2021 Dodge Durango vs 2022 Subaru Outback

The 2021 Dodge Durango maintained its muscular and athletic styling, reminiscent of its Charger and Challenger siblings. Despite its third-generation design dating back to 2011, the Durango's exterior received updates for 2021, particularly evident in the high-performance SRT Hellcat model. This version featured a cold-air scoop, twin-pipe exhaust, LED headlamps, and a rear spoiler, enhancing its aggressive look. The Durango offered a variety of wheel options and a choice of 11 exterior colours, allowing buyers to personalize their SUV. Inside, the Durango's cabin was modernized with a new instrument panel and the latest Uconnect 5 infotainment system, available on an 8.4-inch or 10.1-inch touchscreen. The interior offered a range of upholstery options, from cloth to premium leather, with contrast stitching and unique seat belt colours adding a touch of flair.

The 2022 Subaru Outback Wilderness stood out with its increased ground clearance of 23 centimetres, giving it a more rugged appearance akin to a Jeep. This model featured aggressive all-terrain tires, oversized fender protection, and restyled bumpers for improved approach and departure angles. The Outback Wilderness also boasted a unique grille, black 17-inch wheels, and Anodized Copper accents, with a new Geyser Blue paint option exclusive to this trim. Inside, the cabin was dominated by dark gray and black tones, with StarTex water-repellant upholstery and Anodized Copper stitching. The interior was designed for practicality, with waterproof materials and all-weather floor mats, making it ideal for adventurous outings.

The 2021 Dodge Durango offered a range of powerful engines, including a 3.6-litre V6, a 5.7-litre HEMI V8, a 392 HEMI V8, and a supercharged 6.2-litre HEMI V8. The V6 engine produced up to 295 horsepower, while the 5.7-litre V8 delivered 360 hp. The 392 HEMI V8 offered 475 hp, and the supercharged 6.2-litre V8 in the SRT Hellcat model boasted an impressive 710 hp. All engines were paired with eight-speed automatic transmissions, and AWD was standard in Canada. The Durango's performance was characterized by smooth acceleration and precise steering, although its chassis showed signs of aging, affecting ride comfort on rough roads. The SRT models featured advanced performance pages and configurable drive modes, enhancing the driving experience.

The 2022 Subaru Outback Wilderness was powered by a turbocharged 2.4-litre 4-cylinder engine, producing 260 horsepower and 277 lb-ft of torque. This engine provided ample power for the midsize SUV, with a towing capacity of 3,500 lbs. The Outback Wilderness featured a CVT with eight programmed ratios, offering paddle shifters for manual control. While the CVT's droning was noticeable during hard acceleration, the vehicle's AWD system and all-terrain tires excelled off-road. The Wilderness trim's increased ground clearance and revised bumpers improved its off-road capabilities, while the dual function X-Mode traction system and hill descent control further enhanced its performance on challenging terrain.

The 2021 Dodge Durango excelled as a family hauler, offering comfortable seating for up to seven passengers across three rows. The front and second-row seats provided ample space for taller occupants, while the third row was more spacious than many competitors. The Durango's cargo space was average for its class, but its fit and finish had improved significantly over the years, contributing to its appeal as a versatile family SUV.

The 2022 Subaru Outback Wilderness featured dark gray StarTex upholstery, which was water-repellant but could become uncomfortable in hot weather. The front seats offered 10-way power adjustment for the driver and 4-way manual adjustment for the passenger, with heated seats standard. The rear seats provided generous head and legroom, along with rear air conditioning vents and USB charging ports. The cargo area offered 920 litres of space behind the rear seats and 2,144 litres with the seats folded flat. The Outback Wilderness also featured a robust roof rack with a 700-pound static load rating, suitable for rooftop camping.

The 2021 Dodge Durango featured an 8.4-inch touchscreen on lower trims and a 10.1-inch touchscreen on higher trims, both running the Uconnect 5 infotainment system. This system was faster and more customizable than its predecessor, offering connected services, navigation, and wireless smartphone connectivity. The Durango also offered a rear-seat entertainment system with Blu-ray and DVD players. However, the analog speedometer was difficult to read, and a head-up display was not available.

The 2022 Subaru Outback Wilderness came with an 11.6-inch portrait-oriented touchscreen infotainment system, integrating climate control functions. While physical knobs and buttons were provided for some controls, most functions required using 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 on other trims.

The 2021 Dodge Durango's safety features were limited, with a standard back-up camera and federally mandated passive safety features. Optional safety features included adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning, and blind-spot monitoring. The IIHS rated the Durango as Marginal for small overlap frontal impact, while the NHTSA gave it a five-star side crash-test rating and a four-star front crash and rollover rating.

The 2022 Subaru Outback Wilderness featured the EyeSight suite of safety features, including adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning, and lane-keeping assistance. The Wilderness trim also had steering-responsive LED headlights and a blind-spot warning system. The Outback's EyeSight technology was effective and unobtrusive, contributing to its safety credentials. While crash-test results for the 2022 model were unavailable, the 2021 Outback earned a "Top Safety Pick+" rating from the IIHS and a 5-star overall rating from the NHTSA.