Lincoln Aviator vs Subaru Ascent: Specs Compared

Running cost over five years: at the EPA's 15,000-mile-a-year assumption the Lincoln Aviator burns about $2,650 of fuel annually against $2,650 for the Subaru Ascent. That $0 yearly gap compounds to roughly $0 over five years and $0 over eight — often more than the price difference between two trims of the same vehicle, and the single largest running-cost line item separating these two.

City versus highway split: the Lincoln Aviator is the stronger commuter at 22 mpg city, while the Subaru Ascent pulls ahead on the interstate at 27 mpg highway. If most of your driving is stop-and-go traffic the city figure is the one to weigh; for long-distance highway mileage the reverse is true, and the two vehicles effectively swap places depending on how you drive.

Powertrain choice: the Lincoln Aviator is recorded with 4 distinct engine configurations (SIDI, 3.0, SIDI; without Stop-Start), the Subaru Ascent with 1 (SIDI). Across 19 recorded Lincoln Aviator configurations and 18 for the Subaru Ascent, the wider the engine spread the more the real-world fuel efficiency depends on which version you actually buy, so check the specific model year and drivetrain rather than the headline number.

Drivetrain and class: the Lincoln Aviator is offered with Rear-Wheel Drive, Part-time 4-Wheel Drive, the Subaru Ascent with All-Wheel Drive. All-wheel drive typically costs one to two mpg combined against the same vehicle in front- or rear-wheel drive, which is worth remembering when the gap between these two is small. The EPA classes them as Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD and Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD respectively — the class drives the interior volume, cargo space and passenger space each one is measured against.

Tailpipe emissions: at their cleanest configurations the Lincoln Aviator emits 209 g/mile of CO2 versus 384 g/mile for the Subaru Ascent. Emissions track fuel consumption almost exactly, so the cleaner vehicle here is also the cheaper one to fuel.