• Subaru will reveal two new SUVs at the 2025 Chicago Auto Show on February 6.

• One debut may be a Wilderness edition of the three-row Ascent, expanding the off-road lineup.

• The second SUV could be the all-new Subaru Outback, which is expected to bring design and tech updates.

The Chicago auto show has long been the stage where many trucks and SUVs are seen for the first time. Subaru’s announcement that we can expect the global launch of two new SUVs in the windy city sounds right.

Ascent Wilderness

Subaru’s Wilderness sub-brand has gained popularity as the automaker’s off-road-focused trim level, offering enhanced capability across select models. Featuring increased ground clearance, all-terrain tires, retuned suspension, and rugged styling cues, Wilderness editions strike a balance between daily drivability and off-road performance. The Forester, Crosstrek, and Outback have already received the Wilderness treatment, leaving only the big ute to gain the Wilderness badge. new SUVs debuting at the 2025 Chicago Auto Show will expand the Wilderness lineup.

An Ascent Wilderness would compete nicely with the likes of the Nissan Pathfinder Rock Creek, Volkswagen Atlas Peak Edition, Chevrolet Traverse Z71, and a number of others.

A new Outback?

The second SUV could be the all-new Subaru Outback, which is due for its next-generation update. With the Outback’s long-standing popularity and Subaru’s emphasis on rugged versatility, a redesigned version could introduce new technology, design updates, and improved capability while maintaining its signature crossover-wagon appeal. This is the politically correct description…

Based on spy shots circulating on the web, the next-generation Outback will in fact trade its sleek wagon good-looks in favour of a more upright SUV body. As long-standing fans of the Outback, 30 years running in fact, we fear that Subaru will break from its conservative tradition and reinvent, in some way, the Outback. It should be noted that Subaru has referred to the Outback as an SUV for many generations, where fans and enthusiasts have not.

We’ll find out more in just over one week.

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