Crosstrek vs Outback: Which Is Best For You?

At first glance, you may not expect to cross-shop the 2024 Subaru Crosstrek with the Subaru Outback. However, there are good reasons to compare the two as potential next vehicles. While the Outback is more premium, the Crosstrek can get better fuel economy. Let’s take a closer look at the two models. 

What Matters Most?

Price and size are obviously going to be the two main factors buyers will use to choose between these two exceptional vehicles. That being said, why does size matter to you? Do you prefer spending more money on a vehicle with a more premium style? The Crosstrek has a base MSRP of just $25,195, and the Outback has a base price of just a bit higher at $28,895. The Crosstrek is 176 inches long, 79 inches wide, including the mirrors, and 63 inches tall. The Outback is 191 inches long, 82 inches wide, including the mirrors, and 66.9 inches tall when accounting for the roof rails. 

Cargo Capacity & Ground Clearance

With the rear seats in place, customers will have 20.8 cu.ft. of cargo space in the Crosstrek, while the Outback will have a bit more at 32.6 cu.ft. When you fold the rear seats, the Crosstrek will allow you to have up to 55.3 cu.ft., and the Outback will have 75.6 cu.ft. Both vehicles seat five passengers comfortably, and each car also comes standard with Subaru Symmetrical all-wheel drive and 8.7 inches of ground clearance. Wilderness models get a bump up to 9.3 inches in the Crosstrek and 9.5 for the Outback. 

Trim Levels

The Subaru Outback is available in 9 trim levels: Base, Premium, Onyx Edition, Limited, Touring, Onyx Edition XT, Wilderness, Limited XT, and Touring XT. 

The Subaru Crosstrek is available in 5 trim levels: Base, Premium, Sport, Limited, and Wilderness. 

Engines

Both vehicles are available with the choice of two engines. The Crosstrek has a base 2.0-liter 4-cylinder that produces 152 horsepower and 145 lb-ft of torque, or a 2.5-liter Boxer 4-cylinder with 182 horsepower and 178 lb-ft of torque. The Outback features a 2.5-liter Boxer 4-cylinder that has 182 horsepower and 176 lb-ft of torque, or a 2.4-liter turbocharged Boxer 4 that produces 260 horsepower and 277 lb-ft of torque.

All The Safety

When it comes to safety, you can’t go wrong with either vehicle, as Subaru considers the lives of you and your occupants to be the most essential thing in one of their cars. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) gave the Crosstrek their coveted Top Safety Pick award. The Crosstrek has been awarded either Top Safety Pick or Top Safety Pick+ every single year since it entered the market in 2013. Like the Crosstrek, the Outback has been an IIHS Top Safety Pick and Top Safety Pick+ winner every year since 2010. 

Safety Tech

Both vehicles feature the award-winning EyeSight® Driver Assist Technology with Advanced Adaptive Cruise Control, Pre-Collision Braking, Pre-Collision Throttle Management, Lane Departure and Sway Warning, and Lead Vehicle Start Alert. In addition, Blind-Spot Detection with Lane Change Assist and Rear Cross-Traffic Alert come standard. The Wilderness model gets Automatic Emergency Steering, which can help to assist the driver’s steering inputs to reduce the potential for a crash at or below 50 mph.

Resale Value

According to Kelley Blue Book (KBB), the Crosstrek is estimated to retain about 61% of its value over the next five years, while the Outback is expected to hold 57.8% of its original purchase price over the same time period. Why is this important? Whether buyers think about it or not, the resale value after about five years of ownership is crucial to considering an automobile as a type of investment in your life. Outside of a home, a car is the second most expensive purchase you will make. And if you never buy a home, then your cars are the most valuable asset you purchase. All vehicles depreciate in value, but how much? The reliability and safety of a car plays into how people are willing to value your vehicle, including dealerships. Since both the Outback and Crosstrek are reliable and safe, you can expect many people to want to buy those cars on the used market for either themselves, as a first car for someone they love, or the last car they’ll ever need to buy. 

At Twin Falls Subaru, we are happy to offer our customers hundreds of new and used vehicles. Our fantastic sales team and finance department will work hard to find the best car that fits your needs. And our dedicated service department will always ensure that your vehicle is taken care of in the best way possible.

We look forward to serving you soon.