2021 Subaru Outback vs 2020 Lincoln Navigator

The 2020 Lincoln Navigator stood out with its luxurious design elements, setting it apart from its Ford Expedition roots. Designers added unique front and rear styling, a Lincoln Embrace lighting system, and a lattice-type grille with an illuminated star logo. The Navigator also featured fender vents, full-width taillights, and black roof pillars, giving it a distinctive wraparound glass appearance. The new Reserve Monochromatic Package, available in White, Ceramic Pearl, and Infinite Black, added body-color grille and side mirror enhancements, along with 22-inch black-painted wheels. The test vehicle, a standard-length Navigator Reserve with 4WD, came with extra-cost paint and both the Luxury and Reserve Monochromatic option packages, totaling $92,385.

Inside, the Navigator's Dark Slate leather interior, part of the Luxury Package, included 30-way Perfect Position front seats with heating, ventilation, and massaging functions. The dashboard featured mid-century modern styling cues, digital instrumentation, a 10-inch infotainment touchscreen, and piano-key transmission controls. A panoramic glass roof provided natural light, and high-quality materials were used throughout. The overall look and feel of the Navigator made it a convincingly luxurious flagship SUV.

The 2021 Subaru Outback, redesigned for 2020, retained a familiar and comfortable feel, reminiscent of older Subaru models. The interior, especially in higher trims, was fresher compared to the smaller 2021 Subaru Crosstrek. The base trim featured two 7-inch touchscreens, while Premium and above trims boasted an 11.6-inch portrait display, surrounded by polished black plastic and chrome trim. The Onyx Edition XT test car had gray and black StarTex upholstery with lime green contrast stitching, adding a touch of flair. The Outback's exterior featured gray cladding on the wheel arches, sills, and bumpers, with a few chrome flourishes on the window trim and LED running lights. For 2021, adaptive LED headlights became standard, and a new brown paint, Brilliant Bronze Metallic, was available on the Premium trim.

The 2020 Lincoln Navigator featured a twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 engine, producing 450 horsepower and 510 lb-ft of torque, surpassing the Ford Expedition's most powerful version. A 10-speed automatic transmission transferred power to the rear wheels, with an optional 4WD upgrade. Lincoln Drive Modes tailored the powertrain to various driving conditions, including Conserve, Normal, Excite, Slippery, Deep Conditions, and Slow Climb with the towing package. The Navigator's maximum towing capacity was 8,700 pounds with RWD and 8,300 pounds with 4WD, aided by Pro Trailer Backup Assist.

Acceleration from the twin-turbo V6 was strong, with a subtle yet aggressive engine note. However, fuel economy was a concern, averaging 16.4 mpg on the testing loop, compared to the EPA's 18 mpg combined estimate. The Navigator's 22-inch wheels and adaptive damping suspension struggled with impact harshness on imperfect roads, especially in Excite mode. Despite its size, the Navigator's body motion control was excellent, making it best suited for open roads. Around town, the Navigator felt huge, but a tight turning radius, parking assist system, and numerous camera views improved maneuverability.

The 2021 Subaru Outback's base 2.5-liter flat-four engine, producing 182 horsepower and 176 lb-ft of torque, struggled to move the vehicle efficiently, especially when loaded. The continuously variable transmission (CVT) exacerbated the issue, making the Outback slow and noisy. The XT trim, with a 2.4-liter turbocharged flat-four engine, offered a significant improvement, delivering 260 horsepower and 277 lb-ft of torque at 2,000 rpm. This engine was quieter, smoother, and more powerful than the older 3.6-liter flat-six it replaced.

Fuel economy for the turbo XT was slightly lower than the base engine, with an EPA estimate of 23 mpg city and 30 mpg highway, compared to 26 mpg city and 33 mpg highway. The Outback's handling was squishy, and steering imprecise, but it excelled as a long-distance cruiser. The vehicle's 8.7 inches of ground clearance and long-travel springs allowed it to handle rough roads and off-road conditions effectively. Subaru's electronically-variable AWD system provided excellent traction, with X-Mode optimizing performance for tougher conditions.

Entering the 2020 Lincoln Navigator required climbing up into the SUV, but once inside, passengers enjoyed ample space and comfort. The test vehicle's 30-way Perfect Position front seats, part of the Luxury Package, were exceptionally comfortable, though finding the right settings took time. The second row offered a choice between a three-person bench or two captain's chairs, with the latter option including a large center console. Triple-zone climate control ensured comfort across all three rows, and the test vehicle featured heated rear seat cushions.

