2026 Subaru Forester SUV is a “pleasant surprise”
Automotive critic Mark Phelan spent a day with the 2026 Subaru Forester SUV and found the car to be effortless in the wilderness.
Subaru is making big moves toward an all-electric future by tripling its electric SUV lineup by 2026. The brand’s existing EVs have received significant upgrades, and a new hybrid model has also joined the lineup, in addition to an updated version of the company’s popular midsize SUV.
Keep reading to explore all of the exciting new and updated features across Subaru’s safe, comfortable, and mostly AWD-equipped 2026 SUV lineup.
2026 Subaru Ascent
Subaru will reduce the Ascent trim walk and eliminate the Onyx edition this year. Trim levels for the 2026 Ascent include Premium, Limited, Limited Bronze Edition, Touring, and Onyx Edition Touring.
The 2026 Premium base model carries over some of the styling touches from the discontinued Onyx Edition. These include 18-inch alloy wheels with a black finish, black side mirrors, and black exterior and interior trim accents. This model’s front seats come standard with black water-resistant StarTex upholstery with silver contrast stitching.
Touring grades with Java Brown Nappa leather trim upholstery and silver stitching or Slate Black Nappa leather trim upholstery and black stitching add updated matte-finish woodgrain accents in the cabin.
Finally, the 2026 Ascent also gets a new exterior color, Sapphire Blue Pearl, which replaces Cosmic Blue Pearl.
Motor Trend ranking: 7th place among 3-row SUVs.
Read our expert’s full review of the Subaru Ascent
2026 Subaru Crosstrek
The Crosstrek was redesigned for 2024, but Subaru didn’t replace it with a hybrid model until this year. Still, the new version doesn’t pick up exactly where the previous version left off. First of all, it’s not a plug-in hybrid.
The new 2026 Crosstrek Hybrid is powered by a 2.5-liter boxer engine and an electric motor. Combined output is rated at 194 horsepower, making it the most powerful Crosstrek in the lineup. By comparison, the SUV’s 2.5-liter engine puts out 185 horsepower, while the now-discontinued 2.0-liter flat-four puts out just 152 horsepower.
Fuel efficiency will also improve. The 2025 Crosstrek with the 2.5-liter engine gets 27/33 mpg city/highway. Look for the Crosstrek Hybrid’s numbers to be close to the Forester Hybrid’s 35/34 mpg.
The Hybrid trim comes with model-specific 18-inch dark gray wheels. Sand Dune Pearl or Citron Yellow Pearl exterior paint is also available. Also new in 2026 is a 12.3-inch driver display that will be standard on the Hybrid.
Motor Trend ranking: It ranks second among subcompact SUVs.
Read our expert’s full review of the Subaru Crosstrek
2026 Subaru Forester
Like the Crosstrek, the Forester is one of Subaru’s most popular models and now features a 12.3-inch driver display. Additionally, the lineup introduces a new Forester Wilderness grade with retuned suspension and ground clearance of 9.3 inches, slightly more than the previous model’s 9.2 inches.
The Wilderness trim also has improved approach, departure, and breakover angles of 23.5 degrees, 25.5 degrees, and 21 degrees, respectively, compared to the standard Forester’s 19.0 degrees, 24.6 degrees, and 19.6 degrees.
The Forester Wilderness is only available with a gasoline engine (for now), but it comes with a CVT automatic with a short final drive ratio. Subaru also upgraded the transmission cooler to improve towing capacity, which now reaches 3,500 pounds. A new temperature sensor has been added to the rear differential. Additionally, the 2026 Forester Wilderness introduces snow/dirt and deep snow/mud driving modes.
For enhanced off-road performance, the Wilderness trim features Yokohama Geolander all-terrain tires on trim-specific 17-inch wheels. The roof is equipped with roof rails with a load capacity of 800 pounds static and 176 pounds while driving. Other upgrades include LED hexagonal fog lights, underbody protection, and anodized copper accents that carry over to the interior, where the seats are covered in Subaru’s water-resistant StarTex upholstery.
As before, standard gasoline and hybrid models are part of the 2026 Forester lineup.
Motor Trend ranking: It ranks 5th among compact SUVs.
Read our expert’s full review of the Subaru Forester
2026 Subaru Outback
The new seventh-generation Outback will debut in 2026 with a new front fascia and larger grille, revised headlights and taillights, and a more angular design. For the first time, the Outback may look more like an SUV than a lifted wagon.
Ground clearance remains at 8.7 inches. The roof is raised 2 inches, increasing passenger space and adding 2 cubic feet of cargo room for a total capacity of 34.6 cubic feet, the largest in Outback history.
The EyeSight system is enhanced with a new radar sensor and three forward-facing cameras to improve pedestrian and cyclist safety. It also allows hands-free driving on designated highways at speeds of up to 135 mph. EyeSight also has the ability to pull the car to the side of the road and alert emergency services if the driver becomes unresponsive.
Inside, a new 12.1-inch horizontal touchscreen controls most functions, with dedicated buttons for climate control improving ease of use. Equipped with a 12.3-inch digital driver display.
