Shoppers across western Pennsylvania looking for a versatile midsize SUV have three strong contenders to weigh this year. The 2026 Subaru Outback arrives with a head-to-toe redesign, a bold new SUV silhouette, and a fresh suite of standard technology. The 2026 Honda Passport returns as an all-new V6-powered adventurer, while the 2026 Hyundai Santa Fe continues with its boxy three-row layout. Each one brings something different to the table, but only one delivers the combination of standard all-wheel drive, year-round capability, and refined daily driving that families across Indiana, Blairsville, and Homer City are after.
Here is how these three midsize SUVs compare across the categories that matter most, and which one comes out on top.
The 2026 Subaru Outback offers two engine choices. The standard 2.5-liter four-cylinder boxer produces 180 horsepower and 178 lb-ft of torque, while the available turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder bumps output to 260 horsepower and 277 lb-ft of torque on Limited XT, Touring XT, and Wilderness trims. Both pair with a Lineartronic CVT, and every Outback rolls off the line with standard Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive. The base engine returns up to 31 mpg highway, the best fuel economy of the three SUVs in this comparison.
The 2026 Honda Passport is powered by a single 3.5-liter V6 producing 285 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque, paired with a 10-speed automatic and standard i-VTM4 all-wheel drive. While the V6 brings strong acceleration and a 5,000-pound towing capacity, fuel economy comes in lower at an EPA-estimated 19 mpg city and 25 mpg highway on the RTL, dropping to 18 city and 23 highway on TrailSport models.
The 2026 Hyundai Santa Fe offers a turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder with 277 horsepower and 311 lb-ft of torque, plus an available 1.6-liter turbo-hybrid with 231 horsepower. Its HTRAC all-wheel drive system is standard only on the XRT trim and optional elsewhere, meaning most Santa Fe buyers either pay extra for AWD or drive away in front-wheel drive.
For drivers who navigate Pennsylvania winters between Northern Cambria and Punxsutawney, this is where the Outback pulls ahead. Subaru is the only model in this matchup with Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive standard on every single trim, paired with a dual-function X-MODE that offers settings for snow, dirt, deep snow, and mud. The Passport keeps pace with standard AWD, but its fuel economy is significantly lower. The Santa Fe loses ground because AWD is not standard across the lineup.
The 2026 Outback represents a complete redesign for Subaru. The raised wagon profile is gone, replaced by a bold, upright SUV silhouette with a new grille, available 19-inch wheels, and 8.7 inches of ground clearance on most trims, rising to 9.5 inches on the Wilderness. Inside, cargo volume jumps to 34.6 cubic feet behind the second row and 80.5 cubic feet with the seats folded down, and the Outback Touring XT earned a spot on the 2026 Wards 10 Best Interiors and UX list.
The Honda Passport is also all-new for 2026, with larger dimensions across the board. It opens up to 83.5 cubic feet of cargo space behind the first row and 44.0 cubic feet behind the second row. Ground clearance on the TrailSport sits at 8.3 inches, just under the Outback. Like the Outback, the Passport seats five and skips a third row.
The Santa Fe takes a different angle with three rows of seating, a boxy upright shape, and 14.6 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row. Fold everything flat and total cargo reaches 79.6 cubic feet, a hair less than the Outback. For shoppers who occasionally need a third row, that flexibility is genuine. For everyone else, the Outback offers more cargo room behind the second row and a higher ride height for unpaved drives around Ford City and Kittanning, especially in Wilderness trim.
All three SUVs are well-built, but the Outback edges ahead on the metrics that matter year-round in this region: a competitive ride height for snow and gravel, an award-recognized interior on Touring trims, and a five-passenger layout that prioritizes cargo over a rarely-used third row.
The redesigned Outback comes standard with a 12.1-inch high-resolution touchscreen and a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster on every trim, powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Automotive processor. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard. The available premium audio comes from Harman Kardon, and higher trims add a heads-up display, surround-view camera, and rear seat reminder.
The Honda Passport upgrades to a Google-based infotainment system with a larger display and a digital gauge cluster, while the Hyundai Santa Fe offers dual 12.3-inch screens on higher trims with standard wireless smartphone connectivity. Both are responsive, but the Outback is among the largest standard displays in this comparison, with its 12.1-inch touchscreen and 12.3-inch digital cluster equipped as a baseline on every single trim.
Safety is where the Outback separates itself most clearly. Every 2026 Outback comes equipped with EyeSight Driver Assist Technology featuring a new wider-angle camera, haptic-feedback steering wheel alerts, and a long list of standard active safety tech:
The 2026 Passport includes the latest Honda Sensing suite with traffic jam assist, blind-spot warning, and adaptive cruise control, and the Santa Fe comes standard with Hyundai SmartSense including smart cruise with stop and go and forward collision-avoidance with oncoming traffic alert. Both are competitive packages. The Outback, however, stands apart with available Hands-Free Assist and Automatic Emergency Steering, two driver-assist features neither competitor pairs with as standard a feature set across every trim.
Each of these three midsize SUVs has its strengths. The Honda Passport offers a powerful V6 and stronger towing. The Hyundai Santa Fe adds a third row and bold styling. But the 2026 Subaru Outback is the clear pick for drivers who want a daily SUV that handles every condition Pennsylvania can throw at it without compromise.
It is the only one of the three with standard Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive on every trim, available ground clearance up to 9.5 inches on the Wilderness, and an award-recognized Touring XT interior paired with the largest standard displays in this comparison. Add in 31 mpg highway and the latest EyeSight safety tech, and the Outback delivers the best blend of capability, comfort, and confidence for daily driving from Johnstown to Homer City.
Visit Delaney Subaru to explore the all-new 2026 Outback lineup and schedule your test drive. We proudly serve drivers from Indiana, Blairsville, Northern Cambria, Punxsutawney, Kittanning, Ford City, Homer City, and Johnstown.
