Compare the2025 Lincoln NavigatorVS 2025 Subaru Ascent

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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The Navigator has standard Post Collision Braking, which automatically apply the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Ascent doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

Both the Navigator and Ascent have rear cross-traffic warning, but the Navigator has Rear Cross Traffic Braking (automatically applies the brakes) to better prevent a collision when backing near traffic. The Ascent’s Rear Cross Traffic Alert doesn’t automatically brake.

Both the Navigator and the Ascent have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, all wheel drive, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras and rear cross-path warning.

The Lincoln Navigator weighs 1339 to 1496 pounds more than the Subaru Ascent. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

Warranty

The Navigator comes with a full 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck. The Ascent’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 14,000 miles sooner.

Lincoln’s powertrain warranty covers the Navigator 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Subaru covers the Ascent. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 6 years or 70,000 miles. Coverage on the Ascent ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

Reliability

The Navigator has a standard “limp home system” to keep drivers from being stranded if most or all of the engine’s coolant is lost. The engine will run on only half of its cylinders at a time, reduce its power and light a warning lamp on the dashboard so the driver can get to a service station for repairs. The Ascent doesn’t offer a lost coolant limp home mode, so a coolant leak could strand you or seriously damage the truck’s engine.

Engine

The Navigator’s 3.5 turbo V6 produces 180 more horsepower (440 vs. 260) and 233 lbs.-ft. more torque (510 vs. 277) than the Ascent’s 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder.

Fuel Economy and Range

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the Navigator’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. The engine is automatically restarted when the driver gets ready to move again. If the conditions warrant or the driver wishes, the system can be manually disabled at any time for the duration of a trip. The Ascent doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

The Navigator has 4.3 gallons more fuel capacity than the Ascent (23.6 vs. 19.3 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The Navigator has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The Ascent doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Lincoln Navigator higher (6 out of 10) than the Subaru Ascent (4). This means the Navigator produces up to 12.1 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Ascent every 15,000 miles.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the Navigator’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Ascent:

	Navigator	Ascent
Front Rotors	13.8 inches	13.1 inches
Rear Rotors	13.2 inches	13 inches

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Navigator has larger standard tires than the Ascent (275/50R22 vs. 245/60R18). The Navigator Black Label’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Ascent (285/40R24 vs. 245/60R18).

The Navigator’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 50 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Ascent Premium’s standard 60 series tires. The Navigator Black Label’s optional tires have a lower 40 series profile than the Ascent Onyx/Limited/Touring/Bronze’s 50 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Navigator has standard 22-inch wheels. Smaller 18-inch wheels are standard on the Ascent Premium. The Navigator Black Label’s optional 24-inch wheels are larger than the 20-inch wheels on the Ascent Onyx/Limited/Touring/Bronze.

The Lincoln Navigator’s wheels have 6 lugs for longer wheel bearing life, less chance of rotor warping and greater strength. The Subaru Ascent only has 5 wheel lugs per wheel.

Suspension and Handling

The Navigator has standard front and rear gas-charged shocks for better control over choppy roads. The Ascent’s suspension doesn’t offer gas-charged shocks.

The Navigator has a standard driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads or off-road. The Ascent’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

The Navigator’s drift compensation steering can automatically compensate for road conditions which would cause the vehicle to drift from side to side, helping the driver to keep the vehicle straight more easily. The Ascent doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Navigator’s wheelbase is 8.7 inches longer than on the Ascent (122.5 inches vs. 113.8 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Navigator is 3.7 inches wider in the front and 3.6 inches wider in the rear than on the Ascent.

For greater off-road capability the Navigator has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Ascent (8.9 vs. 8.7 inches), allowing the Navigator to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

Chassis

The Navigator uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The Ascent doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

Passenger Space

The Navigator has 18.9 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Ascent (172.1 vs. 153.2).

The Navigator has 1.3 inches more front legroom, 4.1 inches more front hip room, 4.2 inches more front shoulder room, 3.4 inches more rear legroom, 4.5 inches more rear hip room, 4.8 inches more rear shoulder room, 1.2 inches more third row headroom, 11.8 inches more third row legroom, 5.5 inches more third row hip room and 7.2 inches more third row shoulder room than the Ascent.