The 2026 Outback also adds wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, voice recognition, and optional cloud-based navigation. You can now store a 32oz water bottle in the door bottle holder.
At launch, the 2026 Outback comes with two familiar powerplants. Either a 2.5-liter boxer-four with 180 horsepower or a 2.4-liter turbo-four with 260 horsepower.
Motor Trend ranking: Number 1 among medium-sized SUVs (last generation model).
Read our expert’s full review of the Subaru Outback
2026 Subaru Solterra
Solterra has been renewed this year, and it’s not just about looks. The company’s EV platform has been revamped, with a larger 74.7kWh lithium-ion battery replacing the 72.8kWh battery for the 2025 model year. The updated architecture also enables faster charging at up to 150 kW, a marked improvement over the previous 100 kW.
Solterra comes with a standard NACS charging port, providing access to Tesla’s Supercharger network. Range has also improved, with the base model now estimated at 285 miles, an increase of 58 miles over last year’s entry-level trim.
The Solterra’s powertrain has been enhanced to deliver up to 233 horsepower, up from 215 horsepower in the 2025 model. Subaru is also rolling out a higher-performance XT version with a motor that produces up to 338 horsepower. The SUV’s all-wheel drive system benefits from an improved motor controller and more powerful motor, further improving overall performance.
The 2026 Solterra features updated styling, including an EV lighting signature, redesigned headlights and a new front bumper. Subaru offers 18-inch and 20-inch wheels, along with an updated rear badge and new spoiler. Inside, the Solterra features a larger 14.0-inch touchscreen and standard wireless smartphone chargers for both the driver and passenger.
All of these meaningful changes should further improve the Solterra ownership experience, but they may not be enough to put it above the best in the segment.
Motor Trend ranking: Ranked 7th among electric compact SUVs (2025 model).
Read our expert’s full review of Subaru Solterra
2026 Subaru Trail Seeker
The Trailseeker is Subaru’s second electric vehicle after the Solterra. It has a 74.7 kWh lithium-ion battery pack and dual motors for standard all-wheel drive. The most efficient model has an estimated range of 260 miles per charge, but higher trim models may have less range. A NACS-enabled port is standard, and the Trailseeker supports 150 kW fast charging.
The SUV delivers 375 horsepower and accelerates from 0 to 60 mph in an estimated 4.3 seconds. Rated to tow up to 3,500 pounds. Off-road capabilities build on Subaru’s reputation for rugged vehicles. The Trail Seeker features 8.3 inches of ground clearance, symmetrical AWD, snow/dirt, deep snow/mud drive modes, grip control and downhill assist control.
Size-wise, the Trail Seeker is over 6 inches longer and nearly an inch taller than the Solterra, presumably offering more cargo space and passenger room. It is also equipped with Subaru’s EyeSight driver assistance technology, which includes automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, and lane-keeping assist.
This SUV features a 14.0-inch touchscreen, dual wireless charging pads, and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Additionally, it is also equipped with roof rails to increase loading capacity. Like all Subaru electric cars, this one is based on a Toyota model, in this case the bZ Woodland. But unlike the other two, this one has the most wagon-like proportions of the trio.
Read our expert’s full review of the Subaru Trail Seeker
2026 Subaru Uncharted
With the debut of Uncharted this year, Subaru has effectively tripled its electric vehicle lineup. It will also reintroduce a front-wheel drive model to its product lineup, which it has not offered since the mid-1990s.
The 2026 Uncharted AWD has a dual-motor system that produces 338 horsepower, while the FWD version has a more modest 221 horsepower. High trims with AWD have snow, dirt, and mud-specific drive modes. This setup should provide Uncharted with performance similar to models like Solterra and Toyota C-HR Electric.
Like the Solterra and Trailseeker, the Uncharted has a 74.7 kWh battery. This model has a range of 300 miles for FWD models and 290 miles for AWD versions. The SUV’s NACS port provides access to the Tesla Supercharger. Under the right conditions, a 10-80 percent fast charge can take about 30 minutes. Uncharted also comes with an 11 kW AC charger for Level 2 home charging.
Subaru’s smallest EV sits below the Solterra in the lineup. It’s nearly 7 inches shorter than the Solterra, but like the Crosstrek, it offers more than 25 cubic feet of cargo space behind the second row and rear legroom.
Technically, the Uncharted features a 14.0-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, dual wireless phone chargers and USB ports. It’s also equipped with an upgraded Harman Kardon sound system, digital rearview mirror, 360-degree camera, and a suite of EyeSight driver-assistance technologies including automatic emergency braking and adaptive cruise control.
Read our expert’s full review of Subaru Uncharted
2026 Subaru SUV: New Features
- 2026 Subaru Ascent: Minor Update
- 2026 Subaru Crosstrek: Major Updates
- 2026 Subaru Forester: Minor Update
- 2026 Subaru Outback: Redesigned
- 2026 Subaru Solterra: Major Updates
- 2026 Subaru Trail Seeker: All-New Model
- 2026 Subaru Uncharted: All-New Model
Photo courtesy of Subaru, MotorTrend Staff; Illustration by Ryan Lugo
