2022 Subaru Outback vs 2021 Honda CR-V

The 2021 Honda CR-V was often criticized for its lack of distinctive styling, blending in with the sea of compact crossovers on the market. Its design featured a few unique elements, such as the grille and some chromed plastic accents, but overall, it did not stand out in terms of exterior aesthetics. The colour palette was limited, with many shades of grey, black, and white dominating the options, making it challenging to find more vibrant colours like Radiant Red. Inside, the CR-V offered a modern look with angular seat designs and upscale touches like wood panels and chrome, depending on the trim level. However, competitors like the Kia Sportage and Hyundai Tucson were noted for offering more distinctive styling, especially in mid-tier trims.

In contrast, the 2022 Subaru Outback Wilderness presented a more rugged and adventurous appearance, with a higher ride height and aggressive all-terrain tires. It featured unique design elements such as a distinctive grille, black 17-inch wheels, and Anodized Copper accents, setting it apart from standard Outback models. The Outback Wilderness also introduced a new Geyser Blue paint option, exclusive to this trim. Inside, the cabin was dominated by dark grey and black tones, with water-repellant StarTex upholstery and Anodized Copper stitching. While the interior lacked ventilated seats, it offered heated front seats and a practical layout with waterproof materials, making it suitable for outdoor enthusiasts.

The 2021 Honda CR-V was equipped with a 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine, producing 190 horsepower. It provided smooth and steady acceleration, taking about 8 seconds to reach 100 km/h. While not the fastest in its class, it was competitive with other crossovers. The CR-V featured a continuously variable transmission (CVT), which, while efficient, lacked the engagement of conventional automatic transmissions found in competitors like the Kia Sportage and Hyundai Tucson. Front-wheel drive was standard, with all-wheel drive available as an option on most trims. The CR-V's suspension setup offered decent handling and ride quality, typical for its class.

The 2022 Subaru Outback Wilderness boasted a more powerful turbocharged 2.4-litre four-cylinder engine, delivering 260 horsepower and 277 lb-ft of torque. This engine provided ample power for a midsize crossover, with a towing capacity of 3,500 lbs. However, the CVT transmission, while offering paddle shifters and eight programmed ratios, was less engaging than a dual-clutch automatic. The Outback Wilderness excelled off-road, thanks to its increased ground clearance, all-terrain tires, and advanced traction systems. It featured a dual-function X-Mode with Snow/Dirt and Deep Snow/Mud modes, making it highly capable on challenging terrain. On pavement, it felt quick but was limited by its off-road-oriented tires.

The 2021 Honda CR-V prioritized functionality, offering ample interior space for five passengers and their gear. It provided over 100 litres more interior volume than the Toyota RAV4 and had a slightly larger cargo area behind the second row. With the rear seats folded, it offered 1,065 litres of cargo space. Depending on the trim, the CR-V featured various tailgate options, including a hands-free power tailgate on higher trims. Roof rails were standard on most trims, enhancing its practicality for carrying additional cargo.

The 2022 Subaru Outback Wilderness featured a spacious interior with dark grey StarTex upholstery, which was water-repellant but could be uncomfortable in hot weather. The front seats were heated, and the driver's seat offered 10-way power adjustment. Rear seat space was generous, with ample head and legroom, rear air conditioning vents, and USB charging ports. The cargo area measured 920 litres behind the rear seat and expanded to 2,144 litres with the rear seat folded. The Outback Wilderness also had a robust roof rack, capable of supporting a 700-pound static load, ideal for rooftop camping.

The 2021 Honda CR-V came standard with a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system, offering Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto connectivity. Lower trims had varying audio setups, while the Touring trim featured a 300-watt system with a subwoofer. The Touring and Black Edition trims also included a satellite navigation system. Charging ports were abundant, with USB ports in the front and rear, and a wireless phone charger on the Touring trim.

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. Voice recognition technology was less intuitive, but Apple CarPlay and Android Auto offered better voice assistant functionality. Surprisingly, the Outback Wilderness lacked a premium audio system, which was available on higher trims like the Limited and Premier.

The 2021 Honda CR-V excelled in safety, earning a five-star NHTSA overall crash test rating and an IIHS Top Safety Pick award. It featured the Honda Sensing suite of advanced safety features as standard, including forward collision warning, lane departure warning, automatic emergency braking, and adaptive cruise control. The only feature not standard on the base LX trim was blind spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert.

The 2022 Subaru Outback Wilderness prioritized safety with the EyeSight suite of 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. While it lacked Subaru's DriverFocus distraction mitigation technology, the EyeSight system proved effective during testing. The 2021 Outback received a "Top Safety Pick+" rating from the IIHS and a 5-star overall rating from the NHTSA.