Subaru

For a three-row SUV, the seats in back are the whole point, and a single crash test built around them separates these two. One earns the IIHS’s highest 2026 honor, while the other misses an award entirely. This verdict between the Highlander and the Ascent is unusually clear for 2026. Subaru’s three-row SUV earned a Top Safety Pick+, the top IIHS award, in a year of tougher standards, while Toyota’s Highlander earned no award at all, held back by one specific test. Both remain competent family vehicles with plenty of standard safety technology, but on measured crash-test credentials, the Ascent stands clearly ahead.

Toyota

Here is how the two three-row SUVs compare on the ratings that decide the 2026 IIHS awards.

Safety measure

Toyota Highlander

Subaru Ascent

IIHS 2026 award

No award

Top Safety Pick+

Small overlap front

Good

Good

Moderate overlap front (updated)

Marginal

Good

Side (updated)

Good

Good

Headlights

Acceptable or Good

Acceptable or Good

Front crash prevention

Standard, qualifying grades

Good, pedestrian, and vehicle-to-vehicle

NHTSA overall rating

5 stars

5 stars

Subaru’s Ascent meets every requirement for the highest tier. It earns good ratings in the small overlap and moderate overlap front tests and the side test, clears the higher pedestrian and vehicle-to-vehicle crash-avoidance bars that the plus award demands, and wears acceptable or good headlights across the lineup. Subaru has made this kind of result a habit, and the 2026 Ascent continues it.

Subaru

Toyota’s Highlander comes up short in one crucial area. It earns good ratings in the small overlap front and side tests, so it protects front occupants well in those scenarios, and its headlights rate as acceptable, with a good result on the adaptive units. The stumbling block is the moderate overlap front test, where it earns only a marginal rating. That result alone keeps it out of the awards, even before the newer crash-avoidance criteria come into play.

The moderate overlap test is the key to this comparison. Since the IIHS updated it, the evaluation includes a dummy the size of a small woman or a 12-year-old in the seat behind the driver, specifically to measure rear-seat protection in an offset frontal crash. The Highlander protected its front occupant well, but readings from the rear dummy, indicating an elevated risk of head, neck, and abdominal injuries, drove its marginal grade.

Toyota

For a three-row SUV, that is a pointed concern, because the entire purpose of the vehicle is carrying more passengers, often children in the second and third rows. A test that specifically flags rear-seat protection is exactly the one families should weigh most heavily, and it is where the Ascent’s clean sheet separates it from the Highlander.

Both SUVs come with extensive standard driver-assistance technology: Subaru with its EyeSight suite and Toyota with Safety Sense, and both perform respectably in federal NHTSA crash testing. Neither is a vehicle to be afraid of, and the Highlander’s marginal result is a shortfall in one specific scenario rather than a wholesale failure.

Kristen Brown

Still, safety comparisons are decided on measured outcomes, and here the difference is concrete. The Ascent cleared the updated rear-seat test that the Highlander did not, and it went on to meet the tougher crash-avoidance standards on top of that.

The Subaru Ascent is safer. It earns a 2026 IIHS Top Safety Pick+, meeting the institute’s toughest standards, while the Toyota Highlander earns no award this year, held back by a marginal result in the updated moderate-overlap test that evaluates rear-seat protection. The Toyota Highlander is not a dangerous vehicle, and buyers who prefer it for other reasons are not making a reckless choice, but for a family shopping primarily on crash-test protection, the Ascent is the stronger pick, and its rear-seat performance is why.

Wagon lovers finally have options again, and these two take opposite routes to the same body style. Subaru’s Outback trades on rugged, all-weather value, while Toyota’s Crown Signia goes upscale and hybrid-only.

Subaru

Contrasting the Outback with the Crown Signia pits an outdoorsy everyman against a polished newcomer. Subaru built the Outback for capability and value, while Toyota aimed the Crown Signia at buyers who want efficiency and premium calm. Here is how they compare for 2026.

Toyota

Here is a quick side-by-side of how the two wagons line up for 2026.

