2021 Subaru Outback vs 2022 Subaru Ascent

The Outback, like any Subaru, is an old soul in a young person’s body. It embraces a rosier past of automotive history, back when cars were just cars and drivers were concerned only with driving. It’s conservative, unhip to fashion, and slow. Yet the 2021 Outback—a raised, all-wheel drive (AWD) station wagon like the first 1995 model—has all of today’s essentials and extra technology. Subaru just skips the fripperies and focuses on what people really need: Generous space, go-anywhere capability, reliability, low cost, high resale, and safety. It’s not all that innovative or stylish, but a Subaru Outback tackles the everyday banalities of life as few other cars can.

Subaru owners are a loyal bunch, and for good reason. The automaker’s cars and SUVs enjoy reputations for durability, safety, and getting you where you need to go regardless of weather and road conditions. But there is only one Subaru made to carry more than five people, and it’s the Ascent midsize three-row SUV. This year, Subaru makes one change to the 2022 Ascent lineup, adding a new Onyx Edition with blacked-out exterior trim and water-resistant upholstery.