2021 Subaru Outback vs 2022 Land Rover Defender

The 2021 Subaru Outback had a familiar and comfortable interior, reminiscent of older Subaru models. Despite its analog gauges and similar steering wheel design, the Outback's interior felt fresher than the smaller 2021 Subaru Crosstrek. Higher trims featured an 11.6-inch portrait display, surrounded by polished black plastic and chrome trim, which added a touch of modernity. The Onyx Edition XT, with its gray and black StarTex upholstery and lime green stitching, offered a unique and durable interior. The exterior maintained a smooth and plain styling, with high gray cladding on the wheel arches, sills, and bumpers, making it a practical choice for off-road adventures.

The 2022 Land Rover Defender retained its distinctive boxy profile, tailgate-mounted spare tire, and flat hood, paying homage to the original version and classic Series Land Rovers. The modern design included rounded corners for better aerodynamics and recessed LED headlights, giving it a unique personality. The interior was spacious and ergonomic, with a comfortable driving position and ample headroom and legroom. The rugged character was emphasized with bare metal and exposed screws, along with a mix of leather and suede upholstery. The Defender's design balanced modernity with a nod to its heritage, making it a standout in the SUV market.

The 2021 Subaru Outback's base 2.5-liter flat-four engine produced 182 horsepower and 176 pound-feet of torque, but struggled to move the vehicle efficiently, especially when fully loaded. The continuously variable transmission (CVT) added to the sluggish performance, making highway and hill driving noisy and slow. The turbocharged 2.4-liter flat-four engine available in the XT trims offered a significant improvement, with 260 horsepower and 277 pound-feet of torque, providing a smoother and quieter ride. The turbo engine's fuel economy was slightly lower, but the trade-off in performance was worth it. The Outback's handling was designed for comfort, with long-travel springs and 8.7 inches of ground clearance, making it capable off-road. Subaru's electronically-variable all-wheel drive (AWD) system and X-Mode driving modes enhanced its off-road prowess, making it a reliable choice for adventurous drivers.

The 2022 Land Rover Defender offered three powertrains: a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine with 296 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque, a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six mild-hybrid powertrain with 395 horsepower and 406 pound-feet of torque, and a new 5.0-liter V8 engine with 518 horsepower and 461 pound-feet of torque. The V8 engine provided exhilarating performance, with a 0-60 mph time of 4.9 seconds and a top speed of 149 mph. The Defender's ZF eight-speed automatic transmission and standard four-wheel drive (4WD) with a two-speed transfer case ensured smooth and capable performance on and off-road. The V8 model featured an electronic active rear differential, Dynamic drive mode, and unique suspension tuning for sportier handling. The Defender's suspension absorbed bumps well, and its boxy shape handled crosswinds better than competitors like the Jeep Wrangler. The Defender's off-road capabilities were impressive, with up to 11.5 inches of ground clearance and advanced systems like Terrain Response 2 and All-Terrain Progress Control.

The 2021 Subaru Outback offered impressive ground clearance, surpassing even some trucks like the Chevrolet Tahoe and Ford F-150. Inside, it provided 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, with ample headroom and legroom for passengers. Visibility was excellent, 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 standard roof rails with integrated crossbars were a standout feature, offering convenience and cost savings. The 11.6-inch touchscreen complicated climate controls but was generally responsive and useful.

The 2022 Land Rover Defender's interior emphasized functionality, with 40/20/40 split-folding rear seats that were surprisingly comfortable. The two-door Defender 90 model had limited cargo space, but the four-door Defender 110 offered more versatility with two-row and three-row configurations. The three-row model provided 11.4 cubic feet of cargo space with all seats in place, 35.4 cubic feet with the third row folded, and 70.4 cubic feet with the second row folded. The two-row version offered 18.1 cubic feet with the rear seats up and 51.7 cubic feet with them folded. The interior design included a large caged storage space below the dashboard shelf, a spacious center-console storage bin, and optional refrigeration. Land Rover also offered optional exterior cargo solutions like a basket-style roof rack and side-mounted cargo boxes.

The 2021 Subaru Outback's infotainment system felt outdated, with graphics and typefaces reminiscent of older gaming consoles. The central screen in the instrument panel was particularly lacking. However, the system included modern features like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard. The Subaru EyeSight system, standard on all trims, provided adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, and forward automatic emergency braking. The system's reliance on forward-looking cameras limited its functionality in certain conditions, but it offered good semi-automated control on marked highways.

The 2022 Land Rover Defender featured the Pivi Pro infotainment system with a 10-inch central touchscreen and wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto connectivity. A 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster was standard on all trims except the base model, with an 11.4-inch touchscreen newly available for 2022. The user interface was well-designed, with easy-to-navigate menus and a distinctive look. However, the touchscreen required a firm touch to respond. Optional features included a 14-speaker Meridian audio system, head-up display, and a surround-view camera system, which was particularly useful for off-roading.

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, with top ratings in all crash tests and for headlights. The NHTSA awarded 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.

The 2022 Land Rover Defender came with standard driver-assist features like lane-keep assist, automatic emergency braking, and traffic-sign recognition with speed-limit adapter. Blind-spot monitoring and adaptive cruise control were optional. The IIHS and NHTSA had not published safety ratings for the Defender, which was not unusual for luxury vehicles.