Specification

Subaru Outback

Toyota Crown Signia

Powertrain

2.5L; 2.4L turbo

Hybrid only

Power

182 to 260 hp

About 240 hp

Fuel economy

Up to about 29 mpg

Up to about 38 mpg

Drive

Standard all-wheel drive

Standard all-wheel drive

Max cargo

About 76 cu ft

About 68 cu ft

Starting price

About $30,000

About $45,000

Toyota’s Crown Signia is hybrid-only, pairing a 2.5-liter four with electric motors for 240 horsepower total and returning close to 38 mpg combined. It feels zippy around town thanks to instant electric torque, and its efficiency is genuinely excellent, comfortably better than the Outback’s. For a buyer whose top concern is fuel bills, that gap is hard to ignore.

Toyota

Subaru’s Outback takes a more conventional route. A 180-horsepower boxer four is standard, with a 260-horsepower turbocharged boxer available on XT and Wilderness trims for real muscle and towing capability. Combined economy lands around 27 mpg, so it trails the Crown Signia on efficiency, but the available turbo gives it a performance ceiling the Toyota cannot reach.

Subaru

Utility favors the Subaru. Its redesigned body is taller and boxier, opening up more passenger room and more cargo space behind the rear seats, and every Outback comes with standard full-time all-wheel drive plus up to 9.5 inches of ground clearance. That translates to real capability on unpaved roads, in deep snow, and while towing.

Kristen Brown

Toyota’s Crown Signia sits lower, with around 6.7 inches of clearance and an on-demand all-wheel-drive system that sends power rearward only when needed. It handles tidily and rides well on pavement, and its cabin is handsome, but it holds less behind the seats and is not built for the rough stuff. It is the better boulevard cruiser; the Outback is the better do-anything wagon.

Toyota

Price is a decisive Outback advantage. It starts around $35,000, while a comparably equipped Crown Signia runs closer to the mid $40,000s, a gap of nearly $10,000 that buys a lot of fuel. The Outback also holds a 2026 IIHS Top Safety Pick+, the institute’s top honor, while the Crown Signia has not yet been fully evaluated.

Chase Bierenkoven

Toyota’s counterpoints are efficiency and a more premium feel, along with the brand’s strong hybrid reputation. For buyers who want a plush, thrifty on-road wagon and do not need the space or clearance, it makes a real case.

Toyota

The Subaru Outback wins for 2026. It costs thousands less, carries more cargo, offers standard all-wheel drive and real ground clearance, and holds the current higher safety credentials. For the widest range of buyers, that combination of value and capability is tough to beat. The Toyota Crown Signia is the right choice for shoppers who prize fuel efficiency and a premium, on-road-focused character and are willing to pay for it. It is a lovely, thrifty wagon. But on overall value and versatility, the Outback takes the win.

Small SUVs succeed by nailing the basics, and these two do it in opposite styles. Subaru’s Forester wins on space, visibility, and all-weather value, while Mazda’s CX-5 counters with a premium cabin and the sharpest drive in the class.

Cole Attisha

Match the Forester against the CX-5, and each plays to a clear strength. Subaru maximizes room and outward vision with standard all-wheel drive, while Mazda delivers upscale materials and engaging handling. Here is how the two compact favorites compare.

Subaru

Here is a quick side-by-side of how the two compact SUVs line up for 2026.

Specification

Subaru Forester

Mazda CX-5

Engines

2.5L

2.5L; 2.5L turbo

Power

180 hp

187 to 256 hp

Drive

Standard all-wheel drive

Standard all-wheel drive

Max cargo

About 74 cu ft

About 59 cu ft

Interior

Roomy, great visibility

Upscale, driver-focused

IIHS 2026 award

Top Safety Pick+

Top Safety Pick+

Subaru gives the Forester a 180-horsepower boxer four, plus a new hybrid making around 194 horsepower and returning roughly 35 mpg in the city, a welcome efficiency boost. Every Forester comes with standard all-wheel drive, X-MODE traction control, and higher ground clearance, giving it genuine light off-road ability that suits camping and bad-weather duty.

Subaru

Mazda’s redesigned CX-5 pairs its refined gas engine with standard all-wheel drive of its own, and it drives with the poise Mazda is known for, quiet, composed, and more engaging than most rivals. It is not built for trails the way the Forester is, but for pavement and rough roads, it is the more polished companion.

