10 Biggest News Stories of the Week: Honda Accord Hybrid Subaru Outback
Controversial statement loading: Not everyone needs an SUV. We know, we know. That’s a sizzling-fajita-plate hot take, so don’t burn yourself. If we were to tell you that you could buy a, gulp … compact sedan with excellent occupant comfort in the front and rear, ample cargo space, top-tier ride quality and interior appointments in addition to robust acceleration and fuel efficiency — and for an overall better bang for your buck — would you consider it? Check out Cars.com reviewer Conner Golden’s comprehensive critique of the 2026 Honda Accord hybrid — our most popular article of the past week — and see if he can’t convince you.
Related: 10 Biggest News Stories of the Month: Toyota Highlander, RAV4 Take Back Seat to No One
While Golden rates the Accord hybrid high across the board, its 204 horsepower and 247 pounds-feet of torque from an electrically assisted 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine is the sedan’s strong suit. Not only does it provide abundant oomph to keep a long drive through winding canyon roads entertaining, it sips fuel like it’s wine that’s been uncorked too long but you’re too timid to send the bottle back. Golden enjoyed surprisingly frequent stretches of electric-only driving and saw an average real-world return of 38 mpg over 900 miles. Mind you, the hybrid at its best is capable of an EPA-estimated 51/44/48 mpg city/highway/combined if you’re not inclined to ride the accelerator as hard as our reviewer.
For our full take on the 2026 Honda Accord hybrid, follow the link below to the No. 1 article on this week’s countdown of most read stories.
In other gas mileage goings-on, the 2026 Subaru Outback gets bigger and more SUV-like in its latest redesign while mostly carrying over its powertrains and standard all-wheel drive — and with that sizing up, fuel efficiency has largely gone down. The new-generation Outback gets an EPA-estimaged 25/31/27 mpg city/highway/combined for its Premium, Limited and Touring trims, 21/29/24 mpg for the Limited XT and Touring XT, and 21/27/23 for the Wilderness. That’s an across-the-board 1-mpg penalty compared to all but one trim level of the 2025 model — though the 2026 Wilderness manages to match the outgoing Outback’s city and highway figures while improving its combined rating by 1 mpg. Despite the dip, the Subaru still bests all of its direct competitors and sits mid-pack among comparable wagons.
For full details on the 2026 Subaru Outback’s fuel economy, follow the link below to the No. 2 news story of the week.
Beyond that, we’ve got headlines on the Rivian R2, Ford Mustang, Polestar 4, Volvo EX60, Toyota Crown and Crown Signia, 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 week:
1. The 2026 Honda Accord Hybrid Makes You Want to Skip an SUV: Review
2. What’s the 2026 Subaru Outback’s MPG?
3. 235,000-Plus Genesis, Kia Vehicles Recalled for Fire Risk
4. How to See the Rivian R2 Before It’s Available for Test Drives
5. The Ford Mustang Dark Horse SC Joins These 700+ HP Club Members
6. 2026 Polestar 4 Second Look: Too Weird, Too Buggy
7. New Volvo EX60 Looks Ready to Take on BMW iX3, Mercedes GLC and Rivian R2 EVs
8. What Are the Best Used Cars for $15,000?
9. Toyota Crown and Crown Signia: Everything You Need to Know
10. What Are the Best Used Cars for $10,000?
Cars.com’s Editorial department is your source for automotive news and reviews. In line with Cars.com’s long-standing ethics policy, editors and reviewers don’t accept gifts or free trips from automakers. The Editorial department is independent of Cars.com’s advertising, sales and sponsored content departments.
