Is the Subaru Outback more reliable than the Honda Pilot?

Yes, by a slight margin. The Outback has fewer recalls, 22 against 51 across nine model years, and fewer unscheduled shop visits per year. Its chance of a major repair is also a point lower. The Pilot has fewer owner complaints per vehicle sold, so the gap is narrow.

Which has more recalls, the Outback or the Pilot?

The Pilot has more. Federal recall records show 51 across model years 2018 to 2026, compared with 22 for the Outback. That is more than double. Check any used Pilot's VIN for open recalls, including the fuel pump recall that many owners said dealers could not fix for lack of parts.

Which is cheaper to repair, the Outback or the Pilot?

The Pilot, by a small amount. Independent repair-cost data estimates $542 a year for the Pilot and $607 for the Outback. Over five years that is about $325 more for the Outback. The Outback does visit the shop slightly less often.

Do Subaru Outback windshields really crack on their own?

Owner complaints describe it often. Windshields crack with little or no impact, sometimes while parked, and the cracks spread within hours or days. Some owners replaced the glass two to four times. Dealers often blame rock strikes and deny warranty claims. Glass around the EyeSight camera also needs recalibration after replacement.

What are the most serious Honda Pilot problems?

Engine failure is the most serious pattern in owner complaints. The check engine light comes on, power drops, and knocking follows. Some cases traced to connecting rod bearing failure needed a new engine. Two reports describe fires. Stop/start failing to restart the engine at lights is another repeat complaint.

Last updated: 2026-10-10

Honda Pilot vs Subaru Outback: Reliability Compared

Honda Pilot

Good

More Reliable

Subaru Outback

Good

Reliability gives the Subaru Outback a slight edge over the Honda Pilot, with fewer recalls and fewer shop visits. The Pilot is cheaper to repair. Owner reports differ in kind: Outback owners describe cracked windshields and dead batteries, Pilot owners describe screen blackouts and engine failures.

How Do the Honda Pilot and Subaru Outback Generations Compare?

Most used Outbacks you will see come from the late fifth generation or the sixth. The fifth ran from 2015 through 2019 and was facelifted for 2018. The sixth covered 2020 through 2025, with a refresh for 2023. A seventh generation began with the 2026 model year. The weak 2019 and 2020 years sit on either side of the 2020 changeover. For the Pilot, the third generation ran from 2016 through 2022 and was refreshed for 2019. The fourth generation started in 2023, and a facelift arrived for 2026. That puts the weak 2019 and 2020 years inside the third generation.

Verdict

The Subaru Outback is more reliable than the Honda Pilot, scoring 72/100 vs 68/100.

A slight edge goes to the Outback, mainly on recalls and shop visits. It has 22 recalls against 51 for the Pilot, and 0.4 unscheduled shop visits a year against 0.5. Its chance of a major repair is also a point lower. The Pilot answers with fewer owner complaints per vehicle sold and a cheaper yearly repair bill, so the gap is small. Neither model is a clear winner.

Key Differences

1Honda Pilot costs $65 less per year to repair
2Subaru Outback has 29 fewer total recalls
3Honda Pilot has 17.0 fewer complaints per 10k sold

Category Scoreboard

2Honda Pilot

—

4Subaru Outback

Reliability ScoreTotal RecallsComplaint RateAnnual Repair CostRepair FrequencyMajor Repair Risk

Honda Pilot vs Subaru Outback: Which Is More Reliable?

Honda Pilot vs Subaru Outback at-a-glance reliability comparison
Metric	Honda Pilot	Subaru Outback
Reliability Score	68/100	72/100
Years Tracked	9	9
Total Recalls	51	22
Complaints per 10k Sold	9.1	26.1
Annual Repair Cost	$542/yr	$607/yr
Repair Frequency	0.5/yr	0.4/yr
Major Repair Risk	13%	12%
Year Wins	1 (1 tied)	7 (1 tied)

What Are the Common Problems With the Honda Pilot and Subaru Outback?

Glass and battery trouble define the Outback, while screen blackouts and engine failures define the Pilot. Outback windshields crack with little or no impact and spread across the driver's view, and batteries die repeatedly, with some dealers pointing to the data communications module. Its steering wanders at highway speed, and that area has 4 crash-linked complaints. Pilot owners report a blank infotainment screen that takes the backup camera with it, knocking engine failure, transmission shudder, and a dead front camera that shuts off every driver-assist system. The Pilot's forward collision area has 3 crash-linked complaints. The Outback has no such area among its main problems.

