2021 Subaru Outback
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Midsized SUVs Midsized SUVs MODEL VEHICLE RATINGS For the latest ratings and information, visit For the latest ratings and information, visit OVERALL SCORE New Cars 1 2 3 4 5 ! CR Recommended (as of November 2020) WORSE BETTER HIGHS Overall Road Test Survey Make & Model Highs Lows 86 2021 Subaru Outback • Ride Score Results Results • Transmission CR MPG Overall 24/ City 16/ Hwy 32 mpg • Seat comfort #2 of 25 Midsized Sport-Utility Vehicles • Driving position ROAD TEST 86 • Integrated cross bars 91/100 • Visibility PREDICTED RELIABILITY • Standard automatic emergency CR Recommended score Road-test mpg Overall reliability Predicted Owner satisfaction braking Ride, quietness, braking, powertrain, interior 4/5 29 97 Agility. RANGE OF TESTED MIDSIZED SPORT-UTILITY VEHICLES ! 2021 Kia Telluride 979 97 21 5 5 room, well-equipped for price. PREDICTED OWNER SATISFACTION LOWS Ride, transmission, seat comfort, driving 4/5 • Some controls ! 2021 Subaru Outback 8687 91 24 3 4 position, integrated cross bars, visibility, Some controls. standard automatic emergency braking. Powertrain, interior room, access, quiet cabin, 85 Agility, gear selector. ! 2021 Hyundai Palisade 87 88 21 4 4 standard automatic emergency brake. Smooth V6 engine, hybrid version's fuel Agility, too easy to turn off daytime running ! 2021 Toyota Highlander 8486 86 22 4 4 economy, ride, controls, second-row seats. lights. Road Test Results Handling, quietness, braking, interior room, Driving position. ! 2021 Ford Edge 8385 84 22 4 3 access, standard safety features. Performance Comfort/Convenience Nimble handling for its size, effortless power Infotainment system is unintuitive, not as roomy delivery, comfortable ride, quiet cabin, Grand as some competitors, including a tight third-row ! 2021 Mazda CX-9 8082 79 22 4 4 Touring and Signature versions plusher than seat, short on towing capacity compared to Acceleration 4/5 Ride 5/5 the competition. V6-powered rivals. Handling, controls, rear-seat room and 0 to 60 mph 7.1 sec ! 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe 8079 80 21 4 4 Uneven power delivery, ride is a touch firm. Noise 4/5 access, standard safety features. Hampered outward visibility to rear and Plush cabin, powerful engine, simple Transmission 5/5 sides, overly light and vague steering robs infotainment system, standard automatic Front Seat Comfort 5/5 ! 2020 Nissan Murano 7978 77 21 4 3 driver confidence, CVT idiosyncrasy is not for emergency braking. everyone. Fuel Economy 3/5 Rear Seat Comfort 4/5 Versatile interior, nifty one-button folding seat access to third row, smooth engine, rides CR's Overall Mileage 24 mpg ! 2021 Honda Pilot 7275 80 20 3 3 comfortably and is quiet, can be had with Handling short on agility, some controls Interior Fit & Finish 4/5 eight-passenger capacity, standard forward including pushbutton gear selector. CR's City Mileage 16 mpg collision warning and automatic emergency braking. CR's Highway Mileage 32 mpg Trunk/Cargo Area 3/5 Rides comfortably, has a quiet interior, easy- Advanced safety features available only on the Annual Fuel Cost $1,210 to-use infotainment system, has a rear-seat top trims, driver seat has only two-way lumbar 2021 Chevrolet Traverse 6975 95 20 2 4 reminder system to make sure kids aren't support adjustment, manual sunshade for forgotten inside. optional sunroof. Braking 4/5 Acceleration, braking, transmission, quietness, Visibility, low dash vents , no standard advanced 2021 Chevrolet Blazer 6774 93 19 2 3 controls. safety features. Emergency Handling 4/5 Versatility and towing capability, off-road capability when properly optioned, refined, with a quiet well-finished cabin, composed Fuel economy with the gasoline V6 has fallen 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee 6770 80 18 3 4 ride, and supportive seats, optional Uconnect behind the curve. infotainment system is one of the most user- friendly available. Acceleration, quietness, interior room, 2021 Honda Passport 6469 79 21 2 3 Ride, lackluster handling. Survey Results standard advanced safety features. Clumsy handling and unsettled ride; big climb to get inside; low ceiling hurts driving position and visibility; tight interior space given its outside Reliability History Owner Satisfaction Very capable off-road, long history of being dimensions; loud engine roar; only top-trim 2021 Toyota 4Runner 6468 55 18 5 4 extemely reliable. Limited version offers automatic four-wheel- 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 drive; gets rather expensive, given level of equipment and interior finish. 3 4 3 4 4 4 5 3 3 3 4 4 4 4 4 4 2021 Volkswagen Atlas 68 81 21 2 3 Interior room, access, controls. Too wide for tight parking spaces. Cross Sport 64 Ride, quietness, interior room, visibility, Agility. 