Thanks for watching! In a couple of the text boxes 'Highlander' accidentally appears. The specs (numbers) are CORRECT, we just forgot to change the label. We apologize for any confusion!
I just bought the Ascent Touring model. We traded in a Honda Crosstour. The Crosstour was nice for its first 50Kmi. But it went down hill sharply after that. We kept the Honda til it had 100,000. It was on its way for a second major repair for the front axles. Brakes always sucked. We have only had one day with the new Ascent, but its our second Subaru. I drive a 2018 Legacy as my work car. The Eyesight cruise control was the selling feature that I bought the car for. Drive into the city daily. The Eye sight operates in stop and go traffic. I only have to steer the car. Gas and braking is all done by the car. The system works wonderfully. Takes all the stress out of bumper to bumper stop and go traffic. Ive owned the Legacy for just 1 yr. put a whopping 40K miles on it. The car just continues to impress me. Never in a million years would I think I would own a Subaru. Im a GM and Dodge guy my whole life. Tried Honda for the last two cars. A civic and a CrossTour. Ill never buy another Honda again. Their reliability reputation didn't hold true for my two cars. Neither did GM. I still own my Dodge Ram and love it. Now for the Ascent, we love the interior and updated electronics. Fit and Finish is top of the line. My wife and I both like the styling. Its beautiful inside and out. Only think I am not happy about is the Financing % Subaru offers.
smart one I totally agree with ur comment. I test drove the ascent and also sat in third row. I’m only 5’8” and my head was touching the ceiling in the 3rd row seat of the ascent. I didn’t have that issue in the third row of the pilot. I’m still a huge fan of the ascent. The biggest beef with the ascent is every stealer I’ve talked to isn’t willing to discus invoice pricing. Msrp isn’t going to sell me. I’ll wait.
Oscar Verduzco, if you go through a third party ex. Costco auto, or a car buying program through your credit union, you will always get some kind of a discount, even for newly released models. You should check those out once your dealer gets some inventory in July.
i was also surprized that cars were not rated on room available in 3rd row seats. its one of the main reason those cars even exist. why would someone buy ether of those if they did not care about 3rd row? there are better options with 2 rows, both better for off roading, city driving, cheaper...etc.
The Honda (and Highlander) are great vehicles so "better" is often a matter of preference. My Ascent will be Subie #7 for me when it arrives because of the symmetrical AWD and Eyesight. Nobody else does these technologies better than Subaru. That's not a matter of opinion. Thanks for the video!
You do know Toyota started doing tss+ on every car since 2018 right? I would rather take a 4Runner vs the ascent as it still comes with a lame cvt. 4Runner is full fledge 4WD vs a symmetrical awd.
iseeu2002 As I said, they're all good vehicles and it's a matter of preference between features. I do mostly highway driving but have a mountain cabin I use year round up a 1.5 mile dirt road with 16% grades so traction is really important to me. CVT technology is in more and more vehicles for s reason and Toyota's TSS system doesn't perform like Subaru Eyesight (standard on all Advents). If I wanted an enclosed small 4WD pickup truck with terrible gas mileage I might look at a 4runner. Toyota and Subaru are related companies (until last year Toyota Camrys were built in the same plant as the Subaru Outback) so settle down my friend and peace out.
...and the 4Runner is one of the Toyota vehicles that does not offer TSS+. Not sure why you brought the 4Runner into this fight. It is a full body-on-frame truck, not a 3-row crossover like the Highlander, Pilot and Ascent.
true. though it doesnt happen all the time but that subaru awd had always saved me from conditions like going over the grassy area of the highway due to emergency traffic situations like flood or a bad accident. I've seen trucks and 2wd suvs get stuck doing this. but me and my forester got through it like nothing.
I have a friend who is a Honda mechanic, and he also works on Toyota, Subaru, Mazda; he also owns three Hondas (Odyssey ,TL, and S2000), and he recently sold his WRX STI. In his opinion, the overall Honda vehicle engineering is superior to Subaru, in particular, he points out that he has encountered more issues with the Subaru 4 cylinder engines than the Honda 6 cylinders units; bottom line, he would check the reliability box for Honda vs Subaru.
The Ascent has remote start and climate controls, seat heat etc through your Cell phone, not just a line of sight fob. It is subscription based though 375 for 7 years which also includes car location in Google maps.
I've driven both of these vehicles recently and although the Pilot has higher torque and horsepower, the Ascent can access this power at 2,000 rpms, making the Ascent much quicker vs the Pilot not reaching power til much later on. That point should be taken from the Pilot and given where it deserves.
I know this video is old but I watched this to purchase a 2020 Honda Pilot EXL AWD (8 seaters, nobody realistically purchases this with 7 seaters for a family mover). When purchasing in this segment of SUV it's mainly for family movers. I'll list out a few of the good and bad on both vehicles since I tested drove both for over an hour. Pilot + Armrest here is a win since it saves so much space on the middle console for storage like a minivan + Storage on the door of Pilot is so much more practical + Seating feel higher even though it is almost 1 inch less than the Ascent ground clearance +/- It feels like a higher Odyssey (I owned an Odyssey) For me that's a plus because I love the Odyssey but I need AWD. - Acceleration and cornering is not as good as Ascent - Styling is dated - Interior material is not as nice Ascent + Acceleration and corning with minimal body roll + Better styling (interior) + Huge ass moonroof (I never use a moon/sunroof in 20 years of driving and all my cars have it) +++ AVH, that mode that holds the brake for you at a stoplight or in heavy traffic is a blessing +/- It feels smaller despite being the same size (not a pro or con depending on personal taste) - Ridiculous Brake and Acc pad, it feels very awkward to switch my foot between the two. I feel like I have to turn my entire right leg just to reach the brake pad. This needs to be re-engineered. - Horribly low and short armrest, this is very noticeable right away when I try to get comfortable when doing a test drive. I can't rest my right arm without tilting my whole body to the right or being able to reach the steering wheel with my right arm if it's resting. I"m 5"8 so maybe NBA players have a better chance than I do. - Not much storage inside the car, it's very minimal and not practical at all (this failed because as a family mover, you have kids and lots of things to carry with) - Subaru safety features have to be manually turned off every time if you don't want it beeping at you. I really hate that annoying lane change assists beep and having to hard-pressed the button for 5 seconds to turn off every time you start the car again. Honda (borrowed SH-AWD) i-VTM$ vs. Subaru AWD I have yet got to test these on snow, mud, and sand but from research, it seems the Honda i-vtm4 seem to be on par with Subaru if not better in some situation. I will be living in a snow region in a couple months and these two seem to be the best AWD system for this segment of SUV.