Cole Attisha

This is where the new CX-5 leaps ahead. Its available 15.6-inch touchscreen is the largest Mazda has ever fit, it runs Google built-in software, and its cabin materials and craftsmanship feel genuinely upscale. The redesign also stretched the wheelbase for more rear-seat room, addressing an old CX-5 weakness.

Cole Attisha

Subaru’s Forester counters with space and honesty rather than flash. Its boxy body yields excellent cargo room and outstanding outward visibility, and its cabin is practical and hard-wearing, if plainer and less teched-out than the Mazda’s. Consumer reviewers have noted the Forester’s no-frills feel and highway noise; the CX-5 is the quieter, richer place to sit.

Subaru

Safety gives Subaru a concrete edge for now. The Forester holds a 2026 IIHS Top Safety Pick+, the top honor, while the redesigned CX-5 has not yet been crash-tested, though Mazda’s strong safety reputation suggests it should do well once evaluated. Both pack generous standard driver-assistance technology. On value, the two start within dollars of each other, with the CX-5 offering a lot of standard content and the Forester countering with proven capability, all-wheel-drive heritage, and Subaru’s loyal ownership base.

As an all-around daily driver, the Mazda CX-5 edges out the win. Its 2026 redesign delivers a more upscale interior, class-leading technology, more rear-seat space, and the quiet, refined driving manners that make it a nicer everyday companion, all at a price in line with the Forester. The Subaru Forester is the better pick for buyers who want genuine light off-road capability, maximum visibility and cargo room, a hybrid option, and a current Top Safety Pick+ credential the CX-5 has yet to earn. It is close, and safety-focused or adventure-minded buyers may lean toward Subaru, but in terms of overall polish, the redesigned CX-5 takes it.

Back in 2003, Car and Driver once said: “If a midsize family sedan is what you want, the market is flooded with ’em.” Indeed, there was a wide variety of midsize sedan choices, with over ten available. In 2006, the midsize sedan market was easily selling over a million units per year combined, but today? It’s a struggle to get past half of that.

These days, only the Camry remains a top-ten best-seller; the Accord has long been knocked out of the said top-ten list. Let’s not forget that the Nissan Altima has an axe hanging above its roof, too. We’ve already lost quite a number since 2020, but what models were these? Here’s a list of midsize sedans that have met their demise this decade.

Nissan

Right at the dawn of the new decade, the Buick Regal was discontinued, with the final model year being 2020. The last iteration was a captive import from Germany and effectively an Opel Insignia for North America. That’s not totally a bad thing, though, as the Insignia was actually a good midsize sedan, even serving as the basis for two generations of Regal.

A barrage of complications led to the discontinuation of the Regal after just three model years. For starters, General Motors sold off Opel to the group that would eventually form Stellantis, and the latter wasn’t exactly too keen to sell and produce a vehicle under license from its rival. Then, of course, sales dwindled, bringing an abrupt end to the last-generation Regal.

Buick

While we’re on the subject of General Motors, the Chevrolet Malibu would become America’s last true mainstream sedan, holding on until the 2025 model year. While it shared the same underpinnings as the aforementioned Buick, the Malibu was no captive import, as it was produced at the Fairfax assembly plant in Kansas City, Kansas.

The ninth and final generation of Malibu was introduced in 2015 for the 2016 model year, and the last one rolled out in November 2024. GM’s decision to concentrate on trucks, crossovers, and SUVs, along with weakening demand, led to this model’s cancellation.

Chevrolet

Here’s another Euro-bred sedan adapted for American tastes. The final-generation Ford Fusion was essentially a renamed and federalized Mondeo, and traces its direct ancestry to the Contour. Introduced for the 2013 model year, it was a big hit for Ford at the time, selling over 300,000 units in 2014 and 2015. After that, though, sales declined, but it was still selling over 100,000 annually.

However, Ford’s decision to concentrate on SUVs and crossovers meant the Fusion had to go, along with the Fiesta and Focus. A bit of a shame, really, as those Euro Ford models were genuinely good cars that drove well. The Fusion’s final model year was 2020, and it was the last sedan from the Blue Oval in North America. European Mondeo sales ended not long after that.

Speaking of midsize sedans that drove well, that’s the legacy of the Mazda 6. Replacing the competent but otherwise forgettable 626, the Mazda 6 was the midsize sedan the Hiroshima-based automaker desperately needed. Known as the Atenza in its home market, the shift towards a sharper and sportier design proved to be the right move for Mazda.

