Question 1

Which has lower long-term cost — Honda Pilot or Subaru Outback?

Accepted Answer

Based on national-average assumptions, the Subaru Outback is about $9,899 cheaper to own over 5 years. The breakdown includes depreciation, insurance, fuel or energy, maintenance, financing, and registration. Your localized total may differ based on state fuel prices, insurance rates, and EV registration fees.

Question 2

Which is cheaper to insure — Honda Pilot or Subaru Outback?

Accepted Answer

Insurance varies by state, ZIP code, age, and credit tier. Enter a ZIP to see a localized estimate; both vehicles' national-average premiums are shown on the compare page.

Question 3

Which depreciates faster — Honda Pilot or Subaru Outback?

Accepted Answer

Depreciation over the first five years is itemized in the cost breakdown. Luxury and EV models typically lose more value in early years; segment leaders and Toyota/Honda hold value better.

Question 4

Is the Honda Pilot better than the Subaru Outback?

Accepted Answer

It depends on how you drive. The compare page scores both vehicles across five pillars — cost of ownership, powertrain, driver assistance, livability, and safety — combined into one MotiveGrid Score, alongside a 5-year cost breakdown and a clear verdict. Pick the one whose strengths match how you actually use a car.

Question 5

Why do these two vehicles get different ADAS (driver-assist) scores?

Accepted Answer

Our ADAS scale weighs sensor stack (radar + camera vs camera-only), hands-free operating domain (highway vs any divided road), driver-monitoring quality (eye-tracking vs torque sensor), and whether the system gets OTA improvements. Two vehicles can advertise the same feature names and still score 20+ points apart once operating envelope and update cadence are accounted for.

Metric	Honda Pilot	Subaru Outback
MotiveGrid Score	70	86
Cost of Ownership	71	85
Powertrain	60	62
Driver Assistance	43	32
Livability	53	69
Safety	75	100
5-Year Cost to Own	$58,449	$48,550
Depreciation (5-yr)	$20,816	$15,678
Fuel / Energy (5-yr)	$15,304	$12,187
Insurance (5-yr)	$10,865	$10,100
Maintenance (5-yr)	$1,790	$2,175
Tires (5-yr)	$2,150	$2,150
Financing (5-yr)	$6,379	$5,265
Registration (5-yr)	$1,145	$995
Starting Price	$42,395	$34,995
Horsepower	285 hp	180 hp
MPG (combined)	22 mpg	28 mpg
Cargo volume	18.6 cu ft	34.6 cu ft
Seating	8	5
Towing capacity	—	2,700 lbs
Drivetrain	FWD	AWD

Honda Pilot vs. Subaru Outback

Five measured pillars, weighted into one score.

Which vehicle is right for you

Cost of Ownership

Frequently asked questions

Where these rank

Helpful guides