Compare the2025 Subaru AscentVS 2025 Toyota 4Runner

For enhanced safety, the front and second-row seat shoulder belts of the Subaru Ascent have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Toyota 4Runner doesn’t offer pretensioners for its second-row seat belts.

The Ascent has standard Whiplash-Reducing Front Seats, which use a specially designed seat to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Whiplash-Reducing Front Seats system allows the backrest to travel backwards to cushion the occupants and the headrests move forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The 4Runner doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the Ascent. But it costs extra on the 4Runner.

For better protection of the passenger compartment, the Ascent uses safety cell construction with a three-dimensional high-strength frame that surrounds the passenger compartment. It provides extra impact protection and a sturdy mounting location for door hardware and side impact beams. The 4Runner uses a body-on-frame design, which has no frame members above the floor of the vehicle.

Both the Ascent and the 4Runner have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, available around view monitors and driver alert monitors.

The Subaru Ascent achieved a “Top Safety Pick” rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) for the 2025 model year. This recognition was based on its impressive performance in the small overlap frontal crash test, updated moderate overlap front crash test, updated side impact crash test, headlight evaluations, and pedestrian crash prevention testing. The 4Runner has not yet been evaluated by the IIHS for 2025.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Subaru vehicles are better in initial quality than Toyota vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Subaru above average in initial quality. With 9 more problems per 100 vehicles, Toyota is rated lower.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ March 2025 Auto Issue reports that Subaru vehicles are more reliable than Toyota vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Subaru first in overall reliability. Toyota is ranked third.

As tested in Motor Trend the Subaru Ascent is faster than the Toyota 4Runner turbo 4 cyl.:

The flat cylinder configuration of the boxer engine in the Ascent lowers its center of gravity, enhancing handling stability without compromising ground clearance. The 4Runner doesn’t offer a boxer engine configuration.

On the EPA test cycle the Ascent gets better mileage than the 4Runner:

The Ascent has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The 4Runner doesn’t offer a CVT.

The Ascent stops much shorter than the 4Runner:

The Ascent Premium’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 60 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the 4Runner SR5’s standard 70 series tires. The Ascent Onyx/Limited/Touring/Bronze’s tires have a lower 50 series profile than the 4Runner TRD Sport/Limited/Platinum’s 55 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Ascent Premium has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the 4Runner SR5.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Ascent’s wheelbase is 1.6 inches longer than on the 4Runner (113.8 inches vs. 112.2 inches).

The Ascent Touring handles at .80 G’s, while the 4Runner TRD Off-Road Premium pulls only .72 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Ascent Touring executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the 4Runner TRD Off-Road Premium (27.2 seconds @ .64 average G’s vs. 28 seconds @ .6 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Ascent’s turning circle is 1.4 feet tighter than the 4Runner’s (38 feet vs. 39.4 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Ascent has a greater minimum ground clearance than the 4Runner SR5 (8.7 vs. 8.1 inches), allowing the Ascent to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

Unibody construction lowers the Ascent’s center of gravity significantly without reducing ground clearance. This contributes to better on the road handling and better off-road performance and stability. In addition, unibody construction makes the chassis stiffer, improving handling and reducing squeaks and rattles. The 4Runner doesn’t use unibody construction, but a body-on-frame design.

The Ascent offers optional seating for 8 passengers; the 4Runner can only carry up to 7.

The Ascent has 1.5 inches more front headroom, .4 inches more front legroom, 2.6 inches more front hip room, 3.1 inches more front shoulder room, 2.2 inches more rear headroom, 3.8 inches more rear legroom, 1.1 inches more rear hip room and 2.5 inches more rear shoulder room than the 4Runner.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Ascent’s middle and third row seats recline. The 4Runner’s third row seats don’t recline.

The Ascent’s cargo area provides more volume than the 4Runner.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Subaru service is better than Toyota. J.D. Power ranks Subaru third in service department satisfaction. With a 38% lower rating, Toyota is ranked 24th.

The Ascent offers a remote vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can be started from inside the driver's house. This allows the driver to comfortably warm up the engine before going out to the vehicle. The climate system will also automatically heat or cool the interior. The 4Runner doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the Ascent’s exterior PIN entry system. The 4Runner doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system.

The Ascent’s standard Keyless Access and Start allow you to unlock the doors from either front door handle, open the cargo door, and start the engine, all without removing the key from the pocket or purse. Smart Key standard on the 4Runner doesn’t offer a sensor on the cargo door.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Ascent has a standard rear speed-sensitive intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the 4Runner only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the Ascent to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The 4Runner doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

The Ascent’s standard rear view mirror and optional side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The 4Runner offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

The Ascent has a standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. Dual zone air conditioning is only available on the 4Runner Limited/Platinum/Trailhunter/TRD Pro.

The Subaru Ascent has a standard Homelink wireless remote control system for garage door operation and device management, conveniently located on the rear view mirror. Homelink® eliminates the need for separate garage door openers and associated risks of losing, breaking, or having dead batteries. Homelink® is only available on the 4Runner Premium/Limited/Platinum/Trailhunter/TRD Pro.

Consumer Reports® recommends the Subaru Ascent, based on reliability, safety and performance.