2019 Buick Envision vs 2020 Subaru Outback

The 2019 Buick Envision was considered one of the most attractive vehicles in Buick's SUV lineup. It had a more athletic and taut vibe compared to the subcompact Buick Encore and the full-size Buick Enclave. The strong body lines along the sides and the upright rear section of the side windows gave it proportions similar to a BMW X1. Inside, the Envision's cabin looked clean and straightforward, but closer inspection revealed that it fell short of the luxury billing Buick aimed for. The matte-finish materials used for some controls and the steering wheel felt coarse and cheap, detracting from the overall aesthetic.

In contrast, the 2020 Subaru Outback maintained its winning formula with incremental improvements. The sixth-generation Outback was built on Subaru’s Global Platform, which increased structural rigidity by 70%. The exterior changes were subtle, with noticeable updates to the head- and taillights. Inside, the Outback featured an 11.6-inch touchscreen for all but the base trim, and introduced DriverFocus, an innovative tech that used facial recognition to adjust settings and monitor driver alertness. The Outback's interior was spacious and functional, with a focus on visibility and comfort.

The 2019 Buick Envision offered two engine options. The FWD, Preferred, and Essence trims came with a 2.5-liter inline 4-cylinder engine producing 197 horsepower, paired with a 6-speed automatic transmission. This setup felt underpowered and sluggish. The Premium and Premium II trims featured a 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine with 252 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque, mated to a 9-speed automatic transmission. This engine provided solid acceleration and came standard with AWD. The Envision's steering was responsive, and the ride was smooth and quiet, thanks to extensive sound-deadening materials. Fuel economy for the 2.5-liter engine was 22 mpg city, 29 highway, and 25 combined, while the turbo AWD model achieved 20/25/22 mpg.

The 2020 Subaru Outback offered two engine choices as well. The upgraded 2.5-liter engine produced 182 horsepower and achieved 26 mpg city, 33 highway. The 2.4-liter turbocharged engine available in XT trims delivered 260 horsepower and 277 pound-feet of torque, allowing the Outback to reach 60 mph in around 7 seconds. Both engines were paired with a continuously variable transmission (CVT) that mimicked a traditional automatic transmission. Subaru's symmetrical AWD system provided consistent power delivery and improved handling. The Outback also boasted 8.7 inches of ground clearance, making it capable of handling various terrains.

The 2019 Buick Envision offered a spacious interior with plenty of room for the driver and passengers. The second-row seats provided ample head- and legroom and could recline to different positions. With the rear seats up, the Envision had 27 cubic feet of cargo space, which expanded to 57 cubic feet when the seats were folded down. The Envision also featured helpful cargo tie-downs, deep door pockets, and a cargo tray above the glove box.

The 2020 Subaru Outback excelled in functionality, offering 32.5 cubic feet of trunk space, which expanded to 75.7 cubic feet with the rear seats folded down. The rear seats could be easily folded via handles at the rear of the trunk. The Outback's interior was spacious enough to accommodate tall passengers comfortably, with excellent headroom and legroom. The design focused on visibility, with great sightlines in nearly every direction, although the rear quarters had a noticeable blind spot.

The 2019 Buick Envision came standard with GM's Intellilink infotainment system, featuring an 8-inch touchscreen with a straightforward layout. The system included Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and our test vehicle had wireless charging for smartphones. However, the touch-capacitive controls for the climate and heated/cooled front seats were not very responsive, detracting from the overall user experience.

The 2020 Subaru Outback featured a tablet-style, 11.6-inch touchscreen that was visually impressive and easy to navigate. However, the system suffered from lag, affecting the responsiveness of various functions, including navigation and radio station changes. The camera resolution was also subpar, which was particularly noticeable on the large screen. Despite these issues, the Outback's infotainment system had potential if these problems were addressed.

The 2019 Buick Envision came standard with ten airbags and a reversing camera with Rear Park Assist. Higher trims included GM’s Safety Alert Seat, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-keep assist, lane-departure warning, and forward-collision alert. The Driver Confidence Package on the Premium II trim added adaptive cruise control, automatic front braking, and a 360-degree camera. However, many of these features were optional, unlike some competitors that offered them as standard.

The 2020 Subaru Outback included a comprehensive standard safety suite, featuring Subaru’s EyeSight system with adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and lane-keep assist. The Outback also had standard AWD, enhancing its safety profile. However, the DriverFocus system, designed to alert distracted drivers, was problematic, often giving false alerts. Despite this, the Outback maintained Subaru's strong commitment to safety.