2023 Toyota Sienna vs 2023 Subaru Outback

The 2023 Subaru Outback underwent a facelift, featuring a new front end with redesigned LED headlights, a restyled grille, and a revised bumper with dark gray vertical cladding, giving it an aggressive look. The addition of a jutting simulated skid plate, fog lights in oversized housings, and asymmetrical wheel arch trim reminiscent of the Wilderness model further enhanced its bold appearance. While these changes might not appeal to everyone, opting for a dark paint colour could help tone down the design's excesses. The Outback Onyx Edition, with its black wheels and trim, complemented the audacious cladding well. The Outback was available in seven trims, with the Onyx Edition priced at $38,695 in Canada. The standard 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine was offered in various trims, with prices ranging from $32,695 to $40,995, excluding a $1,995 destination charge. The turbocharged XT models, providing better acceleration, were priced between $43,195 and $46,395. The Limited trim, with its Cosmic Blue paint and Java Brown premium Nappa leather upholstery, offered a luxurious interior with contrasting leather, dashboard, and door panels. Despite some hard plastic trim, the interior maintained an upscale feel, though the large infotainment screen and gloss black trim were prone to dust and smudges.

The 2023 Toyota Sienna aimed to shed its minivan image with a front-end design resembling a Japanese bullet train. While most trims featured 17-inch or 18-inch wheels, the XSE trim with front-wheel drive boasted 20-inch wheels. The Sienna offered various trims, including the base LE, XLE, sporty XSE, and upper-class Limited, with a new 25th Anniversary Special Edition trim. Value-conscious Canadian shoppers could consider the XLE trim, which included power-sliding doors and a power liftgate with kick sensors. Inside, the Sienna impressed with its high-quality brown leather upholstery and wood-grain accents on the centre console. It accommodated seven or eight passengers, with the LE or XLE trims offering the larger capacity. The eight-seater configuration allowed for three-across car seats in the middle row, secured with LATCH anchors. The Sienna's interior was praised for its functionality and comfort, making it a smart choice for families.

The 2023 Subaru Outback featured horizontally opposed engines, known for their flat design, which helped lower the vehicle's centre of gravity and provided a characteristic grumble and vibration. The standard engine produced 182 horsepower at 5,800 rpm and 176 lb-ft of torque at 4,400 rpm, but the 1,705-kilogram Outback felt underpowered, especially during passing and climbing. The CVT made good use of the power at lower speeds, but the engine's fuel efficiency was disappointing, with a combined rating of 9.2 L/100 km, despite an expected 8.3 L/100 km. The Outback XT models, with a 2.4-litre flat-four turbocharged engine, offered 260 hp at 5,600 rpm and 277 lb-ft of torque between 2,000 and 4,800 rpm, providing better performance but at a higher cost. The XT models were less fuel-efficient, with ratings of 9.5 L/100 km combined, and the Wilderness trim rated at 10.1 L/100 km. The Outback's CVT was programmed to mimic an eight-speed automatic transmission, and paddle shifters were available. The Active Torque Split AWD system was standard, varying power distribution between the front and rear axles as needed. The X-Mode traction system and hill descent control enhanced the Outback's off-road capabilities, with 22 centimetres of ground clearance, while the Wilderness trim offered 23 centimetres. The Outback excelled in off-road conditions and provided excellent visibility and manoeuvrability in urban settings. However, the standard engine lacked urgency, and the CVT struggled to deliver forward momentum on highways. The suspension tuning was praised for its balance between firmness and comfort, providing a smooth ride in various conditions. Despite its decent handling and braking, the Outback was not a sports station wagon, and the powertrain and fuel economy were its main drawbacks.

The 2023 Toyota Sienna, introduced in 2020, featured a hybrid powertrain with a 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine, two front-mounted electric motors, and a third rear-mounted motor for AWD trims, producing 245 net system horsepower. While the power output was less impressive than competitors, the Sienna's chassis and steering were commendable. The CVT tended to climb the rev band, resulting in lacklustre acceleration compared to rivals like the Odyssey. However, the Sienna's platform was nimble, making it easy to drive in urban settings and comfortable on highways. The light steering feel and tidy turning radius were advantageous in city driving. The Sienna offered multiple drive modes, including EV, Normal, Eco, and Sport, but Normal mode was recommended for optimal performance. Eco mode extended the CVT's simulated gears and dampened throttle response, while EV mode was largely ineffective. Sport mode lacked the drama to disguise the Sienna's minivan nature. Despite its powertrain limitations, the Sienna was genuinely fun to drive, especially for a minivan.

