Compare the2024 Subaru AscentVS 2024 Volvo XC90

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Ascent are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The XC90 doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

With its standard EyeSight, the Subaru Ascent is better at preventing collisions with pedestrians than the Volvo XC90, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety:

	Ascent	XC90
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
	Crossing Child - DAY
12 MPH	AVOIDED	AVOIDED
25 MPH	AVOIDED	-14 MPH
	Crossing Adult - NIGHT
12 MPH Brights	AVOIDED	-4 MPH
12 MPH Low beams	AVOIDED	-11 MPH
25 MPH Brights	AVOIDED	AVOIDED
25 MPH Low beams	AVOIDED	-24 MPH
	Parallel Adult - NIGHT
25 MPH Brights	AVOIDED	-21 MPH
37 MPH Brights	AVOIDED	AVOIDED
Warning Issued-Brights	3.3 sec	2.2 sec
Warning Issued-Low beams	1.6 sec	.5 sec

Both the Ascent and the XC90 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, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, all wheel drive, 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 National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Subaru Ascent is safer than the Volvo XC90:

	Ascent	XC90
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Neck Injury Risk	21%	27%
Neck Stress	229 lbs.	252 lbs.
Neck Compression	8 lbs.	18 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	159/292 lbs.	567/631 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	210	217
Leg Forces (l/r)	35/30 lbs.	383/334 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 Subaru Ascent is safer than the Volvo XC90:

	Ascent	XC90
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	37	51
Chest Movement	.5 inches	.7 inches
Abdominal Force	73 lbs.	153 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	81	94
Spine Acceleration	27 G’s	40 G’s
Hip Force	346 lbs.	608 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	149	209

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

Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Subaru Ascent is safer than the XC90:

	Ascent	XC90
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	GOOD
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	82	123
Neck Tension	178 lbs.	245 lbs.
Torso	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Shoulder Deflection	.83 in	.91 in
Shoulder Force	201 lbs.	245 lbs.
Torso Max Deflection	.98 in	1.42 in
Torso Deflection Rate	6 MPH	7 MPH
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD
	Passenger Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Torso	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Shoulder Deflection	1.26 in	1.38 in
Torso Max Deflection	1.18 in	1.42 in
Pelvis	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Pelvis Force	201 lbs.	915 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD

The Subaru Ascent has achieved the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) highest rating of “Top Safety Pick Plus” for the 2024 model year. This distinction is based on its exceptional performance in IIHS’ rigorous battery of safety tests. Specifically, it earned an “Acceptable” rating in the latest, more stringent moderate overlap front crash test, a “Good” result in the updated side impact test, and a “Good” score in the revised pedestrian crash prevention test. The XC90 is only a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2024, though it hasn’t yet been rated in the updated moderate overlap frontal test, a requirement for the “Top Safety Pick Plus” award.

Warranty

Subaru’s powertrain warranty covers the Ascent 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Volvo covers the XC90. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles. Coverage on the XC90 ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

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

Reliability

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Subaru vehicles are better in initial quality than Volvo vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Subaru above average in initial quality. With 65 more problems per 100 vehicles, Volvo 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 Subaru vehicles are more reliable than Volvo With 30 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Subaru higher than Volvo.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Subaru vehicles are more reliable than Volvo vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Subaru 19 places higher in reliability than Volvo.

Engine

The Ascent’s 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder produces 13 more horsepower (260 vs. 247) and 19 lbs.-ft. more torque (277 vs. 258) than the XC90 B5’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid.

The flat cylinder configuration of the boxer engine in the Ascent lowers its center of gravity, enhancing handling stability without compromising ground clearance. The XC90 doesn’t offer a boxer engine configuration.

Fuel Economy and Range

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Subaru Ascent uses regular unleaded gasoline. The XC90 requires premium, which can cost on average about 82.8 cents more per gallon.

The Ascent has a standard locking fuel door which locks and unlocks with the power locks. The fuel filler door is not lockable on the XC90. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank.

Transmission

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 XC90 doesn’t offer a CVT.

Brakes and Stopping

The Ascent stops shorter than the XC90:

	Ascent	XC90
70 to 0 MPH	176 feet	184 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	114 feet	123 feet	Motor Trend
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	136 feet	137 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Ascent has larger tires than the XC90 (245/60R18 vs. 235/55R19).

Suspension and Handling

The front and rear suspension of the Ascent uses coil springs for better ride, handling and control than the XC90, which uses transverse leafs springs in the rear. Coil springs compress more progressively and offer more suspension travel for a smoother ride with less bottoming out.

The Ascent Touring handles at .80 G’s, while the XC90 B6 Core pulls only .77 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the Ascent’s turning circle is 1.7 feet tighter than the XC90’s (38 feet vs. 39.7 feet).

Chassis

As tested by Car and Driver, the interior of the Ascent Limited is quieter than the XC90 B6 Core:

	Ascent	XC90
At idle	40 dB	48 dB
Full-Throttle	70 dB	74 dB
70 MPH Cruising	64 dB	65 dB

Passenger Space

The Ascent has standard seating for 8 passengers; the XC90 can only carry 7.

The Ascent has 49.4 cubic feet more passenger volume than the XC90 (153.2 vs. 103.8).

The Ascent has 2.3 inches more front headroom, 1.3 inches more front legroom, 1.8 inches more front hip room, 3.4 inches more front shoulder room, 1.5 inches more rear headroom, 1.6 inches more rear legroom, .7 inches more rear hip room, 3.7 inches more rear shoulder room, 1 inch more third row hip room and 10.3 inches more third row shoulder room than the XC90.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Ascent’s middle and third row seats recline. The XC90’s third row seats don’t recline.

Cargo Capacity

The Ascent’s cargo area provides more volume than the XC90.

	Ascent	XC90
Behind Third Seat	17.8 cubic feet	12.6 cubic feet
Third Seat Folded	43.5 cubic feet	35.6 cubic feet

Servicing Ease

The engine in the Ascent is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the XC90. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because the accessory belts are in front.

Ergonomics

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 XC90 doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system, and its Volvo On Call can’t unlock the doors if the vehicle doesn’t have cell phone reception or the driver can’t contact the service.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The Ascent’s headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the XC90’s headlights are rated “Acceptable.”

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the Ascent has standard extendable sun visors. The XC90 doesn’t offer extendable visors.

Economic Advantages

Insurance will cost less for the Ascent owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Ascent will cost $2960 to $6150 less than the XC90 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 54.18% to 55.67% of its original price after five years, while the XC90 only retains 49.37% to 51.75%.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Ascent is less expensive to operate than the XC90 because typical repairs cost much less on the Ascent than the XC90, including $530 less for a water pump, $259 less for a muffler, $65 less for front brake pads, $61 less for a starter, $199 less for fuel injection, $261 less for a fuel pump, $254 less for a timing belt/chain and $814 less for a power steering pump.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Subaru Ascent will be $20688 to $24087 less than for the Volvo XC90.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends the Subaru Ascent, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Volvo XC90 isn't recommended.

The Subaru Ascent outsold the Volvo XC90 by 52% during 2023.

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