Compare the2023 Infiniti QX50VS 2023 Subaru Outback

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

Safety

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The Infiniti QX50 has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Outback doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

The QX50 Sport/Sensory/Autograph 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 QX50 has a standard blind spot warning system which 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 QX50 has a standard rear cross-path warning system, which uses sensors in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. Rear cross-path warning costs extra on the Outback and isn't available on the not available.

Compared to metal, the QX50’s plastic fuel tank can withstand harder, more intrusive impacts without leaking; this decreases the possibility of fire. The Subaru Outback has a metal gas tank.

Both the QX50 and the Outback 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 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 Infiniti QX50 is safer than the Subaru Outback:

	QX50	Outback
	Passenger
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
Chest Compression	.6 inches	.6 inches
Neck Injury Risk	31%	43%
Neck Compression	48 lbs.	51 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 Infiniti QX50 is safer than the Subaru Outback:

	QX50	Outback
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	73	116
Spine Acceleration	25 G’s	51 G’s
Hip Force	227 lbs.	635 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Spine Acceleration	39 G’s	43 G’s
Hip Force	339 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 QX50 is 3% to 3.8% less likely to roll over than the Outback.

Warranty

The QX50 comes with a full 4-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 1 year or 24,000 miles sooner.

Infiniti’s powertrain warranty covers the QX50 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Subaru covers the Outback. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 6 years or 70,000 miles. Coverage on the Outback ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

The QX50’s corrosion warranty is 2 years longer than the Outback’s (7 vs. 5 years).

Infiniti pays for scheduled maintenance on the QX50 for 3 years and 36,000 miles. Infiniti will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Subaru doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Outback.

Reliability

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the QX50 has a standard 720-amp battery. The Outback’s 620-amp battery isn’t as powerful.

Engine

The QX50’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 86 more horsepower (268 vs. 182) and 104 lbs.-ft. more torque (280 vs. 176) than the Outback 2.5i’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder. The QX50’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 8 more horsepower (268 vs. 260) and 3 lbs.-ft. more torque (280 vs. 277) than the Outback XT/Wilderness’ standard 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Infiniti QX50 is faster than the Outback 2.5i 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder:

	QX50	Outback
Zero to 60 MPH	6.3 sec	8.7 sec
Quarter Mile	14.8 sec	16.6 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	93.6 MPH	86.1 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the QX50 gets better mileage than the Outback:

			MPG
QX50
	FWD	2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	23 city/29 hwy
	AWD	2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	22 city/28 hwy
Outback
	AWD	Wilderness 2.4 turbo flat-4	21 city/26 hwy

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the QX50’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Outback:

	QX50	Outback
Front Rotors	13 inches	12.4 inches
Rear Rotors	12.1 inches	11.8 inches

The QX50 stops much shorter than the Outback:

	QX50	Outback
60 to 0 MPH	121 feet	132 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the QX50 has larger standard tires than the Outback (235/55R19 vs. 225/65R17). The QX50 Sport/Sensory/Autograph’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Outback (255/45R20 vs. 225/65R17).

The QX50’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 55 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Outback’s standard 65 series tires. The QX50 Sport/Sensory/Autograph’s tires have a lower 45 series profile than the Outback Onyx/Limited/Touring’s 60 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the QX50 has standard 19-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the Outback. The QX50 Sport/Sensory/Autograph’s 20-inch wheels are larger than the 18-inch wheels on the Outback Onyx/Limited/Touring.

The QX50 has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The Outback doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

Changing a flat tire near traffic can be dangerous and inconvenient. The run-flat tires standard on the QX50 can be driven up to 50 miles without any air pressure, allowing you to drive to a service station for a repair. The Outback doesn’t offer run-flat tires.

Suspension and Handling

The QX50 has vehicle speed sensitive variable-assist power steering, for low-effort parking, better control at highway speeds and during hard cornering, and a better feel of the road. The Outback doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the QX50’s wheelbase is 2.1 inches longer than on the Outback (110.2 inches vs. 108.1 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the QX50 is 2.5 inches wider in the front and 1.1 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Outback.

The QX50 AWD handles at .84 G’s, while the Outback Limited XT pulls only .75 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The QX50 AWD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.7 seconds quicker than the Outback Limited (26.7 seconds @ .66 average G’s vs. 28.4 seconds @ .62 average G’s).

Chassis

The QX50 is 6.6 inches shorter than the Outback Wilderness, making the QX50 easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The QX50 uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The Outback doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

Passenger Space

The QX50 has .9 inches more front headroom and .1 inches more front hip room than the Outback.

The front step up height for the QX50 is 1.8 inches lower than the Outback (17.2” vs. 19”). The QX50’s rear step up height is .8 inches lower than the Outback’s (17.7” vs. 18.5”).

Cargo Capacity

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the QX50 easier. The QX50’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 26.6 inches, while the Outback’s liftover is 28.4 inches.

Pulling a handle automatically lowers the QX50’s rear seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The Outback doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

Servicing Ease

The QX50 uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Outback uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Infiniti service is better than Subaru. J.D. Power ranks Infiniti 9th in service department satisfaction (above the industry average). With a 10% lower rating, Subaru is ranked 16th.

Ergonomics

The QX50 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 QX50 Luxe/Sport/Sensory/Autograph’s standard Entry/Exit Assist raises the steering wheel and 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 QX50 Sensory/Autograph has a standard heads-up display that projects speed and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Outback doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The QX50’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Outback’s standard rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

If the windows are left open on the QX50 the driver can close them all at the outside door handle. On a hot day the driver can lower 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 QX50’s standard speed-sensitive wipers speed up when the vehicle does, so that the driver doesn’t have to continually adjust the speed of the wipers. The Outback’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted. The QX50 Sport/Sensory/Autograph’s standard wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically according to the amount of rainfall on the windshield.

The QX50’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Subaru only offers heated mirrors on the Outback Premium/Limited/Wilderness/Touring/Onyx.

The QX50 has a standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. Dual zone air conditioning is only available on the Outback Premium/Limited/Wilderness/Touring/Onyx.

Both the QX50 and the Outback offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the QX50 has standard rear air conditioning vents to keep rear occupants cool in summer or warm in winter. The Outback doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Infiniti QX50 has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) for the front seat. Wireless charging costs extra on the Outback and isn’t available on the Outback Base.

Model Availability

The QX50 is available in both front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The Outback doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

Economic Advantages

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the QX50 is less expensive to operate than the Outback because it costs $600 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost less on the QX50 than the Outback, including $41 less for front struts.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Infiniti QX50 and the Subaru Outback, based on reliability, safety and performance.