Subaru Ascent vs Toyota Sequoia: Specs Compared

Running cost over five years: at the EPA's 15,000-mile-a-year assumption the Subaru Ascent burns about $2,650 of fuel annually against $2,800 for the Toyota Sequoia. That $150 yearly gap compounds to roughly $750 over five years and $1,200 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 Toyota Sequoia is the stronger commuter at 21 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 Subaru Ascent is recorded with 1 distinct engine configuration (SIDI), the Toyota Sequoia with 3 (SIDI & PFI; Hybrid, 5.7, FFV). Across 18 recorded Subaru Ascent configurations and 30 for the Toyota Sequoia, 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 Subaru Ascent is offered with All-Wheel Drive, the Toyota Sequoia with Rear-Wheel Drive, Part-time 4-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 Subaru Ascent emits 384 g/mile of CO2 versus 395 g/mile for the Toyota Sequoia. Emissions track fuel consumption almost exactly, so the cleaner vehicle here is also the cheaper one to fuel.