hearts of adventurers everywhere. It’s long been regarded by its fans as a genuine mix of decent on-road manners, family-friendly practicality and sound off-road capability. Just right for light-duty off-roading.

Now, Subaru claims, it has made the Outback even better and a new off-road-focussed variant called the all-wheel-drive Wilderness now sits near the top of the line-up.

The Wilderness is equipped with a 2.4-litre turbo-petrol, four-cylinder, horizontally-opposed 'boxer' engine, 240mm of ground clearance, improved approach/departure angles and electronically controlled dampers.

But is this new Outback all it’s cracked up to be? Read on.

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Deep dive comparison

2025 Kia Sportage 2026 Subaru Outback

Verdict

The Sportage still feels like a super solid offering in its segment, plus the addition of more hybrid options is only going to help.

It does feel a little under-specced in the lower grades, though, considering the everything-and-the-kitchen-sink approach taken by its Chinese rivals.

I feel like I should almost whisper this bit, given it's a dirty word at the moment, but that diesel engine, it's a real peach, and if I wasn't afraid of being run out of Sydney's inner west with pitchforks, that's probably the one I'd be choosing.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with meals provided.

Verdict

If you’re a Subaru fan chances are the Wilderness will float your boat. It’s an appealing mix of on-road refinement and more than satisfactory capability on bush tracks.

The Wilderness engine-and-CVT combination helps to make this Subaru well refined and highly responsive on-road and it benefits from punchier low-rev output in off-road scenarios.

Subaru has made a habit of producing practical vehicles and this new addition to the upgraded Outback line-up doesn’t disappoint.

Does anyone need a Wilderness version of the Outback? Probably not. Will anyone want a Wilderness edition Outback? I reckon a lot of Outback fans would fall over themselves to get their hands on one of these.

Kia Sportage vs Subaru Outback What's the difference?

Summary

Deep dive comparison

Verdict

Verdict

Kia Sportage vs Subaru Outback
What's the difference?