Size and Pricing

First off, both these cars are big and spacious with lots of room for families or trips with friends. Each has three rows of seats so you can sit seven or eight passengers depending on the trim and configuration.

Both have almost identical legroom, too: At 42.2 inches of front legroom, the Subaru Ascent just beats out the Toyota Highlander by .2 inches — and at 38.7 inches of rear legroom, the Highlander wins over the Ascent by an even smaller .1 inches. So in other words, this won’t be your deciding factor when choosing between the two.

They do diverge a bit when it comes to cargo space, although once again the more spacious of the two depends on what you’re measuring.

For the new 2024 models, with all the seats up the Ascent offers between 17.6 and 17.8 cubic feet of cargo storage while the Highlander offers 16 cubic feet. With the second and third row seats folded down, the Highlander then has more cargo space with 84.2 cubic feet — the Ascent meanwhile has between 72.8 to 75.6 cubic feet of space depending on the trim.

Essentially, if you’re likely to require the seats up often, you’ll get more extra cargo space from the Ascent — whereas if you’ll be carrying fewer passengers and so can fold the back two rows down more often, the Highlander will provide more cargo space.

This generally makes sense given the dimensions of the cars: The Highlander is four inches longer (201 inches to the Ascent’s 197 inches) and two inches wider (78 to 76). At the same time, the Ascent is a little bit taller at 72 inches to the Highlander’s 70 inches, so you get a little extra headroom in the Ascent even if you’re sacrificing some cargo space.

Now, what are you paying for this space?

For the 2023 models, at the lowest trim you’ll be saving just a bit over $4,000 on the Subaru Ascent versus the Toyota Highlander — the Ascent starts at $33,895 while the Highlander starts at $38,015.

For the new 2024 ones, that difference is even greater at almost $5,000: The Ascent begins at $34,395 while the Highlander begins at $39,120. (The hybrid Highlander, meanwhile, starts at $40,720.)

We should include here that Carter Subaru has a frequently-replenishing stock of both 2023 and 2024 Ascents available to see in-person and/or test drive if you’re currently researching vehicle options. (You can also check online to see our inventory changes at Carter Subaru Shoreline.)

Regardless of which you choose, both vehicles historically maintain their value quite well; they’re both known for high reliability and longevity, meaning this investment will last you a long time.

Engine Specs

Now for what to expect from the cars’ capabilities and your experience as a driver.

Both begin the same, each with a 2.4-liter turbocharged engine which, in the Ascent’s case, gets over 500 miles of highway driving range.

These provide roughly the same horsepower, although the Highlander maxes out at a bit more with 265 (this at 6,000 RPM) to the Ascent’s 260 at 5,4000 RPM. Both have a maximum 5,000-pound towing capacity, although if you don’t plan on towing the largest trailers and RVs, you can save money by forgoing that option with lower trims for the Ascent, which will still have a maximum towing capacity of at least 2,000 pounds.

Lastly, fuel efficiency: Here, the Highlander gets a couple miles-per-gallon more at 21 MPG in the city and 29 on the highway to the Ascent’s 20/26 city and highway rating.

Performance, Drivetrain, and Powertrain

One of the most important aspects of both vehicles is their standard all-wheel drive, a feature that’s crucial if you’re planning on taking trips through the mountains during the fall and winter in the Pacific Northwest. Even if you don’t intend to use your vehicle in the mountains, western Washington’s steep hills, rain, and difficult visibility from seasonal darkness make traction and strong handling priorities for safety.

For this reason, all-wheel drive is a must in many cases, especially for larger vehicles like the Ascent and Highlander. (We should also emphasize here the importance of making sure your tires are appropriate for the conditions. The correct drivetrain and tires together make a world of difference in your safety — one without the other isn’t enough.)

The Highlander has a nifty feature here called Dynamic Torque Control All-Wheel Drive, which uses sensors to adjust torque distribution between wheels when slips or uneven terrain come into play. You can also select between multiple terrain modes to help optimize your power output for snow, mud, or rocky terrain.

One thing that helps the Ascent in this regard is Subaru’s Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive system. This all-wheel drive feature, which actually comes standard in every North American Subaru except the BRZ, includes a symmetrical power train in the body of the car and a balanced distribution of power to all wheels. (There are many good in-depth looks at this feature on the internet; we find this one to be a good explanation, and you can always ask a Carter Subaru Shoreline representative to take you through the intricacies of Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive.)

In practice, the result of Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive is essentially a more “proactive” drivetrain than standard all-wheel drive systems which are generally engaged reactively — to slippage, inconsistent changes in torque, and general loss of control. This Subaru feature, meanwhile, is far more preventative and helps you avoid slips and losing control in the first place.

At the same time, it lowers the center of gravity, improving handling and helping prevent over- and understeering — which both also help keep your vehicle under better control especially in rougher conditions. It further improves fuel economy all else held constant, and just makes for a more pleasant, stable ride for both driver and passengers.

Otherwise, the two have similar ground clearance, although the Ascent has almost an extra inch over the Highlander here at 8.7 inches to the Highlander’s eight inches.

Other Features

As is becoming more common with modern vehicles, both the Subaru Ascent and Toyota Highlander come with Apple Carplay and Android Auto capabilities. These are displayed along with other utilities on the front display screen, which for the Highlander is eight inches to the Ascent’s 11.6 inches.

For safety, they also both have blind spot detection and a backup camera, plus the Ascent has standard EyeSight Driver Assist Technology.

As for leisure and usability, both have built-in WiFi and, on the physical side, the Ascent has a whopping 19 cup holders throughout the vehicle. Both vehicles also have large panoramic moonroofs for comfort and the Highlander has a second-row console.

Overall, both are dependable options for midsize, three-row SUVs. If you’re a family or have many adventures with friends, both the Subaru Ascent and Toyota Highlander are good picks. In general, the Highlander has a bit more space in many — but not all — areas plus a bit more engine “oomph,” while the Ascent is more affordable and has fantastic handling and safety implications.

If you live in the Seattle area or even elsewhere in western Washington and would like to see the Ascent closer or take it for a test drive, Carter Subaru Shoreline would love to assist you in that process. Our Carter Motors family has been serving the Pacific Northwest for over 60 years, and continues to proudly serve the people and non-profit groups that make up this community. We’d be honored to help you make the best vehicle choice for your needs!