2024 Toyota Grand Highlander vs 2024 Subaru Outback

The 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander was a standout in Toyota's lineup of crossovers and SUVs, offering a range of options from all-gas to hybrid-powered models. Built on the TNGA-K platform, it shared its underpinnings with the regular Highlander and other Toyota models, distinguishing itself from the body-on-frame Sequoia. The Grand Highlander was notably large, with a length of 5,115 millimetres and a wheelbase of 2,950 mm, providing a spacious interior. Its design, inspired by rugged vehicles, was more conservative and blockier compared to the smaller Highlander, resembling models like the Ford Explorer and Kia Telluride. The Grand Highlander was available in three trims: XLE, Limited, and Platinum, with interior options ranging from black Softex synthetic leather to real leather in higher trims. It offered a comfortable and well-built interior, making it an excellent choice for road trips.

The 2024 Subaru Outback maintained its familiar look, with the Wilderness trim receiving a new front fascia and LED fog lights. The Outback Premier XT tester featured a striking Autumn Green Metallic colour, complemented by dark grey cladding. The various trims offered different levels of black and chrome exterior fittings, with tasteful chrome accents on the Premier XT trim. Wheel sizes and designs varied by trim, with options like black 17-inch alloy wheels and matte black versions for the Wilderness trim. Inside, the top-trim test car impressed with its Java Brown Nappa leather upholstery, offering a level of luxury unexpected from Subaru. The Outback's interior materials and design were a pleasant surprise, providing a comfortable and capable driving experience.

The 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander offered three engine options, starting with a 2.4-litre turbo four-cylinder engine producing 265 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque. For those prioritizing fuel efficiency, a 2.5-litre four-cylinder hybrid option delivered 245 combined net horsepower and 177 pound-feet of torque. At the top of the range, the Grand Highlander Hybrid Max powertrain boasted 362 horsepower and 400 combined net pound-feet of torque. All powertrains came with all-wheel drive in Canada. While not a sports car, the Hybrid Max provided impressive acceleration with a zero-to-60 time of 6.3 seconds. The Grand Highlander excelled in road manners, though its size made it less maneuverable in tight spaces. The brakes were solid, and the 2.4-litre turbocharged engine offered adequate power. Three drive modes—Sport, Eco, and Normal—were available, with additional modes for gas-only and Hybrid Max models.

The 2024 Subaru Outback featured a "Boxer" horizontally opposed engine, with a 2.5-litre flat-four producing 182 horsepower and 176 lb-ft of torque as the default. The XT trims, including the Wilderness trim, upgraded to a 2.4-litre turbocharged boxer four-cylinder engine, delivering 260 horsepower and 277 lb-ft of torque. This turbo setup increased towing capacity from 1,225 to 1,587 kilograms. Subaru's Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive and a Lineartronic continuously variable transmission were standard. The Premier XT test car's turbo powertrain managed the vehicle's weight well, and the CVT imitated the sound and feel of eight distinct gears. The Outback's steering and suspension provided a comfortable ride, with ground clearance of 22 centimetres, increasing to 24.1 centimetres in the Wilderness trim. The Outback Wilderness also featured all-terrain tires and an advanced X-Mode for off-road adventures.

The 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander was larger than its primary rivals, with a length of over 5 metres and a 2,950 mm wheelbase. This extra length translated to increased storage space, with a total cargo capacity of 2,761 litres, surpassing competitors like the Kia Telluride. With seats in position, it offered 1,640 litres behind the second row and 583 litres with all three rows up. The Grand Highlander provided ample headroom, legroom, and shoulder room in every row, making it comfortable for passengers, even in the third row.

The Subaru Outback, despite its sleeker proportions, offered impressive interior space. It provided more front-row headroom than the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4, and more front-row legroom than both models. The Outback's cargo area measured 923 litres with all seats in place and 2,141 litres with the rear seats folded. While it fell short in cargo space compared to the RAV4 and CR-V, it excelled in passenger comfort. The Outback featured dual-zone climate control, heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, and a power-adjustable driver's seat. The hands-free power liftgate and power moonroof were standard from the Touring trim, and the Outback's roof rails with retractable cross bars added practicality.

The 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander came equipped with a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system, a significant improvement over previous models. An intelligent assistant, activated by saying "Hey Toyota," was available through a connected-services subscription, along with cloud-based navigation and live agent assistance. Standard features included dual-device Bluetooth connectivity, wireless Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. The Grand Highlander Limited and Platinum trims featured an 11-speaker JBL stereo, providing excellent sound quality. Streaming audio integration and Sirius XM satellite radio were also available.

The 2024 Subaru Outback offered a mix of old-school and modern technology. The Premier XT trim included a CD player, and all trims featured both USB-C and USB-A ports. The top-trim test car had an 11.6-inch portrait-oriented infotainment screen, while the Convenience trim retained a dual-7-inch-screen system. The Subaru Starlink multimedia platform, though dated, offered standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, with wireless options starting from the Touring trim. Climate controls were managed through the touchscreen, with hard buttons for defoggers and temperature adjustments. Bluetooth and SiriusXM connectivity were standard, and most trims featured a 12-speaker Harman Kardon premium audio system.

The 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander had not yet been crash-tested by the NHTSA or IIHS, but it came with an impressive suite of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) as standard. Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 included features like automatic emergency braking, lane-departure alert with steering assist, lane-tracing assist, automatic high beams, road-sign recognition, and blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert. Adaptive cruise control with four following-distance settings was also standard.

The 2024 Subaru Outback earned a Top Safety Pick award from the IIHS and received a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA. The EyeSight suite of advanced driver-assistance technologies was standard, including adaptive cruise control with lane-centring, automatic pre-collision braking, and lane-keep assist. Reverse automatic braking was standard from the Touring trim, and the Premier XT featured a digital rearview mirror and a driver-attention monitor. A backup camera and high-beam assist were standard across all trims.