In recent years, wagons have sadly never been as popular in the United States as they once were. Very few are still on sale, and those that are never sell anywhere near as highly as their sedan or crossover counterparts — except one: the Subaru Outback.
To be fair, these days, the Outback is barely a traditional station wagon anymore, especially in its new lifted Wilderness guise. But compared to rivals like the Honda Passport or Hyundai Santa Fe, it’s still technically not an SUV either.
So, what is the Wilderness? Manufacturers seem to think that every crossover these days needs an “off-road” version, even if most owners will never take them on anything more than a gravel driveway. Think Honda’s TrailSport models, or the Toyota RAV4 “Adventure.” In the case of the Outback, Subaru has actually taken the go-anywhere mission a bit more serious, with increased ride height, improved approach, breakover, and departure angles, all-terrain tires, and roof rails they say can support the weight of a tent. It’s also one of the cheapest ways to get the more powerful turbocharged flat-four engine.
As is the trend, the exterior features no shortage of black plastic body cladding. In this case, it extends all the way up both bumpers to the base of the lights. It also emphasizes the wheel arches, beneath which you’ll find downsized 17-inch alloy wheels wrapped in Yokohama Geolander A/T tires. Aside from the material choice, both ends of the Outback have been revised versus the other trim levels for improved capability — the departure angle rivals the Jeep Grand Cherokee. Ground clearance is up to 9.5 inches (also more than a standard Grand Cherokee), and the X-Mode Snow/Dirt and Deep Snow/Mud driving modes make using the extra height easier. Oh, and you can’t forget the anodized copper details all around.
Along with being lifted, the suspension is also tuned significantly softer than the other Outbacks. This is actually a benefit both on-road and off, with the ride being fantastically cushy on bad roads. Unfortunately, steering and handling are equally soft, but the Outback was never going to be a performance car anyway. Good thing, because it’s also not particularly fast. 5.8 seconds to 60 mph is over a second quicker than the non-turbo base models, but the CVT transmission still does its best impression of stepped-on chewing gum at every opportunity. On the bright side, the turning radius is excellent and even the turbo version runs on regular gas.
Inside, the Wilderness is simple, ergonomic, durable, while still attractive and somewhat premium. The seats are covered in Subaru’s water-repellent StarTex material in a combination grey and black color, and the headliner and other touch points are also black for reduced stain-ability. The exterior’s copper-colored accents are continued on the steering wheel, shift lever, and stitching throughout, which is a nice touch in an otherwise monotone cabin. My only real complaints of the passenger area are the rather dated LCD screen in the gauge cluster and the absolutely pointless shift paddles on the wheel.
Front and rear seat comfort are both excellent, and the Wilderness offers a nice mix of features. The vertical 11.6-inch touchscreen has full-screen Apple CarPlay (something other manufacturers don’t always include) as well as a 360-degree camera system. Subaru’s full EyeSight driver assistance suite is standard, though reverse automatic braking is an optional extra (included in a package with a sunroof for some reason). However, you also get heated front and rear seats, a heated steering wheel, and the upgraded Harman-Kardon sound system as standard.
Overall the Wilderness offers a great mix of comfort, technology, and capability, but if you’re looking for a true all-out off-roader, there’s plenty of Jeep Wranglers and Ford Broncos available for similar money. That said, the Outback is far more reasonably priced for what you get and will undoubtedly be far more livable on a daily basis — and for that it becomes my preference.
Either way, the Outback will still continue to by far be America’s best-selling station wagon, even outside of Subaru’s ultra-loyal following. And after spending time with the Wilderness, I definitely understand the hype.
| Vehicle Tested | 2023 Subaru Outback Wilderness |
|---|---|
| Color | Autumn Green Metallic / Grey StarTex |
| Drivetrain | 2.4L turbocharged H-4, CVT automatic, All wheel drive |
| HP / Torque | 260 horsepower / 277 lb-ft |
| Curb Weight | 3,975 lbs (est.) |
| 0-60 mph | 5.8 seconds |
| EPA Fuel Econ | 22 city / 26 hwy / 24 combined |
| MSRP | $41,805 |
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