Face-Off: 2019 Subaru Ascent vs. 2019 Toyota Highlander

Subaru’s all-new midsized SUV takes on the segment stalwart

Jon Linkov, Consumer Reports Autos Editor.

By Jon Linkov
Autos Editor

Updated September 10, 2020

The Toyota Highlander has been among CR’s top-rated SUVs for years—and a nine-time Top Pick—but now it faces a new challenger in the 2019 Subaru Ascent. These two models match up closely, and it’s a hard-fought battle to declare a winner.

There are dozens of midsized, three-row SUVs on the market, but the Highlander has been a Top Pick for so many years because it has consistently delivered good performance, fuel economy, and very good reliability. It’s a well-rounded SUV that’s easy to live with. Toyota introduced an all-new Highlander for 2020.

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Jon Linkov

Jon Linkov is the deputy auto editor at Consumer Reports. He has been with CR since 2002, covering varied automotive topics including buying and leasing, maintenance and repair, ownership, reliability, used cars, and electric vehicles. He manages CR’s lineup of special interest publications, hosts CR’s “Talking Cars” podcast, and writes and edits content for CR’s online and print products. An avid cyclist, Jon also enjoys driving his ’80s-era sports car and instructing at track days.