2024 Subaru Outback vs 2025 Land Rover Defender

The 2024 Subaru Outback maintained its familiar aesthetic, with the Wilderness trim receiving a subtle update featuring a new front fascia and LED fog lights. The dark gray cladding provided a striking contrast to the Autumn Green Metallic paint of the Touring XT model, which was described as a "green-tinged dark khaki." This color choice was surprisingly appealing, offering a fresh alternative to the more traditional champagne-beige hues. The Outback's various trims showcased different levels of black and chrome exterior fittings, with the Touring trim featuring the most chrome, which was tastefully executed. Wheel designs varied across trims, with standard black 17-inch alloy wheels and a matte black version for the Wilderness trim, while the Onyx Edition and higher trims sported larger 18-inch wheels with a machine finish.

Inside, the top-trim Touring XT impressed with its luxurious Java Brown Nappa leather upholstery, which was both attractive and comfortable. The Outback Limited offered standard leather seating, while the Onyx Edition and Wilderness trims featured Subaru's StarTex synthetic leather. Base and Premium trims came with cloth seats. The interior quality exceeded expectations for a brand known more for capability than luxury, providing a pleasant surprise for those seeking a more refined driving experience.

The 2025 Land Rover Defender, on the other hand, presented a rugged yet customizable design. The Defender 90 appeared somewhat stubby, while the 130 carried a substantial visual mass over its rear wheels. The 110 four-door model struck a balance in design, offering an appealingly rugged look. Land Rover provided buyers with numerous customization options, allowing for personalization. Base prices ranged from $58,525 for a 90 without options to $120,525 for a 130 V8, with the new Defender OCTA priced at $153,625. The test vehicle, a Defender 130 in X trim, featured the Extended Black Exterior Pack, upgraded interior materials, and comprehensive off-roading technology.

The test vehicle swapped standard 22-inch wheels for 20-inch ones with Pirelli Scorpion Zero tires. Options included the Towing Pack, Climate Pack, and second-row captain's chairs, bringing the MSRP to $106,092. The Gondwana Stone paint, paired with orange brake calipers and delicate twin-spoke wheels, was less visually appealing. The Defender X's interior featured premium Windsor hides with Kvadrat fabric, illuminated door-sill treadplates, and metal pedal covers. The cabin maintained an industrial theme, emphasizing quality materials and a purposeful design.

The 2024 Subaru Outback was powered by a "Boxer" horizontally opposed engine, with the standard 2.5-liter flat-four producing 182 horsepower and 176 lb-ft of torque. The XT trims, including the Wilderness, featured a 2.4-liter turbocharged boxer four-cylinder engine, delivering 260 horsepower and 277 lb-ft of torque. This turbo setup increased the towing capacity from 2,700 to 3,500 lbs. Subaru's Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive (AWD) and a Lineartronic continuously variable transmission (CVT) were standard. The Touring XT test car, equipped with the more powerful engine, provided a satisfying driving experience, with the CVT mimicking the sound and feel of eight distinct gears. The brake pedal, aided by an electronic booster, offered a reassuring feel. The Outback's steering was adequate, and the suspension contributed to a comfortable ride. The base Outback had 8.7 inches of ground clearance, while the Wilderness trim increased it to 9.2 inches, with all-terrain tires and an advanced X-Mode for off-road adventures.

The 2025 Land Rover Defender test vehicle featured a turbocharged 3.0-liter six-cylinder engine, one of four powertrain options. Coupled with a mild-hybrid system, it produced 395 horsepower and 406 lb-ft of torque. An eight-speed automatic transmission with Sport and manual shift modes connected to a standard AWD system with a low-range setting for off-roading. The maximum tow rating was 8,200 pounds, and the Defender 130 X accelerated to 60 mph in 6.3 seconds. The Defender X came with an adaptive air suspension, hill descent control, and Terrain Response 2 driving modes, including Comfort, Grass/Gravel/Snow, Mud/Ruts, Sand, and Rock Crawl. The Off-Road Pack's electronic active differential and wade-sensing technology were standard, along with the Advanced Off-Road Pack's Configurable setting and All-Terrain Progress Control.

The Defender's off-road capability was impressive, often exceeding the skill level of its drivers. The test vehicle's 20-inch wheels and Pirellis were more suited for pavement, but the Defender 130 handled rutted trails with ease. The air suspension provided 11.4 inches of ground clearance, with approach, breakover, and departure angles of 37.5, 27.9, and 28.8 degrees, respectively. The Defender 130's maximum wading depth was 35.4 inches. The six-cylinder engine delivered ample power, though city driving occasionally resulted in unexpected surges. The adaptive air suspension ensured a smooth ride, both on and off-road. However, the 20-inch wheels discouraged spirited driving on twisty roads. The Defender 130's 5,685-pound curb weight was noticeable, and the steering was slow and fluid. The test vehicle's Pirellis struggled with on-road fun, and the stability control system activated during a dip in the road. On the highway, the Defender 130 cruised comfortably but suffered from wind noise. The washer jets were weak, and the observed fuel economy was 16.2 mpg, below the expected 19 mpg.

