2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 vs 2024 Subaru Outback

It dates back to the days of the raised station wagon, before a crossover was a must-have—or even a thing. It’s now in its sixth generation, and it was just refreshed last year, but while others have ballooned into mini-SUVs, the Outback has clung steadfastly to the station wagon shape. The 2024 Outback comes in Base, Premium, Onyx Edition, Wilderness, Limited, and Touring trims, further differentiated by powertrain. Updates for this year include feature-enriched trim levels and trim-specific aesthetic tweaks.

Verdict: Not everyone needs or wants a massive vehicle. With its higher ride height and excellent visibility, the Outback delivers the peace of mind many seek from an SUV in a smaller and more practical package. The broad trim spectrum means you can get a luxury experience at a lower price point or a no-nonsense version much cheaper.

It would appear to be the calendar, not the competition, that has the Ioniq 5 due for a mid-cycle refresh. We liked it when it burst onto the scene as an angular oddball in a sea of soft-lined sameness, and it has only improved over the last few years.

Verdict: Hyundai makes minor but welcome changes and avoids tweaking the many things that were working well, successfully making a good thing better.