Compare the2023 Lincoln NautilusVS 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
Towing
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Model Availability
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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The Lincoln Nautilus 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 Nautilus has standard Post Collision Braking, which automatically apply the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Outback doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

The Nautilus (except Standard) offers an optional 360-Degree Camera 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 Nautilus 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. A system to reveal vehicles in the Outback’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Nautilus has standard Cross-Traffic Alert, helping the driver avoid collisions. Subaru charges extra for rear cross-path warning on the Outback and its not available on the Base.

Compared to metal, the Nautilus’ 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 Nautilus 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 Lincoln Nautilus is safer than the Subaru Outback:

	Nautilus	Outback
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Neck Injury Risk	22.4%	26%
Neck Stress	229 lbs.	281 lbs.
Neck Compression	21 lbs.	57 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
Chest Compression	.4 inches	.6 inches
Neck Injury Risk	35.2%	43%
Neck Compression	44 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 Lincoln Nautilus is safer than the Subaru Outback:

	Nautilus	Outback
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Hip Force	192 lbs.	247 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	103	116
Spine Acceleration	41 G’s	51 G’s
Hip Force	635 lbs.	635 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Spine Acceleration	38 G’s	43 G’s
Hip Force	425 lbs.	674 lbs.

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

Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Lincoln Nautilus is safer than the Outback:

	Nautilus	Outback
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	GOOD
Structure	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Neck Compression	22 lbs.	45 lbs.
Torso	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Shoulder Deflection	.87 in	.94 in
Torso Max Deflection	1.1 in	1.54 in
Torso Deflection Rate	6 MPH	9 MPH
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD
	Passenger Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	260	387
Neck Compression	89 lbs.	201 lbs.
Torso	ACCEPTABLE	ACCEPTABLE
Shoulder Deflection	1.5 in	1.81 in
Shoulder Force	424 lbs.	469 lbs.
Pelvis	GOOD	GOOD
Pelvis Force	535 lbs.	848 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD

Instrumented handling tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and analysis of its dimensions indicate that the Nautilus is 3% less likely to roll over than the Outback.

Warranty

The Nautilus comes with a full 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck. The Outback’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 14,000 miles sooner.

Lincoln’s powertrain warranty covers the Nautilus 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.

Reliability

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 Nautilus’ reliability 22 points higher than the Outback.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Nautilus first among midsize premium suvs in their 2022 Initial Quality Study. The Outback isn’t in the top three in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Lincoln vehicles are better in initial quality than Subaru vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Lincoln above average in initial quality. With 24 more problems per 100 vehicles, Subaru is rated below average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Lincoln vehicles are more reliable than Subaru vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Lincoln above average in long-term dependability. With 12 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Subaru is rated below average.

Engine

The Nautilus’ standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 68 more horsepower (250 vs. 182) and 104 lbs.-ft. more torque (280 vs. 176) than the Outback 2.5i’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder. The Nautilus’ 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 3 lbs.-ft. more torque (280 vs. 277) than the Outback XT/Wilderness’ standard 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder. The Nautilus’ optional 2.7 turbo V6 produces 75 more horsepower (335 vs. 260) and 103 lbs.-ft. more torque (380 vs. 277) than the Outback XT/Wilderness’ standard 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Lincoln Nautilus turbo 4 cyl. is faster than the Outback 2.5i 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder:

	Nautilus	Outback
Zero to 60 MPH	7.3 sec	8.7 sec
Quarter Mile	15.6 sec	16.6 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	88.8 MPH	86.1 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

The Nautilus has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The Outback doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

Brakes and Stopping

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

	Nautilus	Outback
Front Rotors	13.8 inches	12.4 inches
Rear Rotors	12.4 inches	11.8 inches
Opt Rear Rotors	13.6 inches

The Nautilus stops much shorter than the Outback:

	Nautilus	Outback
60 to 0 MPH	117 feet	132 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Nautilus has larger standard tires than the Outback (245/60R18 vs. 225/65R17). The Nautilus’ optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Outback (265/40R21 vs. 225/65R17).

The Nautilus’ standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 60 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Outback’s standard 65 series tires. The Nautilus’ optional tires have a lower 40 series profile than the Outback Onyx/Limited/Touring’s 60 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Nautilus has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the Outback. The Nautilus’ optional 21-inch wheels are larger than the 18-inch wheels on the Outback Onyx/Limited/Touring.

Suspension and Handling

The Nautilus offers an available driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads or off-road. The Outback’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Nautilus’ wheelbase is 4.1 inches longer than on the Outback (112.2 inches vs. 108.1 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Nautilus is 2.9 inches wider in the front and 1.8 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Outback.

The Nautilus Reserve AWD handles at .83 G’s, while the Outback Limited XT pulls only .75 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Nautilus Reserve AWD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.3 seconds quicker than the Outback Limited (27.1 seconds @ .68 average G’s vs. 28.4 seconds @ .62 average G’s).

Chassis

The Nautilus 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 Nautilus has .9 inches more front hip room, .8 inches more front shoulder room, .1 inches more rear headroom, .1 inches more rear legroom, .8 inches more rear hip room and 1.6 inches more rear shoulder room than the Outback.

The front step up height for the Nautilus is 1.5 inches lower than the Outback (17.5” vs. 19”). The Nautilus’ rear step up height is .5 inches lower than the Outback’s (18” vs. 18.5”).

Cargo Capacity

The Nautilus has a much larger cargo volume than the Outback with its rear seat up (37.2 vs. 32.6 cubic feet).

Pressing a button automatically lowers the Nautilus’ rear seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The Outback doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

Towing

The Nautilus 2.7 Turbo can be flat towed on all four wheels (dinghy towed), allowing recreational vehicle owners to bring it with them on the road. When they reach their destination, the Nautilus can be unhitched and driven around locally. The Outback can’t be towed flat on the ground.

Optional Trailer Sway Control on the Nautilus uses the AdvanceTrac™ 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.

Servicing Ease

The Nautilus 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.

Ergonomics

The Nautilus 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 Nautilus’ standard easy entry system raises the steering wheel and glides the driver’s seat back, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The Outback doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The Nautilus’ 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 Nautilus the driver can close them all at the outside door handle or from a distance using the remote. On a hot day the driver can also lower the windows the same way. The driver of the Outback can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Nautilus Reserve/Black Label’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 Nautilus’ 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 Nautilus Reserve/Black Label offers optional massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the Outback.

The Nautilus 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 Nautilus and the Outback offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the Nautilus 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.

The Nautilus Reserve/Black Label offers an optional 115-volt a/c outlet in the cargo area, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The Outback doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

The Nautilus (except Standard)’s optional Enhanced Active Park Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, with the driver only controlling speed with the brake pedal. The Outback doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Model Availability

The Nautilus 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 Nautilus is less expensive to operate than the Outback because it costs $436 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the Nautilus than the Outback, including $282 less for a starter, $15 less for fuel injection, $72 less for a fuel pump and $89 less for front struts.

Recommendations

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