Compare the Subaru Ascentto the Honda Pilot and Toyota Highlander

As Atlantic City families search for a spacious SUV with first-class safety and technology features, they'll likely find themselves staring at a new Subaru Ascent. Among other mid-size three-row crossovers, the Subaru Ascent ascends above the competition on several fronts.

Still, most drivers along the Jersey Shore want to do their due diligence before buying a new SUV from our Subaru dealership in Pleasantville, NJ. To help you make an informed buying decision, we compare the Subaru Ascent head-to-head with some of its fiercest competition in the mid-size, three-row SUV class. Discover how the Subaru Ascent rises above competitors like the Honda Pilot and Toyota Highlander.

Subaru Ascent vs. Honda Pilot

Performance

The Subaru Ascent and Honda Pilot tout robust powertrains for mid-size SUVs, but each is uniquely different. The Honda Pilot can hold its own, thanks to a 3.5-liter V6 engine that produces 280 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque. The Subaru Ascent, meanwhile, is powered by a 2.4-liter turbocharged flat-four engine that mirrors in performance by outputting 260 horsepower and 277 pound-feet of torque. Don't forget that all Ascent SUVs have standard Subaru Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive. The Pilot isn't standard with all-wheel drive. When properly equipped, the Subaru Ascent's towing capacity of 5,000 pounds - Pleasantville drivers will be pleased.

The Honda Pilot has a max towing capacity of 3,500 pounds. These SUVs also mirror each other in fuel economy ratings, with the Subaru Ascent earning 21/27 (city/highway) miles per gallon compared to the Pilot's 20/27 miles per gallon ratings.

Safety & Technology

The Honda Sensing® safety suite is standard. It includes automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, and lane-keeping assistance, but it's missing standard blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert. Subaru EyeSight Driver Assist Technology is standard in all Ascent models, giving Pleasantville motorists peace of mind on the road with automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane-departure and sway warning, and a head-up display. Get blind-spot detection with rear cross-traffic alert on Premium, Limited, and Touring Ascent models. Steering-responsive LED headlights and high beam assist are standard, features notably missing from the standard Pilot model.

While the Honda Pilot has improved in past years, now coming standard with an eight-inch touchscreen and smartphone integration, you'll find it lacks the same readiness demonstrated by the Subaru Ascent. The Ascent offers a 14-speaker Harman Kardon® QuantumLogic™ surround-sound system, immersing you in your favorite music. The Honda Pilot will limit you to a 10-speaker sound system.

Interior Space

The Honda Pilot's three rows allow Pleasantville families to seat seven or eight passengers while offering 16.5 cubic feet of storage. Total cargo capacity lies at 83.9 cubic feet. New Jersey drivers will find that the Subaru Ascent - which also seats seven or eight passengers across three rows - offers more room, with 17.8 cubic feet of storage and a total cargo capacity of 86.5 cubic feet.

Subaru Ascent vs. Toyota Highlander

Performance

The Toyota Highlander's lone engine option, a 3.5-liter V6, churns out 295 horsepower and 263 pound-feet of torque. Both SUVs can tow 5,000 pounds, but the Highlander doesn't offer symmetrical all-wheel drive like the Subaru Ascent. The aforementioned 2.4-liter turbocharged flat-4 engine that powers the Ascent isn't far behind in horsepower ratings producing 260 ponies, and it edges the Highlander in torque ratings at 277 pound-feet. You'll earn 21/29 (city/highway) miles per gallon behind the wheel of a Toyota Highlander, only two miles per gallon more than the Subaru Ascent on Pleasantville highways.

Safety & Technology

The Toyota Highlander touts a mammoth 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen. While this is the largest infotainment setup in the mid-size SUV class, it's slightly misleading as Toyota doesn't provide it as a standard feature. Base Highlander SUVs are seen with an 8-inch touchscreen, matching the Subaru Ascent Touring's infotainment setup.

Toyota Safety Sense 2.5 is a standard safety suite seen on the Highlander, offering many of the same driver assists as the Subaru Ascent. The Subaru and Toyota SUVs offer blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, but Atlantic City drivers have to opt for a model above the base trim. The Subaru Ascent features Reverse Automatic Braking and LED Steering Responsive Headlights, options you can't find in the Highlander lineup.

Interior Space

The Toyota Highlander offers slightly less interior space with a 16 cubic-foot cargo hold and a total cargo capacity of 84 cubic feet. The Subaru Ascent's 17.8 and 86.5 cubic-foot ratings are among the highest in the mid-size SUV class.

Take Home a New Subaru Ascent from Ciocca Subaru of Pleasantville Today

While the Subaru Ascent and Honda Pilot mirror each other in price, base Highlander models check in with an MSRP a few thousand dollars higher than both SUVs. Save money by buying a new Subaru Ascent from Ciocca Subaru of Pleasantville, where we offer new Subaru specials on this prized SUV. Take a test drive around Pleasantville in a new Subaru Ascent to discover why it rises above the competition.

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  1. Ciocca Subaru of Pleasantville

    401 West Black Horse Pike
    Pleasantville, NJ 08232

    • Sales: 609-646-1500
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