Subaru’s Outback is one of those vehicles that almost defines its own category. For the longest time, people would turn to this particular vehicle when they wanted the ground clearance, cladding, and all-wheel drive of an SUV, but with the long roof and low-slung proportions of a wagon.
But all that changed in 2026 with Subaru’s comprehensive redesign. Now the Outback is quite clearly an SUV only, which makes some people pine for the older and more familiar look. And they may be pleased to know that a four-year-old Outback XT is now thousands less than the newbie.
The Outback Has Finally Joined The SUV Crowd
2026 Subaru Outback Wilderness front 3/4 angle in blueJared Rosenholtz/CarBuzz/Valnet
In recent times, Subaru has always tried to describe its Outback as an SUV, but after hedging over the actual shape and design, the company now means business. Its earlier Outbacks did tend to look like station wagons that were preparing for a camping trip, but that’s not the case with the 2026 version. Now this clearly looks like a mid-size SUV, with a flatter roof, more upright rear glass, and a blunt and vertical nose that give it the unmistakable features of an everyday crossover.
The new Outback is also 1.4 in. higher than the previous version, with an elevated driving position. Its more vertical tail gives it two additional cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats, and all of this comes together as Subaru’s visual interpretation of an SUV.
At the same time, Subaru has carried out some other modifications, replacing the awkward portrait-oriented infotainment screen with a better 12.1-inch landscape display. It also introduced physical buttons and knobs for important climate functions and significantly increased the total amount of storage space available. But for some traditional buyers who liked the Outback because it just wasn’t the same as a conventional SUV, the newcomer doesn’t hit the mark at all. Those buyers would prefer a clear distinction rather than get another couple of extra cubic feet in the trunk.
The Base Engine Makes The New Outback Harder To Love
2026 Subaru Outback engineSubaru
In addition to its significant styling alterations, Subaru has also tinkered with the powertrain. Now, the base edition’s naturally aspirated 2.5-liter flat-four generates 180 hp and 178 lb-ft of torque, which is a little less in the horsepower department than before. And that’s not necessarily a good thing when the vehicle itself starts off at 3,741 lbs. This entry-level vehicle, which Subaru now refers to as its “Premium,” is the least expensive 2026 Outback, at $34,995 before destination.
From there, buyers can upgrade to a 2.4-liter turbo flat-four version should they wish, generating 260 hp and 277 lb-ft. The least expensive turbo Outback is now the $44,365 Limited XT before destination, and an accessory-laden Touring XT can exceed $50,000, again before destination and delivery. That’s the point where the outgoing wagon-shaped model starts to become even more attractive and stops being merely nostalgic.
The Old XT Has The Same Power And More Character
2020-2021 Subaru OutbackSubaru
In 2020, Subaru introduced its sixth-generation Outback, and this formula lasted through 2025. Shoppers today can look at 2020 to 2025 examples to make a straightforward comparison with Subaru’s 2026 offerings. They’ll find that the 2026 Outback has a version of the same 2.4-liter turbo flat-four as the 2022 Limited XT. It produces the same 260 hp and 277 lb-ft as the new one, driving all four wheels through Subaru’s high-torque Lineartronic CVT.
This 2022 vehicle can tow up to 3,500 lbs., which matches the new Outback. It also comes with leather upholstery, heated front and rear seats, a heated steering wheel, moonroof, an 11.6-inch multimedia system, and a Harman Kardon sound system.
Period tests suggest that the sixth-generation Touring XT is just about as fast as the 2026 version, and both cars are very similar in terms of their weight. But for many purists, the advantage of the 2022 vehicle is in the way that it’s put together. It has the same 8.7 in. of ground clearance as the standard 2026 Outback but has a long, gently tapering roofline, like a wagon. It looks lower and more road-oriented because Subaru isn’t trying to make that Outback’s cabin look like a traditional SUV. And the 2022 Outback is still able to deliver solid bad-weather confidence and crossover clearance, while avoiding the proportions of a tall upright box.
The 2022 Limited XT Is The Used Outback To Hunt
2022 Subaru Outback Limited front quarterSubaru
The CarBuzz Marketplace suggests that the nationwide average price of a 2022 Outback Limited XT should be around $26,000, which is roughly $9,000 below the pre-destination MSRP of a new Outback Premium. Perhaps more importantly, it’s as much as $18,000 below the 2026 Limited XT, or 42% less than the new turbo model’s MSRP. This is quite a significant number when you consider that both cars have almost identical peak power, the same maximum tow rating, and almost identical tested zero-to-60 mph times.
The sweet spot in this argument is probably the 2022 Limited XT, as this avoids earlier examples that may have higher mileage and the estimated costs of something like a 2024 Limited XT, which might considerably narrow the value gap. The 2022 Limited XT will still feel modern and have generous equipment, but it will have absorbed meaningful depreciation.
There are some other 2022 Outback offerings, such as the cheaper Onyx Edition XT, which boasts a more outdoorsy appearance and water-resistant Star-Tex upholstery. But still, the 2022 Limited XT should be a better all-rounder, with its good levels of equipment and the fact that it’s priced like a mainstream used family car instead of a specialist wagon.
The Used Outback Presents A Buying Window, Not A Collector’s Car Prophecy
2022 Subaru Outback Limited sideSubaru
Even though the 2026 Outback marks the end of an era for wagon fans, this doesn’t mean that it’s the beginning of a collector car boom. After all, it seems unlikely that fans will rush so quickly toward sixth-generation XTs that prices will rocket upward. Also, a used XT does present some compromises. It has that vertical touchscreen, which concentrates too many functions in one place, and its CVT can make turbo response feel a little less natural than a more modern version.
Meanwhile, the 2026 Outback has more cargo room, a quieter and more spacious cabin, and newer driver assistance technology. It also comes with a faster infotainment system, a three-year/36,000-mile basic warranty, and a five-year/60,000-mile powertrain coverage. But the 2022 Outback XT nevertheless presents an opportunity to preserve that wagon body and get a lot of what makes the Outback so good at what is certainly a significant discount.
Any candidate vehicle will deserve a pre-purchase inspection, a complete service history check, and a VIN search, but it could represent the alternative for anyone who misses the silhouette that Subaru just abandoned. And that 2022 car will still deliver the same power as the new version, with nearly the same straight-line performance. It’ll also feature the unmistakable shape that made the Outback different in the first place.
Sources: Subaru.
