Bachman Subaru Blog

Crossovers offer single folks and families alike a blend of functionality and fun, with athletic capabilities and plenty of interior space. The Subaru Outback and the Toyota RAV4 are two of the most loved crossover vehicles on the market. Read on for our guide to these two energetic midsize crossovers to learn which is best for you.

Trim Levels

Image by memory_terra | Licensed with Unsplash License

The Subaru Outback combines the best of a crossover, an SUV, and a wagon, so it’s no surprise that a vehicle so versatile would offer a variety of trim levels. There are nine trim options available for the Subaru Outback:

• Base: starting at $28,395 MSRP.
• Premium: starting at $30,695 MSRP.
• Onyx Edition: starting at $33,495 MSRP.
• Limited: starting at $35,295 MSRP.
• Touring: starting at $39,845 MSRP.
• Onyx Edition XT: starting at $38,595 MSRP.
• Wilderness: starting at $38,445 MSRP.
• Limited XT: starting at $39,695 MSRP.
• Touring XT: starting at $42,295 MSRP.

Like the Subaru Outback, the Toyota RAV4 is a midsize crossover for people who crave adventure, functionality, and versatility. The RAV4 also has its fair share of trim options. Here are the six configurations available with a traditional gas engine:

• LE: starting at $26,975 MSRP.
• XLE: starting at $28,445 MSRP.
• XLE Premium: starting at $31,335 MSRP.
• Adventure: starting at $33,230 MSRP.
• TRD Off-Road: starting at $36,915 MSRP.
• Limited: starting at $35,475 MSRP.

The following trims are also available as hybrids:

• LE Hybrid: starting at $29,595 MSRP.
• XLE Hybrid: starting at $31,045 MSRP.
• XLE Premium Hybrid: starting at $33,935 MSRP.
• SE Hybrid: starting at $32,230 MSRP.
• XSE Hybrid: starting at $35,555 MSRP.
• Limited Hybrid: starting at $38,075 MSRP.

Exterior

Subaru gave the Outback some slight exterior upgrades for 2023. The crossover utility vehicle (CUV) kept its outdoorsy body, but the latest edition has fresh wheel arches and headlight overlays. The Outback is 191.9 inches long, 74.2 inches wide, and 66.1 inches tall. With a ground clearance of 8.7 inches, it’s ready for heart-pounding adventures. Standard exterior features on the Base trim include sporty roof rails, and higher trims add touches like turn signal indicators on mirrors and an optional moon roof.

The following exterior paint colors are available:

• Cosmic Blue Pearl.
• Brilliant Bronze Metallic.
• Ice Silver Metallic.
• Crystal White Pearl.
• Dark Mahogany Pearl.
• Autumn Green Metallic.
• Crystal Black Silica.
• Crimson Red Pearl.
• Geyser Blue.
• Magnetite Gray Metallic.

The Toyota RAV4 has the same perky exterior that made it a fan favorite, with slightly restyled headlamps. It’s comparable in size to the Outback, coming in at 180 inches long, 73 inches wide, and 67 inches tall. The two lower trims offer a little less ground clearance than the Outback does, with 8.4 inches. XLE models and above come close at 8.6 inches. LED taillights and rear privacy glass are standard, and upper trims offer roof rails and a moon roof. Below are the available exterior colors:

• White.
• Cavalry Blue.
• Silver Sky Metallic.
• Ruby Flare Pearl.
• Lunar Rock.
• Blizzard Pearl.
• Blueprint.
• Magnetic Gray Metallic.
• Midnight Black Metallic.

Some paint colors offer you a choice between a Midnight Black or Ice Edge roof.

Performance

The base engine on most Subaru Outbacks is a 2.5-liter four-cylinder. It equips the sporty SUV with 182 horsepower and 176 pound-feet of torque. If you want extra power, level up to a Wilderness or XRT model. They come with a 2.4-liter turbocharged engine that cranks up the power for an impressive 260 horsepower and 277 pound-feet of torque.

The RAV4’s engine is a 2.5-liter four-cylinder like the Outback’s. This engine, which comes standard on all trims, delivers an output of 203 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque. There aren’t any engine upgrades available, but you can choose to equip your RAV4 with all-wheel drive capability instead of front-wheel drive.

Fuel Economy

The adventurous Subaru Outback comes with all-wheel drive on all trim levels, which offers you 26 mpg in the city, 32 mpg on the highway, and 28 mpg combined on the Base. XT models, which come with turbocharged engines, get 22 mpg in the city, 29 mpg on the highway, and 25 mpg combined. Your high-octane adventures in the Wilderness trim will come with 21 mpg in the city, 26 mpg on the highway, and 23 mpg combined.

When equipped with front-wheel drive on the LE trim, the Toyota RAV4 delivers 27 mpg in the city, 35 mpg on the highway, and 30 mpg combined. When you opt for all-wheel drive, however, the ranking drops a bit, leaving you with 25 mpg in the city, 33 mpg on the highway, and 28 mpg combined.

Interior

The Outback offers 32.6 cubic feet of cargo area with the seats up, but when you fold them, you can get up to 75.6 cubic feet for your weekend getaway must-haves. Cloth seats come standard on Base and Premium models, but you’ll get water-repellent or leather-trimmed seats on top trims. All models offer standard comforts and amenities like underfloor storage and automatic climate control, and the base infotainment system is a 7-inch touchscreen with four speakers. Trims above the Base get an 11.6-inch touchscreen and six speakers. All trims have smartphone compatibility.

The RAV4 is also a suitable pick if you need plenty of space for sports gear and luggage, with 37.5 cubic feet of cargo area behind the seats and 69.8 cubic feet maximum. LE models come with a fabric interior, but upper trims come with synthetic leather trim. USB ports come standard and the LE’s base climate control upgrades to a dual-zone automatic system on upscale models. The LE comes with a 7-inch touchscreen with smartphone connectivity and six speakers, but you can upgrade to higher trims for a 9-inch screen and up to 11 speakers.

Safety

The Subaru Outback comes with standard safety tech features like:

• Anti-lock brakes.
• Traction control.
• Rear camera.
• Tire pressure monitoring.

Higher trims come with:

• Blind-spot detection.
• Rear cross-traffic alert.
• Lane changing assistance.
• Reverse automatic braking.

The Toyota RAV4 comes with Toyota’s suite of safety features, including:

• Lane departure alerts.
• Collision mitigation with pedestrian detection.
• Road sign assistance.
• Traction control.
• Brake assistance.
• Anti-lock brakes.
• Rear camera.

Upper trims add:

• Blind-spot monitoring.
• Front and rear parking assistance.

Find Subaru At Bachman Subaru In Louisville, KY

Bachman Subaru is Louisville’s destination for crossovers from Subaru and more. If you’re sold on the newest Subaru Outback, contact us to schedule your test drive today. Our Financing experts and knowledgeable sales team are happy to help you find the perfect sporty and practical CUV for your lifestyle.