Compare the2023 Subaru AscentVS 2023 Mitsubishi Outlander

The Ascent has standard Whiplash-Reducing Front Seats, which use a specially designed seat to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Whiplash-Reducing Front Seats system allows the backrest to travel backwards to cushion the occupants and the headrests move forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Outlander doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the Ascent. But it costs extra on the Outlander.

Both the Ascent and the Outlander 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 blind spot warning systems, around view monitors, rear cross-path warning and driver alert monitors.

The Subaru Ascent weighs 618 to 997 pounds more than the Mitsubishi Outlander. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

For its performance in IIHS driver-side and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, updated side impact, headlight, daytime pedestrian crash prevention, and nighttime pedestrian crash prevention testing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Ascent its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2023, a rating granted to only 29 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Outlander has not been fully tested, yet.

The Ascent’s corrosion warranty is unlimited miles longer than the Outlander’s (unlimited vs. 100,000 miles).

There are almost 2 times as many Subaru dealers as there are Mitsubishi dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Ascent’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Subaru vehicles are better in initial quality than Mitsubishi vehicles. With 35 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Subaru higher than Mitsubishi.

The Ascent’s 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder produces 79 more horsepower (260 vs. 181) and 96 lbs.-ft. more torque (277 vs. 181) than the Outlander’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder.

As tested in Consumer Reports the Subaru Ascent is faster than the Mitsubishi Outlander:

The flat cylinder configuration of the boxer engine in the Ascent lowers its center of gravity, enhancing handling stability without compromising ground clearance. The Outlander doesn’t offer a boxer engine configuration.

The Ascent has 4.8 gallons more fuel capacity than the Outlander (19.3 vs. 14.5 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The Ascent stops shorter than the Outlander:

For better traction, the Ascent has larger tires than the Outlander (245/60R18 vs. 235/60R18).

The Ascent has a standard space-saver spare tire so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the Outlander; it requires you to depend on roadside assistance and your vehicle will have to be towed.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Ascent’s wheelbase is 7.3 inches longer than on the Outlander (113.8 inches vs. 106.5 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Ascent is 1.7 inches wider in the front and 1.1 inches wider in the rear than on the Outlander.

The Ascent’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (54.2% to 45.8%) than the Outlander’s (57% to 43%). This gives the Ascent more stable handling and braking.

For greater off-road capability the Ascent has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Outlander ES (8.7 vs. 8.3 inches), allowing the Ascent to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Ascent’s minimum ground clearance is .3 inch higher than on the Outlander SE/SEL (8.7 vs. 8.4 inches).

For excellent aerodynamics, the Ascent has standard flush composite headlights. The Outlander has recessed headlights that spoil its aerodynamic shape and create extra drag.

The Ascent has standard seating for 8 passengers; the Outlander can only carry 7.

The Ascent has 27.7 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Outlander (153.2 vs. 125.5).

The Ascent has .6 inches more front headroom, .5 inches more front legroom, 3.7 inches more front hip room, 3.2 inches more front shoulder room, .9 inches more rear headroom, 4.2 inches more rear hip room, 4.4 inches more rear shoulder room, 1.7 inches more third row headroom, 13 inches more third row legroom, 3.8 inches more third row hip room and 6 inches more third row shoulder room than the Outlander.

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

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the Ascent. The Outlander doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

Maximum trailer towing in the Mitsubishi Outlander is limited to 2000 pounds. The Ascent offers up to a 5000 lbs. towing capacity.

The engine in the Ascent is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the Outlander. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because the accessory belts are in front.

The Ascent’s front power windows 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 Outlander’s standard passenger windows don’t open or close automatically.

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the Ascent’s available exterior PIN entry system (not available on Ascent Base). The Outlander doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system, and its Mitsubishi Connect can’t unlock the doors if the vehicle doesn’t have cell phone reception or the driver can’t contact the service.

The Ascent’s power window and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The Outlander’s power window switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the Ascent has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The Outlander doesn’t offer cornering lights.

The Ascent’s optional rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Outlander offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

Standard air-conditioned seats in the Ascent Touring keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Outlander doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

The Ascent Touring has a 115-volt a/c outlet on the dashboard, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The Outlander doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

Insurance will cost less for the Ascent owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Ascent will cost $2090 to $7100 less than the Outlander over a five-year period.

The Ascent will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the Ascent will retain 52.78% to 54.99% of its original price after five years, while the Outlander only retains 45.74% to 48.71%.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Subaru Ascent will be $229 to $1476 less than for the Mitsubishi Outlander.

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Subaru Ascent and the Mitsubishi Outlander, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Subaru Ascent outsold the Mitsubishi Outlander by 48% during 2022.