2025 Subaru Ascent vs. 2025 Toyota Highlander

If you’re in the market for a family-oriented vehicle, you probably have the 2025 Subaru Ascent and the 2025 Toyota Highlander on your short list. These two SUVs excel in almost all areas, making it challenging to choose between them. Our team at Sport Subaru South has put together this comprehensive guide comparing the 2025 Subaru Ascent and the 2025 Toyota Highlander.

Overview of Each Vehicle

The 2025 Subaru Ascent is a midsize SUV designed for large families. With three rows of seats and an expansive cargo area, the Ascent can comfortably accommodate your whole family and all your luggage and gear. Moreover, it comes equipped with a range of tech and safety features to make your journeys easier, more enjoyable, and safer.

The Toyota Highlander also has a lot to offer in the three-row, midsize SUV segment. It delivers a smooth ride and offers excellent fuel economy, making it ideal for urban families. Similar to the Ascent, the Highlander has a spacious and practical cabin with plenty of family-friendly amenities and advanced technologies.

Performance and Engine Options

The Ascent is equipped with a 2.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that produces 260 horsepower. It pairs with a continuously variable transmission and all-wheel drive. The Highlander also comes standard with a 2.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, but its output is slightly higher at 265 horsepower. This engine pairs with an eight-speed automatic transmission, and you can choose between front- or all-wheel drive.

Whether you pick the Subaru Ascent or the Toyota Highlander, both SUVs do a fine job managing bumps and dips in the road. However, if you enjoy going on outdoor adventures with your family around Orlando, Florida, you’ll be better off getting the Ascent. This SUV is capable of tackling light to moderate off-road trails, thanks to its high ground clearance, standard all-wheel drive, and X-MODE traction control system. The Highlander can handle dirt and gravel roads, but it can’t match the Ascent’s off-road prowess.

The Toyota Highlander has an advantage over the Subaru Ascent in terms of fuel economy. It returns a remarkable 22 mpg in the city and 29 mpg on the highway with its gasoline engine, and 35 mpg in the city and 35 mpg on the highway with its hybrid powertrain. The Ascent achieves 20 mpg in the city and 26 mpg on the highway and doesn’t have a hybrid variant.

Interior Comfort and Features

The 2025 Subaru Ascent’s interior is made of high-quality materials and offers a generous array of comfort and convenience features, including an eight-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, heated front seats, trizone automatic climate control, and an auto-dimming rearview mirror with an approach light. The Highlander also impresses in terms of interior build and quality, but it doesn’t offer heated front seats across its lineup.

Both the Ascent and the Highlander have a maximum seating capacity of eight. They have cushy and supportive seats to keep you and your family relaxed on long drives, as well as plenty of legroom in the first two rows. The Highlander’s third-row seats are cramped, while the Ascent has a significantly roomier third row. The Highlander boasts a maximum cargo volume of 84.3 cubic feet, whereas the Ascent’s maximum cargo volume is 75.6 cubic feet.

When it comes to tech features, the Subaru Ascent offers a bigger standard infotainment display. Every model comes with an 11.6-inch touch screen display, a six-speaker stereo, multiple USB charging ports, a Wi-Fi hotspot, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, satellite radio, and HD Radio. The base Highlander offers almost all the same standard tech features, but it has a smaller 8-inch touch screen.

Safety Features

The 2025 Subaru Ascent and the 2025 Toyota Highlander both earned the highest possible overall score of five stars in crash safety tests by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Both SUVs received the highest rating of “Good” from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, and the Ascent was named a Top Safety Pick for 2025.

Whether you opt for the Subaru Ascent or the Toyota Highlander, you’ll have an abundance of driver-assistance technologies to help you stay safe on the road. Both SUVs include forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane centering assistance, lane departure warning, lane-keep assist, automatic high beams, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alerts, and rear child safety locks.

Pricing and Value

The pricing of the 2025 Subaru Ascent ranges from $39,995 for the entry-level Premium trim to $52,050 for the range-topping Onyx Edition Touring. The 2025 Toyota Highlander starts at $40,320 for the base LE and goes up to $54,475 for the Hybrid Platinum. Despite the Highlander’s lower price, the Ascent offers all-wheel drive across its lineup, exceptional off-road capabilities, and a larger standard infotainment display.

Explore the 2025 Subaru Ascent in Orlando, Florida

Both the 2025 Subaru Ascent and the 2025 Toyota Highlander are outstanding family haulers, and you won’t go wrong with either of them. However, the Ascent is a better value proposition. If you’re interested in purchasing the 2025 Ascent in Orlando, Florida, visit us at Sport Subaru South to experience this excellent SUV firsthand. With our comprehensive new Subaru inventory, great prices and promotions, and top-notch customer service, our dealership is ready to provide you with an unparalleled car-buying experience. Contact us today to schedule a test drive.