Posted Thursday, April 24, 2025 at 9:53pm
The secret to some of Subaru’s most successful crossovers isn’t really a secret at all.
To build both the Outback and the smaller Crosstrek, the brand simply took two of its existing cars — the Legacy and Impreza, respectively — and raised their ride heights. Aside from slightly more rugged styling courtesy of some body cladding, that’s all it took to create new models with more appeal than the ones they’re based on. The approach has turned the Outback in particular into perhaps the most widely recognizable Subaru around thanks to its long, wagon-like looks (although the boxy Forester is likely a close second).
While the 2026 Subaru Outback has those same stretched proportions, it’s been restyled to look more SUV-like than ever, for better or worse. Rest assured: there’s a reason the brand went this route, although that doesn’t mean the decision is any less controversial.
