2022 Jeep Compass vs 2021 Subaru Outback

The 2021 Subaru Outback, redesigned for the 2020 model year, retained a familiar and comfortable feel reminiscent of older Subaru models. The interior, especially in trims above the base, featured a fresh design with a bright and sharp 11.6-inch portrait display, chrome trim, and contrasting leatherette. The Onyx Edition XT stood out with its gray and black StarTex upholstery and lime green stitching, adding a touch of wildness to the otherwise conservative design. The exterior maintained a smooth and plain styling with high gray cladding on the wheel arches, sills, and bumpers, emphasizing practicality over flashiness.

In contrast, the 2022 Jeep Compass, despite exterior updates and new wheel designs, still resembled a shrunken Grand Cherokee. The High Altitude trim, with its 19-inch multi-spoke wheels and dark sparkly finish, exuded an upscale vibe. Inside, the Compass High Altitude impressed with a new dashboard design, luxury-grade leather seats, and added sound deadening, elevating its sophistication. The cabin featured an eight-way power adjustment for the front seats, a heated steering wheel, and a dual-pane panoramic sunroof, enhancing its premium feel.

The 2021 Subaru Outback offered two engine options. The base 2.5-liter flat-four engine produced 182 horsepower and 176 pound-feet of torque, but struggled with the vehicle's weight, resulting in sluggish performance. The continuously variable transmission (CVT) further hampered its responsiveness. However, the turbocharged 2.4-liter flat-four engine available in the XT trims delivered a significant improvement with 260 horsepower and 277 pound-feet of torque, making it quieter, smoother, and more capable of keeping up with traffic. The Outback's fuel economy varied, with the base engine achieving 26 mpg city and 33 mpg highway, while the turbo XT managed 23 mpg city and 30 mpg highway. The Outback excelled in ride comfort and off-road capability, thanks to its long-travel springs, 8.7 inches of ground clearance, and Subaru's proactive all-wheel-drive system.

The 2022 Jeep Compass came with a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine, producing 177 horsepower and 172 pound-feet of torque. Despite its "Tigershark" moniker, the engine lacked the power to provide a thrilling driving experience. The nine-speed automatic transmission, while better than a CVT, was reluctant to downshift, resulting in a busy and unrewarding powertrain character. The Compass averaged 23.8 mpg in combined driving, slightly below its EPA rating of 25 mpg. The Jeep Selec-Terrain system offered Auto, Snow, and Sand/Mud driving modes, and the Active Drive AWD system provided decent off-road capability with 8.1 inches of ground clearance. The Trailhawk trim further enhanced off-road performance with a low range, hill descent control, and 8.6 inches of ground clearance.

The 2021 Subaru Outback boasted impressive ground clearance, surpassing even some trucks, allowing it to tackle various terrains without the bulk of larger vehicles. Inside, it offered 76 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats folded and 33 cubic feet with them raised. The cargo area was wide and flat, providing ample storage without awkward cutouts. The Outback's interior was spacious, with excellent headroom and legroom in all seating positions. Visibility was superb, thanks to thin pillars and a low shoulder height. Storage options included large map pockets, bottle holders, and handy pockets in the front center console. However, some features like push-button start and rear climate vents were only available on higher trims.

The 2022 Jeep Compass, while spacious enough for four adults and their luggage, offered less cargo space than the Outback, with 27.2 cubic feet behind the rear seat and 59.8 cubic feet with the seats folded. The High Altitude trim featured premium leather upholstery, a dual-pane panoramic sunroof, and a redesigned dashboard with a new Uconnect 5 infotainment system. The center console provided more storage than previous models, but the bin beneath the armrest remained small. The available hands-free power liftgate added convenience, but overall, the Compass' interior space and functionality were less impressive than the Outback's.

The 2021 Subaru Outback's infotainment system, despite its dated graphics, offered modern tech features like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The 11.6-inch touchscreen, standard on higher trims, was more cohesive and useful than the base model's dual-screen setup. Subaru EyeSight, standard on all trims, included adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, and forward automatic emergency braking. However, the system relied solely on cameras, which could be less effective in certain conditions compared to systems that also use radar.

The 2022 Jeep Compass featured the new Uconnect 5 infotainment system, which was significantly faster and more responsive than its predecessor. The system supported wireless Apple CarPlay, wireless Android Auto, and Amazon Alexa, with over-the-air updates to keep it current. The Compass also offered a navigation system, connected services, a WiFi hotspot, and a wireless charging pad. The voice recognition system was generally accurate, though it had some limitations in specific scenarios. Overall, Uconnect 5 was a significant improvement, though not the best in the industry.

The 2021 Subaru Outback featured a stronger and stiffer chassis, with standard driver’s knee and passenger seat-cushion airbags. Blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert was optional on Premium trims and standard on higher trims. Rear emergency braking and a driver-attention monitor were available on select trims. The Outback earned a 2020 IIHS "Top Safety Pick+" award and received top ratings in all crash tests. The NHTSA awarded it an overall five-star rating, with four stars for the front passenger in a frontal crash and four stars for the rollover test.

The 2022 Jeep Compass came with a comprehensive suite of safety features, including forward-collision warning with pedestrian and cyclist detection, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assistance, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert. Highway Assist, combining adaptive cruise control and lane-centering assistance, was set to be added later in the model year. The Compass also offered a parking assistance system and a 360-degree camera. However, the forward-collision warning system occasionally produced false positives, and the adaptive cruise control struggled with the engine's performance. The NHTSA carried over the previous three-star rollover resistance rating, and Jeep needed to improve headlight performance based on the 2021 IIHS scores.