2021 Toyota Sienna vs 2022 Subaru Outback

The 2021 Toyota Sienna Hybrid aimed to redefine the minivan's image, traditionally not known for its style. Toyota's designers gave the Sienna a more SUV-like appearance, featuring a wide grille and sleek LED headlamp arrays integrated into a panel with the Toyota logo. The side profile showcased assertive lines, with reworked sliding doors that bulged over the rear wheels, enhancing its stance. Alloy wheels ranging from 17 to 20 inches added to its visual appeal. The rear design maintained a wide and low look, with Toyota's signature quality fit and finish.

Inside, the Sienna emphasized width with horizontal lines, avoiding the typical minivan feel. The seating position was higher than a sedan's, offering a comfortable ride. The dashboard was simple, with controls clustered around the infotainment screen. The center console featured a gear selector, cup holders, and a large storage compartment. The second and third rows provided ample space and comfort, with the second row sliding for maximum utility. The materials and surfaces throughout the cabin had a premium feel, making the Sienna a pleasant place to be.

The 2022 Subaru Outback Wilderness, on the other hand, pushed the boundaries of what a station wagon could be, leaning more towards a Jeep-like appearance. It offered 9.5 inches of ground clearance, aggressive all-terrain tires, and improved approach and departure angles due to redesigned bumpers. The unique grille, black 17-inch wheels, and blacked-out trim with Anodized Copper accents set it apart. The roof rack system supported a 700-pound static load, ideal for rooftop camping, and the exclusive Geyser Blue paint added a distinctive touch.

Inside, the Outback Wilderness featured dark gray StarTex water-repellant upholstery, which looked like leather but wasn't. The cabin had a rugged feel with a black headliner, Gunmetal Gray trim, Anodized Copper stitching, and brushed aluminum pedals. The rear seatbacks and cargo tray were waterproof, enhancing its practicality. The Outback Wilderness's modifications injected personality into its styling, making it stand out from standard versions. Priced between the Onyx XT and Limited XT, it offered a blend of ruggedness and luxury.

The 2021 Toyota Sienna Hybrid marked Toyota's first hybrid minivan, combining a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with two electric motors to produce 243 horsepower. Front-wheel drive was standard, with all-wheel drive available on all trims. The AWD system used a separate electric motor for the rear wheels, simplifying the design. The Sienna employed an electronically controlled continuously variable transmission (CVT), which, while efficient, lacked the punch of a conventional transmission. It offered four drive modes: Normal, EV, Eco, and Sport, with handling improved by new front and rear suspensions. The Sienna Hybrid excelled in fuel economy, achieving 36 mpg combined for FWD models and 35 mpg combined for AWD models.

The 2022 Subaru Outback Wilderness featured a turbocharged 2.4-liter 4-cylinder engine, producing 260 horsepower and 277 lb-ft of torque. This engine, paired with a CVT, provided ample power for the 3,896-pound vehicle, with a towing capacity of 3,500 lbs. The EPA rated its fuel efficiency at 24 mpg combined, though real-world testing showed 21.3 mpg on a mountainous route. The CVT, while functional, lacked the engagement of a dual-clutch automatic transmission. The Outback Wilderness's standout features included its 9.5-inch ground clearance, all-terrain tires, and advanced traction systems, making it highly capable off-road. It also had improved approach, breakover, and departure angles, along with a dual function X-Mode traction system.

The 2021 Toyota Sienna excelled in convenience, with a third-row 60/40-split bench that stored easily into the floor. The second row slid up to 25 inches, facilitating access to the third row. The cabin boasted 16 cupholders and ample storage cubbies. Cargo handling was a strong suit, with the ability to carry a full four-by-eight sheet of plywood inside. Cargo space measured 33.5 cubic feet behind the third row, 75.2 cubic feet behind the second row, and 101.0 cubic feet behind the first row. The hybrid battery was cleverly tucked under the front seats, preserving cargo space. Power-operated sliding doors and tailgate, responsive to kick motions, added to its family-friendly features.

The 2022 Subaru Outback Wilderness's interior featured dark gray StarTex upholstery, which was water-repellant but could be uncomfortable in hot weather. The front seats offered 10-way power adjustment for the driver and 8-way for the passenger, with effective dual-zone climate control. The rear seat provided generous space for two adults or three kids, with rear air conditioning vents and USB charging ports. Cargo space measured 32.5 cubic feet behind the rear seat and 75.7 cubic feet with the rear seat folded flat. The Outback Wilderness also had a robust roof rack with a 700-pound static load rating, suitable for rooftop camping.

The 2021 Toyota Sienna came packed with technology, featuring a standard nine-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Amazon Alexa. It offered a year's trial of Safety Connect and Remote Connect, a ten-year trial of Service Connect, and a three-month trial of AT&T WiFi Connect. Higher trims included Qi-compatible charging and a 1500-watt inverter. Audio systems ranged from a six-speaker stereo to a 12-speaker JBL system with Dynamic Navigation. A rear-seat entertainment system with an 11.6-inch display was available. The driver benefited from a multi-information display, a 10-inch Head-Up Display in Platinum trims, and a digital rearview mirror.

The 2022 Subaru Outback Wilderness featured an 11.6-inch touchscreen infotainment system, with physical knobs for volume and tuning and buttons for temperature control. Voice recognition technology required learning specific prompts, but Apple CarPlay and Android Auto offered better functionality. The Outback Wilderness lacked a premium sound system, which was available in other trims. However, it included PIN code entry technology, allowing the key fob to be left inside the vehicle during outdoor activities.

The 2021 Toyota Sienna Hybrid came with Toyota Safety Sense 2.0, including dynamic radar cruise control, lane-tracing assist, pre-collision system with pedestrian and bicyclist detection, lane-departure alert, automatic high beams, and road sign assist. It also featured the Star Safety System, 10 airbags, LATCH connectors, a rear-seat reminder system, and a tire pressure monitoring system. Crash-test ratings for the 2021 Sienna were not available, but the 2020 model received good ratings from IIHS and a five-star overall rating from NHTSA.

The 2022 Subaru Outback Wilderness included EyeSight advanced driving assistance systems, with adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assistance, lane-centering assistance, and a driver monitoring system. It also had steering-responsive headlights, a blind-spot warning system, and rear cross-traffic warning. The Outback Wilderness lacked Subaru's DriverFocus distraction mitigation technology. The 2021 Outback earned a "Top Safety Pick+" rating from IIHS and a five-star overall rating from NHTSA.