People that say Honda is garbage or Subaru is garbage is very misleading for everyone out there. Both are great brands and the ascent and pilot are overall great suvs. The fact that if you haven’t ever driven either one or have ever owned either brand, you have no way of saying anything until you do. So keep your comments to yourself.
14-8 for the Subaru and Honda respectively, if not counting minor -5% difference and preferences. The Subaru has standard symmetrical all wheel drive on all trims, the exterior uses LED on all lighting, and a few advanced safety features e.g. front camera. The Honda has a conventional automatic, an interior with many storage spaces, and the rear seats offers an integrated entertainment system and are spacious.
Huge fan of the Subaru Outback, but the Ascent looks a little lacking in its presentation. However dated Pilot may seem, it has a more “substantial” feel to it.
Problem with the Ascent is that yes its about 3k cheaper, but I can get 1.9% APR on the Pilot and an absurd 3.49% on the Ascent. Thats another $4,000 in interest you are paying on the Subie. So for now, until they offer 0% APR, the Pilot is actually cheaper.
Seriously, you gave a point to Honda for a 0.9 percent difference in range? 0.9 percent? I hope you don't ever have to see if the Pilot will actually go the additional 4 miles.
For future videos we are changing it to at least a 5% difference to receive a point. I agree, that was not really a fair thing to do. Hope you still enjoyed the rest of the video!
I was about to buy a pilot but decided to check out Subaru just in case. When I got there I never even heard about the ascent, after testing both I’m glad I went with the Subaru. And it was about 5000 dollars cheaper
while I would rather have a v6 and an automatic in a car this size, you cant beat the AWD system of Subaru for winter climates and the piano black accents that Honda uses finger print and scratch like crazy, The Subaru gets my vote for analog gauges and they tend to better insulate against wind noise. I would take the Subaru
I don't think this was a 2019 pilot elite since there's no volume button.Also the instrument panel for the speedometer is completely digital. I have a 2019 pilot Touring and this looks nothing like mine.
Some may prefer the gas filler door to be on the right, like the Subaru. Since not many cars in the US have the right hand rear fuel filler door, and with busy gas stations, I find that I don't have to wait in line as much to get gas due to shorter gas hoses that cannot get around the car to the left opposite side. Because my 2018 Subaru Outback is right handed. Looking at your video of the interior the Subaru Accent shares a lot of the interior hardware with my Outback. This saves on the cost of manufacturing, thus can pass the lower cost savings on to the customer end user. This would account for the lower price of the Accent.
For me I'd go with the Honda. Proven reliability, fantastic resale, naturally aspirated 3.5 liter uber reliable V6. The 9 speed transmission in the Honda is also used by Acura, Range Rover and others. I'm just not sold on the CVT's yet, particularly for a 5.000# tow rating. There's a reason CVT's aren't used in high torque applications. I don't see the advantage to having a CVT in a SUV that you may be towing with, particularly if you're not getting better fuel economy with it.
You are thinking Accord. Odyssey and Pilot aren't that reliable. Engine and transmission failures are very common. That 3.5 is burning up valves. 9 speed is being complained about by owners for years now. Subaru have the highest resale values, right next to Tacoma and Wrangler. That Subaru CVT is bullet proof. Designed for the 400hp Audis and Subaru uses it for 300hp applications. Engine on the other hand, is new and unproven.
Its YoMama I think thats a pretty poor attitude to have considering how different the tribeca is from anything in the current subaru lineup. The tribeca was horrible and everyone knows it, but the ascent truly seems to be a worthy competitor of the best vehicles in the 3 row midsize suv class
We bought a 3 yr old Tribeca in 2012 and it's still going strong at 160,000+. Our driveway goes uphill off of a hill and the Tribeca is by far the best vehicle we've owned for driving in the snow (if everyone had one I would never have to get the snow plow out). My brother has a Pilot and it's not near as good.
The Pilot should receive a significant refresh this coming fall as a 2019 since this will be its third year since last redesign. Hopefully they will replace the infotainment to the one in Accord and Odyssey.There is a good chance the 2019 Pilot will also get the 10 speed auto that is used in the Accord and Odyssey which is much better than the 9 speed currently in use.I also read the 2019 Pilot could have a hybrid option. One photo I saw it seems the refreshed Pilot is less "bulbous" looking in the front and better looking in my opinion.
billschoe43 one baby wants juice. then 2 mins later wants her milk. the other wanted chocolate milk. got bored with it it wants apple juice. thats 4 bottles for just two kids in ave. in my experience. we have a 2 yr old, a 3 yr old and one on the way. so make that six. plus 2 adults lets say one water bottle each and a soft drink bottle so thats ten. even though thats not 19 bottle holders but its good thats its placed all around the vehicle so wherever the occupant may be there's plenty nearby. our Honda oddysey minivan have this problem. my kids are trained to always put them at the bottle holders. once its all occupied they throw it on the floor and now theres milk spots all over the place. but hell why should anyone base water bottle as a buying point lol. in the end buy wat u want lol.
What I'd like to see is a comparison of their AWD performance. Subaru's AWD is supposed to be the best, but I've seen some reviews where the Pilot's AWD is pretty good too. The technology isn't all that new any more, so it'd be interesting to know if Subaru still has a commanding lead or if others have caught up.
