2026 Subaru Outback (Image courtesy of Subaru)
Do you remember when the Subaru Outback was introduced? It was 1995, and the new Legacy trim level was so successful that Subaru spun the Outback from the Legacy series and made it a stand-alone model several years later. And, while SUVs have continued to outsell minivans and station wagons, the Outback has has remained steadfast as a consistent throwback when long-roof sedans ruled after-school sporting events.
Yet at the 2025 New York International Auto Show, Subaru has introduced the 2026 Outback, and I can’t help but feel I’ve been punched in the gut. Get a load of this!
That’s not a station wagon—that’s an SUV! It’s like Subaru designed the new Outback to look like a larger Forester, a bit ironic considering both are crossovers based on sedans.
Subaru recognizes this, as the press release for the redesigned ’26 states that the all-new car “steers the iconic SUV in a new styling direction” with a “new, bolder exterior design [that] conveys a more powerful presence on the road.” It makes no difference, though, as Subaru has promoted the Outback as an SUV for years—even the government has classified the Outback as an SUV since ’05 to help Subaru skirt CAFE regulations.
Now that it seems that a proper station wagon is a lost cause at Subaru, this is what we have left in the United States:
- 2025 Audi A4 Allroad Quattro
- 2025 Audi A6 Allroad Quattro
- 2025 Audi RS6 Avant Performance
- 2025 BMW M5 Touring
- 2025 Mercedes-Benz E 450 4MATIC All-Terrain
- 2025 Subaru Outback – $29,010
- 2025 Toyota Crown Signia
- 2025 Volvo V60 Polestar Engineered
- 2025 Volvo V60 Cross Country
- 2025 Volvo V90 Cross Country
- Honorable mention
- 2025 Porsche Taycan GTS Sport Turismo
- 2025 Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo
In the American market, there does not exist a station wagon that can be found for under $50,000. We used to be able to depend on Subaru on giving us an alternative, but no longer.