2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer vs 2022 Subaru Outback

The 2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer presented a classic SUV aesthetic, sharing its frame and body shell with the standard Wagoneer. This resulted in a traditional design featuring a tall hood, broad shoulders, and an upright profile. The Grand Wagoneer distinguished itself with a standard black roof and unique hood, front fascia, and grille. The grille leaned forward slightly, with laser-etched knurling in the slots, and the wheel centre caps were protected by acrylic glass. Inside, the Grand Wagoneer offered a luxurious experience with high-end materials, including Nappa leather upholstery and optional Palermo leather, along with aluminum and American Walnut wood trim. The interior featured 24-way power front seats with memory, massage, and lumbar support, heated first- and second-row seats, and a heated steering wheel.

In contrast, the 2022 Subaru Outback Wilderness pushed the boundaries of the traditional station wagon, offering a rugged design that hinted at Jeep-like capabilities. It featured a higher ground clearance of 23 centimetres, aggressive all-terrain tires, and improved approach and departure angles due to restyled bumpers. The Outback Wilderness stood out with a unique grille, black 17-inch wheels, and Anodized Copper accents. Inside, the cabin was dominated by dark gray and black tones, with StarTex water-repellant upholstery and Anodized Copper stitching. The interior was practical, with waterproof rear seatback material and a cargo tray, making it suitable for adventurous outings. The Outback Wilderness was positioned as an entry point into the turbocharged Outback family, offering a balance of ruggedness and style.

The 2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer was powered by a robust 6.4-litre Hemi V8 engine, delivering 471 horsepower and 455 lb-ft of torque. This engine, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission, allowed the Grand Wagoneer to accelerate from zero to 100 km/h in approximately six seconds. The vehicle featured standard four-wheel drive with the Quadra-Drive II system, offering five drive modes and a height-adjustable Quadra-Lift air suspension system. With a maximum ground clearance of 25.4 centimetres, the Grand Wagoneer could tackle various terrains, although its size limited its off-road capabilities. Despite its powerful engine, the Grand Wagoneer was best suited for a stately pace, as its ride could become bouncy at higher speeds.

The 2022 Subaru Outback Wilderness was equipped with 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 crossover, with a towing capacity of 3,500 lbs. The Outback Wilderness featured a continuously variable transmission (CVT) with eight programmed ratios, although its performance was less engaging compared to a dual-clutch automatic transmission. The vehicle's all-wheel drive system, combined with its lifted suspension and all-terrain tires, made it highly capable off-road. The Outback Wilderness excelled in challenging terrains, offering improved approach, breakover, and departure angles, along with a dual function X-Mode traction system. On pavement, the vehicle felt quick but was limited by its tires, making it more suited for off-road adventures.

The 2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer offered seating for seven with standard second-row captain’s chairs or eight with an optional third-row bench seat. It provided more third-row headroom and second-row legroom than its competitors, although space up front was more limited. The Grand Wagoneer boasted a cargo capacity of 775 litres with all seats in place and 2,007 litres with the third row stowed. Its maximum towing capacity was 4,472 kilograms, slightly less than the standard Wagoneer due to its extra weight. The vehicle featured a standard sunroof, four-zone automatic climate control, and large storage bins, although forward visibility was somewhat limited.

The 2022 Subaru Outback Wilderness featured dark gray StarTex upholstery, which was water-repellant but could be uncomfortable in hot weather. The vehicle offered heated front seats and effective dual-zone automatic climate control. The rear seat provided generous head and legroom, with rear air conditioning vents and USB charging ports. The cargo area measured 920 litres behind the rear seat and 2,144 litres with the rear seat folded flat. The Outback Wilderness also had a robust roof rack with a 700-pound static load rating, suitable for rooftop camping.

The 2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer came equipped with a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, dual touchscreens, wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, and a McIntosh audio system. It supported simultaneous pairing for two Bluetooth-enabled phones and offered a 4G-LTE Wi-Fi hotspot. Second-row passengers had access to a 10.25-inch centre console touchscreen, and an optional rear seat entertainment system added two 10.1-inch screens. The Uconnect 5 infotainment system featured an Android-based operating system and over-the-air software updates, although the screen response was somewhat slow.

The 2022 Subaru Outback Wilderness featured an 11.6-inch touchscreen infotainment system with integrated climate control. While physical knobs and buttons were provided for some functions, most controls required the use of the touchscreen. The voice recognition technology was less responsive to natural commands, but Apple CarPlay and Android Auto offered superior voice assistant functionality. Despite its target demographic, the Outback Wilderness lacked a premium audio system, which was available in other Outback trims.

The 2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer included standard safety features such as a 360-degree camera system, automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert. Optional features included intersection collision assist, driver-attention monitor, night vision, and traffic-sign recognition. The Active Lane Management System combined adaptive cruise control with automated lane centring, with plans for a hands-free version in the future. Crash-test ratings were not available at the time of review.

The 2022 Subaru Outback Wilderness was equipped with the EyeSight suite of safety features, including adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and lane-keeping assistance. The vehicle also featured steering-responsive LED headlights, blind-spot warning, and rear cross-traffic warning. The EyeSight technology proved effective during testing, maintaining safe distances and lane centring. The standard Outback earned a "Top Safety Pick+" rating from the IIHS for 2021, and a 5-star overall rating from the NHTSA.