Compare the2023 Subaru OutbackVS 2023 Infiniti QX50

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
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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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, rear parking sensors and rear cross-path warning.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Subaru Outback is safer than the Infiniti QX50:

	Outback	QX50
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	158	236
Neck Injury Risk	26%	26%
	Passenger
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	241	333
Chest Compression	.6 inches	.6 inches
Neck Stress	147 lbs.	161 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	161/137 lbs.	504/622 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 Subaru Outback is safer than the Infiniti QX50:

	Outback	QX50
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	28	98
Chest Movement	.5 inches	1 inches
Abdominal Force	101 lbs.	151 lbs.
Hip Force	247 lbs.	306 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	14 inches	17 inches
HIC	146	333

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 Subaru Outback is safer than the QX50:

	Outback	QX50
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Structure	ACCEPTABLE	MARGINAL
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	69	141
Neck Tension	156 lbs.	178 lbs.
Neck Compression	45 lbs.	89 lbs.
Torso	ACCEPTABLE	ACCEPTABLE
Shoulder Deflection	.94 in	1.06 in
Torso Max Deflection	1.54 in	1.73 in
Pelvis	ACCEPTABLE	MARGINAL
Pelvis Force	1026 lbs.	1316 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD
	Passenger Injury Measures
Pelvis	GOOD	GOOD
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD

For its performance in IIHS driver-side and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, updated side impact, headlight, daytime pedestrian crash prevention, and nighttime pedestrian crash prevention testing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Outback its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2023, a rating granted to only 29 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The QX50 has not been fully tested, yet.

Warranty

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.

Reliability

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.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Subaru vehicles are better in initial quality than Infiniti vehicles. With 13 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Subaru higher than Infiniti.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 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 With 2 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Subaru higher than Infiniti.

Engine

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

	Outback	QX50
Zero to 60 MPH	5.9 sec	6.7 sec
Quarter Mile	14.6 sec	15.2 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	95.9 MPH	91.8 MPH

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.

Fuel Economy and Range

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

			MPG
Outback
	AWD	2.5 DOHC flat-4	26 city/32 hwy
		XT 2.4 turbo flat-4	22 city/29 hwy
QX50
	FWD	2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	23 city/29 hwy
	AWD	2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	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. If the conditions warrant or the driver wishes, the system can be manually disabled at any time for the duration of a trip. 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.

Brakes and Stopping

The Outback stops shorter than the QX50:

	Outback	QX50
60 to 0 MPH	125 feet	126 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

The Outback Wilderness/Onyx 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.

Suspension and Handling

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).

Chassis

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.

Passenger Space

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.

Cargo Capacity

The Outback has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the QX50 with its rear seat up (32.6 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 (75.6 vs. 65.1 cubic feet).

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

	Outback	QX50
Length to seat (2nd/1st)	42”/75”	39”/71.7”
Max Width	51”	54.5”
Min Width	43.3”	41.5”
Height	32.1”	31.2”

Towing

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.

Servicing Ease

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.

Ergonomics

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.

Economic Advantages

Insurance will cost less for the Outback owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Outback will cost $1760 to $5965 less than the QX50 over a five-year period.

The Outback will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the Outback will retain 52.14% to 55.07% of its original price after five years, while the QX50 only retains 43.84% to 45.08%.

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 $16618 to $22917 less than for the Infiniti QX50.

Recommendations

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

The Subaru Outback outsold the Infiniti QX50 by over 13 to one during 2022.