The 2023 Subaru Outback prioritized utility with features like a purposeful roof rack, flat door sill trim, and a dashboard storage shelf. The Limited trim offered comfort with a 12-way power-adjustable driver's seat, an eight-way power-adjustable front passenger's seat, and heated front and rear seats. The interior was wrapped in premium Nappa leather, providing a warm and cozy environment. The Outback's spacious interior accommodated two adults and two teens comfortably during long trips, with ample legroom and charging options. The vehicle's height made entry and exit easy, and the cargo space was generous, with 923 litres behind the back seat and 2,141 litres with the back seat folded down. The flat, textured plastic door sills served as steps for accessing the roof rack. However, the Outback could benefit from more practical storage space, and the transmission shifter's redesign could create additional storage options.

The 2023 Toyota Sienna excelled in interior storage solutions, with ample space for bags and purses in the open cubby below the centre console and a long shelf extending across the dashboard. The Sienna featured a big bin in the centre console and numerous cupholders. Three-zone climate control was standard, with four-zone control available on higher trims. The Sienna's minivan platform made excellent use of space, offering 949 litres of cargo space behind the third row and 2,129 litres with the third row folded. Total cargo space was 2,860 litres, though the middle row of seats couldn't be fully removed or folded into the floor. The second-row captain's chairs were functional, with extending ottomans for extra thigh support. The middle-row seats slid forward and backward, providing ample legroom for third-row passengers. Heated front seats and a heated steering wheel were standard, with ventilated front seats and heated second-row seats available on higher trims.

The 2023 Subaru Outback, except for the Base trim, featured a Starlink 11.6-inch touchscreen infotainment system with physical controls for volume, tuning, and climate control. The base model had a 7-inch touchscreen with Bluetooth, wired Apple CarPlay, wired Android Auto, and SiriusXM satellite radio. Starting with the Touring trim, the system offered wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, along with subscription-based Starlink connected services. Depending on the trim, navigation and a Harman Kardon premium audio system were available. A wireless charging pad was included on all trims except Convenience. While Subaru improved the Starlink system's usability, the graphics and colourful icons were not well-received. The voice recognition system was limited, struggling with basic commands and navigation. Additional technologies included a camera-based digital rearview mirror and a 180-degree front-view camera, though a surround-view camera was not available.

The 2023 Toyota Sienna used an older infotainment interface, offering core features like SiriusXM satellite radio, Bluetooth, standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and an optional navigation system. The Sienna had seven USB ports and retained some physical buttons, which were appreciated for their functionality. However, the interface felt outdated and required a wired connection for smartphone integration. The 9-inch touchscreen, though not impressive on paper, was adequate in person. The 12-speaker JBL premium audio system provided good sound quality, standard on Limited and available on the XSE AWD in Canada.

The 2023 Subaru Outback emphasized safety with new EyeSight cameras and an electronic brake booster, enhancing pedestrian, cyclist, and automatic steering functions. The Outback received top marks from the IIHS, including in the new side-impact crash test. EyeSight included adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and more. From the Touring grade, additional features like blind spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert were included. The Automatic Emergency Steering system could steer within a lane to avoid obstacles. The Premier XT trim offered a Wide-Angle Mono Camera for better pedestrian and cyclist detection. While the adaptive cruise control and lane-centring assist were accurate, they introduced an artificial steering feel. The rear automatic braking system was incompatible with some driveways, and a GPS-based solution for disabling it in specific locations would be beneficial.

The 2023 Toyota Sienna impressed with its standard safety technology, including automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane-departure warning with steering assist, blind-spot monitoring, and adaptive cruise control. The Sienna received a 5-star rating from the NHTSA and a Top Safety Pick+ designation from the IIHS. While competitors like Honda and Chrysler also earned Top Safety Pick+ awards, Toyota focused on essential safety features without gimmicks like Honda's CabinTalk or Chrysler's FamCam.