Flexibility is maximized at the game, campground or a drive-in theatre in the Navigator when its optional tailgating rear seats are deployed, allowing people to sit facing out of the tailgate. (Do not use while vehicle is in motion.) The Ascent doesn’t offer tailgating seats.

Cargo Capacity

The Navigator’s cargo area provides more volume than the Ascent.

	Navigator	Ascent
Behind Third Seat	22.9 cubic feet	17.8 cubic feet
Third Seat Folded	60.8 cubic feet	43.5 cubic feet
Second Seat Folded	107 cubic feet	75.6 cubic feet

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the Navigator easier. The Navigator’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 29 inches, while the Ascent’s liftover is 32 inches.

The Navigator’s cargo area is larger than the Ascent’s in almost every dimension:

	Navigator	Ascent
Length to seat (3rd/2nd/1st)	24”/48”/86.8”	20.3”/48”/82.9”
Max Width	51.5”	50.5”
Min Width	51”	45.9”
Height	37”	34”

Pressing a button automatically lowers or raises the Navigator’s second row seats and pressing a button automatically lowers or raises the third row seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The Ascent doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

The Navigator’s rear cargo window opens separately from the rest of the tailgate door to allow quicker loading of small packages. The Ascent’s rear cargo window doesn’t open.

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Navigator’s tailgate can be opened just by waiting momentarily behind the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Ascent doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its liftgate, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

Towing

The Navigator’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Ascent’s (6200 vs. 5000 pounds). Maximum trailer towing in the Subaru Ascent is only 5000 pounds. The Navigator offers up to a 8700 lbs. towing capacity.

The Navigator with optional equipment can be flat towed on all four wheels (dinghy towed), allowing recreational vehicle owners to bring it with them on the road. When they reach their destination, the Navigator can be unhitched and driven around locally. The Ascent can’t be towed flat on the ground.

Ergonomics

Unlike the driver-only memory seat and mirrors in the Ascent Limited/Touring/Bronze, the Navigator has standard driver and passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat, steering wheel position, foot pedal distance, outside mirror angle, climate settings and radio stations and the front passenger seat also adjusts to the new passenger’s preset preferences.

The Navigator’s standard easy entry system raises the steering wheel and glides the driver’s seat back, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The Ascent doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The power windows standard on both the Navigator and the Ascent have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Navigator is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The Ascent prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

The Navigator’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Ascent’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

If the windows are left open on the Navigator the driver can close them all from a distance using the remote. On a hot day the driver can also lower the windows the same way. The driver of the Ascent can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Navigator’s standard Intelligent Access allow you to unlock the doors from any outside door handle, open the cargo door, and start the engine, all without removing the key from the pocket or purse. Keyless Access and Start standard on the Ascent doesn’t offer a sensor on the rear doors, so you’ll have to reach a front handle to unlock the rear door.

The Navigator’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The Ascent’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

The Lincoln Navigator has power folding mirrors that offer unparalleled convenience while maneuvering in tight places or parked. With the mirrors folded it’s easier to walk past and help prevent parking damage. The mirrors can be quickly unfolded when the driver is ready to leave. Power folding mirrors are only offered on the Ascent Onyx/Limited/Touring/Bronze.

The Navigator has standard heated front, second and third row seats (third row heated seats on Black Label), which keep the driver and passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Subaru doesn’t offer heated seats in the third row of the Ascent.

The Navigator has standard front air conditioned seats and offers them optionally in the second row. This keeps the passengers comfortable and takes the sting out of hot seats in summer. The Ascent doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats for the second row.

The Navigator has a standard heated steering wheel to take the chill out of steering on extremely cold winter days before the vehicle heater warms up. A heated steering wheel is only available on the Ascent Onyx/Limited/Touring/Bronze.

The Navigator offers optional massaging front and rear seats (rear massaging seats standard on Black Label). Massaging seats aren’t available in the Ascent.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Lincoln Navigator has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Wireless charging costs extra on the Ascent. The Navigator also offers Qi charging in the second row seat. The Ascent doesn’t offer wireless charging in its second row seat.

Recommendations

A group of representative automotive journalists from North America selected the Navigator as the 2018 North American Truck of the Year. The Ascent has never been chosen.

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