Compare the2025 Lincoln AviatorVS 2024 Subaru Ascent

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Model Availability

Safety

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Both the Aviator and Ascent have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The Aviator has power child safety locks, allowing the driver to activate and deactivate them from the driver's seat and to know when they're engaged. The Ascent’s child locks have to be individually engaged at each rear door with a manual switch. The driver can’t know the status of the locks without opening the doors and checking them.

The Lincoln Aviator 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 Aviator has standard Post Collision Braking, which automatically apply the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Ascent doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

The Aviator has a standard blind spot warning system that 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/Onyx/Limited/Touring offers a blind spot warning system.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Aviator has standard Cross-Traffic Alert and Rear Cross Traffic Braking automatically engages the brakes to help avoid a collision. Only the Ascent Premium/Onyx/Limited/Touring offers Rear Cross Traffic Alert and the Ascent’s Rear Cross Traffic Alert does not include automatic braking.

Both the Aviator 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 and available all wheel drive.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Lincoln Aviator is safer than the Subaru Ascent:

	Aviator	Ascent
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	125	190
Neck Stress	167 lbs.	229 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	230/210 lbs.	159/292 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Chest Compression	.4 inches	.7 inches
Neck Injury Risk	29.2%	33%
Neck Stress	187 lbs.	197 lbs.
Neck Compression	129 lbs.	156 lbs.

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

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety does 40 MPH moderate front offset crash tests on new cars. In this updated test, results indicate that the Aviator is safer than the Ascent:

	Aviator	Ascent
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Structure	GOOD	GOOD
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Chest Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Thigh/hip Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Leg/foot Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Restraints	GOOD	GOOD
	Rear Passenger Injury Measures
Head/Neck Rating	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Chest Rating	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Thigh Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Restraints	ACCEPTABLE	ACCEPTABLE

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 Lincoln Aviator is safer than the Subaru Ascent:

	Aviator	Ascent
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Hip Force	224 lbs.	274 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	12 inches	18 inches
Spine Acceleration	39 G’s	52 G’s
Hip Force	573 lbs.	637 lbs.

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

Instrumented handling tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and analysis of its dimensions indicate that the Aviator is 1.9% to 2.3% less likely to roll over than the Ascent.

Warranty

The Aviator comes with a full 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck. The Ascent’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 14,000 miles sooner.

Lincoln’s powertrain warranty covers the Aviator 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Subaru covers the Ascent. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 6 years or 70,000 miles. Coverage on the Ascent ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

Reliability

The Lincoln Aviator’s engine uses a cast iron block for durability, while the Ascent’s engine uses an aluminum block. Aluminum engine blocks are much more prone to warp and crack at high temperatures than cast iron.

The Aviator has a standard “limp home system” to keep drivers from being stranded if most or all of the engine’s coolant is lost. The engine will run on only half of its cylinders at a time, reduce its power and light a warning lamp on the dashboard so the driver can get to a service station for repairs. The Ascent doesn’t offer a lost coolant limp home mode, so a coolant leak could strand you or seriously damage the truck’s engine.

Engine

The Aviator’s 3.0 turbo V6 produces 140 more horsepower (400 vs. 260) and 138 lbs.-ft. more torque (415 vs. 277) than the Ascent’s 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Lincoln Aviator is faster than the Subaru Ascent:

	Aviator	Ascent
Zero to 60 MPH	5.4 sec	7.5 sec
Quarter Mile	14.1 sec	16 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	97.7 MPH	88.6 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the Aviator’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 Aviator has almost a gallon more fuel capacity than the Ascent (20.2 vs. 19.3 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The Aviator 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.

Brakes and Stopping

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

	Aviator	Ascent
Front Rotors	13.6 inches	13.1 inches
Rear Rotors	13.8 inches	13 inches

The Aviator stops shorter than the Ascent:

	Aviator	Ascent
60 to 0 MPH	124 feet	125 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Aviator has larger standard tires than the Ascent (255/55R20 vs. 245/60R18). The Aviator’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Ascent (275/40R22 vs. 245/60R18).