Honda Pilot vs Subaru Outback common problem areas comparison
Component	Honda Pilot	Subaru Outback
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	2.4Low	7.2Above Avg
VISIBILITY/WIPER	0.1Very Low	8.3Above Avg
UNKNOWN OR OTHER	1.1Low	3.9Average
POWER TRAIN	0.9Very Low	0.6Very Low
VISIBILITY	—None	1.5Low
ENGINE	1Very Low	0.2Very Low
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE	0.6Very Low	0.2Very Low
STEERING	0.2Very Low	0.6Very Low
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM	0.4Very Low	0.2Very Low
FUEL SYSTEM	0.6Very Low	—None
AIR BAGS	0.1Very Low	0.5Very Low
SERVICE BRAKES	0.3Very Low	0.2Very Low
STRUCTURE	0.1Very Low	0.4Very Low
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL	0.1Very Low	0.4Very Low
BACK OVER PREVENTION	0.1Very Low	—None
SEAT BELTS	0.1Very Low	—None
EXTERIOR LIGHTING	—None	0.1Very Low
TIRES	—None	—None
SEATS	—None	—None
LANE DEPARTURE	—None	—None
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES	—None	—None

Complaints per 10,000 units sold, aggregated across all tracked model years from NHTSA owner reports.

Which Is Cheaper to Maintain: Honda Pilot or Subaru Outback?

Repair bills favor the Pilot by a small margin. Independent repair-cost data puts it at $542 a year against $607 for the Outback, a gap of $65 a year, or about $325 over five years. The Outback makes up some ground in shop frequency, with 0.4 unscheduled visits a year to the Pilot's 0.5. The chance that a repair is major is 12% for the Outback and 13% for the Pilot. The differences are small either way.

How Does Honda Pilot vs Subaru Outback Reliability Compare by Year?

Honda Pilot vs Subaru Outback year-by-year reliability scores
Year	Honda Pilot	Subaru Outback	Edge
2026	81/1000R / 0C	82/1000R / 0C	Subaru Outback
2025	71/1004R / 111C	82/1000R / 43C	Subaru Outback
2024	72/1006R / 82C	82/1000R / 69C	Subaru Outback
2023	72/1005R / 93C	77/1002R / 83C	Subaru Outback
2022	72/1003R / 105C	67/1004R / 435C	Honda Pilot
2021	63/1008R / 358C	69/1004R / 283C	Subaru Outback
2020	60/1009R / 431C	60/1006R / 884C	Tie
2019	56/10011R / 794C	63/1003R / 1017C	Subaru Outback
2018	63/1005R / 408C	64/1003R / 779C	Subaru Outback

Best years to cross-shop: The 2024 Honda Pilot scored 72/100 and the 2024 Subaru Outback scored 82/100 — the strongest shared model years that have been on the road for at least two years, where available.

Who Should Buy the Honda Pilot vs the Subaru Outback?

Pick the Outback if you want fewer trips to the shop and fewer recalls to chase. Check the windshield for cracks, especially around the EyeSight camera, and ask whether the battery has been replaced more than once. Test drive it on the highway and watch for wandering on center. Skip 2019 and 2020, the weakest years. The 2025 and 2026 years rank best, but they have had little time to collect complaints, so do not read that as proof. Pick the Pilot if a lower yearly repair bill matters most, or if you worry more about glass and steering than about electronics. Before you buy, confirm the fuel pump recall work is done, and test the infotainment screen and the stop/start at a light. Listen for transmission shudder, which owners report starting around 50,000 to 60,000 miles. Avoid 2019 and 2020. The 2023 model year ranks among the stronger Pilots and has had time to build a record.

Honda Pilot vs Subaru Outback: Common Questions

Is the Subaru Outback more reliable than the Honda Pilot?: Yes, by a slight margin. The Outback has fewer recalls, 22 against 51 across nine model years, and fewer unscheduled shop visits per year. Its chance of a major repair is also a point lower. The Pilot has fewer owner complaints per vehicle sold, so the gap is narrow.
Which has more recalls, the Outback or the Pilot?: The Pilot has more. Federal recall records show 51 across model years 2018 to 2026, compared with 22 for the Outback. That is more than double. Check any used Pilot's VIN for open recalls, including the fuel pump recall that many owners said dealers could not fix for lack of parts.
Which is cheaper to repair, the Outback or the Pilot?: The Pilot, by a small amount. Independent repair-cost data estimates $542 a year for the Pilot and $607 for the Outback. Over five years that is about $325 more for the Outback. The Outback does visit the shop slightly less often.
Do Subaru Outback windshields really crack on their own?: Owner complaints describe it often. Windshields crack with little or no impact, sometimes while parked, and the cracks spread within hours or days. Some owners replaced the glass two to four times. Dealers often blame rock strikes and deny warranty claims. Glass around the EyeSight camera also needs recalibration after replacement.
What are the most serious Honda Pilot problems?: Engine failure is the most serious pattern in owner complaints. The check engine light comes on, power drops, and knocking follows. Some cases traced to connecting rod bearing failure needed a new engine. Two reports describe fires. Stop/start failing to restart the engine at lights is another repeat complaint.

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Decided between Honda Pilot and Subaru Outback? Run a VIN check before you buy — uncover hidden accidents, title issues, and open recalls.

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How we score the Honda Pilot and Subaru Outback

Scores weight complaint severity at 35%, repair costs at 30%, recall impact at 20%, and the spread of complaints across systems at 15%, with complaint counts adjusted for US sales. Read the full methodology.

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