2010 Subaru Outback takes on Crosstour and Venza
Different but the same would be the way to describe the feeling I got after driving the Subaru Outback for about forty seconds. It is different because the fake wood trim is of different veneer, some buttons are in different places and the windows are a little bigger. Otherwise, everything is almost the same as the Honda Crosstour and Toyota Venza I drove recently. It is therefore appropriate to look at all three vehicles and have ourselves a very first CarGuyDad.com comparison test. Well, sort of, since I didn’t have all three vehicles at the same time.
Comparison Tests
Car comparison tests are flawed by default and I don’t like them. For instance, say you are comparing a 5-series, E-class, and Infiniti M. All are brand new and fully loaded and you picked the 5-series as a winner and the M comes in the last place. Does that automatically make the beautiful Infiniti a complete dud? Not by any means, just ask anyone who has driven one.
I have seen a big name magazines compare SUVs and pick a winner based on handling. Similarly, one car magazine picked the M3 over a GT-R in a performance test because it was “easier to live with” – hey buddy, whatttareya comparin’ hea’?
Most of the time however, magazines are simply using some undefined method which is hardly scientific and cannot be accurately repeated. Some use objective and subjective ratings, which pretty much allows them to sway the verdict anyway they want to. Others substantiate their results by thumbs up or thumbs down.
The Outback
The Outback felt notably torque-y around town. Despite its R moniker, the Outback was rather plain to drive; nothing exciting and nothing horrible. Overall handling, breaking and driving was not any better or worse than the other two cars, but probably the least involving.
Driving position was high and probably most SUV-like of the three, whereas the Crosstour was most car-like (despite what the numbers in the chart say), especially in terms of ingress and egress. Outback’s low belt-line was a very welcome design which aids visibility and makes for an airy cabin. Rear seat was the similar to the other cars’ but higher, yielding better visibility for passengers. There is not much to nit-pick inside except for perhaps window auto-down feature which was only on driver’s side window only; is it so difficult to put it on other windows?
Outback’s advantage comes in cargo space, where its typical square station wagon configuration yields the most amount of it. Of note should also be Outback’s 3500-pound towing capacity, 500 more than a similarly equipped Venza and significantly more than Honda’s 1500lbs.
Crosstour vs. Outback vs. Venza
Fess up, when reading any comparison test the first thing we all do is look at the charts. Not wanting to disappoint, I have compiled a chart which, for the sake of simplicity, consists only of relevant information (no drag coefficient here, which is meaningless without knowing the frontal area of the vehicle). I have excluded all similar features on focused on showing the differences between the cars. To be fair the chart compares similarly equipped all-wheel-drive, six-cylinder models.
Frankly, engine and drive systems are the biggest differences between these three cars. The Honda comes only with a V6 engine (271hp) and your choice of front or all wheel drive. The Toyota gives you a choice of a four-banger (182hp) or a V6 (268hp) and each can propel front or all wheels. Subaru comes with all-wheel-drive or nothing, but gives you a choice of a pancake four (170hp) or six (256hp) – no turbo four in the Outback, sadly.
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All three cars are very similar in terms of features, amenities, size and driving dynamics. They are all well made, long lasting vehicles with reputation for reliability and low cost of ownership. Most people will, and should, pick the one which looks best to them. The numbers in the above chart are rather deceiving, and except for the Outback’s cargo area, differences in dimensions are almost negligible.