I love how the Pilot sits up nice and tall - and it does look nice.. The Ascent has a much better interior dashboard/controls.. Thanks to Subaru for going (much) more traditional.. The Pilot's dashboard is Weird looking and not very attractive. But I do like the Pilot's steering wheel better. I wish I could take the Subaru's dashboards/controls and traditional shifter and put it into the Pilot.. That would be an awesome SUV.
I'm imagining a situation where a family of 8 goes on a vacation towing their 5000lb camping trailer with the Ascent, and ends up in a situation where there's a CVT lugging 5 tons up a mountain pass in rural Colorado. Yikes...
We asians literally droolling on this.. and yet subaru didnt bother making rhd version of this ascent for us... Im pretty sure this will be a big hit in uk,oz and malaysia/singapore
NGL, Love the Ascent. No hate on any 3 row except the Highlander because it’s just kinda small for a 3-row. But I still feel like the Telluride beats every 3-row on the market. But this is just my opinion.
TJC450 the atlas is a decent amount larger than the ascent, the closest competition to the atlas is the traverse. Both of which have nearly 100 cubic ft of space with seats down, 15 more than the ascent and pilot. Ive also sat in the rear of both pilot and atlas and the atlas feels like a limo theres so much room. So the pilot/highlander are the closest competition to the ascent.
Finally! Been waiting for this one. I am still sold on the Subie but yeah love the pilot and Highlander. If Subaru wasn’t bringing out the Ascent I most likely would have ended up with the Pilot but Wishing I would have done Highlander because of the questionable transmission in Pilot. I get to test drive the Ascent this Friday! I’m pumped and ready to see if that 4 banger with that CVT is going to be satisfying enough to get one I’m sold on everything else about it. Thanks for the great reviews!
Jake Stoler After 4 months of shopping all of the desirable 3 row Crossovers out there I went with the Toyota Highlander. Here’s why, the Subaru had 3 things that scared me 1) CVT 2)Direct injection only 3) Brand new turbo 4 cylinder motor. On top of that it’s a first year model and first of its kind as the Tribeca was much smaller. Now what sold me on the Highlander is the smooth 8 speed transmission and the naturally aspirating 6 Cylinder motor with both “Port” and “Direct” injection. Comfortable, practical, reliable, durable, and all that proven with top consumer rated brand. Also was able to get a great deal at the dealership. I know it don’t have as much cargo capacity and bells and whistles but it was all good enough for me to be content with spending 45K. I have a feeling I’m going to keep this vehicle for a very long time. It’s fantastic and I’m confident I made the right choice.
Joseph Kraft I feel like there are going to be a lot of CVT converts with the Ascent. Subaru struggled for a while, but I think they have worked out a lot of the kinks. I dont mind the direct injection, but I am with you on being a bit iffy on a brand new motor in a first of its kind car. I have an Outback now and had a WRX about 10 years ago, I love me some Subarus, but they don't have the best track record when it comes to brand new engine componenets, much less a whole new engine. Takes them a year or two to work out the bugs and then it is bullet proof.
A Boy and His Subaru yes I’m not saying it’s a bad vehicle at all. I loved it and it was my first choice. It drove the best and was perfect as far as cargo space and design. Beautiful vehicle. But I needed to feel good about my purchase. I used logic rather than emotion PLUS tags would have been 100.00 more for the Subaru and an additional 10 bucks a month on my insurance over the brand new highlander so that also made Highlander a better value for me. Subaru is fantastic and does have a top 6 place in reliability over all. Everyone who owns a Subaru loves it. If I were to take that risk it would be with a Subaru and no doubt I would buy a Toyota with a CVT in fact my wife drives a Corolla with it and it’s fine. I guess there was just too much newness there for me but maybe after a few years of this being out and getting positive reviews I may again consider it.
@@josephkraft5640 toyotas last forever, I still have a 4runner from 2003 that works great. But that said I heard they will be changing the Highlander model either next year or 2020 as it's nearing the end of its design cycle. So I would have waited.
Just traded in my highway only driving of the Subaru Ascent. New transmission at 40K. Bad CVT!! They did not get it right!!! I can't afford to replace my transmission every 40k. :( Got a Lexus instead.
I eyesight and the AWD is better in the Subaru but I need reliable. The transmission needs to last. I know Toyota owns 25% of Subaru. So why would they not give Subaru their CVT transmissions...Cmon!!! Sorry Lexus but the eyesight is better with Subaru... I loved my Subaru. I just wish they would have put a better transmission and better tires. Seriously!!!!
Love my Honda Pilot touring has free hand tailgate access. Third row has bigger room. Subaru has affordable price but Honda is reliable and better engine.
This is why the Honda Pilot should be the facelift for the 2019 Model. I highly guarantee that there will be the new updated infotainment system (Accord-Odyssey type) with physical buttons and knobs, hands free liftgate, led headlights and taillights, wireless charging, electronic parking brake and brake hold button, maybe 360 birds eye view as the first Honda to have this, a newly updated driver dashboard plus a heads up display, and a HondaVac that the odyssey isn’t the only Honda to have this
At 6:31 in the video when yo look the side of the Subaru it has the same wheels as the rouge and almost the same body style as the rougeand when you just look at the whole entire image you can see that it looks like the rogue even the headlamps on the side please compare it and you will see what I mean
I don't like the front seats in the Ascent. The driver's seat has a pull-out extension to make the seat longer in front, to give more leg support for people with longer thighs, I guess. To me it just feels gimmicky and sloppy. When it's open it leaves an open horizontal channel across the seat, and when it's closed it doesn't quite close all the way. No thanks. On the passenger side, the seat is not height adjustable and the seat is too high to allow easy entry. Easy entry and exit is one thing I especially appreciate about my Forester. I was hoping for the same from the Ascent. Oh, and it doesn't come in Jasmine Green. Strike three.
