Compare the2024 Subaru AscentVS 2023 Toyota Sequoia

Full-time four-wheel drive is standard on the Ascent. Full-time four-wheel drive gives added traction for safety in all conditions, not just off-road, like the only system available on the Sequoia. Four-wheel drive of any type costs extra on the Sequoia.

The Ascent’s optional 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 Sequoia doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

For better protection of the passenger compartment, the Ascent uses safety cell construction with a three-dimensional high-strength frame that surrounds the passenger compartment. It provides extra impact protection and a sturdy mounting location for door hardware and side impact beams. The Sequoia uses a body-on-frame design, which has no frame members above the floor of the vehicle.

Both the Ascent and the Sequoia have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, 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 and rear cross-path warning.

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 Sequoia has not been tested, yet.

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 Toyota vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Subaru above average in initial quality. With 9 more problems per 100 vehicles, Toyota is rated below average.

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

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

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

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 Sequoia doesn’t offer a CVT.

The Ascent stops much shorter than the Sequoia:

The Ascent’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 60 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Sequoia’s standard 70 series tires.

The Ascent has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the Ascent flat and controlled during cornering. The Sequoia’s suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

The Ascent Touring handles at .80 G’s, while the Sequoia Capstone 4x4 pulls only .76 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the Ascent’s turning circle is 2.2 feet tighter than the Sequoia’s (38 feet vs. 40.2 feet). The Ascent’s turning circle is 6.6 feet tighter than the Sequoia TRD Pro’s (38 feet vs. 44.6 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Ascent has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Sequoia (8.7 vs. 8.6 inches), allowing the Ascent to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The Subaru Ascent may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 1200 to 1600 pounds less than the Toyota Sequoia.

The Ascent is 11.3 inches shorter than the Sequoia, making the Ascent easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

Unibody construction lowers the Ascent’s center of gravity significantly without reducing ground clearance. This contributes to better on the road handling and better off-road performance and stability. In addition, unibody construction makes the chassis stiffer, improving handling and reducing squeaks and rattles. The Sequoia doesn’t use unibody construction, but a body-on-frame design.

The Ascent has 2 inches more front headroom, 1 inch more front legroom, 1.6 inches more rear headroom and .6 inches more third row headroom than the Sequoia.

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

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 Sequoia 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 Sequoia doesn’t offer cornering lights.

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

The Subaru Ascent outsold the Toyota Sequoia by almost 12 to one during 2022.