The 2024 Subaru Outback offered ample interior space despite its sleek proportions. With a moonroof, it provided more front headroom than the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4, and slightly less rear headroom than the RAV4. The Outback excelled in front-row legroom and surpassed the RAV4 in rear-seat legroom. Its cargo area measured 32.6 cubic feet with all seats in place and 75.6 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. While the RAV4 and CR-V offered more cargo space with all seats occupied, the Outback led when the rear seats were folded. Feature availability was a key consideration, with dual-zone climate control standard on all but the base trim. Heated front seats and a power-adjustable driver's seat were standard from the Premium trim, while the Limited trim added a powered front passenger seat and heated rear seats. Ventilated front seats were exclusive to the Touring trim, and a heated steering wheel was standard from the Onyx Edition. The hands-free power liftgate was optional on the Premium trim and standard on higher trims. Raised roof rails with retractable cross bars were standard, and the cross bars could be easily stowed when not in use.

The 2025 Land Rover Defender 130 required some effort to enter and exit, especially for shorter individuals, but rewarded occupants with three rows of spacious seating. The test vehicle featured 12-way power-adjustable front seats with heating and ventilation, providing excellent forward visibility. The Defender's square side mirrors seemed undersized, but the Clearsight digital rearview mirror and surround-view camera system compensated for poor rear visibility. A panoramic sunroof and fixed glass panel over the third row created an open and airy feel. Storage space was plentiful for the driver and passenger, but less accommodating for rear passengers. The heated second-row bench seat was standard, with the test vehicle featuring new captain's chairs. The Defender 130 excelled in third-row seat accessibility and comfort, with a heated, roomy, and supportive third row. The side-hinged cargo door was heavy and awkward, with a high load floor. A button in the cargo area allowed for lowering the air suspension. Cargo space measured 15.3 cubic feet behind the third row, expanding to 43.7 cubic feet with the third row folded, and 89 cubic feet with all rear seats folded.

The 2024 Subaru Outback Touring featured a CD player, appealing to those who appreciated old-school features. It offered both USB-C and USB-A ports on all but the base trim, which had USB-A only. The top-trim test car boasted an 11.6-inch portrait-oriented infotainment screen, while the base trim retained a dual-7-inch-screen system. The Subaru Starlink multimedia platform appeared dated but included standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, with wireless functionality starting from the Premium trim. Climate controls were managed through the touchscreen, with hard buttons for defoggers and temperature adjustments. Wi-Fi capability was available on all but the base trim, and most trims featured a 12-speaker Harman Kardon premium audio system, except for the base model with four speakers and the Premium trim with six speakers.

The 2025 Land Rover Defender was equipped with the Pivi Pro infotainment system, accessible via an 11.4-inch touchscreen. It offered wireless Apple CarPlay, wireless Android Auto, SiriusXM 360L satellite radio, a Wi-Fi hotspot, and connected services. Pivi Pro had previously been criticized for its slow response and convoluted interface, but this time it performed well. Voice command accuracy was impressive, though response time could be improved. The user experience was more intuitive, with fewer dead ends. The Defender's Meridian premium sound system was also noteworthy. Additional features included a head-up display, ClearSight digital rearview mirror, and surround-view camera system with a 3D view setting. The Towing Pack added a hands-free trailer reverse-steering system.

The 2024 Subaru Outback earned a Top Safety Pick award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), though it fell short of the previous year's Top Safety Pick+ designation. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) awarded both the 2023 and 2024 models five stars overall. Safety features included reverse automatic braking from the Onyx trim level, the EyeSight suite of advanced driver-assistance technologies, blind-spot monitoring with lane-change assist, and rear cross-traffic alert. The Touring trim added a wide-angle camera, digital rearview mirror, and driver-attention monitor.

The 2025 Land Rover Defender featured several driver aids, including automatic high-beam headlights, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, and adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go functionality. A Driver Assistance Mode menu allowed for customization of assistance levels. The lane-keep assist was decisive, though it occasionally attempted to steer the Defender into a turnout area. Adaptive cruise control and lane-centering assist operated smoothly, with minor issues in heavy traffic. Crash-test ratings were unavailable at press time.