Subaru Outback vs Mercedes-Benz GLB-Class
What's the difference?

Subaru Outback

$48,990 - $62,690

2026 price

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Mercedes-Benz GLB-Class

$65,400 - $106,228

2026 price

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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 Mercedes-Benz GLB-Class

By Marcus Craft

By Tim Nicholson

Safety Rating

Engine Type

Turbo 4, 2.4L

Turbo 4, 1.5L

Fuel Type

Premium Unleaded Petrol

Fuel Efficiency

9.7L/100km (combined)

6.1L/100km (combined)

Seating

Likes

Maintains Outback spirit
All-around drivability
Off-road capability

Exterior design
Impressive, useful in-car tech
More refined than predecessor

Dislikes

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

Standard glass roof
Expensive servicing costs
No spare wheel

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 Mercedes-Benz GLB-Class Summary

There’s nothing quite like the Mercedes-Benz GLB. It’s a smallish mid-size SUV with a third seating row (strictly for small children… ), it has a distinctive boxy shape, and for the second generation, you can have a mild-hybrid or fully-electric powertrain. It is the definition of versatile.

The previous GLB was petrol only and Mercedes also offered the similar looking EQB as part of its EQ electric sub-brand. The separate EV model strategy wasn’t working so the German carmaker followed rival BMW’s plan of simply offering electric versions of popular models. Hence the two powertrain options for the new GLB.

This time around Benz has sharpened up pricing, added a bunch of new tech, and developed a new vehicle architecture, while retaining what buyers loved about the original.

Is the new-gen GLB a success?

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Deep dive comparison

2026 Subaru Outback 2026 Mercedes-Benz GLB-Class

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 new GLB is a worthy successor to the original. It has retained everything that made it such a unique proposition but improves where it counts - interior space and comfort, in-car and safety tech, standard features, powertrain, ride quality and, importantly, value-for-money.

The EV is the pick of the powertrains and while I didn’t get to drive it, the GLB250+ is the best value.

Servicing is expensive and the standard glass roof is a bugbear but if you can cope with those things, the boxy GLB is a terrific smallish family SUV.

Subaru Outback vs Mercedes-Benz GLB-Class What's the difference?

Summary

Deep dive comparison

Verdict

Verdict

Subaru Outback vs Mercedes-Benz GLB-Class
What's the difference?