Compare the2022 Honda PilotVS 2022 Subaru Ascent

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Ergonomics
Model Availability
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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Using vehicle speed sensors and seat sensors, smart airbags in the Pilot deploy with different levels of force or don’t deploy at all to help better protect passengers of all sizes in different collisions. The Pilot’s side airbags will shut off if a child is leaning against the door. The Ascent’s airbags don’t have smart features and will always deploy full force.

The Pilot Touring/Elite/Black Edition has standard Parking Sensors to help warn the driver about vehicles, pedestrians or other obstacles behind or in front of their vehicle. The Ascent doesn’t offer a front parking aid.

The Pilot has a standard blind spot warning system which uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them. Only the Ascent Premium/Limited/Touring offers a blind spot warning system.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Pilot has a standard rear cross-path warning system, which uses sensors in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. Only the Ascent Premium/Limited/Touring has a rear cross-path warning system.

Both the Pilot and the Ascent have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, 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 National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Honda Pilot is safer than the Subaru Ascent:

	Pilot	Ascent
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	149	190
Neck Stress	189 lbs.	229 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	46/243 lbs.	159/292 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Honda Pilot is safer than the Subaru Ascent:

	Pilot	Ascent
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Hip Force	269 lbs.	274 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Hip Force	304 lbs.	346 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	15 inches	18 inches
Spine Acceleration	45 G’s	52 G’s

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Warranty

There are over 68 percent more Honda dealers than there are Subaru dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Pilot’s warranty.

Reliability

The engine in the Pilot has a single overhead cam for simplicity. The engine in the Ascent has dual overhead cams, which add to the number of moving parts and the complexity of the cylinder heads.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Pilot’s reliability 35 points higher than the Ascent.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Honda vehicles are better in initial quality than Subaru vehicles. With 18 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Honda higher than Subaru.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Honda vehicles are more reliable than Subaru vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Honda 3 places higher in reliability than Subaru.

Engine

The Pilot’s 3.5 SOHC V6 produces 20 more horsepower (280 vs. 260) than the Ascent’s 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Honda Pilot is faster than the Subaru Ascent:

	Pilot	Ascent
Zero to 60 MPH	6.2 sec	7.5 sec
Quarter Mile	14.8 sec	16 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	93.9 MPH	88.6 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

An engine control system that can shut down some of the engine’s cylinders helps improve the Pilot’s fuel efficiency. The Ascent doesn’t offer a system that can shut down part of the engine.

In heavy traffic or at stop lights the Pilot’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. The engine is automatically restarted when the driver gets ready to move again. If the conditions warrant or the driver wishes, the system can be manually disabled at any time for the duration of a trip. The Ascent doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

The Pilot 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 Ascent doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

Brakes and Stopping

The Pilot stops shorter than the Ascent:

	Pilot	Ascent
60 to 0 MPH	116 feet	125 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

The Pilot has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The Ascent doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

Suspension and Handling

The Pilot has vehicle speed sensitive variable-assist power steering, for low-effort parking, better control at highway speeds and during hard cornering, and a better feel of the road. The Ascent doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

The Pilot (except LX)’s optional drift compensation steering can automatically compensate for road conditions which would cause the vehicle to drift from side to side, helping the driver to keep the vehicle straight more easily. The Ascent doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Pilot is 1.9 inches wider in the front and 2.1 inches wider in the rear than on the Ascent.

The Pilot Elite 4WD handles at .80 G’s, while the Ascent Limited pulls only .79 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

Chassis

The Honda Pilot may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 300 to 400 pounds less than the Subaru Ascent.

The Pilot uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The Ascent doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

As tested by Car and Driver while at idle, the interior of the Pilot Elite 4WD is quieter than the Ascent Touring (37 vs. 40 dB).

Passenger Space

The Pilot has 1.4 inches more front hip room, .9 inches more front shoulder room, 1.7 inches more rear shoulder room, 2.6 inches more third row headroom, .2 inches more third row legroom and .4 inches more third row shoulder room than the Ascent.

Cargo Capacity

The Pilot’s cargo area provides more volume than the Ascent.

	Pilot	Ascent
Behind Third Seat	18.5 cubic feet	17.8 cubic feet
Third Seat Folded	55.9 cubic feet	47.5 cubic feet
Second Seat Folded	109.2 cubic feet	86.5 cubic feet

The Pilot has a standard third row seat which folds flat into the floor. This completely clears a very large cargo area quickly. The Ascent doesn’t offer seats that fold into the floor.

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Pilot SE/Touring/Elite/Black Edition’s liftgate can be opened and closed just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Ascent doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its liftgate, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

Towing

The Pilot’s minimum standard towing capacity is much higher than the Ascent’s (3500 vs. 2000 pounds).

Ergonomics

The Pilot’s standard easy entry system glides the driver’s seat back, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The Ascent doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

If the windows are left open on the Pilot the driver can close them all at the outside door handle. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows at the outside door handle or from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Ascent can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Pilot’s standard speed-sensitive wipers speed up when the vehicle does, so that the driver doesn’t have to continually adjust the speed of the wipers. The Ascent’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

The Pilot’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Subaru only offers heated mirrors on the Ascent Premium/Limited/Touring.

When the Pilot is put in reverse, both rearview mirrors tilt from their original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirrors into their original positions. The Ascent’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

Model Availability

The Pilot is available in both front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The Ascent doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

Economic Advantages

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Pilot is less expensive to operate than the Ascent because it costs $546 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the Pilot than the Ascent, including $20 less for front brake pads, $69 less for a starter and $332 less for front struts.

Recommendations

The Honda Pilot has won recognition from these important consumer publications:

	Pilot	Ascent
Consumer Reports® Recommends	TRUE	FALSE
Car Book “Best Bet”	TRUE	FALSE

The Honda Pilot outsold the Subaru Ascent by over two to one during the 2021 model year.