Comparing an Outback to Other Vehicles

On this page, you'll find comparisons between the Outback and a number of other competitor vehicles. These figures are mostly from Subaru, and I make no claims as to their accuracy beyond any typos I may have made. Have fun with them... Note that Subaru compares the Impreza Outback Sport to some vehicles and the Legacy Outback to others. I've lumped them together because everything that's true for the Sport is also true for the Legacy, and some of the vehicles in question (RAV4 in particular) appeal to buyers of either Subaru.

1. Standard Equipment and Direct Comparisons.

2. Vehicle Specifications Chart

 

1. Standard Equipment

SAFETY
Dual airbags are standard on Outback.  Not available on:
¥ Jeep Cherokee SE
¥ Kia Sportage
¥ Chevy Blazer LS
 
4-Wheel ABS Standard, Optional on:
¥ Geo Tracker LSi
¥ Jeep Cherokee SE
¥ Toyota RAV4
¥ Isuzu Rodeo
¥ Isuzu Trooper
¥ Mitsubishi Montero LS
¥ Kia Sportage (REAR-WHEEL ONLY)
¥ Honda Passport LX (REAR-WHEEL ONLY)
 
Meets 1997 Federal Side Impact Standards.  These do not: (yes, I know trucks have different standards, but safety is safety...)
¥ Chevy Blazer
¥ Honda Passport
¥ Jeep Grand Cherokee
¥ Mitsubishi Montero
¥ Toyota Land Cruiser
 
PERFORMANCE
More Horsepower and Torque than:
¥ Geo Track LSi
¥ Kia Sportage
¥ Suzuki Sidekick Sport JX
¥ Toyota RAV4
 
Tighter Turn Radius than:
¥ Chevy Blazer
¥ Ford Explorer
¥ Honda Passport
¥ Jeep Grand Cherokee
¥ Mitsubishi Montero
¥ Toyota 4Runner
 
Better EPA Fuel Economy Ratings than:
¥ Chevy Blazer
¥ Honda Passport
¥ Jeep Grand Cherokee
¥ Mitsubishi Montero
¥ Nissan Pathfinder
¥ Toyota 4Runner
 
Standard Independent Rear Suspension, Not Available on:
¥ Chevy Blazer
¥ Ford Explorer
¥ Honda Passport
¥ Jeep Grand Cherokee
¥ Nissan Pathfinder
¥ Toyota 4Runner
 
CONVENIENCE
Cargo Cover Standard, not Available on:
¥ Geo Tracker LSi
¥ Kia Sportage
¥ Suzuki Sidekick Sport JX
¥ Toyota RAV4
¥ Jeep Cherokee SE (optional)
¥ Ford Explorer XLT (optional)
¥ Honda Passport (optional)
¥ Mitsubishi Montero SR (optional)
¥ Nissan Pathfinder XE
 
Roof Rack Standard, Optional on:
¥ Suzuki Sidekick Sport JX (NOT AVAILABLE)
¥ Geo Tracker LSi
¥ Jeep Cherokee SE
¥ Kia Sportage
 
LUXURY
Air Conditioning Standard, Optional on:
¥ Geo Tracker LSi
¥ Jeep Cherokee SE
¥ Kia Sportage
¥ Toyota RAV4
 
INTERIOR SPACE
More Cargo Area w/rear seat down than:
¥ Geo Tracker LSi
¥ Kia Sportage
¥ Suzuki Sidekick Sport JX
¥ Toyota RAV4
 
More Front Legroom than:
¥ Geo Tracker LSi
¥ Jeep Cherokee SE
¥ Suzuki Sidekick Sport JX
¥ Toyota RAV4
¥ Chevy Blazer
¥ Ford Explorer
¥ Honda Passport
¥ Jeep Grand Cherokee
¥ Nissan Pathfinder
¥ Toyota 4Runner
¥ Mitsubishi Montero
 
More Front Headroom than:
¥ Chevy Blazer
¥ Ford Explorer
¥ Honda Passport
¥ Jeep Grand Cherokee
¥ Nissan Pathfinder
¥ Toyota 4Runner

 

2. Vehicle Specifications Chart (figures are for 1997 models when available; prices are for base4-door 4x4 model, with A/C if possible)

More specs are coming as I can get them... Anyone who has something I'm missing, or a correction, please email me.

Full-size Sport Utes

Feature

Legacy Outback

Chevy Blazer LT

Explorer XLT

Jeep GC Laredo

4Runner SR5

2001 Legacy Outback LLB/VDC Editions

Domestic Content

40

91

75

92

5

Assembled in

IN (US)

OH, NJ (US)

KY, MI (US)

MI (US)

Japan

IN (US)

ENGINE

Configuration

2.5l DOHC 16v H4

4.3l OHV 12v v6

4.0l OHV 12v V6

4.0l OHV 12v I6

3.4l DOHC 24v V6

3.0l DOHC 24v H6

BHP @RPM

165 @ 5600

190 @ 4400

160 @ 4200

185 @ 4600

183 @ 4800

212@6000

Torque @RPM

162 @ 4000

250 @ 2800

225 @ 2800

225 @ 2400

217 @ 3600

210 @ 4400

block/head mat.

AL/AL

CI/CI

CI/CI

CI/CI

CI/AL

AL/AL

Standard trans.

5-sp Man

4-sp Auto

5-sp Man

4-sp Auto

5-sp Man

4-sp Auto

Opt trans.

