These trail-focused mid-size SUVs have the off-road look and branding, but do they have the chops?Automotive trends come and go, but the craze for beefed-up mid-size SUVs shows no signs of letting up. After all, automakers are in the business of giving people what they'll buy. And while most shoppers recognize that they don't need an all-out off-roader like a body-on-frame Toyota 4Runner or Jeep Wrangler, plenty of folks still want everyone to know they have a National Parks pass, so they're choosing SUVs with an extra measure of rugged bravado.

The Honda Passport TrailSport and the Subaru Outback Wilderness are established nameplates in this movement, promising a hearty helping of rough-road aptitude. The two models have been around for a while now, but the 2026 model year marks a generational leap for both. Whereas the Passport was previously somewhat anonymous, the 2026 model stands out with its cubist bodywork and improved underpinnings—an update that clearly had the TrailSport in mind. The Outback also underwent a radical transformation for the 2026 model year, leaving behind its familiar wagon-like shape in favor of an upright posture more typical of an SUV. So we put them to the test to see which is better at balancing on-road comfort and tough-terrain prowess. 

Exterior Styling

Subaru fans have been waxing doleful about the Outback's departure from its rugged-wagon roots, and indeed, there isn't much visual DNA tying the new model to its past. But even with the 2026 Outback's mid-size-SUV silhouette, it still achieves the same utilitarian, granola-loving vibe that Subaru has been cultivating for decades. At its blunt front end, the Wilderness wears a unique grille that trades the standard model's honeycomb pattern for a tougher-looking hexagonal one with "Subaru" spelled out front and center.

The geometric design language continues with a strip of black cladding that continues around the body, framing the wheel openings, door sills, and rear bumper. Gold accents dot the exterior, appearing on the roof rails, fog-light surrounds, and small liftgate-mounted reverse lights. This type of visual treatment works well on some other off-road-themed SUVs, but the Wilderness's discordant shapes and materials give the impression that its final design was the result of a blindfolded game of "pin the plastic on the Outback."

The TrailSport, on the other hand, lets its brawny bodywork do most of the talking. The Passport's new, bricklike sheetmetal already does a lot to give the model a rugged mien, and the Honda isn't as performative as the Subaru in attempting a trail-ready look. Underbody skid plates, amber daytime running lights, and exposed orange tow hooks differentiate the TrailSport models from the standard RTL trims. General Grabber A/T Sport tires (size 275/60R-18) also play an important role in the TrailSport's visual presentation, and the knobby and deep-treaded rubber marks a contrast with the Subaru's less-aggressive Bridgestone Dueler all-terrain tires (size 225/65R-17). 

Interior Accommodations

The Passport's interior is par for the course if you're familiar with recent Hondas. Its controls and switchgear are organized in a straightforward and easy-to-use way, where everything is within reach and located where you'd expect it to be. The Subaru doesn't have any glaring ergonomic shortcomings either, and we appreciated the Outback's liberal use of physical buttons on the climate-control panel and steering wheel. As premium trims of their respective model lineups, both of our SUVs came equipped with a similar suite of amenities, including heated front and rear seats, wireless phone charging, a heated steering wheel, premium audio, and more.

Our Wilderness test car also came with the $4090 Option package 23, which added a few features that come standard on the TrailSport Elite, such as ventilated front seats, a power sunroof, and a power-adjustable front passenger's seat. The package also includes black nappa-leather upholstery with contrast copper stitching, which is the model's only available interior color combo. While the gold details throughout the cabin provide some visual relief from the endless expanse of black plastic and leather, there's a clear lack of style. We wouldn't consider the TrailSport's black- and brown-leather interior to be luxury level, but the two-tone look is attractive and certainly stands out as the more aesthetically pleasing of the two. The Passport takes the cake for material quality as well, with softer-feeling upholstered surfaces and less scratchy plastic.

Some of the Subaru's disjointed exterior styling is echoed inside, as its 12.1-inch infotainment screen and enclosed digital gauge display meld into a strange trapezoid-meets-rectangle geometric fusion. The Passport's 12.3-inch central display is clumsily tacked onto the dash, but at least it jibes with the rest of the interior layout. The infotainment systems in both cars are responsive and easy to interact with. That's notable for the Subaru especially, as the screen in the previous-gen Outback was barely more reactive than an early 2000s PalmPilot.

The Honda is over five inches wider than the Subaru, and that translates to a meaningful interior space advantage in the front and rear seats. Where the Outback feels sedan-like on the inside, the Passport has an almost full-size-SUV feel in terms of sheer roominess. There's plenty of head- and legroom in both models, but the Passport has a flat rear floor that allows for better foot placement for back-seat riders. Behind the second row, the Passport edges out its competitor in stuff-hauling capability, with space for 16 carry-on suitcases versus 12 in the Outback. We also appreciated that the Honda's cargo hold was littered with cubbies and storage nooks—including a pretty sizable one hidden under the floor next to the space-saver spare—for smaller items. Dropping the reclining rear seats in the Outback is easier with quick-release handles in the cargo hold, allowing us to pack 29 carry-ons with the second row folded; the Passport had room for 38 with the second row out of the way.