The Aviator’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 55 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Ascent’s standard 60 series tires. The Aviator’s optional tires have a lower 40 series profile than the Ascent Onyx/Limited/Touring’s 50 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Aviator has standard 20-inch wheels. Smaller 18-inch wheels are standard on the Ascent. The Aviator’s optional 22-inch wheels are larger than the 20-inch wheels on the Ascent Onyx/Limited/Touring.

Suspension and Handling

The Aviator has standard front and rear gas-charged shocks for better control over choppy roads. The Ascent’s suspension doesn’t offer gas-charged shocks.

The Aviator has a standard driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads or off-road. The Ascent’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

The Aviator has a standard automatic front and rear load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The Aviator’s height leveling suspension allows the driver to raise ride height for better off-road clearance and then lower it again for easier entering and exiting and better on-road handling. The Ascent doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

The Aviator has vehicle speed sensitive variable-assist power steering, for low-effort parking, better control at highway speeds and during hard cornering, and a better feel of the road. The Ascent doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

The Aviator’s drift compensation steering can automatically compensate for road conditions which would cause the vehicle to drift from side to side, helping the driver to keep the vehicle straight more easily. The Ascent doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Aviator’s wheelbase is 5.3 inches longer than on the Ascent (119.1 inches vs. 113.8 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Aviator is 2.5 inches wider in the front and 2.7 inches wider in the rear than on the Ascent.

The Aviator’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (51% to 49%) than the Ascent’s (54.2% to 45.8%). This gives the Aviator more stable handling and braking.

The Aviator AWD handles at .80 G’s, while the Ascent Limited pulls only .78 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

Chassis

The front grille of the Aviator 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 Aviator Reserve/Black Label 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.

Passenger Space

The Aviator has .3 inches more front headroom, .8 inches more front legroom, .7 inches more front hip room, .4 inches more front shoulder room, .4 inches more rear legroom, 1.1 inches more rear hip room, 1 inch more rear shoulder room and .7 inches more third row headroom than the Ascent.

Cargo Capacity

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

	Aviator	Ascent
Behind Third Seat	18.3 cubic feet	17.8 cubic feet
Second Seat Folded	77.7 cubic feet	75.6 cubic feet

Pressing a button automatically lowers the Aviator’s second row seats and pressing a button automatically lowers or raises the third row seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The Ascent doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

Towing

The Aviator’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Ascent’s (5000 vs. 2000 pounds).

Servicing Ease

The Aviator uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Ascent uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

Ergonomics

The Aviator’s standard easy entry system raises the steering wheel and glides the driver’s seat back, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The Ascent doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The Aviator offers an optional heads-up display that projects speed, certain gauge, warning, turn signal 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 Aviator and the Ascent have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Aviator 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 Aviator’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.

If the windows are left open on the Aviator the driver can close them all from a distance using the remote. On a hot day the driver can also lower the windows the same way. The driver of the Ascent can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Aviator has standard Intelligent Access that allows you to unlock the doors from either front door handle, open the cargo door, and start the engine, all without removing the key from the pocket or purse. Keyless Access and Start costs extra on the Ascent and isn’t available on the Ascent Base.

The Aviator’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The Ascent’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

The Aviator’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Subaru only offers heated mirrors on the Ascent Premium/Onyx/Limited/Touring.

The Aviator has standard front air conditioned seats and offers them optionally in the second row. This keeps the passengers comfortable and takes the sting out of hot seats in summer. The Ascent doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats for the second row.

The Aviator has a standard heated steering wheel to take the chill out of steering on extremely cold winter days before the vehicle heater warms up. A heated steering wheel is only available on the Ascent Onyx/Limited/Touring.

The Aviator (except Premiere) offers optional massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the Ascent.

The Lincoln Aviator has a standard Homelink wireless remote control system for garage door operation and device management, conveniently located on the driver’s visor. Homelink® eliminates the need for separate garage door openers and associated risks of losing, breaking, or having dead batteries. Subaru charges extra for Homelink® on the Ascent.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Lincoln Aviator has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Wireless charging costs extra on the Ascent.

The Aviator (except Premiere)’s optional Active Park Assist Plus can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. The Ascent doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Model Availability

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

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