Our Yearlong Subaru Outback Wilderness Just Passed the Road-Trip Test
Key takeaways
- A six-hour drive from Los Angeles to San Francisco revealed an unexpected side of Subaru’s rugged wagon.
- Road trips have a way of revealing everything you love—and everything you don’t—about a car.
- To our surprise, the Subie handled the trip flawlessly.
Why this matters: an automotive development that could shape industry direction or buying decisions.
A six-hour drive from Los Angeles to San Francisco revealed an unexpected side of Subaru’s rugged wagon.
Road trips have a way of revealing everything you love—and everything you don’t—about a car. The longer you spend behind the wheel, the more the small details begin to matter, like seat comfort after hours on the highway, how easy the infotainment system is to navigate on the move, or whether there’s enough room inside for people and luggage to coexist peacefully. So when it came time to drive our long-term 2026 Subaru Outback Wilderness from Los Angeles to San Francisco, we paid close attention to the kinds of things daily commuting tends to hide.
To our surprise, the Subie handled the trip flawlessly. Long drives usually expose at least a few annoyances, but the Outback Wilderness remained smooth, comfortable, and impressively quiet throughout the six-hour journey. What could have turned into a tiring slog up Interstate 5 instead felt relaxed and effortless behind the wheel.