Compare the2022 Subaru OutbackVS 2021 Infiniti QX50

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Outback are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The QX50 doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Outback has standard Whiplash-Reducing Front Seats, which use a specially designed seat to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Whiplash-Reducing Front Seats system allows the backrest to travel backwards to cushion the occupants and the headrests move forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The QX50 doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the Outback. But it costs extra on the QX50.

The Outback’s optional driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The QX50 doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Outback and the QX50 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, available blind spot warning systems and rear cross-path warning.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Subaru Outback is safer than the Infiniti QX50:

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, its standard vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, its standard vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its standard headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Outback its highest rating: “Top Pick Plus” for 2021, a rating granted to only 62 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The QX50 has not been fully tested, yet.

There are over 3 times as many Subaru dealers as there are Infiniti dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Outback’s warranty.

To reliably power the ignition and other systems and to recharge the battery, the Outback has a standard 150-amp alternator (190-amp - Outback XT). The QX50’s 130-amp alternator isn’t as powerful.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Outback’s reliability 29 points higher than the QX50.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Subaru vehicles are more reliable than Infiniti vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Subaru 17th in reliability. With 12 more problems per 100 vehicles, Infiniti is ranked 23rd.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Subaru vehicles are more reliable than Infiniti vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Subaru 3 places higher in reliability than Infiniti.

As tested in Motor Trend the Outback XT/Wilderness 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder is faster than the Infiniti QX50:

The flat cylinder configuration of the boxer engine in the Outback lowers its center of gravity, enhancing handling stability (That’s why Porsche uses boxer engines.). The QX50 doesn’t offer a boxer engine configuration.

On the EPA test cycle the Outback XT/Wilderness XT CVT turbo 4 cyl. gets better fuel mileage than the QX50 AWD CVT (23 city/30 hwy vs. 22 city/28 hwy).

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the Outback’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. The engine is automatically restarted when the driver gets ready to move again. (Start/Stop isn’t accounted in present EPA fuel mileage tests.) The QX50 doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Subaru Outback uses regular unleaded gasoline. The QX50 requires premium, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

The Outback has 2.5 gallons more fuel capacity than the QX50 (18.5 vs. 16 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The Outback Wilderness/Onyx Edition XT has a standard full size spare tire so a flat doesn’t interrupt your trip. A full size spare isn’t available on the QX50; it requires you to depend on its run-flat tires, which limits mileage and speed before they are repaired. If a run-flat is damaged beyond repair by a road hazard your vehicle will have to be towed.

For greater off-road capability the Outback has a greater minimum ground clearance than the QX50 (8.7 vs. 8.6 inches), allowing the Outback to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Outback Wilderness’ minimum ground clearance is .9 inch higher than on the QX50 (9.5 vs. 8.6 inches).

The Subaru Outback may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 200 to 250 pounds less than the Infiniti QX50.

The front grille of the Outback 2.5i uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The QX50 doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Outback has 4.6 cubic feet more passenger volume than the QX50 (109 vs. 104.4).

The Outback has 3.2 inches more front legroom, .2 inches more front shoulder room, .8 inches more rear legroom, 1 inch more rear hip room and .3 inches more rear shoulder room than the QX50.

The Outback has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the QX50 with its rear seat up (32.5 vs. 31.4 cubic feet). The Outback has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the QX50 with its rear seat folded (75.7 vs. 65.1 cubic feet).

The Outback’s cargo area is larger than the QX50’s in almost every dimension:

The Outback’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the QX50’s (2700 vs. 0 pounds). Maximum trailer towing in the Infiniti QX50 AWD is only 3000 pounds. The Outback offers up to a 3500 lbs. towing capacity.

The engine in the Outback is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the QX50. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because the accessory belts are in front.

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the Outback’s available exterior PIN entry system (not available on Outback Base). The QX50 doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system, and its Infiniti Connection can’t unlock the doors if the vehicle doesn’t have cell phone reception or the driver can’t contact the service.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The Outback’s headlights were rated “Good” to “Acceptable” by the IIHS, while the QX50’s headlights are rated “Acceptable” to “Marginal.”

The Outback’s optional rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The QX50 offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

Both the Outback and the QX50 offer available heated front seats. The Outback Limited/Touring/Onyx also has standard heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the QX50.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Subaru Outback (except Base) offers an optional wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The QX50 doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

Insurance will cost less for the Outback owner. The Car Book by Jack Gillis rates the Outback with a number “5” insurance rate while the QX50 is rated higher at a number “10” rate.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Outback is less expensive to operate than the QX50 because typical repairs cost much less on the Outback than the QX50, including $395 less for a water pump, $424 less for a muffler, $119 less for a starter, $94 less for fuel injection, $63 less for a fuel pump, $192 less for a timing belt/chain and $1025 less for a power steering pump.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Subaru Outback will be $12267 to $18751 less than for the Infiniti QX50.

Consumer Reports® chose the Subaru Outback as its “Top Pick,” the highest scoring vehicle in its category, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Infiniti QX50 isn't recommended.