The white does make it a bit more palatable.

 

+1 this is one of those cars where the body color will really make a difference in the perception

 

It's a decent facsimile to the ford explorer, is it not? Even the lettering on the back is similar.

 

The explorer doesn’t look bad at all!

 

Agree…neither the Ford or 26 OB are wagons. And man I hate that interior…

 

I actually like the looks of the new Outback. I bought my 24OBW almost 2 years ago. So, I will not be in the market for at least 5 years. When I am ready to purchase again I will consider the new design.

 

Well for those who don't like the front end of OB7, I am recalling the longstanding Japanese fad of attaching a fake Rolls or Jag grille to the front of a Kei car. sometimes they redo almost all the sheet metal.
Curbside Classic comes through again showing a possible inspiration for a discrete Beemer front for the new OB

CC Capsule: 2005 “BSW 306i” (Suzuki Lapin) – Frankenrabbit - Curbside Classic

It was one of those time when you do a genuine double take. I saw this car go past me – didn’t notice anything articular about it, just another 2002-08 […]

www.curbsideclassic.com

or go with the Rolls look Small Customised Red Car with Rolls Royce Grill Parked Under Lanterns in Arashiyama, Japan Editorial Photography - Image of royce, custom: 342937877

 

That was a big thing in the late 1960s and early 1970s where you could get a Rolls-Royce or 1937 Ford front hood for a VW Beetle (I meant trunk cover as the trunk was under the "hood"). It really affected handling when there was side-winds.

 

Maybe it'll grow on me, but nothing I saw made me want to trade in my '25.

 

I second that!!

 

I mean, they’re totally different. The fuel door is on the opposite side.

 

For the love of God, why can't they put it on the drivers side door. All my other cars/SUV's had it on the drivers side. Really fouls me up when I take the wife's car and gas it up. I can hear the people inside the gas station "What's this idiot doing? He was at a gas pump and now he's moving again?"

 

There is an SUV template, and all ”SUV’s” have to conform to it.
A few detail differences are allowed to give each one a little individuality, but not too much, since that risks looking ‘weird’.

Buyers of SUV’s want "their" SUV to look like everybody else’s. That shows they have been accepted into the SUV club, where membership implies certain levels of income, education, job status, etc.

So as they roll out the latest OB badged vehicle, Subaru is waiting to find out 1. if they can elbow into the SUV club and 2. can they retain as many former OB buyers as they want to (switch horses from wagon to SUV).

 

And another one...

This dealer did indicate the model they received is pre-production. Production units expected to arrive at their dealership in November.

 

I guess we'll be hearing about the "Easter eggs" in every review from now on. 🐣

 

I’m still waiting for my crimson red limited XT😍

 

Subaru needs to step up the carpet interior game…

I do like the darker headliner on the interior…. Amazing how easily the lighter color stains. There are always smudges whenever I get back from the dealer

 

That's why we used to talk about the "shaggin' wagon".

 

I was expecting the worst, but it still looks like a wagon to me. I would have made some different choices in design, but it's not so bad. I bet they clean up the body molding for '27 & it looks a lot better. I think the Wilderness looks pretty sharp.

 

Just getting serious for a second, Alex Prestigiacomo , Alex has a nice channel with good information.

 

Just getting serious for a second, Alex Prestigiacomo , Alex has a nice channel with good information.

Yeah. This is Bachman Subaru in Louisville, Kentucky USA where I live.

 

Going to have to wait until I see it in real life, hoping it looks less awful in person.

 

Some Ambassadors and owners got invited to the Subaru R&D facility in Michigan a couple weeks back and I got to see it in person, honestly I didn't even know it was a 2026 until one of the Subaru people mentioned it.

It doesn't look THAT different, I think people will be pleasantly surprised.

 

Forester on riods? I don't hate it.

 

Good to know you can put a shark on the roof. Lol

 

In watching the video, I really prefer the old style than the new cargo cover. Quickly uncover, put items in or take out, quickly cover. And seems to be better quality.

 

I remember mentioning the new cover in another thread when the preview reviews were coming out… one reviewer noted that the little magnets on the corners at the bottom didn’t always want to stay attached.

I mentioned it looked a little fiddly with the hooks to remove and attach, but I’d have to use one a bit to figure out if it’s something that is quick and easy once you’re accustomed to using it.

 

AT least X-Mode is on the steering wheel and not buried in a menu system.

 

So ASS still defaults to on, but a center console button to turn off is provided.

 

I really loved the fast response of the head unit on the Gen 7. Light years compared to the Gen 6. Though not thrilled with that it took them this long to do something about it. I can't imagine how they ever thought that slow design would be ok to be put into production.

 

Not sure I like that newer cargo cover, looks like you can't use it with one hand motion.

Thinking it's time to trade in my 18 3.6R. I hope they have better looking wheels, I'm not a fan of black wheels and rimless ones. I like real color for paint, red or blue. I'm in the process of talking myself into this... (the 18 is coming up for its first spark plug replacement), might wait until April, which is when we ordered the 24XT. That's her car.

 

Looks like a truck. Not a fan. Only 93K on my '21 OB. Hopefully, its good for at least twice that. Don't want a truck.

 

Could not agree more. Garmin is so much better.

 

So, who got the $ for that decision, and why don’t they ask & respond to customers’ complaints??

 

No scroll wheel for that infotainment system?

 

Man, the Ford looks better... and I'm not a fan of the Explorer at all. And a black headliner will look like a freaking funeral home with black interior. The light one is way better, especially with black. Mine looks like new, and have 30K already. And somebody teach that reviewer what an insulated side glass looks like; he could have just look at the freaking edge of the window for the middle membrane. Hope at least the Touring got it. Subaru should have never remove it to begin with. Bottom line is it looks like any other similar SUV now. The losers will be those of us who preferred a wagon than an SUV, because nobody else makes one. The bad news for Subaru is there are better SUVs than the Outback, so I suspect they'll lose many sales. I'd consider it if it didn't have that awful CVT. Unless it was noticeably improved, I wouldn't even bother driving one. The seats didn't look more comfortable to me; just bigger and flatter, for larger people. I'd personally look for a proper planetary-gear regular transmission, so guess the Mazda CX-7 I-6T, similar Lexus, etc. No more CVTs for me, especially crappy ones, like our '24 T-XT.