Same on the Mercedes I"m currently renting. Its a great option so shorter people are comfortable in normal position and taller can extend the support bit. You're basically saying you don't like a nice feature, justifying that with inconsequential negatives.
Clearly, seating is not "one size fits all". I'm a tall driver and love the length extenders on the Ascent. Most driver seats cut me off mid-thigh resulting in poor circulation and stiffness on long drives. The extended Ascent driver seat is much less fatiguing.
Very biased video With edges given to Subaru even when there wasn’t much difference in most areas I’m not saying Subaru sucks I do own a pilot and it’s definitely a better looking vehicle compared to the Subaru but I gues that’s one reason I chose it it’s my 4th pilot all were great vehicles
Subaru has no match quality over other asian brands. Ugly but reliable, comfortable, best awd and largest in segment.. ascent will kill highlander and pilot sales for good.. cvt would be concern if pilot wouldnt have the crapiest 9 speed transmission to compare but as it has it, case closed...
subaru had a huge opportunity with the ascent and the concept car was beautiful. then they took the outback and stretched it. subaru has the best awd and i used to cruise through the snow in my legacy but the car was boring in both looks and fun and it appears that hasn't changed with the Ascent. They need to catch up with the technology and add a bit of excitement to their cars. Great for safety/snow, lacking in literally everything else.
Good luck towing 5000 pounds in high winds or at high speeds with that rubber band transmission. I will take the proven and powerful 3.5 v6 and 9 speed in the Pilot. Everything else is essentially a wash.
Agreed. 2.4L Turbo is already stretching it out for the ascent. Boxer motors are garbage. Honda 3.5L has been proven over and over. Thats why they keep producing them. Glad I spent the extra money on a Honda vs buying a scooby doo
Hey freak and geek. In a couple of years from now that new Ascent is going to be a piece of junk with leaking oil head gasket that will need to be replaced every 15,000 miles but my Honda pilot will have over 200,000 miles
Hank V you're about 12 years late on the headgasket fix, apparently. Lol only an issue on the old EJ251 engines prior to 2006. After that, there was a common failure with ringlands which has also been addressed. I highly doubt Subaru would overlook such a glaring issue with a brand new motor, especially considering the success of the new FA20 motor. Which btw has thus far been bulletproof. (PS, the STi still uses the EJ25. Know why? Because if you've ironed out all the issues, why fix what isnt broken? Lol) Do a little more research and try again! :)
The Subaru Ascent is designed to run on 87 octane (US). Sure, it will be happier with higher octane, but it's explicitly designed to run on 87: it does NOT need premium.
The Subaru will maintain engine power at higher elevations since it's turbocharged. Higher elevations means less air density hence less oxygen available for the fuel combustion inside the engine. Force inductions system like a turbocharger rectifies this issue.
Thanks for watching! In a couple of the text boxes 'Highlander' accidentally appears. The specs (numbers) are CORRECT, we just forgot to change the label. We apologize for any confusion!
Car Confections any chance you would be able to do Volvo XC90 vs Audi Q7
My mom just got the Ascent Touring and it’s literally the best thing ever in my opinion
That's a nice car!
I just bought the Ascent Touring model. We traded in a Honda Crosstour. The Crosstour was nice for its first 50Kmi. But it went down hill sharply after that. We kept the Honda til it had 100,000. It was on its way for a second major repair for the front axles. Brakes always sucked. We have only had one day with the new Ascent, but its our second Subaru. I drive a 2018 Legacy as my work car. The Eyesight cruise control was the selling feature that I bought the car for. Drive into the city daily. The Eye sight operates in stop and go traffic. I only have to steer the car. Gas and braking is all done by the car. The system works wonderfully. Takes all the stress out of bumper to bumper stop and go traffic. Ive owned the Legacy for just 1 yr. put a whopping 40K miles on it. The car just continues to impress me. Never in a million years would I think I would own a Subaru. Im a GM and Dodge guy my whole life. Tried Honda for the last two cars. A civic and a CrossTour. Ill never buy another Honda again. Their reliability reputation didn't hold true for my two cars. Neither did GM. I still own my Dodge Ram and love it. Now for the Ascent, we love the interior and updated electronics. Fit and Finish is top of the line. My wife and I both like the styling. Its beautiful inside and out. Only think I am not happy about is the Financing % Subaru offers.
Why is it pointless to talk about 3rd row space??? That’s very important for a lot of people.
smart one I totally agree with ur comment. I test drove the ascent and also sat in third row. I’m only 5’8” and my head was touching the ceiling in the 3rd row seat of the ascent. I didn’t have that issue in the third row of the pilot. I’m still a huge fan of the ascent. The biggest beef with the ascent is every stealer I’ve talked to isn’t willing to discus invoice pricing. Msrp isn’t going to sell me. I’ll wait.
I was just referring to the official numbers. Obviously I did show rear the rear space (I am 5'8"). Headroom was fine in both. How this helps!
Oscar Verduzco, if you go through a third party ex. Costco auto, or a car buying program through your credit union, you will always get some kind of a discount, even for newly released models. You should check those out once your dealer gets some inventory in July.
Do you have a huge afro or something? I'm 5'10" and can fit in the third row of an Ascent with maybe an inch or so to spare.
i was also surprized that cars were not rated on room available in 3rd row seats. its one of the main reason those cars even exist. why would someone buy ether of those if they did not care about 3rd row? there are better options with 2 rows, both better for off roading, city driving, cheaper...etc.
The radio on the Ascent has knobs for volume and station tuning, the Pilot you have to go to the touch screen, I like knobs.
Yeah you do
The Honda (and Highlander) are great vehicles so "better" is often a matter of preference. My Ascent will be Subie #7 for me when it arrives because of the symmetrical AWD and Eyesight. Nobody else does these technologies better than Subaru. That's not a matter of opinion. Thanks for the video!
