Compare the2024 Subaru OutbackVS 2024 BMW X3

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

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Subaru Outback have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The BMW X3 doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Subaru Outback are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The BMW X3 doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

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 X3 doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the Outback. But it costs extra on the X3.

Both the Outback and the X3 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, 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, rear cross-path warning 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 BMW X3:

	Outback	X3
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Neck Compression	57 lbs.	64 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 BMW X3:

	Outback	X3
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	28	64
Chest Movement	.5 inches	.5 inches
Abdominal Force	101 lbs.	153 lbs.
Hip Force	247 lbs.	275 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	116	133
Hip Force	635 lbs.	794 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	146	281
Spine Acceleration	43 G’s	43 G’s

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

Warranty

Subaru’s powertrain warranty covers the Outback 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than BMW covers the X3. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles. Coverage on the X3 ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are over 83 percent more Subaru dealers than there are BMW dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Outback’s warranty.

Reliability

The X3’s redline is at 7000 RPM, which causes more engine wear, and a greater chance of a catastrophic engine failure. The Outback has a 6000 RPM redline.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Subaru vehicles are better in initial quality than BMW vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Subaru above average in initial quality. With 7 more problems per 100 vehicles, BMW is rated lower.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Subaru vehicles are more reliable than BMW vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Subaru 3 places higher in reliability than BMW.

Engine

The Outback XT/Wilderness’ standard 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder produces 12 more horsepower (260 vs. 248) and 19 lbs.-ft. more torque (277 vs. 258) than the X3 s/xDrive30i’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Outback XT/Wilderness 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder is faster than the X3 s/xDrive30i 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder:

	Outback	X3
Zero to 60 MPH	5.9 sec	6.7 sec
Quarter Mile	14.6 sec	15.1 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	95.9 MPH	91.5 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 X3 doesn’t offer a boxer engine configuration.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Outback gets better mileage than the X3:

			MPG
Outback
	AWD	2.5 DOHC flat-4	26 city/32 hwy
		XT 2.4 turbo flat-4	22 city/29 hwy
X3
	RWD	2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	23 city/29 hwy
	AWD	2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	21 city/28 hwy
		3.0 turbo 6-cyl. Hybrid	21 city/26 hwy

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Subaru Outback uses regular unleaded gasoline. The X3 requires premium, which can cost on average about 82.8 cents more per gallon.

The Outback has 1.3 gallons more fuel capacity than the X3 (18.5 vs. 17.2 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Subaru Outback higher (6 to 7 out of 10) than the BMW X3 (5 to 7). This means the Outback produces up to 8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the X3 every 15,000 miles.

Transmission

The Outback has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The X3 doesn’t offer a CVT.

Brakes and Stopping

The Outback stops shorter than the X3:

	Outback	X3
60 to 0 MPH	125 feet	127 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 X3; it requires you to depend on a temporary spare or run-flat tires, either of which has mileage and speed limitations.

Suspension and Handling

The Outback Wilderness executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the X3 xDrive30i (27.2 seconds @ .63 average G’s vs. 27.6 seconds @ .63 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Outback’s turning circle is 3.3 feet tighter than the X3’s (36.1 feet vs. 39.4 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Outback has a greater minimum ground clearance than the X3 (8.7 vs. 8 inches), allowing the Outback to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Outback Wilderness’ minimum ground clearance is 1.5 inches higher than on the X3 (9.5 vs. 8 inches).

Chassis

The Subaru Outback may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 450 pounds less than the BMW X3.

Passenger Space

The Outback has 7.6 cubic feet more passenger volume than the X3 (109 vs. 101.4).

The Outback has 2.5 inches more front legroom, .5 inches more front shoulder room, .6 inches more rear headroom, 3.1 inches more rear legroom and 1.4 inches more rear shoulder room than the X3.

Cargo Capacity

The Outback has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the X3 with its rear seat up (32.6 vs. 28.7 cubic feet). The Outback has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the X3 with its rear seat folded (75.6 vs. 62.7 cubic feet).

The Outback’s cargo area is larger than the X3’s in almost every dimension:

	Outback	X3
Length to seat (2nd/1st)	42”/75”	36.5”/69”
Max Width	51”	47”
Min Width	43.3”	43.3”
Height	32.1”	30.1”

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 X3 doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system, and its BMW Assist eCall can’t unlock the doors if the vehicle doesn’t have cell phone reception or the driver can’t contact the service.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Outback has a standard rear fixed intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the X3 only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

Economic Advantages

Insurance will cost less for the Outback owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Outback will cost $1510 to $3940 less than the X3 over a five-year period.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Outback is less expensive to operate than the X3 because it costs $54 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the Outback than the X3, including $510 less for a water pump, $929 less for a muffler, $83 less for front brake pads, $301 less for a starter, $329 less for fuel injection, $156 less for a fuel pump, $178 less for front struts, $470 less for a timing belt/chain and $1224 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 $19336 to $21525 less than for the BMW X3.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Subaru Outback and the BMW X3, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Subaru Outback outsold the BMW X3 by almost three to one during 2023.