The Subaru Outback Just Got More Expensive

Can you blame Subaru for jacking the price of the Outback by five grand? Kinda. But the story is a little more complicated than that. This past spring, Subaru entirely revamped the Outback. For 2026, the reskinned Outback gains boxy, Forester-esque styling. And there are other changes that are more than cosmetic, like making the cabin a bit roomier, and defaulting to a larger, 12.1-inch infotainment display.

But the Indiana-built Outback no longer gets a base model that sits just below $30,000. In fact, the rejiggered lineup shrinks from nine to six grades, and the price ranges from $34,995–$47,995. The outgoing range ran from $29,995–$44,730. In plain English, that’s a jump of 17 percent at the low end and about 12 percent at the top end. Where’s the value in all of this? We’ve spied one slot, detailed just below.

The Boxier Outback Costs More

Here’s the grid of prices going from 2025 to 2026. Note the model gaps and the price spreads. We’ll break down a bit of what you’re gaining (and losing), just below.

2025 Subaru Outback Grades vs. 2026 Grades

This gives you a closer look at individual grade price jumps. As we said, there’s no Base model anymore, so snap up a 2025 now if that bottom-rung Outback Base is what you’re after. The Premium price jump isn’t too bad. Nor is the Limited price change that extreme. Higher up towards premium grades, you start to pay more.

Why Prices Are Escalating

Prices always rise when carmakers introduce or revamp a model. It’s logical: People like new stuff.

But Subaru also killed their Base model, likely because they make their volume on Premium and Limited models, with a few of the higher grades making up the rest. Axing in-between models likely helps them with costs, because complexity is expensive.

But there’s another reason for rising prices: the mix of foreign parts. The Indiana-assembled Outback doesn’t make Cars.com’s ranking of the top-117-most-American-made cars, which is sorted largely via the National Highway Transportation Association’s (NHTSA) index of vehicles by U.S.-sourced parts vs. foreign parts. According to the NHTSA, 2025 Outbacks had about 50 percent domestic parts and 50 percent foreign. But 30 percent of that mix comes from Japan, which is now subject to a 15 percent tariff.

Japanese carmakers have said they’re not raising prices due to tariffs. Okay. But Outback prices are climbing by 12-17 percent. The math doesn’t “spin,” no matter what politicians and carmakers say.

Better Stuff For All Outbacks

There are several key feature updates to all Outbacks. So you are getting more for the increased price.

• Standard electric tailgate
• Standard 800-pound static roof rails
• Standard Wireless Android Auto/Apple CarPlay
• Standard 12.1-inch center touchscreen
• Standard, on-door, 32-ounce bottle holders
• Remote Engine Start with Climate Control, Remote Lock, and Unlock
• Up to 34.6 cubic feet of cargo space behind rear seats (an increase of 2 cubic feet)

Several of these, like the stronger roof rails, will make a difference to a sliver of Outback customers who like to go off the beaten path. Or, you know, to the big-box store for lumber. The larger standard display—and the fact that Subaru soldiers on with actual buttons and knobs—will be a boon to traditional Subaru buyers.

Some Goodies For Higher Grades

If you spend more, you get more. Here are a few highlights for each grade. Note that some of these features stack upon each other as you climb the price ladder.

Outback Premium

• Water-repellent upholstery
• Cargo cover
• Heated front seats; 10-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, dual-zone climate control
• Pedestrian and cyclist detection

Outback Limited

• Perforated leather-trimmed upholstery
• Multimedia Navigation System
• Harman Kardon sound system
• Eight-way power-adjustable passenger’s seat, power moonroof, heated rear seats, heated steering wheel
• Wireless smartphone charger

Outback Touring

• Java Brown or Slate Black Nappa leather-trimmed perforated interior upholstery with brown or black stitching
• Heated and cooled front seats
• Surround view monitor, leather-wrapped steering wheel, 12-way power-adjustable driver’s seat with lumbar support and adjustable thigh support
• Auto-dimming smart rear-view mirror

Outback Limited XT

• 19-inch aluminum-alloy wheels (replace 18s), plus everything on Outback Touring

Outback Wilderness

• Increased ground clearance up to 9.5 inches
• 17-inch aluminum-alloy wheels with all-terrain Bridgestone Dueler tires
• X-MODE AWD; Hill Descent Control, electronically controlled dampers, unique front and rear bumpers with Wilderness-exclusive cladding
• All-weather Wilderness floor mats, wireless smartphone charger

Subaru Outback Touring XT

• Touring XT trim level includes features found in the Outback Touring and adds a higher-output 2.4-liter turbocharged engine

TopSpeed’s Take: The Two Value Plays

The stock motor remains the same on the Outback: That’s the 2.5-liter boxer in-line four-cylinder, making 180 horsepower. The jump to the 2.4-liter turbocharged engine with 260 horsepower only happens for the top-three grades: The Limited XT, Wilderness, and Touring XT. The outgoing (and now dead) Onyx XT, at $41,225, used to be the cheapest Outback with the boosted motor. Now you have to spend $44,365 on the Limited XT to get that mill. That’s a bit more than three grand extra, and a 7.6 percent cost jump.

Given that, you could go for the Limited XT. But for just $630 more ($44,995), the Wilderness is the best value. It adds a ton of baubles and bolt-ons. You may not need the added ground clearance, but if the 2026 Outback handles anything like the outgoing Outback, you want the adaptive dampers for the better ride and handling that you get with the Wilderness. Plus, it looks cooler.

The only downside is that the Wilderness is likely to continue to have the worst fuel economy of all Outback models. For 2025, that was 21 City and 26 Highway, vs. 22/29 for non-Wilderness with the 2.4-liter turbo engine, and 26/32 for base-engine Outbacks. If that matters a lot to you, there’s another Subaru to look at instead: The Trailseeker EV.