You do know Toyota started doing tss+ on every car since 2018 right? I would rather take a 4Runner vs the ascent as it still comes with a lame cvt. 4Runner is full fledge 4WD vs a symmetrical awd.
iseeu2002 As I said, they're all good vehicles and it's a matter of preference between features. I do mostly highway driving but have a mountain cabin I use year round up a 1.5 mile dirt road with 16% grades so traction is really important to me. CVT technology is in more and more vehicles for s reason and Toyota's TSS system doesn't perform like Subaru Eyesight (standard on all Advents). If I wanted an enclosed small 4WD pickup truck with terrible gas mileage I might look at a 4runner. Toyota and Subaru are related companies (until last year Toyota Camrys were built in the same plant as the Subaru Outback) so settle down my friend and peace out.
...and the 4Runner is one of the Toyota vehicles that does not offer TSS+. Not sure why you brought the 4Runner into this fight. It is a full body-on-frame truck, not a 3-row crossover like the Highlander, Pilot and Ascent.
true. though it doesnt happen all the time but that subaru awd had always saved me from conditions like going over the grassy area of the highway due to emergency traffic situations like flood or a bad accident. I've seen trucks and 2wd suvs get stuck doing this. but me and my forester got through it like nothing.
iseeu2002 3rd row awd or 4x4 in 4 runner is not offered i think? allthough I've seen a 4 runner with optionl 3rd row but no awd or 4x4.
I have a friend who is a Honda mechanic, and he also works on Toyota, Subaru, Mazda; he also owns three Hondas (Odyssey ,TL, and S2000), and he recently sold his WRX STI. In his opinion, the overall Honda vehicle engineering is superior to Subaru, in particular, he points out that he has encountered more issues with the Subaru 4 cylinder engines than the Honda 6 cylinders units; bottom line, he would check the reliability box for Honda vs Subaru.
Superior awd, superior safety system, better handling. Subaru is the no brainer
The Ascent has remote start and climate controls, seat heat etc through your Cell phone, not just a line of sight fob. It is subscription based though 375 for 7 years which also includes car location in Google maps.
I've driven both of these vehicles recently and although the Pilot has higher torque and horsepower, the Ascent can access this power at 2,000 rpms, making the Ascent much quicker vs the Pilot not reaching power til much later on. That point should be taken from the Pilot and given where it deserves.
The pilot has less torque, only hp is higher but your other facts hold true
I know this video is old but I watched this to purchase a 2020 Honda Pilot EXL AWD (8 seaters, nobody realistically purchases this with 7 seaters for a family mover). When purchasing in this segment of SUV it's mainly for family movers. I'll list out a few of the good and bad on both vehicles since I tested drove both for over an hour.
Pilot
+ Armrest here is a win since it saves so much space on the middle console for storage like a minivan
+ Storage on the door of Pilot is so much more practical
+ Seating feel higher even though it is almost 1 inch less than the Ascent ground clearance
+/- It feels like a higher Odyssey (I owned an Odyssey) For me that's a plus because I love the Odyssey but I need AWD.
- Acceleration and cornering is not as good as Ascent
- Styling is dated
- Interior material is not as nice
Ascent
+ Acceleration and corning with minimal body roll
+ Better styling (interior)
+ Huge ass moonroof (I never use a moon/sunroof in 20 years of driving and all my cars have it)
+++ AVH, that mode that holds the brake for you at a stoplight or in heavy traffic is a blessing
+/- It feels smaller despite being the same size (not a pro or con depending on personal taste)
- Ridiculous Brake and Acc pad, it feels very awkward to switch my foot between the two. I feel like I have to turn my entire right leg just to reach the brake pad. This needs to be re-engineered.
- Horribly low and short armrest, this is very noticeable right away when I try to get comfortable when doing a test drive. I can't rest my right arm without tilting my whole body to the right or being able to reach the steering wheel with my right arm if it's resting. I"m 5"8 so maybe NBA players have a better chance than I do.
- Not much storage inside the car, it's very minimal and not practical at all (this failed because as a family mover, you have kids and lots of things to carry with)
- Subaru safety features have to be manually turned off every time if you don't want it beeping at you. I really hate that annoying lane change assists beep and having to hard-pressed the button for 5 seconds to turn off every time you start the car again.
Honda (borrowed SH-AWD) i-VTM$ vs. Subaru AWD
I have yet got to test these on snow, mud, and sand but from research, it seems the Honda i-vtm4 seem to be on par with Subaru if not better in some situation.
I will be living in a snow region in a couple months and these two seem to be the best AWD system for this segment of SUV.
People that say Honda is garbage or Subaru is garbage is very misleading for everyone out there. Both are great brands and the ascent and pilot are overall great suvs. The fact that if you haven’t ever driven either one or have ever owned either brand, you have no way of saying anything until you do. So keep your comments to yourself.
As an actual Subaru owner, I will say they are great vehicles.
Do the AWD test pilot would get destroyed by Subaru
14-8 for the Subaru and Honda respectively, if not counting minor -5% difference and preferences.
The Subaru has standard symmetrical all wheel drive on all trims, the exterior uses LED on all lighting, and a few advanced safety features e.g. front camera. The Honda has a conventional automatic, an interior with many storage spaces, and the rear seats offers an integrated entertainment system and are spacious.
Great review! I love how you show a simultaneous shot of both vehicles while you narrate... awesome job!! I shall subscribe and like you channel
Thanks! Welcome to the"family"! 🙂
Would love to see a Subaru Ascent comparison with the VW Atlas
evilmountainlion612 talking out of your ass. Vw is average for the market. Rated higher than Subaru
atlas is meh
better than the POS BMW became
the atlas has worst gas mileage and more plastic cheap interior for a higher price as well as a very unzippy acceleration.
Huge fan of the Subaru Outback, but the Ascent looks a little lacking in its presentation. However dated Pilot may seem, it has a more “substantial” feel to it.
The ascent wins it for me and that's saying something for me because my past 2 and current vehicles were all Hondas.
