10 Biggest News Stories of the Month: Subaru Outback Leaves Volvo XC40 in the Wilderness
If you’re among Subaru’s legion of brand loyalists (known as Subaruists), you needn’t much additional incentive to consider the redesigned-for-2026 Outback — only perhaps whether to consider the off-road-inclined Wilderness trim over the regular variant. For speculative newcomers to the Subaru sect in the market for a practical everyday SUV with enough asphalt-eschewing ability to justify its rugged appearance, it’s a must-consider. To help put it over the top for either group, look no further than Cars.com reviewer Conner Golden’s comprehensive critique — one of our most popular articles of the past month — where you’ll find three reasons to choose the 2026 Outback Wilderness.
Related: 10 Biggest News Stories of the Year: Hyundai Tucson, Honda CR-V Make Space as Hyundai Palisade Gains
In no particular order, the Wilderness’ trim-exclusive adaptive suspension makes the model’s case — because although off-road capability compared with the outgoing model is a wash, these shocks impressively absorb everything from imperfections to outright obstacles. Another enticement is the availability of the new-for-2026 Deep Emerald Green paint color, sure to have other Outback owners turning green with envy. Finally, the inclusion of physical knobs and buttons for climate controls, engine stop-start system and auto brake hold — in place of touch-sensitive controls, and without sacrificing a sense of modernity — preaches equally to the choir and the converted in the church of Subaru.
For our full take on the 2026 Subaru Outback Wilderness, follow the link below to the No. 5 news story from January.
But perhaps you have no plans for going past the pavement and instead are in the market for a small luxury SUV. Then you should drop down to the bottom of this month’s list and price shop the 2026 Volvo XC40 using our pricing report on the subcompact SUV. New for 2026 is a new entry-level engine — a less powerful turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder with front-wheel drive instead of all-wheel drive — as well as standard adaptive cruise control and front parking sensors. The XC40’s base trim, the Core, starts at $41,195, with prices rising incrementally across the Plus ($45,195), Ultra ($52,545) and all-new Black Edition ($53,195) trims; all prices include a destination charge.
For full details on the 2026 Volvo XC40 — including a trim-by-trim breakdown of features, equipment and safety tech, in addition to powertrain specs and fuel-economy estimates — follow the link below to the No. 10 news story on our monthly countdown of most read articles.
Beyond all that, we’ve got headlines on the Toyota 4Runner, Mazda3, Ram 2500, Kia K4, Lexus LS 500h, Mercedes-Benz GLC and much more — so don’t stop reading till the digits double. Here are the top 10 news stories Cars.com readers couldn’t get enough of in the past month:
1. We’ve Driven 10,000 Miles in Our Long-Term 2025 Toyota 4Runner. How Efficient Is the Hybrid?
2. Here Are the 10 Cheapest New Cars You Can Buy Right Now
3. These Cars Have Been Discontinued for 2026
4. The 2026 Mazda3 Is Proof That Compact Sedans Can Be Fun to Drive: Review
5. The 2026 Subaru Outback Wilderness Is All the Off-Roader (Most) People Need: Review
6. 2027 Ram 2500 Power Wagon: Doing What They Said Couldn’t Be Done
7. The 2026 Kia K4 Hatchback Isn’t a Hot Hatch, and It’s Better for It: Review
8. Is the 2025 Lexus LS 500h a Good Car? 4 Pros, 3 Cons
9. 2027 Mercedes-Benz GLC With EQ Technology: Hitting a Stride
10. How Much Is the 2026 Volvo XC40?
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