4-sp Auto

N/A

5-sp Auto

N/A

4-sp Auto

N/A

Drive Layout

AWD

Part Time 4WD

Automatic 4WD

Full-time 4WD

Part-Time 4WD

AWD

Brakes (F/R)

Disc/Disc

Disc/Drum

Disc/Disc

Disc/Disc

Disc/Drum

Disc/Disc

DIMENSIONS

Wheelbase "

103.5

107.0

111.5

105.9

105.3

104.3

Length " (inches)

185.8

181.2

188.5

176.3

178.7

187.4

Turning Diameter '

36.7

39.5

42.4

37.5

37.4

36.7

Headroom (F/R) "

40.2/39.2

39.6/38.2

39.9/39.3

38.9/39.0

39.2/38.7

38.5/37.2

Legroom (F/R) "

43.3/34.8

42.5/36.3

42.4/37.7

40.9/35.7

43.1/34.9

43.3/34.3

Cargo Vol (Rear Seat up/dn) CU "

37/74

37/74

43/82

41/79

45/80

34.3/68.6

KEY FEATURES

4-wheel ABS

STD.

STD.

STD.

STD.

STD.

STD.

Engine Block Htr

OPT.

OPT.

OPT.

OPT.

N/A

OPT.

Indep. Suspension

STD.

Front Only

Front Only

N/A

Front Only

STD.

Htd. Mirrors

OPT.

N/A

N/A

STD.

N/A

OPT.

Dual air bags

STD.

Driver Only

STD.

STD.

STD.

STD. (side std)

Htd fr. seats

OPT.

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

STD.

Leather Seats

OPT.

STD.

OPT.

OPT.

OPT.

STD.

Side-impact

YES

NO

YES

YES

YES

YES

Bumper Rating

5 mph

NONE

2.5

NONE

NONE

5 mph

Step-in Height

17.0

20.0

21.0

23.0

23.0

EPA FUEL ECON

Man city/hwy

21/27

N/A

16/20

N/A

17/19

Auto city/hwy

21/27

16/21

15/20

15/20

17/19

OTHER

Angle Att/Dep

20/20

32/26

18/21

Min. Ground Clr

7.3"

7.5"

7.4"

9.3"

9.8"

7.3

Max Ford Depth

Curb Weight

3220

4180

4340

3940

3850

3715

Tow Cap. (BASE)

2000

2000

3500

5000

5000

2000

0-60 time

10.0

9.5

10.8

10.1

9.3

Weight/Power Ratio (lower- good)

19.5:1 lb/hp

21.1:1

25.9:1

21.3:1

27.8:1

17.5:1 lb/hp

BASE PRICE

22,470

24,631

26,750

30,183

25,678

Mini Sport Utes

Feature

Legacy Outback

Jeep Cherokee SE

Kia Sportage

Suzuki Sidekick Sport JX

Toyota RAV4

Domest. Content %

40

79

5

20

5

Assembled in

IN (US)

OH (US)

South Korea

Japan

Japan

ENGINE

Configuration

2.5l DOHC 16v H4

2.5l OHV 8v I4

2.0l DOHC 16v I4

1.8l DOHC 16v I4

2.0l DOHC 16v I4

BHP @RPM

165 @ 5600

125 @ 5400

139 @ 5500

120 @ 6500

120 @ 5400

Torque @RPM

162 @ 4000

150 @ 3250

133 @ 4000

114 @ 3500

120 @ 4600

block/head mat.

AL/AL

CI/AL

Standard trans.

5-sp Man

5-sp Man

5-sp Man

5-sp Man

5-sp Man

Opt trans.

4-sp Auto

4-sp Auto

4-sp Auto

4-sp Auto

4-sp Auto

Drive Layout

AWD

Part Time 4WD

Part-time 4WD

Part-time 4WD

Full-Time 4WD

Brakes (F/R)

Disc/Disc

DIMENSIONS

Wheelbase "

103.5

101.0

104.4

97.6

94.9

Length " (inches)

185.8

165.4

159.4

162.4

162.0

Turning Diameter '

36.7

35.8

34.8

36.1

36.1

Headroom (F/R) "

40.2/39.2

38.3/38.0

39.6/37.8

40.6/38.6

40.3/39.0

Legroom (F/R) "

43.3/34.8

41.0/35.3

44.5/31.1

42.1/32.7

39.5/33.9

Cargo Vol (Rear Seat up/dn) CU "

37/74

34.4/71.8

23.7/55.4

15.7/45

26.8/57.9

KEY FEATURES

4-wheel ABS

STD.

OPT.

Rear-wheel only

STD

OPT.

A/C

STD.

OPT.

OPT.

OPT.

OPT.

Cargo Cover

STD.

OPT.

N/A

N/A

N/A

Power Mirrors

STD.

N/A

STD.

STD.

N/A

Power Windows

STD.

N/A

STD.

STD.

STD.

Power Locks

STD.

N/A

STD.

STD.

OPT.

Roof Rack

STD.

OPT.

OPT.

OPT.

OPT.

Side-impact

YES

NO

NO

NO

NO

Bumper Rating

5 mph

NONE

NONE

NONE

NONE

Step-in Height

17.0

21.0

18.0

17.0

18.0

EPA FUEL ECON

Man city/hwy

21/27

19/22

18/22

23/25

22/27

Auto city/hwy

21/27

15/19

18/21

21/24

22/27

OTHER

Angle Att/Dep

20/20

38/28

Min Ground Clr

7.3

8.3

7.9

7.7

7.5"

Max Ford Depth

Curb Weight

3220

3420

3340

2800

2789

Tow Cap. (BASE)

2000

2000

2000

1500

1500

0-60 time

10.0

7.9

13.3

12.5

10.6

Weight/Power Ratio (lower- good)

19.5:1 lb/hp

27.3:1

24:1

23.3:1

23.2:1

BASE PRICE

22,470

17,294

18,655

20,389

21128