Problem with the Ascent is that yes its about 3k cheaper, but I can get 1.9% APR on the Pilot and an absurd 3.49% on the Ascent. Thats another $4,000 in interest you are paying on the Subie. So for now, until they offer 0% APR, the Pilot is actually cheaper.
Honda doesn’t need to keep up with the other competitors, Honda is all about performances,reelable and fuel efficient.
Kindly do the same comparison with the 2019 version for the pilot
Seriously, you gave a point to Honda for a 0.9 percent difference in range? 0.9 percent? I hope you don't ever have to see if the Pilot will actually go the additional 4 miles.
For future videos we are changing it to at least a 5% difference to receive a point. I agree, that was not really a fair thing to do. Hope you still enjoyed the rest of the video!
I was about to buy a pilot but decided to check out Subaru just in case. When I got there I never even heard about the ascent, after testing both I’m glad I went with the Subaru. And it was about 5000 dollars cheaper
while I would rather have a v6 and an automatic in a car this size, you cant beat the AWD system of Subaru for winter climates and the piano black accents that Honda uses finger print and scratch like crazy, The Subaru gets my vote for analog gauges and they tend to better insulate against wind noise. I would take the Subaru
I don't think this was a 2019 pilot elite since there's no volume button.Also the instrument panel for the speedometer is completely digital. I have a 2019 pilot Touring and this looks nothing like mine.
Yes, it is the old model Pilot so this review is outdated.
Some may prefer the gas filler door to be on the right, like the Subaru. Since not many cars in the US have the right hand rear fuel filler door, and with busy gas stations, I find that I don't have to wait in line as much to get gas due to shorter gas hoses that cannot get around the car to the left opposite side. Because my 2018 Subaru Outback is right handed.
Looking at your video of the interior the Subaru Accent shares a lot of the interior hardware with my Outback. This saves on the cost of manufacturing, thus can pass the lower cost savings on to the customer end user. This would account for the lower price of the Accent.
I love that about my Impreza-much faster to get in and out of gas stations.
For me I'd go with the Honda. Proven reliability, fantastic resale, naturally aspirated 3.5 liter uber reliable V6. The 9 speed transmission in the Honda is also used by Acura, Range Rover and others. I'm just not sold on the CVT's yet, particularly for a 5.000# tow rating. There's a reason CVT's aren't used in high torque applications. I don't see the advantage to having a CVT in a SUV that you may be towing with, particularly if you're not getting better fuel economy with it.
You are thinking Accord. Odyssey and Pilot aren't that reliable. Engine and transmission failures are very common. That 3.5 is burning up valves. 9 speed is being complained about by owners for years now. Subaru have the highest resale values, right next to Tacoma and Wrangler. That Subaru CVT is bullet proof. Designed for the 400hp Audis and Subaru uses it for 300hp applications. Engine on the other hand, is new and unproven.
YES10 agree except that audis dont use cvt especially not the 400hp ones so not sure what you mean by that.
Agreed with grizz474, I owned Subaru Tribeca before and never again with Subaru. I'm sticking with my Pilot Touring AWD, Subaru lost my trust period.
Its YoMama I think thats a pretty poor attitude to have considering how different the tribeca is from anything in the current subaru lineup. The tribeca was horrible and everyone knows it, but the ascent truly seems to be a worthy competitor of the best vehicles in the 3 row midsize suv class
We bought a 3 yr old Tribeca in 2012 and it's still going strong at 160,000+. Our driveway goes uphill off of a hill and the Tribeca is by far the best vehicle we've owned for driving in the snow (if everyone had one I would never have to get the snow plow out). My brother has a Pilot and it's not near as good.
The Pilot should receive a significant refresh this coming fall as a 2019 since this will be its third year since last redesign. Hopefully they will replace the infotainment to the one in Accord and Odyssey.There is a good chance the 2019 Pilot will also get the 10 speed auto that is used in the Accord and Odyssey which is much better than the 9 speed currently in use.I also read the 2019 Pilot could have a hybrid option. One photo I saw it seems the refreshed Pilot is less "bulbous" looking in the front and better looking in my opinion.
Fun fact the Ascent has 19 cup holders.
19! If it could hold 19 people, it's a clown car then.
billschoe43 one baby wants juice. then 2 mins later wants her milk. the other wanted chocolate milk. got bored with it it wants apple juice. thats 4 bottles for just two kids in ave. in my experience. we have a 2 yr old, a 3 yr old and one on the way. so make that six. plus 2 adults lets say one water bottle each and a soft drink bottle so thats ten. even though thats not 19 bottle holders but its good thats its placed all around the vehicle so wherever the occupant may be there's plenty nearby. our Honda oddysey minivan have this problem. my kids are trained to always put them at the bottle holders. once its all occupied they throw it on the floor and now theres milk spots all over the place. but hell why should anyone base water bottle as a buying point lol. in the end buy wat u want lol.
And like 22 usb ports
To carry drugs
@@billschoe43 Only 19, not at least 20?! It's a No buy then. (Kidding...)
What I'd like to see is a comparison of their AWD performance. Subaru's AWD is supposed to be the best, but I've seen some reviews where the Pilot's AWD is pretty good too. The technology isn't all that new any more, so it'd be interesting to know if Subaru still has a commanding lead or if others have caught up.
You did such a great job on this review. Thank you.
I love how the Pilot sits up nice and tall - and it does look nice.. The Ascent has a much better interior dashboard/controls.. Thanks to Subaru for going (much) more traditional.. The Pilot's dashboard is Weird looking and not very attractive. But I do like the Pilot's steering wheel better. I wish I could take the Subaru's dashboards/controls and traditional shifter and put it into the Pilot.. That would be an awesome SUV.
I'm imagining a situation where a family of 8 goes on a vacation towing their 5000lb camping trailer with the Ascent, and ends up in a situation where there's a CVT lugging 5 tons up a mountain pass in rural Colorado. Yikes...
We asians literally droolling on this.. and yet subaru didnt bother making rhd version of this ascent for us...