But no matter how much praise was bestowed upon it, it did nothing to boost sales, which simply trailed off year after year. It also didn’t help that the final generation, which debuted way back in 2012, didn’t evolve much, save for an infotainment update in 2015 and a facelift in 2017. Still, it hung on for as long as it could, with the final year of sale in the U.S being 2022.

Zac Palmer

The most recent addition to this list (for now), the Legacy, was often credited for being a significant and pivotal model for Subaru. It changed the course of the brand and helped transform it into what it is today. Without the Legacy, there would be no Impreza, no World Rally Championship successes, no Outback, and no Forester. That’s the impact the Legacy made.

Its last generation ran from 2020 to 2025 and saw the return of the turbocharged engines. Unfortunately, that wasn’t enough to pique interest in the car. Still, there are a few left in dealer lots, and if you can find an XT turbo model, you can bag yourself what is possibly one of the last reasonably-priced sleeper sedans in the country.

Subaru

The sole European offering here, the Volkswagen Passat, was, by all means, the last step before heading to an Audi showroom. It was a true slice of midsize German motoring goodness right up until the introduction of the ‘NMS’ version in 2011, a model specifically for the U.S. and, later on, China.

The final version of the American Passat was bigger than the global version, but built at a lower cost in a bid to attract more buyers. It was a huge success in its early years, being the kind of car that gave Volkswagen North America the sales it needed. But, as always, SUVs and crossovers got in the way of sustained sales success. The car was updated eight years after its introduction in 2019, but it wasn’t enough to turn the tide. The last NMS Passat rolled out of Chattanooga in 2022.

VW

With the impending discontinuation of the Altima, the number of midsize sedans left in the U.S. is down to four. Of course, the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord are still around and could be marked safe from the culling. The other two are from South Korea: the Hyundai Sonata and the Kia K5.

It’s worth pointing out that most of the models mentioned above are still in use in very few countries. The Regal, Malibu, and Passat are still being produced in China. The VW is even being exported to the Middle East and sold exclusively as a wagon in Europe. The Fusion lives on as the Chinese-built Mondeo and shipped out to the Middle East as the Taurus. As for the Mazda 6, it has an indirect successor in the form of the 6e, a product of the Mazda-Changan collaboration.

Save for Ford, which is actually reconsidering sedans for North America, it’s unlikely we’ll see GM, Mazda, Subaru, and Volkswagen even return to the midsize sedan class stateside. There are simply too many market forces working against those companies to even think about bringing back the traditional midsize family sedan, given the demand for crossovers and SUVs. Factor in regulations that favor light trucks, and there’s just not enough incentive for automakers to bother with it in the first place.

Mazda

For those absolutely determined to save gas but refuse to shell out more than $30,000 for a brand new car, hybrids are most definitely the way to go. There’s no shortage of options, either, and there are even models priced under $25,000.

That said, if you’re specifically looking for hybrid crossovers, the choices become much slimmer. Still, there are options available, and that’s good news for consumers, especially in an age of rising average new car prices.

Hyundai

We kick off the list with the most affordable offering, the 2026 Kia Niro. With a base price of $27,390, it is also the least expensive hybrid crossover in the country. That price gets you the entry-level LX model, and you get a lot of car for the money. The facelifted 2027 model has also been revealed, so there might be discounts on the current model, too.

It comes with a basic set of advanced driver assists, along with safe exit warning and rear occupant alert. The Niro is powered by a 1.6-liter engine mated to a single motor that’s good for 139 hp and 195 lb-ft of torque. EPA-rated fuel economy is 53 mpg city, 54 mpg highway, and 53 mpg combined, good enough to give it a range of up to 588 miles. It’s not the most exciting choice, but it covers the basics and more.

Kia

Yes, we know, it’s a pickup, but it’s technically a crossover when you think about it. The Ford Maverick shares the same bones as the Escape, which in turn was based on the Focus. The country’s only compact hybrid pickup (at least for now) starts at $28,145 for the front-wheel drive XL.

