Subaru Introduces the Outback Wilderness

It was almost 40 years ago, and still at the early stages of the SUV trend, when Subaru added lower body cladding, a roof rack, and some unique trim to the AWD Legacy wagon and called it the Outback. Not everyone was convinced at first, given that this was still a time when SUVs were mostly body-on-frame vehicles based on pickup trucks and the Outback was clearly car-based.

Just a year later, however, Subaru raised the Outback’s ground clearance (7.3 inches), gave it a raised roof, and a more powerful engine option. Together with a $22 million ad campaign featuring Australian movie star and former car salesman Paul Hogan, the Outback began a long and successful ride that continues to this day. Each successive Outback design brought more capability, and it easily held its own against a never-ending succession of competing crossovers. Now in its sixth generation, Subaru introduces the Outback Wilderness; the most off-road-focused Outback to date.

Everything That Is the Outback Doubled Down

The Wilderness immediately sets itself apart from other Outbacks with its impressive 9.5-inch ground clearance. Following through, they redesigned the front and rear bumpers to allow greater approach and departure angles. The roof rails have been modified to support more weight which can even include a roof tent for two.

The standard engine for the Outback Wilderness is the 260-horsepower and 277-lb-ft 2.5-liter turbocharged boxer 4-cylinder that had been exclusive to the Touring. 1st and rear gear ratios are revised to improve off-road low-speed crawling and can help enable climbing of up to a 40% grade. The X-MODE system is re-tuned and upgraded with specific settings for deep snow, sand, and mud. For use on the road, the Outback Wilderness driver benefits from the latest of Subaru’s EyeSight® driver assist technology which accommodates the Wilderness’ raised ground clearance.

Helping get the Outback Wilderness through tough and slippery conditions are 17-inch all-terrain white-letter Yokohama GEOLANDER® tires mounted on black-matte 6-spoke wheels. Thick, durable lower-body cladding adds to the side appearance. On the hood, the Wilderness adds a non-reflective flat-black hood center section to help keep reflective glare from the driver’s eyes. Among Outbacks, the Geyser Blue color seen in the accompanying images is an exclusive color for Wilderness models. 

A Glamping-Inspired Interior 

The Wilderness interior is designed to be a plush oasis amidst rugged surroundings. All Wilderness Outbacks combine the versatile 11.6-inch vertical Subaru Starlink® touch screen with clear analog gauges for the driver. Soft but rugged and water-repellent StarTex® upholstery graces the seating surfaces, which also include copper-color stitching that matches the Wilderness-exclusive interior and exterior copper-color metallic trim. Tough all-weather floor mats stay true to the Wilderness mission, as does a tough composite surface for the cargo area and seatbacks which are designed to withstand hard cargo items and pets.

To sum up, the Wilderness is Subaru’s toughest Outback and is part of a whole sub-brand of Wilderness models that is also available on the Forester and will be available on the 2024 Crosstrek. To look at all Wilderness models in the Twin Falls inventory, simply click on the special Wilderness section we have added to our site. If you appreciate the quality, reliability, and durability of Subarus but have been wanting greater off-road capability, it’s time to heed the call of the Wilderness.