Im pretty sure this will be a big hit in uk,oz and malaysia/singapore
Good video. But you should have added the Volkswagen for a three-way comparison
NGL, Love the Ascent. No hate on any 3 row except the Highlander because it’s just kinda small for a 3-row. But I still feel like the Telluride beats every 3-row on the market. But this is just my opinion.
Is it just me or someone else noticed, for the 1st time ever, a Subaru front dash with infotainment system actually looks better that of Honda's??
Need a driving comparison section.... One handles like a large SUV (Honda) the Ascent handles more like a regular car
Good review keep it up
Thank you!
You seriously gave the pilot a point for 4 miles more range?
What are the octane requirements? This goes into the same financial math as mpg.
Great work! Driving dynamics comparison would be much appreciated.
what about life span timing belt comparison
Which one is less maintenance
That was a fairly good comparison. I'm leaning towards a Subaru myself. Japanese!
Another great one. Keep it up. Have a great Memorial Day
Thanks, you too!
Honda has a way of designing cars that look tired unless you spend the extra coin to go up several trim levels.
any off road tests in mud for the subaru ascent?
Highlander has the Most Aerodynamic and Streamlined Shape and Flow..., Combined with smooth ride and Powerful reliable Engine.
Are you guys going to do a Ridgeline? I might buy one soon.
Our dealer just sold the one they had but we'll be looking to review it once we get another one! Shouldn't be too long
Looking forward to it!
When you said that the transmission for the Ascent is ugly I got so sad because my step mom owns one
14:29 HIGHLANDER? you mean ascent.......
Haha oops
I would've done a comparison it against the new Atlas since it too is all new.
TJC450 the atlas is a decent amount larger than the ascent, the closest competition to the atlas is the traverse. Both of which have nearly 100 cubic ft of space with seats down, 15 more than the ascent and pilot. Ive also sat in the rear of both pilot and atlas and the atlas feels like a limo theres so much room. So the pilot/highlander are the closest competition to the ascent.
Finally! Been waiting for this one. I am still sold on the Subie but yeah love the pilot and Highlander. If Subaru wasn’t bringing out the Ascent I most likely would have ended up with the Pilot but Wishing I would have done Highlander because of the questionable transmission in Pilot. I get to test drive the Ascent this Friday! I’m pumped and ready to see if that 4 banger with that CVT is going to be satisfying enough to get one I’m sold on everything else about it. Thanks for the great reviews!
Joseph Kraft how was it?
Jake Stoler After 4 months of shopping all of the desirable 3 row Crossovers out there I went with the Toyota Highlander. Here’s why, the Subaru had 3 things that scared me 1) CVT 2)Direct injection only 3) Brand new turbo 4 cylinder motor. On top of that it’s a first year model and first of its kind as the Tribeca was much smaller. Now what sold me on the Highlander is the smooth 8 speed transmission and the naturally aspirating 6 Cylinder motor with both “Port” and “Direct” injection. Comfortable, practical, reliable, durable, and all that proven with top consumer rated brand. Also was able to get a great deal at the dealership. I know it don’t have as much cargo capacity and bells and whistles but it was all good enough for me to be content with spending 45K. I have a feeling I’m going to keep this vehicle for a very long time. It’s fantastic and I’m confident I made the right choice.
Joseph Kraft I feel like there are going to be a lot of CVT converts with the Ascent. Subaru struggled for a while, but I think they have worked out a lot of the kinks. I dont mind the direct injection, but I am with you on being a bit iffy on a brand new motor in a first of its kind car. I have an Outback now and had a WRX about 10 years ago, I love me some Subarus, but they don't have the best track record when it comes to brand new engine componenets, much less a whole new engine. Takes them a year or two to work out the bugs and then it is bullet proof.
A Boy and His Subaru yes I’m not saying it’s a bad vehicle at all. I loved it and it was my first choice. It drove the best and was perfect as far as cargo space and design. Beautiful vehicle. But I needed to feel good about my purchase. I used logic rather than emotion PLUS tags would have been 100.00 more for the Subaru and an additional 10 bucks a month on my insurance over the brand new highlander so that also made Highlander a better value for me. Subaru is fantastic and does have a top 6 place in reliability over all. Everyone who owns a Subaru loves it. If I were to take that risk it would be with a Subaru and no doubt I would buy a Toyota with a CVT in fact my wife drives a Corolla with it and it’s fine. I guess there was just too much newness there for me but maybe after a few years of this being out and getting positive reviews I may again consider it.
@@josephkraft5640 toyotas last forever, I still have a 4runner from 2003 that works great. But that said I heard they will be changing the Highlander model either next year or 2020 as it's nearing the end of its design cycle. So I would have waited.
Just traded in my highway only driving of the Subaru Ascent. New transmission at 40K. Bad CVT!! They did not get it right!!! I can't afford to replace my transmission every 40k. :( Got a Lexus instead.
I eyesight and the AWD is better in the Subaru but I need reliable. The transmission needs to last. I know Toyota owns 25% of Subaru. So why would they not give Subaru their CVT transmissions...Cmon!!! Sorry Lexus but the eyesight is better with Subaru... I loved my Subaru. I just wish they would have put a better transmission and better tires. Seriously!!!!
what's the point of a cheap cvt when it gets the same mpg ?
Love my Honda Pilot touring has free hand tailgate access. Third row has bigger room. Subaru has affordable price but Honda is reliable and better engine.
no du the pilot has the old infotanment it is the 3rd gen from 2016 -2018
Compare Toyota Highlander XLE with Honda Pilot Touring.
We already have a comparison between them and we are planning a new one when the new Highlander comes out!
Thanks ,very helpful
When you compared infotainment, that wasn't an Ascent, that was the old Outback infotainment, what happened?
They are the same
Wait what? Why didn't I get notification for this video?? Despite being subscribed
Notification squad 👍
AWD Pilot with 6speed if you want to keep it longer than the warranty. Also Give the Honda 5pts for Resale Value over the Subie.
