Compare the2024 Subaru OutbackVS 2024 Genesis GV80

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Transmission
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Ergonomics
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 Genesis GV80 doesn’t offer pretensioners for its second-row seat belts.

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 GV80 doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

Both the Outback and the GV80 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, 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, 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 Genesis GV80:

	Outback	GV80
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	158	328
Leg Forces (l/r)	230/249 lbs.	254/334 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	241	263
Chest Compression	.6 inches	.6 inches
Neck Stress	147 lbs.	228 lbs.
Neck Compression	51 lbs.	65 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	161/137 lbs.	388/497 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 Genesis GV80:

	Outback	GV80
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	28	29
Chest Movement	.5 inches	.5 inches
Abdominal Force	101 lbs.	101 lbs.
Hip Force	247 lbs.	293 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	14 inches	14 inches
HIC	146	290

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

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, its standard front crash prevention system, and its headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Outback its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2019, a rating granted to only 126 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The GV80 is only a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2019.

Warranty

There are almost 3 times as many Subaru dealers as there are Genesis 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 15 points higher than the GV80.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Subaru vehicles are more reliable than Genesis vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Subaru 12 places higher in reliability than Genesis.

Engine

As tested in Motor Trend the Outback XT/Wilderness 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder is faster than the GV80 3.5T 3.5 turbo V6:

	Outback	GV80
Zero to 60 MPH	5.9 sec	6 sec
Passing 45 to 65 MPH	2.8 sec	3 sec

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 GV80 doesn’t offer a boxer engine configuration.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Outback gets better mileage than the GV80:

			MPG
Outback
	AWD	2.5 DOHC flat-4	26 city/32 hwy
		XT 2.4 turbo flat-4	22 city/29 hwy
		Wilderness 2.4 turbo flat-4	21 city/26 hwy
GV80
	AWD	2.5 turbo 4-cyl.	20 city/24 hwy
		3.5 turbo V6	18 city/23 hwy

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Subaru Outback uses regular unleaded gasoline. The GV80 2.5T requires premium, which can cost on average about 82.8 cents more per gallon.

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 Genesis GV80 (5). This means the Outback produces up to 8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the GV80 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 GV80 doesn’t offer a CVT.

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 GV80; it requires you to depend on a temporary spare, which has mileage and speed limitations, or roadside assistance and a tow-truck.

Suspension and Handling

For better maneuverability, the Outback’s turning circle is 3.2 feet tighter than the GV80’s (36.1 feet vs. 39.3 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Outback has a greater minimum ground clearance than the GV80 (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 GV80 (9.5 vs. 8.1 inches).

Chassis

The Subaru Outback may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 850 to 1150 pounds less than the Genesis GV80.

The Outback Wilderness is 3.4 inches shorter than the GV80, making the Outback easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

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 GV80 doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

Passenger Space

The Outback has 1.2 inches more front legroom, .7 inches more rear headroom and .8 inches more rear legroom than the GV80.

Cargo Capacity

The Outback has a much larger cargo volume than the GV80 with its rear seat up (32.6 vs. 11.6 cubic feet).

A low lift-over trunk design makes loading and unloading the Outback easier. The Outback’s trunk lift-over height is 28.4 inches, while the GV80’s liftover is 31.7 inches.

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 GV80 doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system, and its Connected Care can’t unlock the doors if the vehicle doesn’t have cell phone reception or the driver can’t contact the service.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The Outback’s headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the GV80’s headlights are rated “Acceptable.”

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the Outback has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The GV80 doesn’t offer cornering lights.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends the Subaru Outback, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Genesis GV80 isn't recommended.

The Subaru Outback outsold the Genesis GV80 by over 8 to one during 2023.