Compare the2023 Lincoln AviatorVS 2022 Subaru Ascent

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Model Availability

Safety

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Both the Aviator and Ascent have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The Aviator has power child safety locks, allowing the driver to activate and deactivate them from the driver's seat and to know when they're engaged. The Ascent’s child locks have to be individually engaged at each rear door with a manual switch. The driver can’t know the status of the locks without opening the doors and checking them.

The Lincoln Aviator has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Ascent doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

The Aviator has standard Post Collision Braking, which automatically apply the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Ascent doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

The Aviator Reserve/Grand Touring/Black Label has a standard 360-Degree Camera to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Ascent only offers a rear monitor and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the front or sides.

The Aviator 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 Aviator 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.

The Aviator’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Ascent doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Aviator and the Ascent have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, 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 Lincoln Aviator is safer than the Subaru Ascent:

	Aviator	Ascent
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	125	190
Neck Stress	167 lbs.	229 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	230/210 lbs.	159/292 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Chest Compression	.4 inches	.7 inches
Neck Injury Risk	29.2%	33%
Neck Stress	187 lbs.	197 lbs.
Neck Compression	129 lbs.	156 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 Lincoln Aviator is safer than the Subaru Ascent:

	Aviator	Ascent
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Hip Force	224 lbs.	274 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	12 inches	18 inches
Spine Acceleration	39 G’s	52 G’s
Hip Force	573 lbs.	637 lbs.

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

Instrumented handling tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and analysis of its dimensions indicate that the Aviator is 1.9% to 2.3% less likely to roll over than the Ascent.

Warranty

The Aviator comes with a full 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck. The Ascent’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 14,000 miles sooner.

Lincoln’s powertrain warranty covers the Aviator 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Subaru covers the Ascent. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 6 years or 70,000 miles. Coverage on the Ascent ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

Reliability

The Lincoln Aviator’s engines use a cast iron block for durability, while the Ascent’s engine uses an aluminum block. Aluminum engine blocks are much more prone to warp and crack at high temperatures than cast iron.

The Aviator has a standard “limp home system” to keep drivers from being stranded if most or all of the engine’s coolant is lost. The engine will run on only half of its cylinders at a time, reduce its power and light a warning lamp on the dashboard so the driver can get to a service station for repairs. The Ascent doesn’t offer a lost coolant limp home mode, so a coolant leak could strand you or seriously damage the truck’s engine.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Lincoln vehicles are better in initial quality than Subaru vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Lincoln above average in initial quality. With 24 more problems per 100 vehicles, Subaru is rated below average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Lincoln vehicles are more reliable than Subaru vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Lincoln above average in long-term dependability. With 12 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Subaru is rated below average.

Engine

The Aviator’s standard 3.0 turbo V6 produces 140 more horsepower (400 vs. 260) and 138 lbs.-ft. more torque (415 vs. 277) than the Ascent’s 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder. The Aviator Grand Touring’s standard 3.0 turbo V6 hybrid produces 234 more horsepower (494 vs. 260) and 353 lbs.-ft. more torque (630 vs. 277) than the Ascent’s 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Lincoln Aviator turbo V6 is faster than the Subaru Ascent:

	Aviator	Ascent
Zero to 60 MPH	5.4 sec	7.5 sec
Quarter Mile	14.1 sec	16 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	97.7 MPH	88.6 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Aviator running on electricity gets better mileage than the Ascent:

			MPGe
Aviator
	AWD	Grand Touring Electric Motor	54 city/58 hwy
Ascent
			MPG
	AWD	2.4 turbo flat-4	21 city/27 hwy
		Limited/Touring 2.4 turbo flat-4	20 city/26 hwy

On the EPA test cycle the Aviator Grand Touring running its gasoline engine gets better fuel mileage than the Ascent Limited/Touring (22 city/25 hwy vs. 20 city/26 hwy).

The Aviator Grand Touring can travel with zero emissions for 21 miles. The Ascent can’t move without running its internal combustion engine.