Subaru’s in California have free oil changes for the first 2 years
great comparison
Thanks!
Horse power is meaningless; torque is the important number. So that 1 point give to the pilot needs to be removed an awarded to the ascent
For Ground Clearance and Headroom, you have the Toyota Highlander put it's place for the other vehicle. I didn't Toyota was in this comparison.
This is why the Honda Pilot should be the facelift for the 2019 Model. I highly guarantee that there will be the new updated infotainment system (Accord-Odyssey type) with physical buttons and knobs, hands free liftgate, led headlights and taillights, wireless charging, electronic parking brake and brake hold button, maybe 360 birds eye view as the first Honda to have this, a newly updated driver dashboard plus a heads up display, and a HondaVac that the odyssey isn’t the only Honda to have this
Awesome review.
Very thorough.
Thank you!
Ugh!
Why do they put cup holders in car?
to put cups in them.
What about abilities to tow a small camper?
Oops, didn’t listen long enough
At 6:31 in the video when yo look the side of the Subaru it has the same wheels as the rouge and almost the same body style as the rougeand when you just look at the whole entire image you can see that it looks like the rogue even the headlamps on the side please compare it and you will see what I mean
Maybe the pilot looks aged because it’s not all new
I don't like the front seats in the Ascent. The driver's seat has a pull-out extension to make the seat longer in front, to give more leg support for people with longer thighs, I guess. To me it just feels gimmicky and sloppy. When it's open it leaves an open horizontal channel across the seat, and when it's closed it doesn't quite close all the way. No thanks.
On the passenger side, the seat is not height adjustable and the seat is too high to allow easy entry. Easy entry and exit is one thing I especially appreciate about my Forester. I was hoping for the same from the Ascent.
Oh, and it doesn't come in Jasmine Green. Strike three.
Same on the Mercedes I"m currently renting. Its a great option so shorter people are comfortable in normal position and taller can extend the support bit. You're basically saying you don't like a nice feature, justifying that with inconsequential negatives.
Clearly, seating is not "one size fits all". I'm a tall driver and love the length extenders on the Ascent. Most driver seats cut me off mid-thigh resulting in poor circulation and stiffness on long drives. The extended Ascent driver seat is much less fatiguing.
That Subaru is ok but not better than the pilot in my perspective.
Subaru is #1 better than Honda
The Subaru looks like something ford would produce.
Wait til the Subies head gasket goes.... not even close of you plan on owning not leasing.
Douglas Adams nah those issues already been solved. New models don’t have to worry about that anymore.
Very biased video With edges given to Subaru even when there wasn’t much difference in most areas I’m not saying Subaru sucks I do own a pilot and it’s definitely a better looking vehicle compared to the Subaru but I gues that’s one reason I chose it it’s my 4th pilot all were great vehicles
Subaru has no match quality over other asian brands. Ugly but reliable, comfortable, best awd and largest in segment.. ascent will kill highlander and pilot sales for good.. cvt would be concern if pilot wouldnt have the crapiest 9 speed transmission to compare but as it has it, case closed...
subaru had a huge opportunity with the ascent and the concept car was beautiful. then they took the outback and stretched it. subaru has the best awd and i used to cruise through the snow in my legacy but the car was boring in both looks and fun and it appears that hasn't changed with the Ascent. They need to catch up with the technology and add a bit of excitement to their cars. Great for safety/snow, lacking in literally everything else.
Ascent is better!
Honda is better then Subaru gauges
5:24 highlander
Remot The Honda Pilot New model in five years
Good luck towing 5000 pounds in high winds or at high speeds with that rubber band transmission. I will take the proven and powerful 3.5 v6 and 9 speed in the Pilot. Everything else is essentially a wash.
Agreed. 2.4L Turbo is already stretching it out for the ascent. Boxer motors are garbage. Honda 3.5L has been proven over and over. Thats why they keep producing them. Glad I spent the extra money on a Honda vs buying a scooby doo
I will love to see the comparison between the ascent vs pathfinder vs atlas
If we have time then we will!
turbo.....more to have problems with
GOOOOOOD❤❤❤👍
100% pilot
I will take Honda because the naturally-aspirated V6 engine and transmission not CVT
i love the honda it a good car
Subaru all day long
Hey freak and geek. In a couple of years from now that new Ascent is going to be a piece of junk with leaking oil head gasket that will need to be replaced every 15,000 miles but my Honda pilot will have over 200,000 miles
Hank V you're about 12 years late on the headgasket fix, apparently. Lol only an issue on the old EJ251 engines prior to 2006. After that, there was a common failure with ringlands which has also been addressed. I highly doubt Subaru would overlook such a glaring issue with a brand new motor, especially considering the success of the new FA20 motor. Which btw has thus far been bulletproof. (PS, the STi still uses the EJ25. Know why? Because if you've ironed out all the issues, why fix what isnt broken? Lol) Do a little more research and try again! :)
I think the Subaru is very ugly from the back and can some flowing lines taht goes for the interior as well
agreed it is a very average looking crossover, they could have made it more spiffy looking but they were going with a "safe" look.
the ascent infotanment is super ugly
because honda pilots are dated
For my money this cowboy will take the Honda Pilot. Just sayin
asc needs premium gas
no, its regular only
Honda Pilot needs only regular gas. It needs to earn a point for that not spending too much money on gas.
Austin it is said on car.com... maybe they are wrong
Just because the turbo,the ascent need a premium gas.
The Subaru Ascent is designed to run on 87 octane (US). Sure, it will be happier with higher octane, but it's explicitly designed to run on 87: it does NOT need premium.
The Subaru will maintain engine power at higher elevations since it's turbocharged. Higher elevations means less air density hence less oxygen available for the fuel combustion inside the engine. Force inductions system like a turbocharger rectifies this issue.
The Pilot's new model is coming late 2018.
I'll take more torque over more hp in an SUV, so that point shouldn't have gone to the pilot..