The Matchup
Before your start squawking about this being a mismatch, that the Honda is much larger than the Subaru, check the numbers. Dimensionally, these two actually line up quite well. Although the Passport is wider and has a nearly a three-inch longer wheelbase than the redesigned-for-2020 Outback, the Subaru is about an inch longer overall than the Passport. They also match up well under the hood, with the Subaru's optional turbocharged 2.4-liter flat-four making 260 horsepower and 277 lb-ft of torque. The Honda's sole engine choice, a 3.5-liter V-6, puts out a stout 280 horses but only 262 lb-ft.
While both vehicles also cost about the same when similarly equipped, a wide range of trim levels can muddle their tit-for-tat similarities. The Outback's base price is $27,655, with power coming from 2.5-liter flat-four that churns out just 182 horsepower. If you want the turbocharged engine you have to step up to the first of three XT trim levels, which start at $35,905. With options, our turbocharged Outback Onyx Edition XT cost $37,750, but it is possible to configure an Outback to more than $41K. Pricing for the Honda Passport starts at $33,085 in front-wheel-drive form. The least expensive all-wheel-drive model, the Sport, lists for $34,985. Our top-of-the-line Passport AWD Elite cost $44,775.
On the Road
Although the 4255-pound Passport outweighs the Outback by more than 300 pounds, the two accelerate nearly door handle to door handle. The Honda hits 60 mph in 6.1 seconds and pushes through the quarter-mile in 14.7 seconds at 95 mph. The Subaru needs 6.3 seconds to reach 60 mph and does the quarter-mile in a similar 14.8 seconds at 96 mph. These both are rather quick crossovers, but in the real world, the Passport feels a bit more responsive and sportier than the Subaru for two reasons.
Although we appreciate the off-the-line punch of the Outback's boosted boxer engine, the Honda's V-6 revs more freely and up to 6750 rpm, whereas the Subaru peters out at 6000 revs. We also prefer the Honda's nine-speed automatic transmission, which shifts sharply yet smoothly and always is eager to deliver a downshift when you ask for a burst of power, especially in its Sport drive mode. The Subaru's continuously variable transmission (CVT) may be one of the best of its kind that we've driven, but it's still a bit lazy in comparison to a conventional automatic with a torque converter.
Now built on Subaru's Global Platform, the 2020 Outback feels more solid and refined than it used to. Like the Passport, it's quiet inside, but it rides smoother than the Honda, which allows more road surface chatter to infiltrate its cabin. If pure isolation is what you're after, you'll be happier in the Subaru. The Passport is roughly six inches wider and taller than the Outback, and it feels larger on the road. Yet, it's actually more fun to push on twisty roads than the Subaru. Both SUVs have a fair amount of body roll, but the Honda feels more engaging, and its slightly heavier steering delivers more feedback to its driver. At the test track, the dynamics of both vehicles were pretty close. Despite our Outback test car rolling on 18-inch wheels and Yokohama Avid GT all-season tires versus the Honda's 20-inch Continental CrossContact LX Sport all-seasons, both vehicles generated the same modest 0.78 g of grip on the skidpad. The much lighter Subaru's 176-foot stopping distance from 70 mph, unsurprisingly, was eight feet shorter than the Honda's.
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