2018 Subaru Outback vs Ford Escape

What's the difference?

It’s hard to think how Subaru could improve the popularity of the Outback. The current-generation model is easily the most successful version ever - but, as sure as dessert follows dinner, it’s time for a mid-life update for the high-riding wagon.

And this is it: the Subaru Outback 2018 model, a facelifted and tweaked version of the Japanese SUV that has just launched in Australia.

While at first glance the changes appear to be fairly minor, let's go through it in detail and take a good look at what’s changed. 

If you haven’t realised that small, medium and large SUVs have taken over the world then you’ve been living under a rock – a rock that someone in a purpose-built dual-range 4WD would have driven over with disdain.

But while popular city-focused SUVs have not been designed, built or indeed marketed for serious off-roading, they can at least cope with dirt tracks and gravel roads. And it is those types of road surfaces which will likely form the outer limits of expected usage in these wagons anyway.

Some mid-sized models achieve a near-perfect marriage of on-road manners and light-duty off-road capability – and Ford’s Escape is having a decent crack at getting that combination just right. But does it succeed? To find out, read on.