2025 Subaru Ascent vs. Honda Pilot Exterior Design

Body, dynamic styling characterizes both the 2025 Subaru Ascent and 2025 Honda Pilot. Premium lighting is included with each SUV, with standard LED steering-responsive headlights and available LED fog lights on the Ascent, while the Pilot has standard LED headlights and fog lights. Both models make accessing the cargo area easy through a power tailgate, and the Pilot offers hands-free access and walk-away close in select trims. During frosty months, you can easily clear your side mirrors with a standard heated function on the Ascent, a function that’s available on the Pilot mirrors. During warmer months, appreciate the warm sun and fresh air via the power panoramic moonroof available in either model.

2025 Subaru Ascent vs. Honda Pilot Interior Design & Technology

Spacious, connected, and comfortable, the 2025 Subaru Ascent and 2025 Honda Pilot are designed for active lifestyles with all your favorite people along for the ride. Make memories in comfort using tri-zone automatic climate control, available heated and ventilated front seats, available heated second-row seats, and a heated steering wheel.

Cabin connect in the Ascent and CabinTalk® in the Pilot allow you to project your voice from the front seats to the rear seats through the sound system. Keeping your devices charged is key to modern adventures — which is why both SUVs offer USB charge ports in all three rows.

Third-row ports are standard in the Ascent and available in the Pilot. Both models offer an available wireless charger. In select trims, you can find a 120-volt power outlet in the Ascent and 110-volt power outlet in the Pilot.

Other notable differences between the two models include:

• Front Seat Adjustments — The Ascent is available with a 12-way power driver’s seat with four-way power lumbar support. Meanwhile, the Pilot includes a ten-way power driver’s seat. A four-way power-adjustable front passenger’s seat is available in both models.
• Interior Materials — Seat material choices in the Ascent include stain-resistant cloth, StarTex® water-repellent upholstery, leather, or Nappa leather. You can get the Pilot with cloth, leather, or synthetic leather.
• Infotainment and Displays — Every Ascent comes with an 11.6-inch infotainment display with wireless Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto™ capability, while the Pilot includes a standard 7-inch display with wired smartphone connection and offers a 9-inch display with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
• Branded Sound Systems — Appreciate a 14-speaker Harman Kardon® Quantum Logic surround sound system with a 792-watt-equivalent GreenEdge® amplifier in the Subaru Ascent or a 12-speaker Bose® sound system in the Honda Pilot.

2025 Subaru Ascent vs. Honda Pilot Engine Specs & Fuel Economy

Dynamic, energetic, and efficient performance awaits whether you pick the 2025 Subaru Ascent or 2025 Honda Pilot. Their engine size and structure are notably different, with a 2.4L turbocharged SUBARU BOXER® four-cylinder engine in the Ascent and a 3.5L V6 in the Pilot. The Honda offers more horsepower, but the Subaru engine delivers more torque. You’ll achieve slightly better fuel economy in city driving with the Ascent and slightly higher available highway fuel economy estimates in the Pilot. Maximum towing capacity for both SUVs tops out at 5,000 pounds.

Drivetrain availability and the transmissions also differ. You get standard symmetrical all-wheel drive (AWD) with the Ascent and a ten-speed automatic transmission with either front-wheel drive or AWD with the Pilot. Tailor the performance of your Ascent using X-MODE® or dual-function X-MODE on select models with selectable snow/dirt and deep snow/mud settings. Normal, econ, snow, tow, and sport modes are standard on the Pilot, and trail and sand mode is available.

Compare the engine specs for the Ascent and Pilot in the accompanying chart.

2025 Subaru Ascent vs. Honda Pilot Size & Cargo Space

Three rows of space and generous accommodations make the 2025 Subaru Ascent and 2025 Honda Pilot excellent all-around family adventure vehicles. Seat either seven or eight in either model, depending on whether the trim you pick has second-row captain’s chairs or a second-row bench seat. Both models provide excellent cargo space for all your moving-day boxes or recreational equipment, whether you have the rear seats folded down or keep them, with more overall cargo capacity in the Pilot.

Compare the key Honda Pilot and Subaru Ascent dimensions in the following chart.

2025 Subaru Ascent vs. Honda Pilot Safety Options & Features

Protect what matters most with advanced safety features in the 2025 Subaru Ascent and 2025 Honda Pilot. Both models support you with their own unique collection of driver assistance systems — EyeSight® driver assistance technology in the Ascent and Honda Sensing® in the Pilot. You’ll get a number of similar features and functions in the two, including lane-keeping support, automatic braking to avoid collisions, and adaptive cruise control. While each model includes a rearview camera with a built-in washer for clear visibility, both SUVs add to this view with a number of other camera views with the surround view monitor in the Ascent and multi-view camera system in the Pilot.

Available Subaru Ascent safety technology includes:

• EyeSight driver assistance technology
  • Advanced adaptive cruise control with lane centering
  • Pre-collision braking
  • Lane departure and sway warning
  • Lane-keep assist
  • Automatic emergency steering
• Blind spot detection with lane change assist and rear cross-traffic alert
• Reverse automatic braking
• Surround view monitor
• Rear vision camera with washer
• DriverFocus® distraction mitigation system
• High beam assist

Available safety features in the Honda Ascent include:

• Honda Sensing
  • Forward collision warning
  • Lane departure warning
  • Collision Mitigation Braking System™
  • Road departure mitigation system
  • Lane keeping assist system
  • Traffic jam assist
  • Adaptive cruise control with low-speed follow
  • Traffic sign recognition system
  • Auto high-beam headlights
  • Driver attention monitor
  • Blind spot information system
  • Cross traffic monitor
• Multi-angle rearview camera with dynamic guidelines and camera washer
• Low-speed braking control
• Front and rear parking sensors
• Multi-view camera system