2021 Chrysler Pacifica vs 2022 Subaru Outback

The 2021 Chrysler Pacifica underwent a significant exterior refresh, featuring new standard LED headlights flanking a hexagonal grille, which contributed to a more muscular aesthetic compared to its previous elegance. The rear showcased an all-LED taillamp spanning the width of the vehicle, with the Chrysler wing badge at its centre. The Pacifica offered six new wheel designs and the S Appearance Package, which included darkened features and black accents. Inside, the Pacifica stood out from competitors like the Toyota Sienna and Kia Carnival by balancing practicality with premium touches, especially in the Pinnacle trim. This top-tier model boasted a flat dashboard with a 10.1-inch touchscreen, Piano Black plastic trim, wood accents, and luxurious materials like quilted Nappa leather seats and suede pillows. The Pacifica also excelled in sound deadening, providing a quiet ride.

The 2022 Subaru Outback Wilderness presented a rugged, off-road-ready appearance, with a higher ground clearance of 23 centimetres, aggressive all-terrain tires, and improved approach and departure angles. Its unique design elements included a distinctive grille, black 17-inch wheels, and Anodized Copper accents. The interior featured dark gray StarTex water-repellant upholstery, which, while practical, could become uncomfortable in hot weather. The cabin offered heated front seats, dual-zone climate control, and ample rear seat space. The Outback Wilderness also boasted a robust roof rack capable of supporting a 700-pound static load, making it ideal for outdoor adventures.

The 2021 Chrysler Pacifica offered two powertrain options: a 3.6-litre V6 engine producing 287 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque, paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission, and a hybrid version with a V6 engine, dual-motor electrically variable transmission, and a 16-kWh battery, delivering 260 horsepower. The hybrid model had an all-electric range of over 50 kilometres and a total range of 784 kilometres, with a fuel efficiency of 2.9 litres-equivalent per 100 kilometres. The traditional V6 achieved 12.4 L/100 km in the city and 8.4 on the highway, with AWD models slightly less efficient. The AWD system, newly available after 16 years, activated on-demand based on driving conditions.

The 2022 Subaru Outback Wilderness featured a turbocharged 2.4-litre 4-cylinder engine with 260 horsepower and 277 lb-ft of torque, providing a towing capacity of 3,500 lbs. It achieved 10.9 L/100 km in the city and 8.9 on the highway. The Outback's CVT, while offering paddle shifters, lacked the engagement of a dual-clutch transmission. The Wilderness trim excelled off-road, with 23 cm of ground clearance, all-terrain tires, and improved approach, breakover, and departure angles. It also featured a dual-function X-Mode traction system and hill descent control, making it the most capable Outback for challenging terrains.

The 2021 Chrysler Pacifica was designed with family life in mind, offering spacious front seats and a padded centre console lid for a sense of togetherness. It featured power-sliding doors, three-zone climate control, and Stow 'n Go seating for versatile cargo space. The Pacifica boasted best-in-class total storage of 3,979 litres, with under-console storage for second-row passengers and ample legroom for all occupants.

The 2022 Subaru Outback Wilderness had a practical interior with StarTex upholstery, which was water-repellant but could become uncomfortable in hot weather. It offered heated front seats, dual-zone climate control, and generous rear seat space. The cargo area measured 920 litres behind the rear seat and 2,144 litres with the seat folded flat. The Outback also featured a robust roof rack with a 700-pound static load rating, ideal for rooftop camping.

The 2021 Chrysler Pacifica's Uconnect 5 infotainment system was modern and customizable, with a 10.1-inch touchscreen, Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. It offered an optional in-seat entertainment system for the second row and a high-quality Harman Kardon sound system. The Pinnacle model included FamCam, an interior monitoring camera with unique features like a rear-facing child seat view.

The 2022 Subaru Outback Wilderness featured an 11.6-inch touchscreen infotainment system with integrated climate control. While it had physical knobs for volume and tuning, most functions required the touchscreen. The voice recognition technology was less intuitive, but Apple CarPlay and Android Auto offered better voice assistant functionality. The Outback Wilderness lacked a premium sound system, which was available in other trims.

The 2021 Chrysler Pacifica offered up to 116 safety features, including automatic pedestrian emergency braking, blind spot monitoring, and forward collision warning. Higher trims added adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, and a surround-view camera. It received a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA.

The 2022 Subaru Outback Wilderness featured the EyeSight suite of safety features, including adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning, and lane-keeping assistance. It also had steering-responsive LED headlights and a blind-spot warning system. The Outback Wilderness maintained the effectiveness of EyeSight despite its modifications. The standard Outback earned a "Top Safety Pick+" rating from the IIHS and a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA.