In a burgeoning automotive segment driven by a craving for adventurous vehicles, the 2026 Honda Passport TrailSport and 2026 Subaru Outback Wilderness emerge as prominent contenders. This detailed evaluation delves into their design, performance, and rugged capabilities, ultimately aiming to determine which of these revitalized mid-size SUVs better fulfills the promise of balancing everyday usability with robust off-pavement excursions. Both models have undergone significant generational updates, with the Passport adopting a more assertive, angular aesthetic and the Outback shedding its traditional wagon-like profile for a more commanding SUV stance. This analysis examines their respective approaches to catering to consumers who desire a vehicle capable of tackling challenging environments without sacrificing comfort on paved roads.
The exterior aesthetics of these two vehicles present contrasting philosophies. Subaru enthusiasts, who have long cherished the Outback's rugged wagon heritage, might find the 2026 model's complete visual overhaul a departure from its origins. Despite its new SUV-like silhouette, the Outback Wilderness maintains the brand's signature utilitarian and nature-loving appeal. Its front fascia, specifically designed for the Wilderness trim, features a distinctive hexagonal grille that replaces the standard honeycomb pattern, boldly displaying the Subaru name. This geometric theme extends to the black body cladding that encircles the wheel wells, door sills, and rear bumper. Gold accents strategically placed on the roof rails, fog light surrounds, and liftgate-mounted reverse lights aim to enhance its off-road identity. However, the combination of disparate shapes and materials might give the impression of a somewhat disjointed design, as if assembled without a cohesive vision.
In stark contrast, the Passport TrailSport embraces a more understated yet robust visual language. Its new brick-like body panels inherently convey a sense of strength and adventure, requiring less overt ornamentation than its Subaru rival. The TrailSport distinguishes itself from the standard RTL trims through practical additions such as underbody skid plates, amber daytime running lights, and visible orange tow hooks. A significant visual differentiator is its aggressive General Grabber A/T Sport tires (275/60R-18), which, with their knobby, deep treads, present a more formidable appearance compared to the Subaru's less assertive Bridgestone Dueler all-terrain tires (225/65R-17).
Moving inside, the Passport's cabin will feel familiar to those accustomed to recent Honda vehicles, characterized by an intuitive layout of controls and switchgear. Everything is readily accessible and logically positioned, ensuring ease of use. The Subaru also boasts sound ergonomic design, with a welcome abundance of physical buttons for climate control and steering wheel functions. As top-tier trims, both SUVs offer a similar array of premium features, including heated front and rear seating, wireless phone charging, a heated steering wheel, and advanced audio systems. The Wilderness test vehicle came equipped with an optional package, adding ventilated front seats, a power sunroof, and a power-adjustable front passenger's seat—features standard on the TrailSport Elite. This package also included black Nappa leather with copper stitching, the sole interior color choice for the Wilderness. While the cabin's gold accents offer some visual relief from the predominantly black surfaces, the overall aesthetic lacks a distinct sense of style. The TrailSport, with its attractive two-tone black and brown leather interior, presents a more aesthetically pleasing option and superior material quality, featuring softer upholstered surfaces and fewer hard plastics.
The Subaru's fragmented exterior design cues are somewhat mirrored in its interior, where the 12.1-inch infotainment screen and integrated digital gauge display merge into an unusual geometric arrangement of trapezoidal and rectangular forms. While the Passport's 12.3-inch central display appears somewhat haphazardly integrated into the dashboard, it aligns more cohesively with the overall interior design. Both vehicles feature responsive and user-friendly infotainment systems, a notable improvement for the Subaru, whose previous-generation screen was notoriously sluggish. In terms of sheer passenger volume, the Honda boasts a significant advantage, being over five inches wider than the Subaru. This translates to a more spacious interior, particularly in the front and rear seats, giving the Passport an almost full-size SUV feel. Both models offer ample head and legroom, but the Passport's flat rear floor enhances comfort for back-seat passengers. For cargo capacity behind the second row, the Passport outperforms the Outback, accommodating 16 carry-on suitcases compared to the Outback's 12. The Honda also provides numerous storage compartments, including a sizable hidden one beneath the floor next to the spare tire. Although the Outback's quick-release handles for folding the rear seats offer convenience, allowing for 29 carry-ons, the Passport ultimately provides more overall cargo space with the second row stowed, fitting 38 carry-ons.
Under the hood, the Honda is powered by a naturally aspirated 3.5-liter V-6 engine, delivering 285 horsepower to all four wheels via a 10-speed automatic transmission. The Wilderness variant of the Outback features the more robust of Subaru's two four-cylinder engine options: a 260-horsepower turbocharged 2.4-liter flat-four, paired with a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT). All-wheel drive is a standard feature for Subaru. The Outback demonstrates clear superiority in initial acceleration, largely due to its lighter curb weight and more readily available low-end torque. The TrailSport Elite, weighing in at 4702 pounds, is a substantial 686 pounds heavier than the 4016-pound Outback Wilderness. Furthermore, the Honda's peak torque of 262 pound-feet doesn't arrive until 5000 rpm, leading to a noticeable delay in forward momentum. In contrast, the Subaru's turbo engine spools up quickly, providing 277 pound-feet of peak torque between 2000 and 4800 rpm. This performance disparity resulted in a significant 1.1-second difference in 0-60 mph acceleration tests, with the Passport taking 7.1 seconds and the Outback achieving a quicker 6.0 seconds.
