Midsize and three-row SUVs · model years 2019 to 2021
Subaru Ascent vs Toyota Highlander: problems and reliability
On the 7 measures below that do not grow with sales, the Ascent looks better on 2 and the Highlander on 1, with 4 too close to call.
Newest report Sep 24, 2026 · checked Sep 27, 2026
Scorecard
| Measure, 2019 to 2021 | Ascent | Highlander |
|---|---|---|
| Complaints that report a crash | 2.2% | 4.0% |
| Complaints that report a fire | 0.9% | 0.4% |
| Complaints that report an injury | 1.3% | 2.8% |
| Median miles when problems are reported | 12,000 | 60,000 |
| Recall campaigns per model year | 3.3 | 3.0 |
| Do-not-drive recalls | 0 | 0 |
| NHTSA investigations | 0 | 0 |
The shaded side is lower (for miles, higher). Values within about a tenth of each other count as too close to call.
What owners complain about
The system Ascent owners complain about most is electrical; for the Highlander it is transmission and drivetrain. Complaints citing electrical make up 32% of all Ascent complaints, against 7.7% on the Highlander. The Highlander leans the other way on transmission and drivetrain: 41% of its complaints, against 19% for the Ascent.
Subaru AscentToyota Highlander
Share of each model's complaints that cite each system, from NHTSA's own component codes. One complaint can cite several systems, so the shares add up to more than 100%.
The most reported problems
The most reported problem on the Ascent is dead battery (27% of its complaints). On the Highlander it is transmission failure (17% of its complaints), against 3.6% on the Ascent.
| Problem | Ascent | Highlander |
|---|---|---|
| Battery dies or the car will not start | 27% 237most in 2019 · 10k mi | 1.5% 20 |
| Transmission fails or needs replacement | 3.6% 3151k mi | 17% 227most in 2021 · 75k mi |
| Windshield cracks or distorts | 18% 154most in 2019 · 11k mi | 2.0% 2619k mi |
| Engine stalls or loses power while driving | 7.1% 61most in 2019 · 14k mi | 11% 143most in 2019 · 35k mi |
| Brakes grind, pulse or wear early | 7.1% 61most in 2019 · 10k mi | 9.6% 126most in 2021 · 25k mi |
| Transmission shudders, slips or shifts hard | 8.9% 77most in 2019 · 25k mi | 4.8% 63most in 2019 · 67k mi |
| Airbag warning light or recall | 0.8% 7 | 6.7% 88most in 2021 · 41k mi |
| Infotainment, screen or backup camera fails | 4.0% 356k mi | 2.6% 3411k mi |
Share of each model's own complaints, with the count beside it. "Most in" links to the symptom sheet for the model year with the most reports of it, and the mileage is the median from reports that gave one.
When problems start
Ascent owners report problems earlier. Half the Ascent complaints that give a mileage come before 12,000 miles; for the Highlander the halfway point is 60,000. 90% of Ascent reports and 41% of Highlander reports come before 50,000 miles. Older model years have had longer to reach high mileage, so a window that runs to recent years pulls both medians down.
Subaru AscentToyota Highlander
Share of the complaints that state a mileage: 459 for the Ascent and 512 for the Highlander.
Worst and best years
The 2019 Ascent draws 3.3 times the complaints of a typical Ascent year for its age. The 2021 Highlander draws 2.9 times the complaints of a typical Highlander year for its age.
Subaru AscentToyota Highlander
Each bar is that model year's complaints for each year on the road, divided by the same figure for a typical year of the same model (the dashed line). Measuring each model against itself takes the sales gap between the two out of the picture, so they can share a scale. Years too new to judge are left out.
Recalls and investigations
The two draw recalls at about the same rate: 3.3 campaigns per model year for the Ascent and 3.0 for the Highlander. A recall counts once however many cars it covers, so this figure does not grow with sales the way complaint totals do.
Subaru Ascent
10 recall campaigns and 0 NHTSA investigations across these model years. Most recalled: transmission and drivetrain (3), fuel system (2) and engine and engine cooling (1).
- 22V-907 (electrical) covers 3 model years
- 26V-436 (equipment) covers 3 model years
Toyota Highlander
9 recall campaigns and 0 NHTSA investigations across these model years. Most recalled: fuel system (3), airbags (2) and equipment (1).
- 23V-720 (structure) covers 2 model years
- 23V-865 (airbags) covers 2 model years
Whether a particular car is included depends on its VIN. Check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Crashes, fires and injuries
A larger share of Highlander complaints report a crash: 4.0%, against 2.2% for the Ascent. Fire reports: 8 for the Ascent and 5 for the Highlander.
Subaru AscentToyota Highlander
Share of each model's complaints in which the owner reported it. These are owners' own accounts as filed with NHTSA, and one report on its own doesn't prove a defect.
Questions
Is the Subaru Ascent or the Toyota Highlander more reliable?
On the 7 measures below that do not grow with sales, the Ascent looks better on 2 and the Highlander on 1, with 4 too close to call. NHTSA complaint totals cannot settle it alone: the Ascent has 865 complaints and the Highlander 1,314 for model years 2019 to 2021, and those totals follow how many of each were sold.
Which has more recalls, the Ascent or the Highlander?
The Ascent has 10 recall campaigns and the Highlander 9 across model years 2019 to 2021. The two draw recalls at about the same rate: 3.3 campaigns per model year for the Ascent and 3.0 for the Highlander.
What are the most common problems on the Ascent and the Highlander?
The most reported problem on the Ascent is dead battery (27% of its complaints). On the Highlander it is transmission failure (17% of its complaints), against 3.6% on the Ascent.
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