Compare the2027 GMC Terrain VS 2025 Subaru Outback

In a Vehicle-to-Vehicle Frontal Crash Prevention 2.0 test conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the GMC Terrain achieved a “Acceptable” rating - the second highest possible - for its performance in forward collision warning and automatic braking systems, demonstrating its excellent capabilities in preventing collisions. The Subaru Outback has not been tested.

The Terrain offers an optional HD Surround Vision 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 Terrain 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 and moves the vehicle back into its lane. A system to reveal vehicles in the Outback’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Terrain has standard Rear Cross Traffic Alert and Rear Cross Traffic Braking automatically engages the brakes to help avoid a collision. Subaru charges extra for Rear Cross Traffic Alert on the Outback and it’s not available on the Base and the Outback’s Rear Cross Traffic Alert does not include automatic braking.

Compared to metal, the Terrain’s 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 Terrain and the Outback have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, 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 Terrain’s corrosion warranty is 1 year longer than the Outback’s (6 vs. 5 years).

There are almost 3 times as many GMC dealers as there are Subaru dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Terrain’s warranty.

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the Terrain has a standard 760-amp battery. The Outback’s 620-amp battery isn’t as powerful.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that GMC vehicles are more reliable than Subaru vehicles. J.D. Power ranks GMC above average in long-term dependability. With 31 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Subaru is rated below average.

The Terrain’s 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 27 lbs.-ft. more torque (203 vs. 176) than the Outback 2.5i’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder.

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

			MPG
Terrain
	FWD	1.5 turbo 4-cyl.	25 city/28 hwy
	AWD	1.5 turbo 4-cyl.	24 city/28 hwy
		AT4/Denali 1.5 turbo 4-cyl.	24 city/26 hwy
Outback
	AWD	XT 2.4 turbo flat-4	22 city/29 hwy
		Wilderness 2.4 turbo flat-4	21 city/26 hwy

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the GMC Terrain uses regular unleaded gasoline. The Outback XT/Wilderness requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost on average about 84.9 cents more per gallon.

The Terrain 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.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the GMC Terrain higher (6 out of 10) than the Subaru Outback (5 to 6). This means the Terrain produces up to 6.9 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Outback every 15,000 miles.

The Terrain stops much shorter than the Outback:

	Terrain	Outback
70 to 0 MPH	167 feet	191 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	127 feet	132 feet	Motor Trend

For better traction, the Terrain has larger tires than the Outback (235/65R17 vs. 225/65R17).

The Terrain Denali’s optional tires provide better handling because they have a lower 50 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Outback Onyx/Limited/Touring’s 60 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Terrain Denali offers optional 20-inch wheels. The Outback’s largest wheels are only 18-inches.

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Terrain is 1.9 inches wider in the front and 1 inch wider in the rear than the average track on the Outback.

The Terrain Elevation AWD handles at .80 G’s, while the Outback Wilderness pulls only .74 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Terrain is 10.1 inches shorter than the Outback, making the Terrain easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Terrain 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.

The Terrain has .5 inches more front headroom, 1.2 inches more front legroom, .1 inches more rear headroom and .2 inches more rear legroom than the Outback.

The Terrain’s optional easy entry system glides the driver’s seat back when the door is unlocked or the ignition is switched off, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The Outback doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The Terrain’s instruments include an oil pressure gauge and a temperature gauge - which could save your engine! Often ‘idiot lights’ don’t warn you until damage has been done. The Outback does not have an oil pressure gauge.

The power windows standard on both the Terrain and the Outback have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Terrain is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The Outback prevents the driver from operating the rear windows just as it does the other passengers.

The Terrain’s front and rear power windows all lower with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside of the car. The Outback’s standard power windows’ rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open them fully.

On a hot day the Terrain’s driver can lower all the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Outback can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Terrain has a standard Keyless Open and Start that allows you to unlock the doors from either front door handle, unlock the cargo door, and start the engine, all without removing the key from pocket or purse. Keyless Access and Start costs extra on the Outback and isn’t available on the Outback Base.

The Terrain’s optional 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 Terrain’s 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 Terrain has a standard heated steering wheel to take the chill out of steering on extremely cold winter days before the vehicle heater warms up. A heated steering wheel costs extra on the Outback.

Both the Terrain and the Outback offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the Terrain 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 Terrain is available in both front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The Outback doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.