We have seen the new interior face of Subaru, and we like it. After a few years of fits and starts as designers pivoted from a knob-heavy interior layout to one that eschewed virtually all hard controls in favor of touchscreen interfaces, we think the automaker has landed on the perfect blend in the 2026 Outback.
WardsAuto received a top-of-the-line Outback Touring XT trim, priced at $49,840 all in, for testing as part of its 10 Best Interiors & UX awards. The winning vehicle featured everything from new hands-free adaptive cruise control to on-brand “dog” illustrations molded into the cargo bay trim, allowing owners to gauge dimensions by the size of their furry sidekicks.
Settling into the driver’s seat, we were instantly aware of the great visibility afforded by the Outback’s wide-open glasshouse, made possible by low windowsills and cowl height, a higher roofline and an upright rear liftback. There’s something refreshing about being able to see in and out of a vehicle and the Outback, with its expansive glass, provides such a view.
Glancing around the cabin, we were taken by handsome black over brown materials, the Java Brown Nappa Leather upholstery and tight fits throughout. Attention to detail is evident in the use of soft trim in door pockets to eliminate clatter, and in the thoughtfully placed cargo tray above the cavernous glove box to give the passenger a handy spot for a phone, sunglasses, wallet or other travel paraphernalia that might otherwise clutter the cupholders.
“The Outback Touring has the most luxurious Subaru interior I’ve ever seen,” said Drew Winter, a Wards 10 Best Interiors & UX judge. “The rich brown and black surfaces are beautifully textured and give a premium look. There also are high-end features such as seats that are ventilated as well as heated.”
The seventh-generation Outback introduces a brightly illuminated 12.3-inch full-color digital instrument cluster paired with a “square-ish” 12.3-inch Subaru Multimedia System touchscreen, all nicely integrated into the dashboard and placed in perfect line of sight. Those two screens are standard across all trims, not just the high-zoot model we evaluated, by the way.
That aforementioned combination of touchscreen and hard-button controls includes multiple functions within the touchscreen, while the climate system is managed with an easily accessible horizontal row of buttons and control knobs positioned lower on the console. HVAC controls don’t require as much attention as audio, communications and navigation, but when a simple temperature adjustment is needed, it’s nice to be able to reach out and twist a knob versus locating and then pecking at a touchscreen button or slider while piloting a 3,982-pound vehicle at speed down the highway.
The same goes for audio volume — the Outback delivers with a traditional knob on the driver’s side of the touchscreen. There’s a normal shifter, too, right there in the center console next to the cupholders. Suffice it to say, Subaru gets it when it comes to the user interface.
“When they designed the interior, they put things like knobs and buttons for controlling functions ready at hand for the driver who is keeping their eyes on the trail ahead,” said Gary Vasilash, a Wards 10 Best Interiors & UX judge. “You sense that the Subaru designers drive Subarus the way their customers do.”
We found voice controls quick to respond, thanks to faster computing performance built into the vehicle — Subaru says it’s 2.5 times faster than the previous system, backed by doubled memory and storage capacity that produces much faster responses to screen swipes and transitions. We particularly noted easy and instant swaps between the native Google-based systems and our Bluetooth-connected Apple CarPlay and Android Auto applications.
For 2026, Subaru takes its already excellent Eyesight Driver Assistance Technology adaptive cruise control and lane keeping system and adds Highway Hands-Free Assist, along with automatic lane-change assistance. We’ve applauded Eyesight’s simulated brake lights in the instrument cluster that indicate the vehicle’s reactions, now augmented by images that pinpoint the location of nearby vehicles in traffic.
Subaru has earned its stripes for functional cargo room, which is now 2-cubic-feet larger and features a host of tie-down hooks and a multi-use cargo cover.
“I love all the cargo innovations built into the latest Outback,” Robin Warner, a 10 Best Interiors & UX judge, wrote in his notes, adding the cargo cover is also machine washable. “All in all, it’s one of the most versatile cargo spaces I’ve seen.”
In keeping with its dog-friendly branding — Subaru says more than half of its buyers own dogs and the company is the largest corporate donor to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals — the Outback adds a number of dog-related “Easter eggs” to the interior. Just for fun.
For our judges, the Outback continues Subaru’s tradition of offering function-focused products with a tight lens on owners’ needs and preferences. That makes it an easy and practical choice for Wards 10 Best Interiors & UX honors.