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| Model | Honda Accord Crosstour 4WD EX-L |
Subaru Outback 3.6R Limited | Toyota Venza 4X4 V6 (Comfort Pkg) |
| Base Price MSRP | $34,020 | $31,495 | $29,550 |
| Similarly Equipped 6-cyl AWD, non-nav, leather, sunroof | $34,800 | $33,665 | $35,970 |
| ALG Residual Value % After 36 months | 46 | 56 | 44 |
| ALG Residual Value % After 60 months | 32 | 42 | 35 |
| Fuel-Economy, City (MPG) | 17 | 18 | 18 |
| Fuel-Economy, Highway (MPG) | 25 | 25 | 25 |
| Basic Warranty (Months/Miles) | 36/36000 | 36/36000 | 36/36000 |
| Powertrain Warranty (Months/Miles) | 60/60000 | 60/60000 | 60/60000 |
| Horsepower | 271@6200 | 256@6000 | 268@6200 |
| Torque (lbs.-ft.) | 254@5000 | 247@4400 | 246@4700 |
| Curb Weight (lbs) | 4070 | 3568 | 4045 |
| Transmission Speeds | 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Cup holders | 6 | 4 | 8 |
| Turning Circle, curb-to-curb | 40.2 | 36.8 | 39.1 |
| Wheelbase (inches) | 110.1 | 107.9 | 109.3 |
| Length (inches) | 196.8 | 188.2 | 189 |
| Width (inches) | 74.7 | 71.7 | 75.0 |
| Height (inches) | 65.8 | 63.9 | 63.4 |
| Headroom (Front) | 39.5 | 40.8 | 39.6 |
| Headroom (Rear) | 37.5 | 39.3 | 39.3 |
| Legroom (Front) | 42.2 | 43.0 | 40.2 |
| Legroom (Rear) | 37.0 | 37.8 | 39.1 |
| Shoulder Room (Front) | 57.8 | 56.3 | 60.0 |
| Shoulder Room (Rear) | 56.2 | 56.1 | 59.0 |
| Passenger Volume (cubic feet) | 100.8 | 105.4 | 108.0 |
| Cargo Volume (cubic feet) | 25.7 | 34.3 | 30.7 |
| NHTSA Front Driver Crash Test | 5-star | 5-star | 5-star |
| NHTSA Front Passenger Crash Test | 5-star | 5-star | 5-star |
| NHTSA Rollover Test | 4-star | 4-star | 4-star |
| Standard Towing Capacity (lbs) | 1500 | 1000 | 3000 |
| Maximum Towing Capacity (lbs) | 1500 | 3500 | 3000 |
WWCGDG? (What Would CarGuyDad Get?)
I have owned many Hondas but the Crosstour is out for me. It is not a bad vehicle by any means, but the nice ride and handling did not beat out the low sitting position, dark and drab interior, awkward trunk and poor visibility. In the end however, it was the Honda’s looks that I really did not care for. If you want an Accord with all-wheel-drive and a larger, more accessible trunk, this is the car for you.
Previous generation of the Outback was nicer and slimmer looking. Despite having the lowest curb weight, the Outback felt heavy. It is almost as if Subaru intended that in order to lure the SUV crowd whereas the other two provide more of an SUV alternative. Having said that, with its standard roof rack, large trunk and best tow rating, the Outback is the utility king. However, if I was shopping for a Subaru this size, I’d get the cheaper and better looking Forester with the turbo four.
This leaves the Venza, which I picked because it’s prettiest [to me]. It is also the sportiest to drive (relatively), has a really cool center console, great sitting position and standard back-up camera, and is the only one available with power tailgate. The Venza compromises some space for its modern shape but in the end it all comes down to personal preference. My Venza would be equipped with the surprisingly nimble and efficient four-banger, all-wheel-drive, and Premium Package #1.
Related:
Disclaimer: All three vehicles were supplied independently by their manufacturers. I paid all parking costs and toll fees and returned the cars with a half a tank of gas.
So, the Accord Crosstour is only worth $118.32 after 60 months? WOW! That’s harsh.
Of course, I assume you meant to use 32%, not 0.32%, which is what is in the table.
:sigh:.
Yes. Will change.
Thank You.
BTW, do the pictures look weird? In IE they look great but on my phone they’re all over the place.
They look fine on my iPhone.
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Test-drove the AWD 6cyl Venza today. In two 60mph to 0 braking tests on dry pavement, it did a bit of a jitterbug.
One huge difference between the Subaru and the Venza / Crosstour is that the Subaru is available with a 6-speed manual. The others are only available with automatics. Actually, the Subaru Outback is the /only/ AWD mid or large-size wagon/SUV available in the USA with a stickshift – with the exception of the BMW 328i xDrive wagon.
It makes for a huge difference in driver engagement – especially when you’re cross-shopping other 4-cyl models like the Sorrento, Santa Fe, Journey, etc — all of which are positively unbearable with a 4-cyl, whereas the Subaru feels sprighty even with the 4-banger, as long as you have the stick. That’s why I got mine.