Subaru's 2026 Outback Wilderness Has a Tire Issue Everybody's Talking About

We’ve just finished up a week of testing the new 2026 Subaru Outback Wilderness. It was our second test of one of our favorite vehicles. We also tested it during the New England Motor Press Association's Annual Winter Test Day. We can’t say enough good things about the new Outback Wilderness. Check out our full review to read the love letter we wrote about it. However, one thing really bothers us about the vehicle. Subaru’s tire selection. After we looked into this questionable tire selection, we found that Outback Wilderness fans are up in arms about it. The general theme is: Great vehicle. Bad tire pick.

Who Is This Guy? What Does He Know About Tires For Subaru Vehicles?
For the record, my family has had six Subarus, including two Outbacks purchased new, and I currently have a Crosstrek Wilderness purchased new 14 months ago. I also own a ‘23 Ford Bronco Sport Badlands. I am precisely the shopper Subaru targets with its Outback Wilderness. I test tires for two outlets and have six sets presently in long-term testing, two sets of which are A/Ts.

Subaru has moved away from the Yokohama Geolandar G015 A/T tire that Subaru has used for years on the Wilderness trims of the Outback, Forester, and Crosstrek. The Yokohama was a solid tire choice, and we’ve been testing it on our own Crosstrek Wilderness for about 14 months. In its place, Subaru worked hand in hand with Bridgestone to develop a bespoke all-new tire for the Outback Wilderness. The product of that collaboration is the Bridgestone Dueler 693 III A/T.

A/T means “all-terrain” in tire talk, but this new tire from Bridgestone doesn’t appear to have any all-terrain design features to our trained eye. It has no visible sidewall reinforcement, and it is not severe snow duty rated (No 3PMSF stamp). Its tread design appears to be that of an all-season touring tire, and, most notably, it seems dramatically thinner across the tread area than the outgoing Yokohama A/T tire. That narrow appearance prompted us to investigate. 

We found that the Bridgestone has over an inch less tread width than the three other tires we had on hand in testing, despite all four tires having the exact same width spec, 225mm. The whole point of an all-terrain tire is to put tread to the ground, so it stunned us when we saw how narrow it was. We researched the Bridgestone Dueler line and discovered, to our horror, that it is not an accident. Bridgestone actually brags that the tire is “thinner” by design. Say what?!  

We viewed some reviews of the Outback Wilderness and found a lot of comments under a great testing video by Driving Sports TV. Here are some comments we spotted that relate to the new tire choice Subaru made:

-Would like to see with some tires that aren't garbage.
-Didn't realize they downgraded tires on the 2026.
-For Wilderness trim, I would have preferred the Yokohama tires.  More aggressive than those Bridgestones.
-Shame on Subaru for not using 3-peak snow-rated tires. 
-So glad I got my 24 OBW when I did. The looks of this one and those tires are big zonks for me.
-I feel like those AT tires are some of the least aggressive in the category.
-I think the struggle points come down to those tires. Nothing about them looks as robust as even the stock tires on the previous -Outback Wilderness (which are almost as good as the Falken Wildpeak AT Trails).
-They could have done better on the tires and kept a good ride.

The most telling comment we found was:

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Bring back the darn Yokohama Geolandars! Really bummed Subaru didn’t keep those on this gen. They were so damn incredible in the deep Montana snow.

Why No Three Peak Mountain Snowflake Symbol?
For those not up to speed on the significance of the “three-peak” aspect, it’s an industry standard that tires are tested to, and if they pass, it denotes approval for deep snow. Nearly every all-terrain tire earns this rating, but the Bridgestone Dueler 693 III A/T does not. It’s a real problem for people who live where that stamp is required by law for winter driving (in parts of Canada), and it just seems crazy that a winter-focused brand like Subaru would fit a tire that has not earned this snow-duty rating on its most aggressive trim. Here are two comments we found on that topic:
 - 3-peak rated tire for the next winter season. I don’t go off-roading, but I do go on a lot of ski trips where I need to get through roads with a fair amount of snow…
 - Insane they put on non-3 peak tires. It's like they built for the driver grocery getter who wants to look the part

We reached out to Bridgestone, who are very responsive and supportive of our tire reviews and tests. We simply asked why no 3PMFS? Here is the reply we got:

The absence of the 3PMSF symbol on his tire is primarily because it was not a specific
requirement set by Subaru for the Outback Wilderness’ original equipment package. While the
tire may have the capability to perform in winter conditions, it was likely not put through that
specific testing during development as 3PMSF wasn’t a performance target for this fitment. In
many cases with OE tires, performance in snow is balanced against other requirements the
manufacturer has for the vehicle—such as quietness or specific handling—and for this fitment,
3PMSF certification was not part of the requested spec.

We respect Bridgestone’s honesty here. Winter capability is Subaru’s raison d'etre. (Reason for existing). Perhaps the folks at Subaru figured that owners of A/T tires would want dedicated winter tires. I have to say, I’m a Subaru Wilderness owner, and I do indeed use winter rubber, despite having A/Ts. Hard for me to call out Subaru too loudly on this aspect of the design.

