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2022 Subaru Outback Wilderness Edition driving up a craggy rock

The 2022 Subaru Outback Wilderness Costs More Than a 2021 Ford Bronco Sport Badlands

Pricing has a way of almost always being a buzzkill. The outdoors-focused 2022 Subaru Outback Wilderness has been announced and revealed along with its surprisingly steep price tag. In fact, the price of the Subaru Outback Wilderness is more than the 2021 Ford Bronco Sport Badlands Edition. The 2022 Subaru Outback Wilderness is rad, and most …

Pricing has a way of almost always being a buzzkill. The outdoors-focused 2022 Subaru Outback Wilderness has been announced and revealed along with its surprisingly steep price tag. In fact, the price of the Subaru Outback Wilderness is more than the 2021 Ford Bronco Sport Badlands Edition.

The 2022 Subaru Outback Wilderness off-roading in dirt
2022 Subaru Outback Wilderness | Subaru

The 2022 Subaru Outback Wilderness is rad, and most Subaru fans have been stoked for its arrival, but will the price turn people away?

How much is the 2022 Subaru Outback Wilderness Edition? 

Car prices are going up, and I guess we just have to accept it at this point. Not only is the new Wilderness Edition price high, other Subaru models will go up for 2022 as well, but more on that later. 

The 2022 Subaru Outback Wilderness is going to run buyers $38,120. This isn’t a crazy amount of money or anything, especially in the automotive world. However, if you compare it to other notable off-roaders in its class, the price seems to stand out a bit. 

2022 Subaru Outback Wilderness parked on a gravel road
2022 Subaru Outback Wilderness Edition | Subaru

According to Autoblog, the main example is the 2021 Ford Bronco Sport Badlands Edition. The highly anticipated Bronco Sport Badlands starts at  $34,315. The list goes on with the Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk price starting at $37,045.

Although the Subaru Outback Wilderness is only the third most expensive Outback in the lineup, it’s still more than the other notable off-road crossover vehicles. 

How is the 2022 Subaru Outback Wilderness different from the normal Outback? 

The majority of the Subaru outbacks come with the naturally aspirated 2.5-liter boxer. This is a great motor, but it is a bit sluggish and dull. The Wilderness is one of only two Outback models that gets the turbocharged 2.4-liter engine making 260 horsepower. 

The Wilderness Edition is meant for more expansive off-roading. Subaru gave the Outback Wilderness a 9.5–inch ground clearance with redesigned front and back bumpers for increased approach and departure angles.

2022 Subaru Outback Wilderness Edition driving up a craggy rock
2022 Subaru Outback Wilderness Edition | Subaru

Subaru also brought back the dual-function X-MODE, which has also been upgraded. Settings for deep snow, sand, and mud allow additional wheel slip to power through tougher trails and obstacles. 

This killer off-road package also includes a full spare, front-facing camera to check trail conditions, tougher bodywork, and a power hatchback. All around, the Outback Wilderness Edition took all the potential in the regular Outback and throttled it up to 11.

So, it may be a bit pricey, but the results are hard to argue. 

Subaru is still bringing up other prices, too

The 2022 Subaru Legacy is also getting a little price bump along with the whole Outback line. The base model 2022 Subaru Legacy just got bumped up $135, making the new price $23,995.

2022 Subaru Outback Wilderness Edition driving down a dirt trail
2022 Subaru Outback Wilderness Edition | Subaru

Also, the base model Outback got bumped up by $225, making the Outback start at $28,070. Fortunately, there are some, albeit small, changes to both the Legacy and Outback lines. 

Now, All Outback models have LED headlights as standard. There is also a new base Legacy trim that comes with standard black 17-inch alloy wheels. The Legacy Sport gets many new standard safety features: blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, sunroof, and automatic emergency reverse breaking.

Is all of this worth passing on the 2021 Ford Bronco Sport?

I know we aren’t s stoked on the 2021 Ford Bronco Sport as we are the regular Broncos. However, seeing as how you could (in theory) get a Bronco Sport Badlands for $4k less than the Outback wilderness, does that change anyone’s mind? Although we will probably get a 2022 Subaru Outback wilderness before anyone gets their 2021 Bronco.

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