Regenerative brakes improve the Aviator Grand Touring’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Ascent doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the Aviator’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 (not available Grand Touring). The Ascent doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

The Aviator’s standard fuel tank has almost a gallon more fuel capacity than the Ascent (20.2 vs. 19.3 gallons).

The Aviator 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.

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Lincoln Aviator higher (5 to 7 out of 10) than the Subaru Ascent (3). This means the Aviator produces up to 24.5 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Ascent every 15,000 miles.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the Aviator’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Ascent:

	Aviator	Ascent
Front Rotors	13.6 inches	13.1 inches
Rear Rotors	13.8 inches	13 inches

The Aviator stops shorter than the Ascent:

	Aviator	Ascent
60 to 0 MPH	119 feet	125 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Aviator has larger standard tires than the Ascent (255/60R19 vs. 245/60R18). The Aviator’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Ascent (275/40R22 vs. 245/60R18).

The Aviator’s optional tires provide better handling because they have a lower 40 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Ascent Onyx/Limited/Touring’s 50 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Aviator has standard 19-inch wheels. Smaller 18-inch wheels are standard on the Ascent. The Aviator’s optional 22-inch wheels are larger than the 20-inch wheels on the Ascent Onyx/Limited/Touring.

Suspension and Handling

The Aviator has standard front and rear gas-charged shocks for better control over choppy roads. The Ascent’s suspension doesn’t offer gas-charged shocks.

The Aviator offers an available driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads or off-road. The Ascent’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

The Aviator has a standard automatic front and rear load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The Aviator’s height leveling suspension allows the driver to raise ride height for better off-road clearance and then lower it again for easier entering and exiting and better on-road handling. The Ascent doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

The Aviator offers optional 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.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Aviator’s wheelbase is 5.3 inches longer than on the Ascent (119.1 inches vs. 113.8 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Aviator is 2.5 inches wider in the front and 2.7 inches wider in the rear than on the Ascent.

The Aviator’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (51% to 49%) than the Ascent’s (54.2% to 45.8%). This gives the Aviator more stable handling and braking.

The Aviator Grand Touring AWD handles at .83 G’s, while the Ascent Limited pulls only .78 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Aviator Grand Touring AWD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Ascent Touring (26.5 seconds @ .72 average G’s vs. 27.4 seconds @ .63 average G’s).

Chassis

The front grille of the Aviator uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The Ascent doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Aviator (except Standard) offers available 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.

Passenger Space

The Aviator has .2 inches more front headroom, .8 inches more front legroom, .8 inches more front hip room, .4 inches more front shoulder room, .4 inches more rear legroom, .8 inches more rear hip room, 1 inch more rear shoulder room and .6 inches more third row headroom than the Ascent.

Cargo Capacity

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

	Aviator	Ascent
Behind Third Seat	18.3 cubic feet	17.8 cubic feet

Pressing a button automatically lowers the Aviator’s second row seats and pressing a button automatically lowers or raises the third row seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The Ascent doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Aviator Reserve/Grand Touring/Black Label’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 Aviator’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Ascent’s (5600 vs. 2000 pounds).

Servicing Ease

The Aviator uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Ascent uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

Ergonomics

The Aviator’s standard easy entry system raises the steering wheel and 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.

The Aviator (except Standard) offers an available heads-up display that projects speed, certain gauge, warning, turn signal and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Ascent doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The power windows standard on both the Aviator and the Ascent have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Aviator is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The Ascent prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

The Aviator’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Ascent’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

If the windows are left open on the Aviator the driver can close them all from a distance using the remote. On a hot day the driver can also lower the windows the same way. The driver of the Ascent can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Aviator’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The Ascent’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

The Aviator’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.

Optional air conditioned front and second row seats keep the Aviator’s passengers comfortable and take the sting out of hot leather in summer. The Ascent doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats for the second row.

The Aviator (except Standard) offers optional massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the Ascent.

The Aviator (except Standard)’s optional Active Park Assist Plus can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. The Ascent doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Model Availability

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

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