What’s new, Wilderness?
Subaru sat everyone down in a very plush conference hall, soundtracked by the chirping of birds and a gentle breeze playing over speakers. It told the attending media that the goal for the new Subaru Outback Wilderness is for it to be both more capable and more comfortable. Not exactly a shocking revelation, but seeing as the last Outback already did all this, it makes a lot of sense that the most Subaru of all Subaru trims, the Wilderness model, should deliver on more of the same.
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The latest Wilderness model is a rehash of the first. It sets out to achieve the same objectives as the first-ever Outback Wilderness, too, and in the same ways. Subaru grants you a lift, of course, coupled with all-terrain tires (Bridgestones, this time), off-road software, and aesthetic updates throughout the vehicle.
Starting with the latter, all Outback Wilderness models benefit from the copper accents that have since become something of a calling card. These are carried throughout the car, including in the stitching and on various interior trim panels. The grille features a slightly updated, more rugged design, and so does the bumper. There, you’ll find a clever new feature: a sort of gear rest.
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This piece of trim just out ahead of the rest of the bumper provides you with a place to lean larger, cumbersome items like skis, fishing poles, and the like while you gear up for your next little adventure. The lights flanking it are also updated, and the lower bumper fascia has been improved for a slightly greater departure angle.
Inside, Subaru carries through those copper accents we discussed and adds some luxuries to make getting “out there” a little more luxurious. You’ll pay for them, though, and the Outback Wilderness’ top options package clears $4,000. For that, you’ll get Nappa leather seats with copper stitching, ventilation, and 12 points of adjustability on top of a 360-degree camera and heated mirrors. On the whole, even without this pricey package, the incoming Outback feels more luxurious than before, just as its creators intended.
Subaru’s latest Wilderness has improved manners
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The added comfort inside translates to an improved on-road experience. Arguably, the new Outback Wilderness might ride even better than the standard one, which is a bit of a surprise given its off-road leanings. That’s likely due to the newly standard electronically-controlled suspension system. It’s good for off-road stuff, sure, but it also reads driver inputs to help smooth body motions in real time, helping to turn the off-road rig into a surprisingly docile commuter.
The tech helps there, too, bringing a new level of convenience to what was largely a failed effort in the previous Outback. Now, the interior is awash in easy-to-use, clearly labeled buttons with driver assistance technology that isn’t too hands-on or too lazy. It hits the Goldilocks spot for a car you can commute with, and the off-road performance stacks up well, too.
The Outback Wilderness is a serious off-roader even without 4WD
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You could argue that a car must have four-wheel drive to be taken seriously off-road, but then you’d have to look to the Outback Wilderness as a counterargument. It presents a strong one, too. Those dampers mean the car has an excellent ride off-road, and the suspension setup allows for a good deal of articulation.
Unfortunately, we didn’t get to push the Wilderness as much as I’d have liked. The picturesque farm Subaru chose to host the off-road portion of the launch felt a bit safe for the Wilderness subbrand. Trails were largely comprised of disused farm roads, awash in mud from recent rains, and devoid of any truly serious rock-crawling or wading. Given just how capable Wilderness models are, I expected more. That aside, it’s clear the Outback Wilderness has plenty of capability on offer, and previous efforts have earned it the benefit of the doubt.
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Meanwhile, Subaru’s X-Mode is a software solution to any off-road problem you may have, allowing for more slip and greater control over the all-wheel drive system to help navigate tough obstacles. The SUV’s hill descent control was also helpful on a few muddy descents, too. The Wilderness’s improved approach and departure angles are helpful off-road, too, and its camera suite makes it much, much easier to place the car on a climb. With the hood above the horizon, you can use the cameras to accurately place the tires and stay on-track. With the Outback’s higher-power engine, there’s also plenty of grunt to get you up and over obstacles: the 2.4-liter turbocharged Boxer four-cylinder makes 260 horsepower and 277 lb-ft of torque.
Final thoughts: Subaru blends capability and comfort into an enticing package
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Subaru has successfully managed to up the ante, and with very little in the way of drawbacks. There are a few, namely, in the name of fuel efficiency (21 city and 27 highway). Pricing is about what you’d expect – such an uncompromised package demands a price tag to match. While the Outback Wilderness starts at $46,445 including destination charges, it’s possible to spend more than $50K on heavily-optioned models with the new Nappa leather seats and other such luxuries.
Still, you can’t fault Subaru for catering to its buyers. This is the natural endpoint for a brand like Subaru, offering reasonably priced off-road-ready vehicles to a group of outdoorsy buyers. Add more, and it’ll cost more. Remove compromises to the same end. Does that make the Outback bad? Absolutely not, and if anything, it proves that you don’t really need much more than an Outback Wilderness as an outdoor companion, though the requisite Subaru-dog-combo may be a solid addition.
