Compare the2023 Honda PilotVS 2023 Subaru Ascent

The Honda Pilot 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 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, 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, available all wheel drive and around view monitors.

Honda pays for scheduled maintenance on the Pilot for 2 years and 24,000 miles. Honda will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Subaru doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Ascent.

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.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 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 8 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Honda higher than Subaru.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Honda vehicles are more reliable than Subaru vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Honda 2 places higher in reliability than Subaru.

The Pilot’s 3.5 DOHC V6 produces 25 more horsepower (285 vs. 260) than the Ascent’s 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder.

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 stoplights 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.

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

For better traction, the Pilot has larger standard tires than the Ascent (255/50R20 vs. 245/60R18). The Pilot TrailSport’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Ascent (265/60R18 vs. 245/60R18).

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.

The Pilot TrailSport has a standard full size spare tire so a flat doesn’t interrupt your trip. A full size spare isn’t available on the Ascent; it requires you to depend on a temporary spare, which limits mileage and speed before replacement.

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Pilot is 2.9 inches wider in the front and 3.4 inches wider in the rear than the track on the Ascent.

The front grille of the Pilot 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 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.

The Pilot has 5.2 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Ascent (158.4 vs. 153.2).

The Pilot has .7 inches more front hip room, .8 inches more front shoulder room, .2 inches more rear headroom, 2.2 inches more rear legroom, 1.4 inches more rear shoulder room, 3.1 inches more third row headroom, .8 inches more third row legroom and 2.3 inches more third row shoulder room than the Ascent.

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

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Pilot Elite/Touring’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.

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

The Pilot EX-L/TrailSport/Touring/Elite’s standard easy entry system glides the driver’s seat back when the door is unlocked or the ignition is switched off, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The Ascent doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The Pilot Elite has a standard heads-up display that projects speed 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 Pilot and the Ascent have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Pilot 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 Pilot’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.

On a hot day the Pilot’s driver can lower all the windows from a distance with the keyless remote or at the outside door handle. The driver of the Ascent can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

When the Pilot EX-L/TrailSport/Touring/Elite 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.

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

The Honda Pilot outsold the Subaru Ascent by 56% during 2022.