Basic advanced driver assists are covered, as are automatic headlights with auto high beam, tire pressure monitoring system, and the clever Flexbed storage system. As for utility, the bed is 4.5 feet long and has a payload capacity of 1,500 lbs. Powering the Maverick Hybrid is a 2.5-liter Atkinson-Cycle engine paired with a single motor, producing 191 hp and 155 lb-ft (from the engine). For fuel economy, it does 42 mpg city, 35 mpg highway, and 38 mpg combined, along with a projected range of 524 miles, based on EPA ratings.

Ford

Admittedly, the Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid just squeaks in under the $30,000 threshold. Had it gone beyond that, we’d have a very short list of two vehicles, so we’re glad Toyota still has an affordable entry-level version of the hybrid subcompact crossover. The sole model under $30k is the S Hybrid with a base price of $29,595.

So, what does that get you? Well, there’s standard all-wheel drive for starters, so for those who live in snowier climes who need a cheap hybrid crossover, the Corolla Cross is definitely worth checking out. That price also includes a full suite of advanced driver assists in the form of Toyota Safety Sense 3.0, which adds adaptive cruise, along with auto high beams, rear air-con vents, and a six-speaker audio system.

The Corolla Cross Hybrid S is motivated by a 2.0-liter Atkinson-Cycle engine with a dual-motor arrangement. That helps it put out 196 hp combined, while the engine alone makes 139 lb-ft. For the important matter of fuel economy, the EPA rates it at 45 mpg city, 38 mpg highway, and 42 mpg combined with an estimated range of up to 445 miles.

Toyota

The options mentioned above are well worth considering, but what if you’re willing to stretch the budget by a couple of thousand more? Depending on how far you’re willing to stretch it, we have three more hybrid SUV crossovers that just missed the cut. Starting from the most ‘expensive,’ there’s the Subaru Crosstrek Sport Hybrid for $33,995. A direct match for the Corolla Cross, it does come with a more advanced all-wheel drive system, and its powertrain does share some tech from Toyota. Its fuel economy figures, according to the EPA, are 36 mpg city, 36 mpg highway, and 36 mpg combined, but thanks to its larger tank over the Corolla Cross, it can go further between fill-ups with an estimated range of up to 597 miles.

As for the other two, it’s the South Korean duo of the Hyundai Tucson and Kia Sportage. The Tucson Hybrid Blue SE starts at $32,450, while the Sportage Hybrid LX kicks off at $30,490. Mechanically, the two are twins, using the same 1.6-liter turbo-hybrid arrangement with 231 hp and 271 lb-ft. Funnily enough, Kia claims 232 hp from the electrified Sportage, perhaps as an act of petty sibling rivalry. The Tucson Hybrid has EPA figures of 38 mpg in the city, 35 mpg on the highway, and a combined rating, with an estimated range of 520 miles. As for the Sportage Hybrid, it’s 41 mpg city, 44 mpg highway, and 44 mpg combined with a range up to 589 miles.

It’s good to know that there are decent options for reasonably-priced hybrid crossovers in the market today. Cars aren’t getting any cheaper, so the list just keeps shrinking every year. We say but them while you still can, especially now as gas prices remain volatile.

Hyundai

Few safety stories are as consistent as Subaru’s, and it anchors this matchup. The Forester carries one of the longest top-award streaks in the business, while its arch-rival, a freshly redesigned RAV4, has yet to face the current crash-test gauntlet. There is a clean headline here and a necessary caveat beneath it. Subaru’s Forester just earned a 2026 IIHS Top Safety Pick+, extending a recognition run that stretches back roughly two decades. Toyota’s RAV4 went hybrid-only and fully redesigned for 2026, and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has not yet tested the new version, leaving it without a current award. That is the tension: proven honor versus blank slate.

Kyle Edward/Autoblog

Here is how the two compare on the ratings behind the 2026 IIHS awards, alongside their federal scores.

Safety measure

Subaru Forester

Toyota RAV4

IIHS 2026 award

Top Safety Pick+

No current award (untested)

Small overlap front

Good

Not yet tested

Moderate overlap front (updated)

Good

Not yet tested

Side (updated)

Good

Not yet tested

Headlights

Acceptable or Good

Not yet tested

Front crash prevention

Good, pedestrian, and vehicle-to-vehicle

Not yet tested

NHTSA overall rating

5 stars

Not yet rated

Subaru’s Forester meets every requirement for the institute’s top tier in 2026, a year when those requirements got tougher. It earns good ratings across the crash tests, clears the higher pedestrian and vehicle-to-vehicle crash-avoidance bars, and comes with acceptable or good headlights across the lineup. Subaru has now been racking up Top Safety Pick recognition for the Forester for roughly two decades, which speaks to a consistent engineering commitment rather than a one-year result.