The Navigator's third-row seat provided excellent legroom and thigh support, making it comfortable for most passengers. Cargo volumes were class-leading, with the standard-length model offering 19.3 cubic feet behind the third row, 57.5 cubic feet behind the second row, and a maximum of 103.3 cubic feet. The longer Navigator L increased these measurements to 34.3, 73.3, and 120.2 cubic feet, respectively.

The 2021 Subaru Outback's ground clearance was higher than many trucks, allowing it to go anywhere without the drawbacks of being oversized. Inside, the Outback offered 76 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats folded and 33 cubic feet with them raised. The cargo area was wide, flat, and free of intrusive elements. Headroom and legroom were ample in all four outboard seating positions, and the seats were comfortable and supportive. Outward visibility was excellent, thanks to thin pillars and a low shoulder height.

Storage options included large map pockets and bottle holders in each door, a handy pocket on either side of the front center console, and a small shelf on the passenger-side dash. However, push-button start and rear climate vents were standard only on Limited and above trims, with push-button start optional on the Premium. The Outback's moonroof was bundled with other expensive options. The Onyx Edition XT was the only trim with a full-size spare alloy wheel and tire. The Outback's best feature was the standard roof rails with integrated crossbars, which could be swiveled and locked in place within seconds.

The 2020 Lincoln Navigator's Sync 3 infotainment system was slow to load content, but a new Sync 4 platform was expected to improve this. The system included Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Lincoln Connect services with a 4G LTE WiFi hotspot, 911 Assist, a Lincoln Way app, and wireless device charging. "Phone As A Key" technology allowed the smartphone to function as the vehicle key. The voice recognition system worked reasonably well but was not as advanced as some competitors.

The Reserve's Luxury Package included a 20-speaker Revel Ultima audio system with three listening profiles: Stereo, Audience, and On Stage. Additional technologies included a surround-view camera system and a head-up display. The test vehicle did not have the optional Lincoln Play rear-seat entertainment system, which featured dual 10-inch displays, wireless headphones, Slingbox access, Roku media streaming, and Apple and Android compatibility.

The 2021 Subaru Outback's infotainment system looked outdated, with graphics and typefaces reminiscent of older gaming consoles. The central screen in the instrument panel was even worse. Despite this, the Outback's adaptive cruise control had four settings, though finding and changing them was difficult. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were standard, and the optional navigation was more modern-looking. The single large screen was more cohesive and useful than the base model's dual-screen setup.

Subaru EyeSight, standard on all trims, included adaptive cruise, lane-keep assist, and forward automatic emergency braking. The system offered good semi-automated control on marked highways but relied solely on forward-looking cameras, which could be impeded around tighter curves, reducing functionality compared to systems with both camera and radar.

The 2020 Lincoln Navigator came with the standard Lincoln Co-Pilot360 collection of advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS). This included forward-collision warning with pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning with lane-keeping assistance, a blind-spot warning system with trailer coverage, a rear cross-traffic warning system, and automatic high-beam headlights. The Reserve trim added adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go capability.

The Navigator's adaptive cruise control operated with refinement, and the lane-keeping assistance system was subtle yet effective. The lane-departure warning system produced a vibration in the steering wheel, but it was hard to detect at normal sensitivity. The Navigator's nearly three-ton curb weight made it a safer vehicle in collisions. It earned a five-star overall safety rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), though the RWD model had a three-star rollover resistance rating. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) had not tested the 2020 model.

The 2021 Subaru Outback featured a stronger and stiffer chassis, with a driver’s knee airbag and passenger seat-cushion airbag as standard. Blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert was optional on Premium and standard on higher trims. Rear emergency braking was optional on the Onyx Edition XT and standard on the Limited 2.5 and Touring trims. A driver-attention monitor was standard on the Limited XT and Touring trims, and optional on the Limited 2.5.

The Outback was a 2020 IIHS "Top Safety Pick+," earning top ratings in all six crash tests and for headlights, as well as a "Superior" rating for forward emergency braking. The NHTSA gave the 2021 Outback an overall five-star rating, with four stars for the front passenger in a frontal crash and four stars for the rollover test.