2021 Subaru Outback vs 2022 Toyota Sienna

The 2021 Subaru Outback retained a familiar and comfortable design, reminiscent of older models, yet with a fresher interior than its smaller sibling, the Crosstrek. The Outback's interior, especially in trims above the base, featured a bright and sharp 11.6-inch portrait display, surrounded by polished black plastic and chrome trim. The Onyx Edition XT, in particular, showcased a unique interior with gray and black StarTex upholstery and lime green contrast stitching, offering a blend of durability and style. Externally, the Outback maintained its smooth and plain styling, with high gray cladding on its wheel arches and bumpers, and a few chrome accents. The 2021 model introduced adaptive LED headlights as standard and offered a new brown paint option, maintaining its identity as a lifted wagon, a practical alternative to typical crossovers or SUVs.

The 2022 Toyota Sienna embraced its minivan identity while incorporating SUV-like styling cues. It featured a macho front end and cleverly re-engineered sliding doors that tucked into the body, giving it an assertive profile. The Sienna's interior was designed to avoid the typical minivan feel, offering ample storage and comfortable seating across all rows. The second-row seats could slide up to 25 inches, enhancing accessibility to the third row. The Sienna's design emphasized practicality, with power-operated sliding doors and tailgate, making it a convenient choice for families. Its ability to carry a full 4x8 sheet of plywood with the tailgate closed highlighted its versatility.

The 2021 Subaru Outback's performance was marked by its two engine options. The base 2.5-liter flat-four engine, producing 182 horsepower and 176 lb-ft of torque, struggled with the vehicle's weight, especially when fully loaded. This resulted in sluggish acceleration and noise, particularly on highways and inclines. However, the XT trims offered a significant upgrade with a 2.4-liter turbocharged flat-four engine, delivering 260 horsepower and 277 lb-ft of torque. This engine provided a smoother and quieter ride, with improved capability to keep up with traffic. The Outback's fuel economy varied between the engines, with the turbo XT achieving slightly lower EPA estimates. Despite its underpowered base engine, the Outback excelled in ride comfort and off-road capability, thanks to its high ground clearance and advanced AWD system.

The 2022 Toyota Sienna, continuing with its hybrid powertrain, combined a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with two electric motors, producing a total of 243 horsepower. The Sienna offered both FWD and AWD options, with the latter featuring an additional electric motor for the rear wheels. Its electronically controlled CVT provided smooth power delivery and enhanced fuel efficiency. The Sienna's handling was surprisingly good for a minivan, with minimal body roll and a comfortable ride, thanks to its TNGA platform. The standout feature was its impressive fuel economy, with FWD models achieving 36 mpg across the board and AWD models slightly lower. The Sienna's hybrid system, including a 288-volt nickel metal-hydride battery, was backed by a 10-year/150,000-mile warranty, ensuring long-term reliability.

The 2021 Subaru Outback offered impressive interior space, with 76 cubic feet of cargo capacity with the rear seats folded and 33 cubic feet with them raised. Its cargo area was wide and flat, free of obstructions, and the vehicle provided ample headroom and legroom for passengers. The Outback's visibility was excellent, aided by thin pillars and a low shoulder height. Storage solutions included large map pockets, bottle holders, and a handy front center console. However, some features like push-button start and rear climate vents were only available on higher trims. The Outback's standout feature was its standard roof rails with integrated crossbars, offering convenience and cost savings.

The 2022 Toyota Sienna excelled in cargo capacity, capable of accommodating a full 4x8 sheet of plywood with the tailgate closed. It offered 33.5 cubic feet of space behind the third row, 75.2 cubic feet behind the second row, and 101 cubic feet behind the first row. The Sienna's interior was designed for family use, with power-operated sliding doors and tailgate, and ample storage cubbies and cupholders throughout. The third-row bench easily stored away into the floor, and the second-row seats provided flexibility for loading cargo. The Sienna's 3,500-pound towing capacity added to its versatility.

The 2021 Subaru Outback's infotainment system felt outdated, with graphics reminiscent of older gaming consoles. Despite this, it offered modern features like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard. The optional navigation system was more visually appealing, but the base model's dual-screen setup was less cohesive. Subaru EyeSight, standard on all trims, provided adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, and forward automatic emergency braking. However, its reliance on cameras without radar limited its effectiveness in certain conditions.

The 2022 Toyota Sienna boasted a wealth of standard and available technology features. A 9-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Amazon Alexa was standard across all trims. The Sienna offered a range of telematics services, including Safety Connect and Remote Connect, and a three-month trial of AT&T WiFi Connect. Higher trims featured a 12-speaker JBL audio system and an available rear-seat entertainment system with an 11.6-inch display. The Sienna's technology suite included a color multi-information display and an optional head-up display on Platinum models, enhancing driver convenience and safety.

The 2021 Subaru Outback featured a stronger and stiffer chassis, with standard driver and passenger airbags. It offered a range of driver assists, including blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert on higher trims. The Outback earned a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the IIHS and a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA, though it received four stars for the front passenger in a frontal crash and rollover test.

The 2022 Toyota Sienna was expected to maintain its Top Safety Pick+ rating from the IIHS and five-star rating from the NHTSA. It came standard with Toyota Safety Sense 2.0, which included adaptive cruise control, lane tracing assist, and automatic emergency braking. The Sienna also featured 10 airbags, multiple LATCH connectors, and a rear-seat reminder system. Its tire-pressure monitoring and inflator kit added to its safety credentials.