Subaru Crosstrek Vs Subaru Outback: Which Crossover is Right For You?

Subaru has always been the quirky and offbeat car manufacturer even among its Japanese compatriots. Remember the ridiculous but utterly desirable Baja pickup?

In recent years, the company has taken a more conventional–some would argue boring–approach towards making cars. Yet Subaru remains the only company many would consider if they were looking for something that sits just outside the box and yet comes with all-wheel drive.

The Crosstrek and the Outback are exactly those cars. The Crosstrek shares its platform with the Impreza. They share powertrains, but the high-riding Crosstrek features more body cladding and an impressive 8.7 inches of ground clearance.

Then there’s the Outback, which is in a class of exactly one. It’s still a wagon, but with crossover looks and a raised ride height that stops it from getting bogged down on a beach.

Despite their oddball nature, or rather because of it, both are pretty popular among car buyers as they stand out in a sea of similar body styles. So which one should you go for? Though it would come down to preferences, we'll evaluate the similarities and differences between the Subaru Crosstrek versus Outback.

Crosstrek: A 2.0-liter four-cylinder naturally aspirated engine powers the lower Crosstrek trims, making a humble 152 hp of max power and 145 lb-ft of peak torque. Joining the lineup a few years ago, the larger 2.5-liter engine makes same 182 hp and 178 lb-ft here.

All versions of the Crosstrek now come exclusively containing a continuously variable transmission. Apart from AWD, independent raised suspension is also standard on the Crosstrek. X-Mode is standard on all trims along with Hill Descent Control.

Outback: The larger Outback comes with an option of two powertrains as well. One powertrain is the 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine, the same 182-horsepower unit from the Crosstrek, available on the base, Premium, Limited, Onyx, and Touring trims. The 2.4-liter turbocharged four-pot on the other hand powers the top four trims and makes 260 hp and 277 lb-ft of torque. Like the Crosstrek, the Outback is only available with a CVT gearbox.

Just like the Crosstrek, the Outback gets AWD as standard along with a raised independent suspension. Hill Descent Control and X-Mode are also standard on the Outback.

Bottom Line: In terms of sheer power and grunt, the Outback is the better performer. Not only does it get the bigger powertrains but also better low end torque. Yes, the Outback is about 500 lbs heavier but with the 2.4-liter powertrain, it also has nearly 80 more horsepower than the Crosstrek.

Outback: The 2.5-liter naturally aspirated engine returns a rather impressive 33 mpg on the highway and 26 mpg in the city. Canadian figures are 7.1 and 9.0 L/100 km, respectively. The 2.4-liter turbo on the other hand returns 30 mpg (7.9 L/100 km) on the highway and 23 mpg (10.1 L/100 km) in the city.

Bottom Line: If frugality is your primary concern, then either version of the Crosstrek makes sense. Surprisingly though, the naturally-aspirated Outback delivers nearly the same efficiency in a larger, heavier package.

Crosstrek: The base Crosstrek has a decent amount of standard features, including automatic climate control, automatic headlights, a rear spoiler, and 17-inch alloy wheels. The base trim also gets a dual 7.0-inch touchscreen Starlink infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple Car Play as standard. The EyeSight driver assistance system which includes adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, departure warning, and pre-collision braking is also standard.

Upgrade to the Premium trim gets the larger 11.6-inch tablet-style infotainment system, push-button start, upgraded cloth seats, illuminated vanity mirrors, and more. Features like heated front seats and a power driver's seat are optional extras.

Outback: Unlike the Crosstrek, the Outback comes with a plethora of trims; nine to be precise. It also boasts a higher standard spec than its more affordable sibling. Like the Crosstrek, the base Outback features a dual 7.0-inch screen Starlink infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay as standard.

Moving up to the Premium trim is a significant step up in terms of equipment on offer. The Premium trim gets a massive 11.6-inch Multimedia Plus touchscreen on the center dash along with heated front seats, a power driver's seat, and a dual-zone climate control system. An optional upgrade to the Multimedia Navigation, power moonroof, and blind-spot detection with rear cross-traffic alert also becomes available.

Crosstrek: At 176.4 inches, the Crosstrek is over a foot shorter in length than the Outback and yet has a wheelbase (105.1 inches) that is around 3 inches shorter. This translates into a rather roomy cabin with 42.9 inches of legroom in the front, which is slightly higher than the Outback’s. It also offers 39.8 inches of headroom in the front and 38.0 inches at the rear. With the moonroof, however, the headroom drops to 38.7 and 38.0 inches. The rear legroom at 36.5 inches is on the lower side, especially for adults.

As for the cargo volume, the trunk can swallow 19.9 cu-ft of luggage with ease and with the rear bench folded the capacity increases to 54.7 cu-ft.

Outback: By comparison, the Outback is a significantly larger car with a significantly larger cargo capacity. The front head and legroom of the Outback is almost identical to the Crosstrek but where the Outback shines is the rear space. It offers three inches (39.5 in) more legroom and about an inch (39.1 in) of extra headroom compared to the Crosstrek.

Its cargo capacity is even more impressive. Behind the rear bench the Legacy can accommodate 32.6 cu-ft of luggage, over 12.5 cu-ft more than the Crosstrek. Legacy drivers can increase that to 75.6 cu-ft when they fold the rear seats.

Bottom line: For adults, the Outback makes more sense as it offers more head and legroom, especially at the rear. The rear bench of the Crosstrek would be ideal for ferrying kids. Adults can ride in the back but for short distances only.

Crosstrek: Based on the same platform as the Impreza, the Crosstrek does bear a slight resemblance to its sportier sibling. And you can’t mistake the Crosstrek for anything apart from a Subaru. Though on most cars the plastic cladding and roof rails would look gimmicky, the Crosstrek simply makes it work especially if you go for a quirky paint option. Add to that the standard AWD system and a raised stance you get a car that is quirky yet capable. The new Wilderness trim has a style all its own as well.

Outback: As we mentioned earlier in the comparison, the Outback is in a class of one. Its wagon styling paired with a raised stance helps it stand out like nothing else. Thanks to its sheer length it looks sleeker than the Crosstrek and thanks to its raised nose and a strong shoulder line, it almost looks an arrow on wheels. The model received an update a few years ago that increased the amount of body cladding and gave the vehicle a more aggressive look.

Like the Crosstrek, there is a Wilderness version of the Outback with its own unique styling.

Bottom Line: Since styling is subjective, it's hard to award a winner here.

Outback: The Outback is one of Subaru’s top-selling models and maybe that is why Subaru offers it in nine different trims. It's easy to find one that suits most needs.

The base Outback is priced from $30,240 (all prices include destination charges). The rest of the 2.5-liter equipped Outbacks go as follows: Premium $31,195, Onyx $37,450, Limited $37140, Touring $41,690. For those wanting turbocharged power, the XT models are priced as follows: Onyx XT $40,705, Wilderness $41,345, Limited XT $41,540, Touring XT $44,140.

Bottom Line: There is very little overlap between the two models with the more expensive Crosstrek's lining up with the lowest price Outbacks. The smaller Crosstrek obviously holds a price advantage.

If you’re considering the Crosstrek, we would suggest go for it only if you really want a hybrid or a basic runabout vehicle. If you are looking for a crossover that is well equipped, spacious and comfortable and are willing to part with $30,000 our pick would be the Outback. Specifically, the Premium trim. Yes, it skips out on the moonroof, but you get the bigger infotainment screen, the EyeSight safety suite along with a cavernous cabin and enough cargo capacity for a long road trip. If you want a moonroof that badly, it’s there on the options list.

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