Kristen Brown

Toyota’s RAV4 is in a different situation. The previous generation performed well in IIHS testing, but the 2026 model is an all-new design with an entirely hybrid lineup, and the institute has not yet published crash results for it. That means it holds no 2026 award, not because it failed, but because it has not been evaluated. Until the IIHS tests it, its crashworthiness is genuinely unknown in the current testing regime.

This is the heart of the comparison. Safety awards are meant to reflect measured performance, and right now only one of these two has measured performance to point to. The Forester’s Top Safety Pick+ is a current, verified result against 2026 standards. The RAV4’s absence from the list is a gap in data, not evidence of a weakness.

Kyle Edward/Autoblog

For a buyer deciding today, though, that distinction still favors the Forester. Choosing the RAV4 on safety grounds means trusting that the redesign will test well when it eventually does, whereas the Forester already has the top honor in hand. Toyota’s strong safety history makes the RAV4 a reasonable bet, but a bet is not the same as a proven result.

Both SUVs come loaded with standard driver-assistance technology, Subaru with its EyeSight suite and Toyota with its Safety Sense package, and both brands have solid reputations for real-world safety. Neither is a vehicle a family should worry about on those grounds. The practical takeaway is about certainty. If the RAV4 earns a strong IIHS result later in the year, this comparison could tighten considerably. As of now, only the Forester can prove where it stands.

Kristen Brown

On current, verified credentials, the Subaru Forester is safer. It holds a 2026 IIHS Top Safety Pick+, meeting the institute’s toughest standards, while the redesigned Toyota RAV4 has not been crash-tested yet and therefore carries no 2026 award. The important nuance is that the RAV4’s lack of a rating reflects timing rather than a poor result, and Toyota’s history suggests it may well test well once evaluated. But safety is decided on evidence, and today the Forester has it while the RAV4 does not, so the Forester takes the win for now.

Comparing the Outback with the RAV4 is trickier than it looks, because the two took different paths for this generation. The Outback was fully redesigned into a larger, more upright, more SUV-like shape, while the RAV4 went hybrid-only and kept its compact footprint. Both remain go-anywhere favorites, so cargo capacity is a natural tiebreaker. The result is a genuine split decision, and which one wins depends entirely on how you tend to pack.

Jared Rosenholtz/Autoblog

With the rear seats upright, the RAV4 holds the advantage. It offers 37.8 cubic feet behind the second row, about three cubic feet more than the Outback’s 34.6. For daily use, groceries, and everyday errands where the seats stay up, the RAV4 gives you a little more usable room right behind the tailgate.

Toyota

That result surprises some shoppers, since the Outback is the physically larger vehicle. The explanation is shape: the RAV4’s taller, more vertical rear packages more volume in the space immediately behind the seats, while the Outback distributes its room over a longer, lower floor.

Fold everything flat, and the picture flips decisively. The redesigned Outback opens up to 80.5 cubic feet of maximum cargo volume, a full 10.1 cubic feet more than the RAV4’s 70.4. That is the difference between fitting one more bike, a longer set of skis, or a weekend’s worth of camping gear in a single trip.

Jared Rosenholtz/Autoblog

The Outback’s wagon-derived length is what pays off here. Its long, flat load floor and wide rear opening make it easier to slide in bulky or awkward items, and for 2026, its standard roof rails carry a stout 800-pound static load rating for even more capacity up top. If maximum haul-it-all volume is your yardstick, the Outback is clearly the bigger box.

Cole Attisha

The two also differ in how that space is meant to be used. The Outback leans into rugged practicality with a wider, more accessible load floor, available water-repellent upholstery, and gear-friendly touches aimed at outdoor use. Its higher ground clearance and standard all-wheel drive mean you can actually get that cargo to a trailhead.

