2025 Honda Pilot vs 2024 Subaru Outback

The 2024 Subaru Outback maintained its rugged charm with minor updates to the Wilderness trim, featuring a new front fascia and LED fog lights. The dark gray cladding contrasted beautifully with the Autumn Green Metallic color of the Touring XT model, offering a unique appeal beyond typical beige tones. The Outback's trims varied in black and chrome fittings, with tasteful chrome accents on the Touring trim. Wheel designs differed across trims, with the Wilderness trim sporting matte black wheels. Inside, the top-trim model impressed with Java Brown Nappa leather upholstery, offering a luxurious feel uncommon for Subaru. Other trims featured a mix of leather and synthetic materials, with cloth seats on the base and Premium trims.

The 2025 Honda Pilot, particularly in the Black Edition, showcased a bold, rugged design with black wheels and trim. The Modern Steel paint on the test model provided a subtle contrast. Inside, the Black Edition featured black leather seats with red accents and ambient lighting, creating a distinctive look. The Pilot's design aimed for a rugged appearance, especially in the TrailSport trim, but the Black Edition leaned more towards suburban appeal. The interior, while thoughtfully designed, felt dated due to smaller digital displays, though it offered practical storage solutions.

The 2024 Subaru Outback offered a choice between a 2.5-liter flat-four engine with 182 horsepower and a 2.4-liter turbocharged engine producing 260 horsepower. The turbo engine, standard on the Wilderness trim, improved towing capacity to 3,500 lbs. Subaru's Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive and Lineartronic CVT provided a smooth ride, with the CVT mimicking eight gears. The Outback's ground clearance ranged from 8.7 inches to 9.2 inches on the Wilderness trim, which also included all-terrain tires and advanced X-Mode for off-road conditions.

The 2025 Honda Pilot featured a 3.5-liter V6 engine paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission, delivering 285 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque. It offered multiple driving modes, including Trail and Sand, with a towing capacity of up to 5,000 pounds. The Pilot's AWD system included torque vectoring and hill descent control, with ground clearance up to 8.3 inches on the TrailSport. While the V6 provided good acceleration, the transmission occasionally lagged. Fuel economy was a concern, with observed averages below EPA ratings. The Pilot's handling was predictable, though body motion was noticeable on uneven roads.

The 2024 Subaru Outback excelled in interior space, offering more headroom and legroom than competitors like the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4. Cargo space measured 32.6 cubic feet with seats up and 75.6 cubic feet with seats down. Features included dual-zone climate control, heated seats, and a hands-free power liftgate. The Outback's roof rails with retractable cross bars added practicality.

The 2025 Honda Pilot provided three rows of seating, with a removable second-row center section for flexibility. The front passenger seat lacked adjustability, but the cabin offered comfort and convenience with heated and ventilated seats, a heated steering wheel, and a triple-zone climate control system. Cargo space was 18.6 cubic feet behind the third row, expanding to 86.5 cubic feet with seats folded. The Pilot's interior was designed for family use, with thoughtful storage and features like a panoramic sunroof.

The 2024 Subaru Outback featured an 11.6-inch infotainment screen on higher trims, with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto starting from the Premium trim. The system included a 12-speaker Harman Kardon audio system on most trims, with Wi-Fi capability and a mix of USB ports. The climate controls were integrated into the touchscreen, with hard buttons for essential functions.

The 2025 Honda Pilot's technology felt dated, with a 10.2-inch digital gauge panel and a 9-inch touchscreen. It offered wireless smartphone integration, a 12-speaker Bose audio system, and features like CabinTalk for communication. However, the voice recognition system was inconsistent, and the wireless charging pad was not well-designed. The Pilot met basic technology expectations but lacked standout features.

The 2024 Subaru Outback earned a Top Safety Pick award from the IIHS and a five-star rating from the NHTSA. It included the EyeSight suite with adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, and more. New for 2024, reverse automatic braking and a wide-angle camera on the Touring trim enhanced safety.

The 2025 Honda Pilot came with Honda Sensing safety features, including forward-collision warning and adaptive cruise control. The Black Edition added parking sensors and a multi-view camera system. While the Pilot earned a Top Safety Pick+ from the IIHS and five stars from the NHTSA, some safety systems felt intrusive or inaccurate during testing.