Compare the2023 Hyundai TucsonVS 2023 Subaru Outback

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Ergonomics
Model Availability
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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The Tucson Limited has a standard Around View Monitor to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Outback only offers a rear monitor and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the front or sides.

The Tucson has a standard blind spot warning system that uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them and moves the vehicle back into its lane. A system to reveal vehicles in the Outback’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Tucson has standard Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Warning and Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist automatically engages the brakes to help avoid a collision. Subaru charges extra for Rear Cross Traffic Alert on the Outback and its not available on the Base and the Outback’s Rear Cross Traffic Alert does not include automatic braking.

Both the Tucson and the Outback have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front 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 and available all wheel drive.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Hyundai Tucson is safer than the Subaru Outback:

	Tucson	Outback
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
Chest Compression	.4 inches	.6 inches
Neck Injury Risk	35%	43%
Neck Stress	125 lbs.	147 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	51/13 lbs.	161/137 lbs.

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

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 Hyundai Tucson is safer than the Subaru Outback:

	Tucson	Outback
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	37	116
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Hip Force	614 lbs.	674 lbs.

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

Instrumented handling tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and analysis of its dimensions indicate that the Tucson is 1.1% to 2.6% less likely to roll over than the Outback.

Warranty

The Tucson comes with a full 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Outback’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 2 years or 24,000 miles sooner.

Hyundai’s powertrain warranty covers the Tucson 5 years and 40,000 miles longer than Subaru covers the Outback. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Outback ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

The Tucson’s corrosion warranty is 2 years longer than the Outback’s (7 vs. 5 years).

Hyundai pays for scheduled maintenance on the Tucson for 3 years and 36,000 miles. Hyundai will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Subaru doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Outback.

There are over 30 percent more Hyundai dealers than there are Subaru dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the Tucson’s warranty.

Reliability

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Hyundai vehicles are better in initial quality than Subaru vehicles. With 6 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Hyundai higher than Subaru.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the statistics that show that Hyundai vehicles are more reliable than Subaru vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Hyundai third in reliability, above the industry average. With 78 more problems per 100 vehicles, Subaru is ranked 22nd.

Engine

The Tucson’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 5 more horsepower (187 vs. 182) and 2 lbs.-ft. more torque (178 vs. 176) than the Outback 2.5i’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Tucson gets better mileage than the Outback:

			MPG
Tucson
	FWD	2.5 DOHC 4-cyl.	25 city/32 hwy
	AWD	2.5 DOHC 4-cyl.	23 city/28 hwy
Outback
	AWD	Wilderness 2.4 turbo flat-4	21 city/26 hwy

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Hyundai Tucson higher (7 out of 10) than the Subaru Outback (6 to 7). This means the Tucson produces up to 1.1 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Outback every 15,000 miles.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the Tucson’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Outback:

	Tucson	Outback
Front Rotors	12.8 inches	12.4 inches
Rear Rotors	12 inches	11.8 inches

The Tucson stops much shorter than the Outback:

	Tucson	Outback
60 to 0 MPH	118 feet	132 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Tucson has larger tires than the Outback (235/65R17 vs. 225/65R17).

The Tucson’s optional tires provide better handling because they have a lower 55 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Outback Onyx/Limited/Touring’s 60 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Tucson offers optional 19-inch wheels. The Outback’s largest wheels are only 18-inches.

Suspension and Handling

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Tucson is 1.8 inches wider in the front and 1.1 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Outback.

The Tucson Limited AWD handles at .82 G’s, while the Outback Limited XT pulls only .75 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Tucson Limited AWD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1 seconds quicker than the Outback Limited (27.4 seconds @ .61 average G’s vs. 28.4 seconds @ .62 average G’s).

Chassis

The Hyundai Tucson may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 250 to 300 pounds less than the Subaru Outback.

The Tucson is 9 inches shorter than the Outback Wilderness, making the Tucson easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

Passenger Space

The Tucson has .4 inches more rear headroom and 1.8 inches more rear legroom than the Outback.

Cargo Capacity

The Tucson has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Outback with its rear seat up (38.7 vs. 32.6 cubic feet). The Tucson has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Outback with its rear seat folded (80.3 vs. 75.6 cubic feet).

Pulling a handle automatically lowers the Tucson’s rear seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The Outback doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

Towing

Standard Trailer Sway Control on the Tucson uses the Electronic Stability Control sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The Outback doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

Ergonomics

The Tucson has a standard remote vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can be started from inside the driver's house. This allows the driver to comfortably warm up the engine before going out to the vehicle. The climate system will also automatically heat or cool the interior. The Outback doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

The Tucson Limited’s standard easy entry system glides the driver’s seat back when the door is unlocked or the ignition is switched off, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The Outback doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The power windows standard on both the Tucson and the Outback have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Tucson is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The Outback prevents the driver from operating the rear windows just as it does the other passengers.

On a hot day the Tucson’s driver can lower all the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Outback can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Tucson Limited’s standard wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically according to the amount of rainfall on the windshield. The Outback’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

The Tucson Limited’s Remote Smart Parking Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. Remote Smart Park Assist will park and retrieve your car remotely: press a button and watch it park itself. This is ideal for tight locations. The Outback doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Model Availability

The Tucson is available in both front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The Outback doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

Economic Advantages

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Hyundai Tucson will be $847 to $2365 less than for the Subaru Outback.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Hyundai Tucson and the Subaru Outback, based on reliability, safety and performance.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Tucson third among compact suvs in owner reported satisfaction. This includes how well the vehicle performs and satisfies its owner’s expectations. The Outback isn’t in the top three.

The Hyundai Tucson outsold the Subaru Outback by 19% during 2022.

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