Kristen Brown

The RAV4 counters with clever small-item storage and, now that it is hybrid-only, class-leading efficiency to go with its slightly larger behind-the-seats space. For urban and suburban buyers who rarely fold the seats, that everyday room plus fuel economy is a compelling package. But for hauling bulk, the Outback’s shape wins out.

Kristen Brown

It depends on how you load, but for maximum cargo, the Subaru Outback wins. Its 80.5 cubic feet with the seats folded comfortably beats the RAV4’s 70.4, and its long, wide load floor makes that space genuinely usable for big gear. For anyone who regularly folds the seats to haul bulky items, the Outback is the roomier choice. The Toyota RAV4 earns a real point of its own by offering more room behind the seats at 37.8 cubic feet, so buyers who mostly keep the seats up and want everyday practicality plus hybrid efficiency may prefer it.

Car culture is facing an unprecedented corporate invasion. Word is spreading across the enthusiast community that legendary tuning house Hondata has reportedly been acquired by Engineered Performance Technologies (EPT). If this sounds familiar, it should: EPT is the massive private equity-backed umbrella company that already owns tuning giants like Cobb Tuning, AutoMeter, Ecutek, and PRL Motorsports.

As detailed in a report by The Drive, it’s a symptom of a massive consolidation trend reshaping the entire automotive aftermarket. For decades, car tuning was a fragmented landscape of passionate, independent engineers working out of local speed shops. Today, those fiercely independent brands are rapidly being swallowed up and packaged into lucrative corporate investment portfolios.

Alex Malburg

The news broke when a leaked press release draft surfaced in a Honda Type R Facebook group. The document detailed EPT’s acquisition of Hondata, promising access to “expanded corporate resources” and “deeper manufacturing capabilities.” While neither company has officially confirmed the transaction, the details line up perfectly with EPT’s aggressive, multi-platform expansion strategy over the last decade.

By acquiring Hondata, EPT has successfully completed a massive puzzle. Just as they paired Cobb software with GrimmSpeed hardware for the Subaru market, they have now paired Hondata software with PRL Motorsports hardware for the Honda ecosystem. They now effectively control the digital keys to the two most popular enthusiast platforms on the planet.

Hondata is far from a minor player in this space. They write the critical ECU maps that enthusiasts rely on when installing Civic upgrades, making modern daily drivers feel like true sports sedans. Their hardware engineering is equally vital; products like their direct-injection fuel system kit are absolute requirements for anyone trying to push a Civic Type R past the 500-horsepower barrier.

Alex Malburg

So, is this private equity invasion actually bad news for the average gearhead? The corporate pitch is always the same: cash infusions lead to faster product development and better inventory. Sometimes that is true, but corporate ownership also brings intense pressure to cut costs, maximize margins, and strictly comply with federal emissions regulations, which often results in locked-down tuning software.

Ultimately, consolidation threatens the soul of the aftermarket. When a handful of boardrooms control all the software and hardware, products inevitably become homogenized, prices rise, and the rogue spirit of car modding gets sanitized. We can only hope that Hondata’s brilliant engineers are left alone to do what they do best, rather than being forced to chase quarterly returns.

Jonathon Ramsey

Toyota has spent decades competing with Japan’s biggest automakers, but the company’s new Chief Industry Officer, Koji Sato, believes the industry’s future depends on knowing when not to compete. In a recent interview with Automotive News, Sato outlined a vision where Japan’s carmakers work together on core technologies and manufacturing standards, freeing each brand to focus on the innovations that truly set its products apart.

Toyota

Toyota

Sato said his newly created Chief Industry Officer role is designed to strengthen the connection between Toyota and the wider automotive industry. It also complements his position as chairman of the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA), where he is helping steer the industry through what he described as a “once-in-a-century period of transformation.”

Rather than having Japan’s seven automakers solve many of the same engineering challenges independently, Sato wants them to share common standards for fundamental components and manufacturing processes. The objective is to reduce duplicated effort while allowing Honda, Nissan, Mitsubishi and the rest of its domestic rivals to invest more heavily in technologies and features that truly differentiate their vehicles.

Toyota is no stranger to collaboration. It co-developed the GR86 with Subaru, shares the Supra platform and powertrain with BMW, and has partnered with Suzuki and Mazda on several joint projects over many years.

