The New Subaru Outback Taillights Hide A Handy Ruler

The 2026 Subaru Outback includes some adventure-friendly upgrades, like an upsized rear cargo space for packing more gear. Of course, that extra room is possible thanks to the Outback's boxier exterior, which has been polarizing, to say the least. Yet the trade-off between adding room and removing the Outback's traditional, wagon-esque style at least provides a measurable benefit. It's a different story with the new taillights, which also work as a measuring device. 

There are definitely regular graduations across the taillights that make them look a bit like rulers. Plus, you could use them for Subaru-type things like measuring a fish you caught while camping or comparing the size of screws at the hardware store, and gardeners can turn to them to help space out their plantings. However, the markings aren't spaced out properly for either inches or centimeters. Then there's the fact that the taillights have a gentle curve to them where they turn the corner into the bodyside of the vehicle. The taillight markings don't seem to compensate for this, so you can't really use the whole length of the lights for measuring, either.

Now, the Outback is scheduled to go on sale later this year, and at that point, you could conceivably take out your own ruler, apply it to the taillight markings, and memorize how they compare to your preferred system of measurement before you put them to use. Or perhaps it's time for the world to convert to Subimeters.

It's great that the Outback has a built-in ruler out back, but that's merely one of the new hidden features from Subaru. There are also notable upgrades to the Outback's advanced driver-assistance features, for example, that you won't notice until you use them — or need them. One of the most welcome is Subaru's hands-free driving assist technology. For the first time ever, you'll be able to pilot some Outback trims, on some highways, while enjoying Level 2 autonomy that lets you take your hands off the wheel (but still requires constant driver supervision). 

Another new ADAS tech that may fly under the radar for most drivers is Subaru's Emergency Stop Assist with Safe Lane Selection. If the driver has some sort of medical crisis and stops acknowledging warnings from other Subaru ADAS systems, this new feature can pull the car over to the shoulder of the road and automatically notify first responders.

There are some capability boosters hidden under the Outback's skin as well. Head for the rough stuff to discover the enhanced all-wheel drive system that can reduce wheel spin and offer better stability on the curves, and when you need to activate X-Mode, you can now use a convenient switch mounted on the steering wheel. Hidden or not, these are all yet more reasons to love a Subaru.

This might seem like an off-the-wall question, but you know we wouldn't ask if there weren't other vehicles with built-in rulers. And there are. In fact, some of the best-selling vehicles in the country come with true built-in rulers clearly marked for U.S. and metric measurements. We're talking about midsize and full-size pickups, and more specifically, those fitted with multipurpose tailgates. 

The tailgates from Ford, Chevrolet, and GMC can be quickly configured in many different ways to meet your needs, from opening only sections of the gate at a time to deploying integrated bedsteps. They can also be arranged to form flat work surfaces, sort of like stand-up desks, and these do indeed come with molded-in rulers. It makes a little more sense here, as it's easier to imagine someone rolling up to a worksite in a pickup and needing to measure and cut a 2x4 than doing the same in a new Outback.

Ruler-equipped tailgates are available on the Chevrolet Silverado and Colorado, the GMC Sierra and Canyon, and the Ford F-150 and Ranger but not the Ram 1500, which is perhaps better known for tailgates that can fly open while you're driving. It has to make do with a ruler hidden beneath the front center console, where you can also find molded-in math tools like a protractor, a few mathematical formulas, a chart for converting fractions to decimals, and more. It all adds up to a nice advantage for pickup owners.