Compare the2023 Subaru OutbackVS 2023 Tesla Model X

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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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 Model X 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 Model X doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Outback (except Base/Premium) offers optional Reverse Automatic Braking that use rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a collision. The Model X doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Outback’s standard Hill Descent Control allows you to creep down safely. The Model X doesn’t offer Hill Descent Control.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Outback (except Base)’s optional rear cross-path warning system uses sensors in the rear to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. The Model X doesn’t offer a rear cross-path warning system.

The Outback Premium/Limited/Wilderness/Touring/Onyx has standard STARLINK Safety and Security, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to remotely unlock your doors if you lock your keys in, help track down your vehicle if it’s stolen or send emergency personnel to the scene if any airbags deploy. The Model X doesn’t offer a GPS response system, only a navigation computer with no live response for emergencies, so if you’re involved in an accident and you’re incapacitated help may not come as quickly.

Both the Outback and the Model X 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, all wheel drive, 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 driver alert monitors.

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 Tesla Model X:

	Outback	Model X
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Neck Injury Risk	26%	26%

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 Tesla Model X:

	Outback	Model X
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	28	101
Chest Movement	.5 inches	.7 inches
Abdominal Force	101 lbs.	157 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	146	274

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

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 Model X has not been tested, yet.

Warranty

There are over 4 times as many Subaru dealers as there are Tesla dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Outback’s warranty.

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 Outback’s reliability 21 points higher than the Model X.

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 Tesla vehicles. With 35 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Subaru higher than Tesla.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Subaru vehicles are more reliable than Tesla vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Subaru 12 places higher in reliability than Tesla.

Engine

The Outback 2.5i’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 176 lbs.-ft. more torque (176 vs. ) than the Model X’s standard electric motors.

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 Model X doesn’t offer a boxer engine configuration.

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 Model X; it requires you to depend on roadside assistance and your vehicle will have to be towed.

Suspension and Handling

For better maneuverability, the Outback’s turning circle is 4.7 feet tighter than the Model X’s (36.1 feet vs. 40.8 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Outback has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Model X (8.7 vs. 8.1 inches), allowing the Outback to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Outback Wilderness’ minimum ground clearance is 1.4 inches higher than on the Model X (9.5 vs. 8.1 inches).

Chassis

The Subaru Outback may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 1450 to 1550 pounds less than the Tesla Model X.

The Outback Wilderness is 7.8 inches shorter than the Model X, making the Outback easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

Passenger Space

The Outback has 1.7 inches more front legroom, .8 inches more rear legroom and .5 inches more rear shoulder room than the Model X.

Cargo Capacity

The Outback has a much larger cargo volume than the Model X with its rear seat up (32.6 vs. 15 cubic feet).

The Outback’s standard rear seats fold to accommodate long and bulky cargo. The Model X 6-Passenger doesn’t offer folding rear seats.

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Outback’s liftgate can be opened just by holding your hand near the emblem on the trunk, leaving your hands completely free. The Model X doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its liftgate, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

Servicing Ease

A maintenance reminder system is standard on the Outback to save the owner time and money by calculating maintenance intervals for oil changes and tire rotation, vehicle inspection based on odometer mileage. This takes the guesswork out of keeping your vehicle in top condition and helps it last longer. Tesla doesn’t offer a maintenance reminder on the Model X.

Ergonomics

The Outback’s entire steering wheel hub sounds the horn, facilitating hitting the horn in an emergency. The Model X has a small, single button on the steering wheel spoke that can be hard to find quickly in an emergency.

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 Model X doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system.

The Outback’s power window, power lock, power mirror and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The Model X’s cruise control switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Outback has a standard rear wiper. The Model X doesn’t offer a rear wiper.

The Outback’s standard side window demisters help clear frost or condensation from the side windows in the winter. The Model X doesn’t even offer side window demisters, so the driver may have to wipe the windows from the outside to gain side vision.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the Outback has standard extendable sun visors. The Model X doesn’t offer extendable visors.

The Outback’s sun-visors swivel front-to-side to block glare from the side windows. The Model X’s visors are fixed into the windshield header.

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the Outback to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Model X doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

The Outback has a standard center folding armrest for the rear passengers. A center armrest helps make rear passengers more comfortable and it can provide a boundary between children. The Model X doesn’t offer a middle row seat center armrest.

Economic Advantages

Insurance will cost less for the Outback owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Outback will cost $11695 to $13010 less than the Model X over a five-year period.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Outback is less expensive to operate than the Model X because typical repairs cost much less on the Outback than the Model X, including $678 less for a water pump, $43 less for front brake pads and $943 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 $63130 to $63866 less than for the Tesla Model X.

Recommendations

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

The Subaru Outback outsold the Tesla Model X by over six to one during 2022.