Compare the2023 Subaru AscentVS 2023 Honda Pilot

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 Pilot 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 Pilot.

Both the Ascent and the Pilot 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.

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 Pilot has not been tested, yet.

A hardened steel chain, with no maintenance needs, drives the camshafts in the Ascent’s engine. A rubber cam drive belt that needs periodic replacement drives the Pilot’s camshafts. If the Pilot’s belt breaks, the engine could be severely damaged when the pistons hit the opened valves.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Subaru vehicles are more reliable than Honda With 4 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Subaru higher than Honda.

The Ascent’s 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder produces 15 lbs.-ft. more torque (277 vs. 262) than the Pilot’s 3.5 DOHC V6.

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

On the EPA test cycle the Ascent gets better mileage than the Pilot:

The Ascent has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The Pilot doesn’t offer a CVT.

The Ascent’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Pilot are solid, not vented.

For greater off-road capability the Ascent has a 1.4 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Pilot (8.7 vs. 7.3 inches), allowing the Ascent to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Ascent’s minimum ground clearance is .4 inch higher than on the Pilot TrailSport (8.7 vs. 8.3 inches).

The Ascent is 3.1 inches shorter than the Pilot, making the Ascent easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Ascent has .7 inches more front headroom, 1.2 inches more front legroom, .1 inches more rear hip room and 1.3 inches more third row hip room than the Pilot.

The engine in the Ascent is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the Pilot. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because there are no rear spark plugs and the accessory belts are in front.

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 Pilot doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system.

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 Pilot doesn’t offer cornering lights.

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