Despite the Outback's superior acceleration, the Honda's V-6 engine was ultimately preferred. While the 2026 model year's transition to a double-overhead-cam setup for the V-6 meant the discontinuation of the previous generation's VTEC-equipped single-cam engine—a regrettable change for some—the new powertrain still exudes considerable character. It delivers a pleasant engine note and smooth revving, though the 10-speed automatic transmission can be slow to downshift. In contrast, the Outback's four-cylinder largely fades into the background, a testament to its refinement but also its lack of emotional appeal. Interior sound measurements support this, with the Outback registering 73 decibels at wide-open throttle compared to the Passport's 78 decibels. The CVT in the Outback was also found to be less obtrusive than in some other Subaru models, such as the Forester, likely due to the turbocharged engine's increased power, which reduces the need for sustained high-RPM operation. Predictably, the Outback's smaller-displacement, turbocharged four-cylinder engine, combined with its lighter weight, resulted in superior fuel economy. During a test evaluation spanning over 140 miles of highway driving and some off-road use, the Outback achieved 19 mpg, four mpg less than its EPA combined rating of 23 mpg. The naturally aspirated V-6 Passport managed 17 mpg, three mpg below its 20 mpg EPA combined figure.
Before venturing into rugged terrain, both vehicles were assessed on a 10Best drive loop to evaluate their dynamic capabilities. The Outback has historically received lukewarm reviews regarding driving enjoyment, and the newest Wilderness model largely continues this trend. Its narrower body, lower seating position, and blunt hood provide a more car-like feel behind the wheel than the Passport, but its vague steering detracts from its cornering ability. Conversely, the Honda occupies more of the lane due to its wider stance, yet offers more direct steering feedback, even with its beefier tires, resulting in a more composed and stable feel. The Subaru's suspension deserves commendation, however, as the Wilderness model's new adaptive dampers effectively mitigate body roll, marking a substantial improvement over previous Outback generations. The Honda's passive dampers provide a softer ride, adept at absorbing minor road imperfections but prone to significant head-toss over larger bumps. Despite the Passport's considerable weight, it demonstrated comparable braking performance to the Outback. From 70 mph, the Passport stopped in 177 feet, only marginally longer than the Outback's 174 feet. Due to snowy conditions, lateral grip data for the Outback could not be collected. However, the TrailSport achieved a respectable 0.84 g on the skidpad, a 0.10 g improvement over the previous-generation 2024 Passport TrailSport.
The true test of their capabilities commenced at the Mounds ORV Park, where heavy snowfall provided an additional challenge of deep-powder performance alongside steep inclines, pitted terrain, and narrow trails. On paper, their off-road specifications appear closely matched. The Subaru offers a slight advantage in ground clearance at 9.5 inches, besting the Honda by 1.2 inches. However, the TrailSport compensates with a superior approach angle of 23.0 degrees, thanks to its shorter front overhang, compared to the Wilderness's 20.0 degrees. Conversely, the TrailSport has a slightly worse departure angle—23.1 degrees versus the Wilderness's 23.6 degrees—a consequence of its standard trailer-hitch receiver. In the 20-degree ramp travel index test, the Passport showed a clear advantage, climbing 36.6 inches for a score of 322, significantly outperforming the Outback's 24.1 inches and score of 223. While the Outback utilizes Subaru's established symmetrical all-wheel-drive system, the Passport also features all-wheel drive complemented by a torque-vectoring rear axle. A notable divergence lies in their tire choices; the Honda's General Grabber A/T Sports appear far more robust than the Subaru's Bridgestone Duelers. In practice, the differences became stark.
Initiating the off-road assessment, the Subaru, in X-mode, and the Honda, in Trail mode, approached a five-foot-tall slope. The Outback's attempt was abruptly halted by a "obstacle detected" warning, which cut power as its front began to ascend, highlighting a critical flaw: X-mode does not automatically disable forward-collision systems. After manually deactivating these nannies, the Outback still struggled, spinning its tires about three-quarters of the way up the incline. The Passport, in contrast, conquered the same obstacle effortlessly, without any collision warnings. Continuing on steeper banks and moderate hills, the Outback consistently faced difficulties. While the Passport confidently navigated obstacles and deep snow, the Subaru's stability control and braking systems were constantly intervening, often unsuccessfully, in an attempt to regain traction. Only in heavily rutted terrain did the Wilderness gain an advantage, its superior ground clearance allowing it to clear obstacles that the Passport scraped. This performance gap strongly suggests that the Outback's less aggressive Bridgestone Dueler tires were a significant handicap. Had it been equipped with the more capable Yokohama Geolandar A/T tires found on the previous-generation Outback Wilderness, its off-road performance would likely have been substantially improved.
In the head-to-head comparison, the Honda Passport TrailSport emerges as the unequivocal victor among these aggressively marketed, trail-ready SUVs. While the Subaru Outback Wilderness certainly possesses merits, such as a comfortable ride, a more potent engine, and practical attributes, its off-road performance ultimately fell short of expectations. Financially, the Outback Wilderness holds an edge, with a starting price of $46,445 compared to the TrailSport's $50,145. The tested Outback, priced at $50,535, was still notably less expensive than the $54,355 TrailSport Elite, which included only one optional extra: Sunset Orange paint ($455). However, considering this evaluation assessed both on-road manners and backcountry capabilities, investing more in a vehicle that excels in both aspects is a more justifiable choice.