1 2 3 4 5 2021 Subaru Ascent 6065 93 22 1 4 braking, controls, standard AEB WORSE BETTER Huge interior, roomy third-row seat, smooth 2021 Volkswagen Atlas 57 84 20 1 3 powertrain, easy to use controls, standard Outright acceleration trails main competitors. automatic emergency braking. Practical package with easy access, a spacious interior, and simple controls; CR Road Test Results second-row seat can slide forward to ease Lackluster handling, second row short on thigh 2020 Nissan Pathfinder 54 72 18 2 1 access to the rear, even with a child seat support, so-so rear and side visibility, 18 mpg is strapped to it; has a rear seat reminder to not stellar. The Outback is a raised wagon with standard all-wheel drive masks some of the common quirks, such as revs rising much prevent leaving a child in the car; standard automatic emergency braking. that serves as a smart alternative to more traditional SUVs. quicker than the speed, found with that type of transmission. Comfortable riding, quiet cabin, relatively nimble handling, supportive seats, towing This redesigned model doesn’t stray from its successful formula. We got 24 mpg overall with the XT on regular gasoline. A Fuel economy with either V6 or V8 engines, rear capacity is higher than most competitors, 2021 Dodge Durango 49 83 18 1 3 visibility is so-so. It is again a comfortable, functional vehicle that’s well suited Legacy we also tested with the standard, non-turbo engine Uconnect touch-screen control system is for every day commutes and weekend adventures. Its size and returned 28 mpg overall. among the best capabilities allow the Outback to compare favorably with small The infotainment system uses a large, colorful screen that 2021 Ford Explorer 42 78 21 1 3 Agility, controls, interior room. Ride, low-speed transmission shifts, price. and midsize SUVs. suffers from slow response time and the need for multiple steps Stiff ride, lots of wind noise, awkward access, 2021 Jeep Wrangler 29 36 18 2 4 Off-road ability, strong V6 powertrain. The Outback has a solid feel, with a very comfortable to perform some common climate functions. fuel economy. ride that outshines some luxury SUVs. The elevated ground The Outback has thoughtful touches throughout. For 2021 Ford Bronco Not Tested NA NA 2 5 clearance and standard all-wheel drive help make the Outback instance, it has a configurable roof rack with crossbars that can ready to tackle light off-road duties. Handling is responsive and swivel into place when needed, and be tucked neatly away to 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe Not Tested NA NA 4 4 secure. We were impressed with its performance in our accident reduce wind noise. Plus, it has a dual-position cargo cover that 2021 Kia Sorento Not Tested NA NA 3 4 avoidance maneuver. helps when loading (it can be nudged up to create a larger The standard 182-hp, 2.5-liter engine does the job and gets opening) and a dedicated storage spot for it when removed. 2021 Toyota Venza In Test NA NA 4 4 good fuel economy, but that engine becomes loud under Standard safety equipment includes automatic emergency duress. The uplevel turbocharged 260-hp, 2.4-liter engine braking (AEB), forward collision warning (FCW), lane departure (denoted as XT in trim names) transforms the Outback, warning (LDW), and lane centering. It also includes adaptive Survey Results reflect findings from Road-Test Results include CR’s test findings Why Some Vehicles Are Not Rated granting it effortless punch and a quieter demeanor. The CVT cruise control (ACC). Blind spot warning and rear cross traffic HOW TO READ THE RATINGS CR’s Annual Auto Surveys, completed by that we feel are the most relevant. We buy Certain models have been redesigned or faithfully mimics traditional gear shifts, and the turbo power warning are optional. Consumer Reports members. and test between 50 and 60 vehicles each extensively freshened since our last test, year, driving them for thousands of miles and or are new. All are scheduled to be included Recommended vehicles, indicated with Predicted reliability is our determination of putting them through more than 50 tests and in future road tests. Models include the a check mark (!), are the models with how well a model will hold up, based on the evaluations. The results of these tests make Ford Bronco, Hyundai Santa Fe, Kia Sorento, the highest Overall Scores that meet the problems that members reported in CR’s up our road-test score. Some tests, such and Toyota Venza. threshold in their category. Annual Auto Surveys, which include data on as those for braking and fuel economy, are around 420,000 vehicles. measured with instruments; categories such What Our Ratings Symbols Mean Make + Model reflect the vehicle we tested as seat and ride comfort, noise, and fit and Best Version to Get and its engine displacement. Owner satisfaction is based on the finish are graded by our experts. The Usability 1 2 3 4 5 percentage of surveyed owners who rating is a combination of our testers’ WORSE BETTER Overall Score reflects a vehicle’s said they would definitely buy the same assessments of the ease of performing Whether opting for the standard 2.5-liter or 2.4-liter turbo cylinder turbocharged engine replaced the previous six-cylinder.