Subaru Outback 2026 News

Subaru is seeking to re-enter the three-row SUV segment in Australia in the near future, after more than a dozen years away from the scene.

Subaru has launched a completely redesigned Outback in Australia this month, and it is already copping flak over an unexpected shortfall – rising fuel consumption.With the company refusing to confirm the arrival of a hybrid or plug-in hybrid option to help remedy that, buyers prioritising top fuel economy are left out in the cold.According to Subaru Australia General Manager, Scott Lawrence, it's all down to a matter of priorities.“Our priority was Forester with a strong hybrid, which we obviously announced and launched last year,” he told CarsGuide at the BU-series Outback launch in Bathurst last week.“And the Wilderness was the priority in launching Outback. It is not a ‘no’ for hybrid in Outback. (But) it's not in our short-term term plans.”Lawrence believes Subaru now provides a good balance of powertrain options for consumers across all its SUVs, meaning buyers seeking electrification are catered for.“We're confident in the broader model line-up of Forester, Forester Hybrid, Outback, Outback (Wilderness) turbo, and (recently-confirmed Solterra electric vehicle-based) Trailseeker coming in with different powertrains,” he added.“At a portfolio level, we have an option for consumers. But Outback hybrid is not off the table (although) Wilderness was absolutely the priority.”So, how much thirstier is the 2026 Outback’s fuel consumption compared to its predecessor?Using ADR 81/02 figures, the standard 2.5-litre naturally aspirated (NA) boxer engine models average 8.1 litres per 100km on the combined cycle, while the heavier and more off-road biased Wilderness with its 2.4-litre turbo boxer unit ups that to 9.7L/100km.These represent hikes of 11 per cent and 7.7 per cent, respectively.Both engines are said to be updated versions of those offered in the previous Outback, yet their corresponding combined average consumption figures are 7.3L/100km and 9.0L/100km.But, out in the real world, during the launch driving with two-to-three people in the car out from Sydney to Bathurst and back (taking the scenic routes) over two days, the trip computer in both grades displayed around 10L/100km and 11.5L/100km for NA and turbo respectively.These types of fuel-consumption numbers tend to be optimistic in most cases.Given that the new NA model only weigh about 50kg more than its substantially smaller BT-series Outback predecessor, inferior aerodynamics is the likely cause (no drag co-efficiency figures are available at this time), particularly when factoring in the boxier shape, wider body, higher body and larger front area compared to before.What’s doubly disappointing is that the company’s two other popular SUVs, the mid-sized Forester and smaller Crosstrek crossover that share the same basic Subaru Global Platform components, already offer a hybrid option.Overseas reports suggest that a variation of the latest Forester’s 2.5-litre ‘e-Boxer’ four-cylinder naturally aspirated hybrid engine is the likely candidate for the Outback hybrid.In the smaller SUV’s current application, it combines a 121kW/212Nm petrol engine with a 90kW/276Nm electric motor and 1.1kWh battery, for a power total of 145kW.While that’s 9kW ahead of the 136kW/247Nm Forester 2.5-litre NA (and up on torque too, though Subaru does not disclose combined torque figures for hybrids – perhaps because they use a Toyota system and Toyota doesn’t either?) the fuel figure saving is 21.5 per cent, or 6.2L/100km (down from 7.9L/100km).If you apply that percentage figure to the Outback 2.5 NA model’s 8.1L/100km, in theory, an Outback hybrid using the same ‘Strong Hybrid’ (ex-Toyota) system could see that combined-average figure tumble to under 6.4L/100km.When that is likely to occur is anybody’s guess, with some speculation suggesting that Subaru may roll out the hybrid option as early as the end of this year, while others speculate that it could come as late as mid-life refresh/facelift time, which could be 2028 or later for Australia.It’s not all bad news for Outback buyers, however.The seventh generation progresses in a number of key areas, including interior packaging, dashboard operation, safety tech, ride comfort, seat support and steering control.Our first driving impressions suggest this is the best Outback since the series debuted in Australia in 1996 as part of the second-generation (but now defunct) Liberty wagon range.

Subaru has never done things conventionally.Whether it be its rally-inspired heritage turning a small sedan into an iconic performance car or its preference for wagons over SUV, Subaru has carved out its place in the market by being different.Which is why 2026 is shaping up as a crucial year for the brand, as it tries to turn around some difficult, declining years amid increasing challenges from new brands - including one from within its own house.Subaru is distributed by a company called Inchcape, which has added the Chinese Deepal brand to its portfolio. Deepal is nowhere near Subaru in terms of sales, but it is one of nearly a dozen new brands to arrive in Australia in the last year or so, which are all fighting for new car sales against the established brands like Subaru.The Japanese brand suffered a down year in ‘25, with a decline in sales for most of its models, so a turnaround is as necessary as it is wanted.At the same time, Subaru is in a potentially very strong position moving into ‘26. The new-generation Forester launched in mid-’25 and has picked up where the old one left off, and this year the all-new Outback will arrive too.Once the brand’s second best-seller, the Outback has declined in recent years, being the lone wagon in the ‘large SUV’ segment. So Subaru is taking a calculated risk, moving away from its wagon-ness and becoming more SUV-like. Will that be the key to unlocking sales growth or a fatal mistake that will drive away loyal buyers? Only time will tell, but it's a chance Subaru needed to take to push back in an increasingly crowded market.The Outback has always been a steady performer amongst the more conventional large SUVs, so perhaps inching closer in size and style could be just what the brand needs to give its overall sales a boost.Sales of the Impreza continue to fall as small cars become increasingly unpopular in general, but the Impreza-based Crosstrek remains a popular choice.There is definitely potential for Subaru to push its way back into the top 10 in the sales charts, a position it held as recently as 2023. But there is also a danger than more new brands, such as the fast-growing Chery, could leave it on the outside looking in.That makes 2026 a pivotal year for Subaru, with both a fresh Forester and Outback in showrooms, there will be no excuses for anything below expectation for what have been two of Australia’s favourite cars for years.

Wilderness is finally coming to Australia!

With Subaru having shown off its new Performance-E and Performance-B STI concepts at the Japan Mobility Show 2025, its five-model showcase appears to now represent something of a future outlook for the brand.