The Bridgestone Dueler 693 III A/T may be a swell tire for folks who are looking for a very “thin” tire, to use Bridgestone’s own language, and who prefer a lighter tire to save some a few pennies on gas. But is it the right tire for the Outback Wilderness? Consider how the Outback Wilderness is shown in Subaru’s marketing images. Driving over a boulder-strewn hill off-road. Up to its rocker panels in mud, crossing what looks to be a muddy farm field, Tipped to its side on a mountain trail. (Interestingly, no snow images…)

Our feeling is that an all-terrain tire should be designed for maximum traction off-pavement, have a reinforced sidewall with sidewall tread, have an open, aggressive tread design to fling mud, and earn the 3PMSF symbol. Subaru fits a tire like that to the Crosstrek Wilderness and the Forester Wilderness right now. A thin, eco-focused tire feels like the wrong choice for a vehicle trim that is loaded with added ground clearance, special off-road powertrain tricks, and a marketing campaign pointing owners off the beaten path.

If the Bridgestone Dueler 693 III A/T was inexpensive, we could understand Subaru trying to save a few bucks and keep the OBW’s price point low. However, the tire has a much higher price point than many tires in its class, and even those considered the gold standard. Here are the prices we found on Tire Rack:

All of these great tire models we compared to the Bridgestone Dueler 693 III tires Subaru selected were in stock. However, the Bridgestones were not. It’s the most expensive tire to replace, and not available if you need it in a pinch. When we found out that the new tire was not available on Tire Rack, we looked to one of New England’s largest brick-and-mortar retailers. No luck. Next, we tried a Metro Boston Subaru dealer. We spoke to the parts department. The employee confirmed that the tire was not in stock, and “could not find it in the system.” He asked for some time to check on the tire. When he phoned back, he said there were four in “the region,” and it would be a six-day wait for one if we prepaid and ordered now. The price was $282.

What Do Other Testers Say?
In testing videos, Ryan, the host of Driving Sports TV, called the Bridgestone tires on the new 2026 Outback Wilderness, “fairly mild all-terrain tires.” In another video, he said, “The previous Outback Wilderness, of course, had the Yokohama Geolandars, and I actually rather like (the Geolandars).”

Here’s Where We Defend This New Tire
Before you send an angry-gram to Bridgestone, let’s look at one comment posted by a fan who closely watched the many videos of the Outback Wilderness off pavement.

Considering the car is hobbled with so/so tires, it still performed really well.

Stepping back, if the vehicle performed "really well," are the tires a problem? I didn’t beat the tar out of the Outback as other testers did. My driving was mostly on-road, so I’ll give you that perspective. This is hands-down the quietest “all-terrain” tire I have ever evaluated, and I’ve evaluated dozens. You don't get that familiar hum on back roads that becomes white noise on the highway. I’d say this tire was as quiet as any all-season tire I have driven in any Subaru.

The Outback Wilderness also handles great. And I will give credit where it is due. The tires don't howl in corners like the A/T tires on my Crosstrek Wilderness or Ford Bronco Sport Badlands. The car steers sharply (for its class), and it had no difficulty in wet weather.

Bridgestone is a company I have turned to for tires so many times I’ve lost count. Every set of Bridgestone tires I owned, including at least a half-dozen Blizzak-series winter tires, was outstanding and also affordable. The new Bridgestone Dueler 693 III A/T we evaluated was very quiet on the road. There was no road hum as we find with some A/T tires. It seemed to offer good handling on paved roads, and we had no difficulty in the rain. For some of the other Outback trims, perhaps a hybrid, we think this tire selection may have been a good fit, if not for its high price point.

The Final Word
My spider sense perked up when I saw how narrow the tires on the 2026 Outback Wilderness were. Looking into them, it seems I am not alone in questioning why Subaru chose the Bridgestone Dueler 693 III A/T. My final take is that owners should give the Bridgestone Dueler 693 III A/T tire a chance before judging it. In my on-pavement testing, they were fantastic. In testing, you can view at Driving Sports TV, they also did well off-road and in the snow. Tell us what you think of this new tire that Subaru and Bridgestone developed specifically for the 2026 Outback Wilderness. The comments section awaits.
 

John Goreham is a 14-year veteran of Torque News. An accomplished writer and a long-time expert in vehicle testing, Goreham also serves as the Vice President of the New England Motor Press Association and has a growing social media presence. He’s also a 10-year staff writer and community moderator for Car Talk. Goreham holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and an undergraduate Certificate in Marketing. In addition to vehicle and tire content, he offers deep dives into market trends and opinion pieces. You can follow John Goreham on X and TikTok, and connect with him on LinkedIn.

Tire images by John Goreham.  Image of Outback atop boulder hill courtesy of Subaru.