2021 Subaru Ascent vs 2020 Honda Passport

The 2020 Honda Passport was a testament to Honda's consistent design philosophy, offering a familiar yet appealing aesthetic that resonated with loyal Honda buyers. Its exterior design was a blend of ruggedness and athleticism, positioned between the larger Pilot and the smaller CR-V. The Passport's elevated ground clearance and robust styling cues suggested off-road capability, while its interior maintained a sophisticated, utilitarian feel. The Elite trim, in particular, was well-equipped with features like heated and ventilated front seats, a leather-trimmed steering wheel, and a spacious cabin layout that emphasized comfort and practicality.

In contrast, the 2021 Subaru Ascent was a much-anticipated addition to Subaru's lineup, filling the gap left by the discontinued Tribeca. The Ascent's design was a scaled-up version of Subaru's popular models, like the Forester and Outback, offering a familiar look to brand enthusiasts. Its cabin mirrored this approach, with a dash design that was interchangeable with other Subaru models, reinforcing the brand's identity. The Ascent's trims ranged from Standard to Touring, each offering a progressively richer set of features, including driver-assistance technologies and comfort amenities like heated seats and a panoramic sunroof in the higher trims.

The 2020 Honda Passport was powered by a reliable 3.5-liter V6 engine, producing 280 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque, paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission. This setup provided adequate power for various driving conditions, although its fuel economy was less impressive, with FWD models achieving 20 mpg city and 25 mpg highway. The Passport's AWD system, standard on the Elite trim, offered enhanced traction and stability, especially in challenging terrains, with drive modes for Snow, Sand, and Mud. It also boasted a towing capacity of up to 5,000 pounds, surpassing many of its competitors.

The 2021 Subaru Ascent featured a turbocharged 2.4-liter boxer four-cylinder engine, delivering 260 horsepower and 277 pound-feet of torque. This engine, coupled with a CVT and Subaru's Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive, provided a balanced performance suitable for both city driving and highway cruising. The Ascent's ride was focused on comfort, with 8.7 inches of ground clearance and Subaru's X-Mode system enhancing its capability in snowy or off-road conditions. It matched the Passport's towing capacity of 5,000 pounds, making it a strong contender for those needing to haul trailers or boats.

The 2020 Honda Passport was praised for its practicality, offering a spacious interior with ample room for four adults and a generous cargo area of 41.2 cubic feet behind the rear seats. Its cabin featured comfortable seating, with options for cloth or perforated leather upholstery, and amenities like tri-zone climate control and second-row sunshades. The Passport excelled in small-item storage, with a large center console and additional storage spaces throughout the cabin, although its load floor was slightly high due to its elevated stance.

The 2021 Subaru Ascent provided a versatile interior with seating for up to eight passengers, or seven with optional second-row captain's chairs. Its cargo space was impressive, offering 17.8 cubic feet behind the third row, expanding to 86.5 cubic feet with all rear seats folded. The Ascent's cabin was designed for family use, featuring 19 cupholders and numerous storage compartments. While it lacked a hands-free power liftgate, its power liftgate was standard, and the interior was spacious, particularly in the first two rows.

The 2020 Honda Passport's technology suite included a standard 5.0-inch display on the base model, with higher trims featuring an 8.0-inch Display Audio infotainment system. This system supported Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, with a user-friendly interface and physical controls for ease of use. Additional tech features on higher trims included a 10-speaker audio system, satellite radio, and a Wi-Fi hotspot, although the dashboard design was somewhat dated.

The 2021 Subaru Ascent came equipped with Subaru's StarLink infotainment system, offering logical menu layouts and large icons on its touchscreens. Standard features included Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and multiple USB ports, with available upgrades like a 14-speaker Harman Kardon stereo and a Wi-Fi hotspot. The system was complemented by hard buttons and dials, ensuring intuitive operation.

The 2020 Honda Passport was recognized for its safety, earning good scores from the IIHS and NHTSA, and being named an IIHS Top Safety Pick. It came standard with the Honda Sensing suite, which included features like collision mitigation braking, lane-keeping assist, and adaptive cruise control. Higher trims offered additional safety technologies such as blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic detection.

The 2021 Subaru Ascent was awarded the IIHS Top Safety Pick+ designation, thanks to its strong crash test results and comprehensive EyeSight driver-assistance suite. This included automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, and lane departure warning, with additional features like reverse automatic emergency braking and blind-spot monitoring available. The Ascent also introduced standard automatic high beams and steering-responsive headlights for 2021.