After completing two days of on-pavement and off-road testing at the Mudfest 2026 Outdoor Vehicle of the Year Competition, myself and my fellow automotive media professionals of the Northwest Automotive Press Association (NWAPA) have named the 2026 Subaru Trailseeker Limited as the Northwest Outdoor Activity Vehicle of the Year, the organization’s top award.

“The powerful powertrain, a quiet and spacious cabin, plus the ability to confidently deliver a
family to outdoor adventures gave the Subaru Trailseeker Limited the advantage needed to win
our most prestigious prize,” said NWAPA President Tom Voelk. “The Trailseeker was contending
in some of the toughest competition Mudfest has ever seen, but once the voting was tabulated,
Northwest Automotive Press Association members chose the Subaru as the recipient of the
coveted 2026 Outdoor Activity Vehicle of the Year honor.”

NWAPA journalists crowned the Subaru Trailseeker Limited in two additional categories: Best
Two-Row Family SUV and Best Electrified Activity Vehicle. “That the Trailseeker won three categories in the Mudfest contest speaks to how strongly NWAPA members feel about this electric vehicle,” Voelk said. “It’s a comfortable, quiet, and roomy EV that works for everyday family use in the city, but remains perfectly suited to transport five passengers to great hiking and mountain biking trails.”

In the Three-Row Family SUV category, the newly redesigned 2026 Kia Telluride X-Pro SX-
Prestige, with its added off-road prowess, took the prize. The 2026 Ram 1500 Warlock Crew
Cab 4×4 with its 5.7-liter HEMI eTorque V8 seized honors in the Pickup Truck segment. The
all-new 2026 Lucid Gravity Grand Touring impressed the NWAPA panel of journalists, taking
the Luxury SUV trophy. Jeep’s 2026 Wrangler Moab 392, with its 6.4-liter V8, walked away
with the Extreme Capability Vehicle honors.

For buyers looking for value, NWAPA’s Best Value NW Outdoor Activity Vehicle title was awarded to the redesigned 2026 Toyota RAV4 HybridWoodland.

The NWAPA Mudfest competition is now in its 32nd year, and its journalists have been evaluating outdoor activity vehicles since the early days of the modern SUV era. This year’s two-day event hosted 18 NWAPA media members evaluating 18 crossovers, SUVs, and pickups on specially prepared courses at The Ridge Motorsports Park in Shelton, Washington.

NWAPA members evaluate the vehicles in real-world conditions, and the results reflect how well
the vehicles perform across many attributes. Day One testing involves on-pavement courses
designed to evaluate acceleration, handling, braking, and road dynamics.

Day Two is run on a custom-designed course focused on off-pavement performance, evaluating traction, ground clearance, suspension articulation, and advances in off-road technology.

NWAPA Mudfest 2026 Categories and Winners:
 Two-Row Family SUV: 2026 Subaru Trailseeker Limited
 Three-Row Family SUV: 2026 Kia Telluride X-Pro SX-Prestige AWD
 Luxury SUV: 2026 Lucid Gravity Grand Touring
 Pickup Truck: 2026 Ram 1500 Warlock Crew Cab 4×4
 Electrified Activity Vehicle: 2026 Subaru Trailseeker Limited
 Extreme Capability Vehicle: 2026 Jeep Wrangler Moab 392
 Best Value NW Outdoor Activity Vehicle: 2026 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid Woodland

NW Outdoor Activity Vehicle of the Year
 2026 Subaru Trailseeker Limited