2025 Honda Pilot vs 2025 Subaru Outback

The 2025 Honda Pilot was available in several trims, including the Sport, EX-L, TrailSport, Touring, Elite, and Black Edition. The Black Edition, based on the Pilot Elite, featured distinctive black wheels, blacked-out exterior trim, and black badges. Inside, it offered black leather seats with red perforation accents, red contrast stitching, and ambient lighting. The Pilot's design aimed for a rugged look, especially with the TrailSport trim, but the Black Edition was more suited for suburban environments. Despite its thoughtful interior design and quality materials, the Pilot's digital displays and infotainment system seemed dated, lacking a significant "wow factor."

In contrast, the 2025 Subaru Outback stood out as one of the few remaining wagons in the U.S., adopting crossover trends with its rugged design elements like chunky wheel-arch flares and a robust roof rack. The Outback's exterior was designed for off-road adventures, and its Crimson Red Pearl paint paired well with the black leather interior. Subaru focused on appealing to buyers interested in off-road capabilities, which paid off with the Outback's popularity. The 2025 model saw no major changes, but the Touring XT trim offered Nappa leather upholstery and ventilated front seats, enhancing its appeal.

The 2025 Honda Pilot featured a 3.5-liter V6 engine paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission, producing 285 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque. It offered various driving modes, including Normal, Econ, Snow, Tow, Sport, Trail, and Sand. The AWD system provided up to 7.3 inches of ground clearance, with torque vectoring capabilities. While the V6 delivered good acceleration, the transmission occasionally felt slow to downshift. Fuel economy was a downside, with an average of 20 mpg, below the EPA rating. The Pilot's handling was predictable, but an adaptive-damping suspension could have improved ride quality.

The 2025 Subaru Outback came with a standard 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine producing 182 horsepower and 176 pound-feet of torque. The XT trims offered a turbocharged 2.4-liter engine with 260 hp and 277 lb-ft of torque. Both engines used a CVT and standard AWD. The turbocharged engine provided better acceleration, making it a recommended choice. The Outback's 8.7 inches of ground clearance and X-Mode enhanced its off-road capabilities. The ride was smooth and comfortable, with light steering and powerful brakes. However, the stop/start technology and CVT's response time were minor drawbacks.

The Honda Pilot excelled in form and function, with three rows of comfortable seats and practical storage solutions. However, the front passenger seat's limited adjustment was a drawback. The second-row seats were roomy, with a removable center section for easy access to the third row. The third row was suitable for adults for short trips. The Pilot offered 18.6 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row, expanding to 86.5 cubic feet with both rear rows folded.

The Subaru Outback's wagon shape provided practicality, with easy entry and exit and a lower roof height for loading. It offered 32.6 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seat up and 75.6 cubic feet with the seat folded. The Outback's total passenger volume was larger than its crossover competitors, with more front headroom and legroom. Buyers were advised to test different trims, as the driving experience varied significantly. The turbocharged engine increased towing capacity to 3,500 pounds.

The Honda Pilot's technology package included a 10.2-inch digital gauge panel and a 9-inch touchscreen infotainment system. It offered wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, SiriusXM, and a 12-speaker Bose audio system. However, the wireless CarPlay function was problematic, and the voice recognition system was inconsistent. The CabinTalk feature allowed communication with rear passengers, and a small head-up display was included.

The Subaru Outback featured an 11.6-inch touchscreen with large icons, though the Starlink infotainment system was slow to respond. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were included, with a Harman Kardon 12-speaker audio system. The dashboard had a mix of buttons and knobs, and the Touring trim even included a CD player. The Outback offered both USB-A and USB-C ports for device connectivity.

The 2025 Honda Pilot came with Honda Sensing safety features, including forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and adaptive cruise control. The Black Edition had parking sensors and a multi-view camera system. However, the adaptive cruise control and lane-centering assist had some issues, affecting driver confidence. The Pilot earned high safety ratings, with a Top Safety Pick+ from IIHS and a five-star rating from NHTSA.

Subaru's EyeSight technology in the Outback included adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, and lane-keep assist. The system kept the vehicle in its lane but required frequent corrections. Higher trims added blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert. The DriverFocus system occasionally gave false notifications. The Outback received a Top Safety Pick from IIHS and a five-star rating from NHTSA.