The Subaru Outback was borne of common sense, resourcefulness, and a bit of marketing savvy. With people looking for SUVs but overlooking the very capable Legacy wagon because it simply looked like a mid-size wagon, Subaru product planners added a 1-inch lift, lower body cladding, and some other rugged details to the Legacy AWD wagon and named it the Outback. Things turned around, and through the years, Subaru has been adding more capability to the Outback year by year, culminating in the current Outback Wilderness model. Subaru has since added models with the proportions expected of SUVs, and the Outback has remained popular.
Today’s Outback is powered by a 2.5-liter horizontally opposed (flat or boxer) 4-cylinder engine producing 185 horsepower and 176 lb-ft of torque. Available is a turbocharged 2.4-liter Boxer that produces 260 horsepower and 277 lb-ft of torque. Outback trims with this engine have “XT in their trim name. As with almost all Subaru models, Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive is standard across the model line. Its 8.7 inches of ground clearance exceeds that of many of its competitors, while the 9.5 inches of clearance on the Outback Wilderness is class-leading. Today, the Outback’s competitors all have tall truncated bodies that contrast with the Outback’s comparatively long and low proportions. Most models seat five, though some have a third row of seating to seat six or seven.
The Atlas Cross Sport is a shorter, five-passenger variant of VW’s Atlas 3-row SUV. Although two inches shorter and lower, the Atlas Cross Sport maintains much of the bigger model’s bulk and squared-off appearance. Previously equipped with a V6 engine, the model now features a turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-4 that generates 269 horsepower and 273 lb-ft of torque.
The Sorento is Kia’s mid-size crossover. It is the smaller of Kia’s two 3-row crossovers. The current fourth-generation Sorento, introduced for the 2021 model year, offers both non-hybrid and hybrid drivetrains. The non-hybrid model serving as the basis for this comparison is equipped with a non-turbocharged 2.5-liter inline-4 engine. A turbocharged variant of this engine is available two tiers above the base model. The Sorento features eight trim levels: the base LX and the higher SX trims are front-wheel drive only, while the S and EX trims offer available all-wheel drive. Additionally, all four trims, beginning with X-Line or X-Pro, come standard with all-wheel drive. With a base all-wheel-drive MSRP of $36,890, which is notably higher than the Outback’s entry price of $29,010, the Outback Onyx Edition, priced at $36,220, is the closest competitor to the base Sorento.
The Murano is completely redesigned for 2025 and features a bold appearance that is derivative of Nissan’s Ariya EV’s exterior and interior. No longer V6 powered, it runs on a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine connected to a 9-speed transmission driving either the front or all four wheels. The Murano is quite a bit more expensive, with a base MSRP of $41,470 for an AWD model compared to $29,010 for the base Outback. The Outback Limited XT is the price-comparable model for the base AWD Murano.
Originally intended to succeed the Cherokee, the Grand Cherokee was ultimately marketed as an upgrade to the Cherokee, beginning with the 1993 model year. While the base model of the original lacked power windows and locks, the Grand Cherokee could be equipped to compete with SUVs from premium brands. The Grand Cherokee that rivals the Outback seats five and is powered by a 3.6-liter V6 engine paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission, available in both rear-wheel drive (RWD) and 4WD configurations. There is also a Grand Cherokee L that features a third-row seat. The most comparably-priced Outback that contends with the entry-level 4WD Grand Cherokee is the Onyx Edition XT.
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| Larger Two Row Crossovers | Subaru Outback | Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport | Kia Sorento | Nissan Murano | Jeep Grand Cherokee |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trims | 9 | 5 | 8 | 3 | 4 |
| Colors | 8 | 5 | 9 | 13 | 5 |
| Engine | 2.5-liter 2.4-liter Turbo |
2.0-liter Turbo | 2.5-liter 2.5-liter Turbocharged |
2.0-liter Turbo | 3.6-liter |
| Horsepower | 2.4L – 182 2.5L – 260 |
269 | 2.5L – 191 2.5T – 281 |
241 | 293 |
| Torque | 2.4L – 176 2.5L – 277 |
273 | 2.5L – 195 2.5T – 331 |
260 | 260 |
| Transmission | CVT | 8-speed auto | 8-speed auto | 9-speed auto | 8-speed auto |
| DriveTrain | AWD | FWD, AWD | FWD, AWD | AWD | 2WD, 4WD |
| Towing Capacity | 3,500 lbs | 5,000 lbs | 4,500 lbs | 1,500 lbs | 6,200 lbs |
| Fuel Economy (City/Hwy) | 2.5L – 26 / 32 2.4L – 22 / 29 |
FWD – 20 / 26 AWD – 19 / 26 |
2.5L FWD – 23 / 31 2.5L AWD – 23 / 28 2.5T FWD – 20 / 29 2.5T AWD – 20 / 27 |
21 / 27 | 19 / 26 |
| Infotainment | 7-inch, 11.6-inch | 10.25 inches | 12.3-inches | 12.3 inches | 8.4-inch, 10.1-inch |
| Front Headroom | W/O Moonroof – 40.1 With Moonroof – 39.1 |
39.4 | 40.3 | W/O Moonroof – 41.1 With Moonroof – 39.4 |
39.9 |
| Front Legroom | 42.8 | 41.7 | 41.4 | 44.3 | 41.3 |
| Rear Headroom | 39.1 | 37.8 | 2nd Row – 39.1 3rd Row – 36.8 |
W/O Moonroof – 39.7 With Moonroof – 37.9 |
39.4 |
| Rear Legroom | 39.5 | 40.4 | 2nd Row – 41.7 3rd Row – 29.6 |
36.3 | 38.2 |
| Cargo Space Behind 3rd Row (if applicable) | N/A | N/A | 12.6 cu.ft. | N/A | N/A |
| Cargo Space Behind 2nd Row | 32.6 cu.ft. | 40.3 cu.ft. | 38.5 cu.ft. – 45 cu.ft. | 32.9 cu.ft. | 37.7 cu.ft. |
| Cargo Space Rear Seats Folded | 75.6 cu.ft. | 77.6 cu.ft. | 75.5 cu.ft | 63.5 cu.ft. | 70.8 cu.ft. |
| Base Price | $31,415 | $38,615 | $33,435 | $41,860 | $36,495 |
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