Subaru Outback vs Lexus UX
What's the difference?

Subaru Outback

$48,990 - $62,690

2026 price

View pricing & specs

Lexus UX

—

2026 price

View pricing & specs

Land Rover Discovery Sport

Mercedes-Benz EQ-Class

Mercedes-Benz G-Class

Mercedes-Benz G63

Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class

Mercedes-Benz GLB-Class

Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class

Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class

Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class

Mini Countryman

Mitsubishi ASX

Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross

Mitsubishi Outlander

Mitsubishi Pajero

Mitsubishi Pajero Sport

Summary

2026 Subaru Outback

2026 Lexus UX

By Marcus Craft

By Emily Agar

Safety Rating

Engine Type

Turbo 4, 2.4L

Inline 4, 2.0L

Fuel Type

Premium Unleaded Petrol

Unleaded Petrol/Electric

Fuel Efficiency

9.7L/100km (combined)

4.2L/100km (combined)

Seating

Likes

Maintains Outback spirit
All-around drivability
Off-road capability

Solid on-road handling
Great fuel economy
Long time between fills

Dislikes

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

Reminds you too often its a base grade
Drive modes largely indistinguishable
Cosy back seat

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.

View full pricing & specs

2026 Lexus UX Summary

Replacing the long-standing UX250h, the more powerful Lexus UX300h hybrid sits at the luxury end of the compact SUV segment, and the latest update brings a refined line-up along with tweaks to both design and technology. In this review, I’m looking at the base Luxury grade to see what it's like to live with this hybrid day-today and how it stacks up against its nearest rivals.

View full pricing & specs

Deep dive comparison

2026 Subaru Outback 2026 Lexus UX

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.

Verdict

The updated Lexus UX300h Luxury is a solid entry in the premium compact SUV segment. It doesn’t break new ground, and there are areas that could be improved, but it handles well, offers a thoughtful selection of amenities for a base-grade luxury model, and its compact size makes it easy to park almost anywhere. For buyers seeking a stylish, efficient, and practical hybrid with a luxury badge, it’s a dependable choice.

Subaru Outback vs Lexus UX What's the difference?

Summary

Deep dive comparison

Verdict

Verdict

Subaru Outback vs Lexus UX
What's the difference?