Road-trippers who like their getaways to include a gravel pass or two have something to look forward to: Subaru South Africa has confirmed the local lineup for the next-generation Outback, with first customer cars due in the final quarter of 2026.
There will be two versions on offer. The entry point is the Premium, which runs a naturally aspirated 2.5-litre boxer petrol engine producing 137 kW and 254 N.m. Sitting above it is the Wilderness, a tougher, more off-road-focused grade that swaps in a 2.4-litre turbocharged boxer engine with a useful 194 kW and 382 N.m. Both drive all four wheels via Subaru's Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive and a CVT gearbox, and the Wilderness adds the brand's X-Mode terrain management system, extra body cladding and all-terrain tyres.
The cabin gets a proper tech refresh too. Expect a 12.3-inch digital instrument display, a 12.1-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and the latest EyeSight Driver Assist suite, which pairs LiDAR with stereoscopic cameras to run adaptive cruise control and pre-collision braking. Long-distance cruising comfort is where this kind of kit earns its keep.
Size-wise, the new Outback has grown slightly: 4,880 mm long, 1,880 mm wide and 1,715 mm tall — 20 mm longer, 25 mm wider and 35 mm taller than the outgoing model. The wheelbase is unchanged at 2,745 mm, and ground clearance ranges from 220 mm on the Premium to 240 mm on the Wilderness, the latter figure putting it in genuine soft-roader-overlanding territory.
Pricing hasn't been announced yet, but Subaru has committed to a five-year/105,000 km maintenance plan and a five-year/150,000 km warranty on both derivatives, which removes some of the ownership guesswork.
For travellers, the headline news is the Wilderness grade finally landing locally. It slots the Outback into a sweet spot between ordinary family SUVs and hardcore 4x4s: enough clearance and rubber for national park gravel roads, mountain passes and Karoo backroads, with car-like comfort and fuel costs for the highway legs in between. If your holiday style involves roof tents, dusty detours and self-drive trips through places like the Cederberg or the Garden Route's back routes, this is a vehicle worth shortlisting when it arrives. Watch for local pricing closer to launch.