One of the key rules of the local market states that a car selling in large quantities is probably very good and successful. Much has been said and written about the mass-purchase phenomenon, the "herd" effect— which, to its credit, has not always been wrong. Waves of purchases have crowned and dethroned generations of cars in Israel: Fiat 124, Ford Escort, Cortina, Peugeot 205, and Subaru DL, followed by Mitsubishi, Mazda, Hyundai, and so on.
The Subaru Outback was never part of that trend; it never had a chance, and not just because of its price. It was simply "too different." A large family car, a raised station wagon that arrived in the second half of the '90s— not exactly the golden age of station wagons. However, it was the true crossover before the mass shift to crossovers.
While abroad, especially in Australia and North America, it became a massive hit, even as its design evolved to appear tougher over its generations, it never won over Israeli customers, who always viewed it first and foremost as a station wagon. But with its next generation, that may change. Spy shots of the car show that this time, Subaru is taking a completely different approach. No longer just a raised version of the Legacy, but a distinct model with a boxy design—similar to the transformation seen in the current Forester.
The new model will continue to use the current platform. The wheelbase, currently at 275 cm, is not expected to grow significantly, though the boxier exterior design may add a few centimeters to the overall length of 4.87 meters. Estimates suggest it will be taller than the current model but not higher than the Forester, which stands at 173 cm.
Beyond the design, which aims to position it in more direct competition with other crossovers, what could push it toward greater popularity—and also help Subaru meet emissions regulations—is the addition of a hybrid powertrain. This system will combine Subaru’s 2.5-liter engine with two electric motors from Toyota, as part of their collaboration. A version of this powertrain is already available in the Crosstrek in several markets.
Currently, the combined output of this engine stands at 195 horsepower, though the Outback may receive a more powerful version—either way, a significant improvement over the 170 horsepower it currently offers. This is a new engine, not the 2.0-liter e-Boxer that was previously in the Crosstrek and reached Israel in limited parallel imports.
Inside the cabin, a 12.3-inch multimedia system screen is expected, along with a dashboard display of the same size. Despite the increase in technology, there is good news—at least according to spy shots of the prototypes: the interior retains physical controls for climate control and the audio system.
Subaru is expected to officially unveil the new Outback at the New York Auto Show in April. The northern states of America remain one of its biggest markets. The local importer, Semel, has confirmed that the new model will indeed be introduced this year but could not commit to whether it will arrive here in 2025 or early 2026.