Subaru vs Honda: Which One Suits You The Most?

This Subaru vs Honda article compares two excellent Japanese car manufacturers. Both car brands are known for producing strong and reliable SUVs and passenger cars.

However, the two companies share a lot in common, which makes it difficult for prospective buyers to choose the best. We’ll look at their main differences in terms of reliability so that you can choose the most reliable of the two popular cars.

Features	Honda	Subaru
Design	AWD, 4WD, FWD	AWD
Durability	Can last between 200,000 to 300,000 miles, for up to 20 years, even with extensive use	Can last up to 200,000 miles for only 13 years with extensive use
Repair and Maintenance	Cheaper	Expensive
Gas Mileage	Lower gas mileage and improved fuel economy	AWD design offers higher gas mileage
Most Popular Models	Honda Civic, Honda Accord, Honda CR-V	Subaru Forester, Subaru Outback

What Are the Main Differences Between Subaru and Honda?

The main differences between Subaru and Honda include their price, fuel economy, and handling. The two brands are competitive when it comes to their prices, as they both offer luxury and budget-friendly models. However, Subaru cars are generally more affordable than Honda cars.

While the two brands are similar in many ways, reliability is a main factor to consider when choosing your preferred brand. To help you determine which is the more reliable car brand, we’ll go through different factors that distinguish both brands.

– Durability

Honda has grown to become one of the leading companies in the automobile industry, especially when it comes to the durability of the vehicles they provide. Subaru vehicles are designed to handle difficult driving conditions, thanks to the improved driver’s assistance and driver safety features it comes with.

However, Honda vehicles do better in terms of durability. Generally, Honda vehicles can last between 200,000 to 300,000 miles with up to 20 years of extensive usage, which is not the case with Subaru cars.
Subaru vehicles can only last up to 200,000 miles with up to 13 years of extensive use. Therefore, if you want a more durable car, consider getting a Honda model.

– Gas Mileage

Another factor that separates the two brands is fuel economy and gas mileage, of which Subaru falls short. Subaru vehicles utilize the AWD design, which is not as economical as other vehicles. However, there are many modern variants that offer impressive fuel economy.

The main reason why Subaru cars don’t have good gas mileage is the increased drivetrain loss. AWD cars usually have more gas mileage loss than 2WD cars. However, this doesn’t mean that Honda cars have a much better gas mileage performance. Basically, Honda vehicles running on 4WD or AWD will have similar gas mileage to Subaru.

When it comes to gas mileage, the difference depends on the features of the individual models of the two brands. There are some Subaru models that offer improved fuel economy than Honda, and vice versa. For example, Subaru Outback generally performs better than Honda Pilot in terms of gas mileage.

– Engine

Subaru is known for maintaining uniformity across all their vehicles, which is why they maintain AWD in every model. This also applies to the engines, as all Subaru cars come with boxer engines, which present many problems for these cars.

For instance, boxer engines are generally less reliable, complex, and enormous in size. There are so many disadvantages of boxer engines, which ultimately outweigh the benefits it offers. On the other hand, Honda engines are among the most reliable options you’ll find on the market.

Honda applies different engines for the vehicles they provide, examples of which include F20C, C30A, J35, inline 4-stroke engines, B18C5, K20A, and C32B. Honda also offers the i-VTEC engine, which is one of the most refined engines on the market today.

– Repairs and Maintenance

The two brands will serve you well, but this depends on how you use them. However, when it comes to maintenance, Subaru is a more expensive brand. When it comes to annual repair costs, Subaru is considered to be higher than Honda. This is because Subaru models are AWD, and it’s generally more expensive to maintain AWD vehicles.

AWD car parts are more expensive and not always easy to find. Honda takes pride in providing vehicles with superior structure and designs, and these vehicles are built to last long. Therefore, you can enjoy longer periods without experiencing any faults, which eventually allows you to save more on repairs and maintenance.

What Are Subaru’s Characteristics and Specifications?

Subaru’s characteristics and specifications include providing vehicles that are safe, comfortable, powerful, and reliable. This is an award-winning brand recognized for providing some of the best vehicles on the market in terms of safety and performance. Also, the company was the first to introduce all-wheel drive on a sedan.

If you’re thinking of buying a Subaru car, you have different models to choose from. Some of the most common models include Subaru Forester, Subaru Outback, Subaru Legacy, Subaru Impreza, and Subaru Crosstrek. One of the most significant selling points of Subaru vehicles are its safety features, which include the rigid body design and advanced airbag system.

Another amazing thing to note is that Subaru offers a five-year and 60,000-mile powertrain warranty, which is an assurance of quality and indicates that their vehicles are reliable. The company also offers a 3-year and 36,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty.

What Are Honda’s Characteristics and Specifications?

Honda’s characteristics and specifications include providing cars that are stylish, practical, and affordable. The company is one of the most trustworthy car manufacturers in the world today, with a reputation for longevity and quality. Honda is known for innovation, with their car models featuring the most recent technologies.

Today, they have different models on the market, among which include Honda Accord, Honda CR-V, Honda Pilot, Honda Civic, Honda Ridgeline, and Honda HR-V. Honda offers vehicles with AWD, 4WD, or FWD. When it comes to providing multiple options, the company performs exceptionally, with vehicles for different target audiences.
Honda offers a four years power train warranty and three years bumper-to-bumper warranty. In addition, you also get the HondaCare extended warranty on any Honda vehicle you buy, which is amazing.

Conclusion

With everything discussed above, it’s safe to say that Honda takes the lead over Subaru in many areas. However, there are a few features and factors that set the Subaru car brand apart. For example, Subaru cars are generally cheaper than Honda cars, which makes them the better option for someone who has a limited budget to buy a car.

Another impressive quality of Subaru include enhanced driver’s assistance features like the driver’s monitoring system and eyesight technology to enhance driver’s safety. However, when it comes to the reliability of Subaru and Honda brands, Honda is the more reliable option to consider.

However, the key thing to have in mind is that reliability does not always mean better performance. Both brands offer different car models with features that outdo each other in many ways. Ultimately, it’s important to analyze your preferences before choosing between Subaru and Honda.