Honda Pilot vs Subaru Ascent

Honda Pilot vs Subaru Ascent: Interior

So, you’re a growing family, or you’d love a more spacious cabin. Welcome aboard the Honda Pilot! It provides 158.4 cubic feet of passenger volume. The Subaru Ascent stops at 153.2 cubic feet.

Now let’s see how they compare with the interior dimensions:

Dimension 2nd/3rd Rows	Honda Pilot	Subaru Ascent
Headroom	40.2/39.3 inches	40.0/36.2 inches
Legroom	40.8/32.5 inches	38.6/31.7 inches
Shoulder Room	61.7/59.5 inches	60.3/57.0 inches

 

Both offer heated front seats, yet the Subaru does not offer them standard. You’ll have to select the appropriate trim that has them.

You’ll get a massive amount of cargo space if you fold down the last two rows in each car. In the Honda, that equals 111.8 cubic feet. With the Subaru, you’re only getting 75.6 cubic feet. That’s a shocking difference.

To access this space, you can keep your hands by your sides. The Pilot outfits your vehicle with a hands-free power tailgate. If you’re thinking about the Ascent, it only gives you a Power Rear Gate at its most deluxe, and it’s not a standard item.

Honda Pilot vs Subaru Ascent: Driver-Assistance

What could be lurking in less visible spots? The Honda Pilot enables you to know what’s going on with a Blind Spot Information System with Cross Traffic Monitor. While the Subaru Ascent has comparable devices like Rear Cross-Traffic Alert and Blind-Spot Detection, neither one comes standard, so you’ll need to choose the correct trim.

Do you tend to drive late at night when you’re tired or distracted? The standard Honda Pilot Driver Attention Monitor will watch out if you drift and let you know with audio and visuals. You’ll know that you may need a break before you take the wheel again.

In keeping up with the pattern, the Subaru Ascent offers a comparable DriverFocus® Distraction Mitigation System, but it’s not standard.

Honda Pilot vs Subaru Ascent: Performance

Under the Honda hood, you’ll discover a 3.5L V6 engine that produces 285 horsepower. This enables you to tow 3,500 pounds or a maximum of 5,000 pounds when properly equipped.

Manage your commute with either 2-wheel drive or the optional all-wheel drive (AWD) when you drive the Pilot. Some trims give you a 7-mode drive system to customize the traction control you prefer. Modes include Normal, ECON, Sport, Snow, Trail, Sand, and Tow.

A smaller engine comes with the Subaru Ascent. It offers a 2.4L turbocharged SUBARU BOXER® 4-cylinder engine that produces 260 horsepower.

Even though the Subaru can tow up to 5,000 pounds at its best, it starts out at 2,000 pounds, which is lower than the Honda.

While you can use X-MODE® with the Ascent, it cannot match the number of modes that the Pilot uses. Plus, the Subaru offers symmetrical AWD exclusively, which eliminates a choice in the matter.