Toyota

Toyota

Sato pointed to material specifications as one area where greater cooperation could benefit the entire industry. Suppliers currently produce countless variations of similar materials to satisfy each manufacturer’s individual requirements, creating unnecessary complexity throughout the supply chain.

Even something as simple as standardizing steel tolerances, he said, would dramatically improve productivity. “We can shift the resources previously consumed by reducing operational complexities… toward more creative endeavors, specifically the development of new technologies,” Sato explained. He believes this approach would strengthen Japan’s manufacturing base, improve international competitiveness, and ultimately lead to higher-value vehicles for customers.

Toyota

Toyota

Toyota’s recent performance highlights both the opportunities and challenges facing the company. EV sales in America more than doubled, but demand for the RAV4 has far outstripped supply, resulting in an estimated 55,000 lost US sales this year. Fortunately, Toyota is opening its first new factory in Japan since 2012, but Sato believes the solution extends beyond simply building more factories.

While he wasn’t referring to the RAV4 specifically, a supply constraint is exactly what his strategy aims to address. By standardizing more of the industry’s foundational components and manufacturing practices, suppliers could respond more efficiently when demand spikes, while automakers would be free to dedicate more resources to innovation instead of reinventing the same basic technologies.

That could prove increasingly important as Toyota battles growing competition from Chinese automakers, a key factor behind the company’s four consecutive months of declining global sales. If Sato’s vision becomes reality, Japan’s carmakers may find that collaborating on the fundamentals is the best way to stay two steps ahead of the competition.

Comparing the XC90 with the Ascent on safety pits reputation against results. Volvo’s flagship SUV has decades of safety heritage behind it and remains a very well-protected vehicle, earning a 2026 Top Safety Pick from the IIHS. Subaru’s Ascent, though, went one better, earning a Top Safety Pick+, the institute’s top honor, in a year when the criteria got tougher. Both are excellent, but on the specific measure of current IIHS credentials, the mainstream Subaru edges the luxury Volvo.

Subaru

Both SUVs clear the core requirements that any 2026 award demands: good ratings in the small overlap front, moderate overlap front, and side crash tests, plus acceptable or good headlights across the lineup. That shared foundation is why both earn recognition rather than one being left off the list.

Volvo

The separation is in crash avoidance. To reach Top Safety Pick+, a vehicle needs a good rating in the pedestrian front crash prevention test and an acceptable or good result in the institute’s updated vehicle-to-vehicle evaluation, with those systems standard. The Ascent met that higher bar; the XC90’s award at the standard tier indicates it cleared the crash tests and headlight requirements, but did not fully meet the tougher crash-avoidance criteria that separate the plus.

It is worth stressing that the XC90’s Top Safety Pick is still a strong result, and Volvo’s engineering reputation is well earned. The XC90 is a heavier, larger luxury SUV, and in an absolute sense, it offers excellent occupant protection. A buyer choosing it on safety grounds is not making a mistake.

Kristen Brown

But safety comparisons are settled on measured, current outcomes, and here the Ascent simply cleared a higher hurdle for 2026. Subaru has made top-tier IIHS results a habit across its lineup, and the Ascent’s Top Safety Pick+ reflects that consistency. When both vehicles are demonstrably safe, the tie goes to the one holding the higher award.

Volvo

Both come loaded with standard driver-assistance technology, Volvo with its long-standing City Safety systems and Subaru with its EyeSight suite, and both are expected to perform well in federal NHTSA testing. Neither is a vehicle a family should hesitate over on safety grounds.

Volvo

The practical difference is narrow and lives in the crash-avoidance criteria, so buyers weighing these two can factor in price, size, and luxury alongside the ratings. The Volvo brings a plusher, more premium experience; the Subaru brings the higher current safety features at a lower price.

On paper, the Subaru Ascent is safer. It earns a 2026 IIHS Top Safety Pick+, the institute’s highest award, while the Volvo XC90 earns the standard Top Safety Pick one tier down. The core crash protection is strong in both, so the Ascent’s edge lies in meeting the tougher crash-avoidance requirements that define the plus. The Volvo XC90 remains a very safe luxury SUV with a deserved reputation, and buyers drawn to it should not feel they are compromising. But strictly by the 2026 IIHS ratings, the Ascent holds the higher honor, making it the pick for a shopper choosing on crash-test credentials alone.