Model Year | 2020 | 2014 | |
Model | Toyota Highlander | Subaru Outback | |
Engine | 3.5L V6 DOHC-4v 220 kW@6600 357 Nm@4700 |
3.6L H6 DOHC-4v 191 kW@6000 335 Nm@4400 |
|
Transmission | 8-speed shiftable automatic | 5-speed shiftable automatic | |
Drivetrain | AWD | AWD | |
Body | 4dr SUV | 4dr Wagon | |
Difference | |||
Wheelbase | 2,850 mm | 2,741 mm | 0 mm |
Length | 4,950 mm | 4,801 mm | 0 mm |
Width | 1,930 mm | 1,821 mm | 0 mm |
Height | 1,730 mm | 1,669 mm | 0 mm |
Curb Weight | 1,964 kg | 1,639 kg | 0 kg |
Fuel Capacity | 68 L | 70 L | -2 L |
Headroom, Row 1 | 1,046 mm | 1,036 mm | 0 mm |
Shoulder Room, Row 1 | 1,499 mm | 1,430 mm | 0 mm |
Hip Room, Row 1 | 1,453 mm | 0 mm | 1 mm |
Legroom, Row 1 | 1,067 mm | 1,092 mm | 0 mm |
Headroom, Row 2 | 1,001 mm | 998 mm | -997 mm |
Shoulder Room, Row 2 | 1,491 mm | 1,425 mm | 0 mm |
Hip Room, Row 2 | 1,448 mm | 0 mm | 1 mm |
Legroom, Row 2 | 1,041 mm | 960 mm | -959 mm |
Headroom, Row 3 | 917 mm | 0 mm | 917 mm |
Shoulder Room, Row 3 | 1,397 mm | 0 mm | 1 mm |
Hip Room, Row 3 | 1,158 mm | 0 mm | 1 mm |
Legroom, Row 3 | 704 mm | 0 mm | 704 mm |
Total Legroom | 2,812 mm (over 3 rows) | 2,052 mm (over 2 rows) | 0 mm |
Cargo Volume, Minimum | 453 L | 971 L | -518 L |
Cargo Volume, Behind R2 | 1,371 L | 34.3 | -33.3 L |
Cargo Volume, Maximum | 2,387 L | 2,019 L | 0 L |
2020 Toyota Highlander Seat Room and Comfort: Cons | ||
Year | Comment | |
With each redesign (for 2008, 2014, and 2020) Toyota has enlarged the Highlander, yet the crossover's third-row seat remains uncomforably low and tight. For adults to be even passably comfortable in the way-back the second row must be slid forward, rendering legroom there also marginal. Some three-row crossovers have much roomier and more comfortable third-row seats. But if you want to be able to squeeze in eight people, Highlanders with a second-row bench can do this. Because they have significantly narrower third-row seats, the Ford Explorer and Kia Sorento cannot fit three people back there even in a pinch, so in hybrid form the former has a maximum capacity of seven people and the latter only six. (The Sorento PHEV will be able to seat seven.) This noted, if you want your adult passengers to have plenty of room, the practical capacity of each is four people. see full Toyota Highlander review |
2020 Toyota Highlander Seat Room and Comfort: Cons | ||
Year | Body/Powertrain | Comment |
2020 | 4dr SUV 295-horsepower 3.5L V6 8-speed shiftable automatic AWD |
The 3rd row seating is just not for adults at all, and I'm not certain that children would be easy to fit back there as well. I'm not sure what Toyota was thinking, even making the 2020 longer didn't make any difference at all. My one complaint is it is just TOO SMALL! see full Toyota Highlander review |
2014 Subaru Outback Seat Room and Comfort: Pros | ||
Year | Comment | |
2015 | Through the 2009 model year, the Outback (and the related Legacy sedan) had a tight back seat. Though marketed as a midsize car, it was actually a compact. The 2010 redesign dramatically expanded the Outback's interior, especially in the back seat. The 2015 redesign added another inch of shoulder room, such that the Outback (and Legacy) are now not only truly midsize, but rank among the roomiest midsize cars. Rear air vents are offered--in Outbacks with leather. So the tested car lacked them. Some compact crossovers, including the Cherokee, are about as roomy, but they achieve their specs through a more upright seating position. People in the back seat are closer to the front seats, so they don't feel like they have as much room even though they have just as much space for their legs. But they get rear air vents even in the lower trim levels. see full Subaru Outback review |
2014 Subaru Outback Seat Room and Comfort: Cons | ||
Year | Comment | |
The front seats have an unusually high bulge just below my shoulder blades. This feels more odd than uncomfortable, at least to me. The driver's lumbar adjusts, but this affects the area below said bulge. Partly depending on your height your experience might vary. These seats also provide very little lateral support, which admittedly isn't much of an issue given the non-sporting character (and non-sporting tires) of the Outback. I had no such qualms with the armrest on the door. It's wide and cushy. In the front seats' favor, for 2015 Subaru has added fore-aft adjustability to the headrests, a rarity in recent moderately priced cars. The Jeep's cloth seats are too squishy, but they're more form-fittting than the Subaru's, and I find them more comfortable. see full Subaru Outback review |
2014 Subaru Outback Seat Room and Comfort: Pros | ||
Year | Body/Powertrain | Comment |
2014 | 4dr Wagon 173-horsepower 2.5L H4 6-speed manual AWD |
The front seats are very comfy, and the seat heaters are powerful and warm up quickly. We compared the car to a 2014 Forrester, and we think the OB seats are more comfy-- they have more thigh support. see full Subaru Outback review |
2014 | 4dr Wagon 173-horsepower 2.5L H4 6-speed manual AWD |
The rear seats are much more comfy than in the old Outback. They took a couple of inches out of the cargo area to give the rear seat more room. The reclining seatback for the rear seats is a nice comfort as well. see full Subaru Outback review |
2014 Subaru Outback Seat Room and Comfort: Cons | ||
Year | Body/Powertrain | Comment |
2014 | 4dr Wagon 173-horsepower 2.5L H4 6-speed manual AWD |
Minor complaint-- like every other Japanese car I've ever owned, this one also doesn't seem to understand that feet get cold. The heater is great- it provides lots of heat, and quickly. But when you you set it to floor, the hot air hits you in the lower calf, and then rises. The heat never makes it to your feet! see full Subaru Outback review |