2023 Subaru Outback vs 2023 Genesis GV70

The 2023 Subaru Outback underwent a notable facelift, featuring a redesigned front end with new LED headlights, a restyled grille, and a revised bumper with dark gray vertical cladding. This design gave the Outback a more aggressive appearance, especially with the addition of a jutting simulated skid plate and fog lights nestled into oversized housings. The asymmetrical wheel arch trim, reminiscent of the Wilderness model, further enhanced its bold look. While these changes might not appeal to everyone, opting for a dark paint color could help tone down the design's excesses. The Onyx Edition, with its black wheels and trim, offered a more cohesive look, and its availability with the base powertrain made it more accessible at a starting price of $33,495.

Inside, the Outback Touring trim impressed with its upscale interior, featuring Java Brown premium Nappa leather upholstery that contrasted beautifully with the black interior. The dashboard and door panels, along with light gray contrast stitching, created a cohesive and luxurious feel. Despite the use of hard plastic in some areas, the interior did not feel cheap, and practical features like flat, textured door sills added utility. However, the large infotainment screen and gloss black trim were prone to collecting dust and smudges, which was a minor drawback in an otherwise appealing cabin.

The 2023 Genesis GV70 shared stylistic connections with the G70 compact luxury sedan, particularly above the belt-line. Its design featured split-bar headlights and a strong chrome line that curved from behind the rear window, visually linking it to its sedan counterpart. This chrome bar cleverly suggested a coupe-like SUV without sacrificing versatility. Inside, the GV70's cabin exuded luxury with top-notch materials and excellent fit and finish. The design was both contemporary and classic, with climate controls integrated into a curving bezel and a touchscreen that rose organically from the dash.

The GV70's interior was a testament to Genesis's luxury credentials, offering a refined and well-rounded driving experience. The dash featured a full touchscreen backed by a rotary dial and helpful button controls in the center console. While it lacked traditional volume and tuning dials, it compensated with physical rollers on the center console and steering wheel, a feature that outperformed touch capacitive controls found in some competitors. The GV70 was available in gas-powered and electrified versions, with the latter offering impressive luxury features and a comfortable, high-contrast interior design.

The 2023 Subaru Outback featured horizontally opposed engines, known for their flat design and characteristic grumble. The standard engine produced 182 horsepower and 176 lb-ft of torque, but the 3,781-pound test vehicle felt underpowered, especially during passing and climbing. The CVT made good use of the power at lower speeds, but the Outback struggled with acceleration. The EPA estimated 28 mpg in combined driving, but real-world testing returned 25.6 mpg. The Outback XT models, with a turbocharged 2.4-liter flat-four engine producing 260 hp and 277 lb-ft of torque, offered better performance but at the cost of fuel efficiency.

The Outback's AWD system, with Active Torque Split, provided excellent off-road capabilities, handling mud, ruts, and trails with ease. The X-Mode traction system and hill descent control further enhanced its off-road prowess. In urban settings, the Outback's visibility, size, and high stance made parking and navigating tight spaces easy. However, the standard engine's lack of power was evident on highways, requiring a heavy foot for passing. The suspension tuning was spot-on, offering a firm ride at lower speeds and excellent ride quality at higher speeds.

The 2023 Genesis GV70 2.5T came with a turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine producing 300 horsepower and 311 lb-ft of torque. The 3.5T variant featured a twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 engine with 375 horsepower and 391 lb-ft of torque. Both engines were paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and AWD. The turbo-four provided ample power for most driving situations, while the V6 offered extra grunt and a throaty engine note for performance enthusiasts. The GV70 balanced comfort and sharp handling, delivering a refined driving experience.

The GV70 Electrified used a 77.4-kWh battery pack powering two electric motors, producing a combined 429 horsepower and 516 lb-ft of torque. Acceleration was smooth and confident, with a Boost Mode increasing output to 483 horsepower for short bursts. The electric GV70 had a range of 236 miles, with fast charging capabilities. The GV70 Electrified offered well-rounded handling, leaning slightly towards comfort. It was worth comparing to the Genesis GV60, which had a slightly longer range but less cargo space.

The 2023 Subaru Outback prioritized utility with features like a purposeful roof rack, flat door sill trim, and a dashboard storage shelf. The Touring trim offered a comfortable interior with a 12-way power-adjustable driver's seat, heated and ventilated front seats, and premium Nappa leather upholstery. Rear outboard seats were also heated, making the Outback cozy in cold weather. The vehicle's high ground clearance made entry and exit easy, and the cargo space measured 32.6 cubic feet with the rear seats up and 75.6 cubic feet with them folded down. The robust roof rack and flat door sills added practicality, though more storage space would have been welcome.

The 2023 Genesis GV70 provided 56.9 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats folded and 28.9 cubic feet with them in use, which was above average for the segment. The GV70 featured a hands-free power liftgate and decently large cupholders in the center console. The front seats were comfortable and easy to adjust, but rear legroom was tighter, requiring front-row occupants to slide their seats forward. The rear bench reclined for added comfort, but finding a comfortable seating position required some adjustment.

The 2023 Subaru Outback, except for the Base trim, featured a Starlink 11.6-inch touchscreen infotainment system with physical controls for volume, tuning, and climate control. The base model had a 7-inch touchscreen with wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, while higher trims offered wireless connectivity. The Starlink system was improved for 2023, but the graphics and voice recognition system were lacking. Additional technologies included a camera-based digital rearview mirror and a 180-degree front-view camera, though a surround-view camera was not available.

The 2023 Genesis GV70 came with a 14.5-inch touchscreen infotainment system with navigation, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. The touchscreen was user-friendly, with large icons and logical menu navigation. The GV70 also featured a rotary dial for scrolling and selecting, though its proximity to the rotary shifter could cause confusion. The vehicle included four USB ports, wireless device charging, a Wi-Fi hotspot, and a nine-speaker stereo system. Ambient lighting, a digital instrument panel, and the Genesis digital key were available features.

The 2023 Subaru Outback was equipped with Subaru's EyeSight system, which included adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, and lane-centering assist. Higher trims offered additional features like blind-spot monitoring and a new Automatic Emergency Steering system. The Outback earned top safety marks from the IIHS, but the adaptive cruise control and lane-centering assist systems felt artificial and intrusive. The rear automatic braking system was incompatible with some driveways, leading to jarring stops.

The 2023 Genesis GV70 offered a comprehensive suite of driver-assistance technologies, including forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, driver attention monitoring, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert. The Advance Package on the 2.5T and Sport Advance package on the 3.5T added features like a blind-spot camera system, reverse automatic emergency braking, and a 360-degree parking camera system. The Electrified GV70 included most of these features as standard, with the head-up display available in the Prestige trim.