Subaru unveiled a refreshed 2023 outback at the 2022 New York International Auto Show, and although its new face will attract a lot of attention, the upgrades on the inside and safety features are the most notable.
The updated look will be worn on six of the Outback’s seven trim levels (Base, Premium, Onyx Edition, Limited and Turing), the Wilderness version that debuted last year and will continue with its own unique badge and copper accent. Most notably, the wheel arch cladding increased significantly and spread across both front and rear fenders. On the front, it feeds on black trim pieces that frame the front fascia like a handlebar mustache. The front grille is bigger now, and the headlight clusters have a new design Fog lights have now been moved to round units (instead of smaller LED components) and closer to the center of the large lower air intake.
2023 Subaru Outback
Under the hood, two powertrains carry. A naturally ambitious 2.5-liter 4-cylinder that produces 182 hp acts as the base engine, a 260-hp 2.4-liter turbo-4 optional. The turbocharged engine is standard in Wilderness and for 2023, Onyx is now offered with both engines. All-wheel drive and a constantly changing automatic transmission are also standard.
The most notable update comes where Outback will unveil the latest version of Subaru’s multimedia system that now includes a full-screen display for both Outback’s 11.6-inch vertical touchscreen with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. These smartphone mirroring systems have not been well-received in the past with vertical screens because they were usually confined to small parts of the display. In this case, however, their displays explode, making them more usable.
2023 Subaru Outback
2023 Subaru Outback
The 2023 Outback also introduces a new navigation technology that assigns three-word keys to a 10×10-foot box, making it harder to find and share difficult spaces such as trailheads or landscapes.
The Turing models add a forward-facing, wide-angle mono camera that helps expand the front view of the Outback’s security system. This camera is better for detecting pedestrians and cyclists as the car approaches the intersection. Turing has added a new rear camera mirror.
While the update may not change how the outback drives, there was no need for a wagon / SUV upgrade. Technology updates make it more livable while connected to your smartphone and use a lot of on-screen real estate. It is unknown at this time what he will do after leaving the post.