The Ascent is the largest Subaru. It’s roomy, comfortable, and practical with standard all-wheel drive and many safety features, which is what you want in a family hauler. But meh handling and a tight third row may keep it from being a top contender among the many excellent midsize three-row crossovers.
Base Price: $46,595
As Tested: $48,031
Horsepower: 260
Mileage: 19 mpg city/25 mpg highway/21 mpg combined
The Ascent was introduced for the 2019 model year. It got a major refresh for 2023 and sees no major changes for 2024.
The 2024 Ascent comes in in six trims: base, Premium, Onyx Edition, Limited, Onyx Edition Limited and Touring. Starting prices range from $34,195 to $48,495. There’s room for seven or eight passengers depending on whether you get the bench seat or captain’s chairs in the second row.
There’s one powertrain: a turbocharged 2.4-liter flat-four engine that makes 260 horsepower and 277 pound-feet of torque. The transmission is a continuously variable automatic. Subaru’s all-wheel drive system and X-mode with hill descent control are standard on all trims.
Acceleration can be leisurely with some turbo lag. The powertrain can get loud when you’re trying to speed up, and you’ll want to plan ahead for merging and passing at freeway speeds, especially if the Ascent is loaded with people and/or gear. You’ll notice road and wind noise in the cabin. The ride is comfortable with the suspension soaking up bumps and rough roads, and the Ascent feels planted when cornering with little body lean. Steering is light but accurate, and the CVT works well in most driving situations. Visibility is good all the way around. All in all, the Ascent is easy to drive but you may wish for more power at times.
Fuel economy is average for the class. EPA ratings for my tester are 19 mpg city and 25 mpg highway with a combined rating of 21. I got 22 mpg during my week with a mix of city and highway driving.
When properly equipped, the Ascent can tow up to 5,000 pounds.
The interior is spacious and practical but not as nice as some rivals. Lower trims have a fair amount of hard plastics. The first and second rows have good leg- and headroom and are comfortable for adults, even on long drives. As is usually the case, the third row is tight and best suited for kids. A large vertically oriented 11.6-inch touchscreen dominates the dash.
Standard features include rearview camera, cloth upholstery, manually adjustable front seats, tri-zone automatic climate control, six-speaker audio system, satellite radio, HD Radio, infotainment system with
11.6-inch touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Bluetooth, USB-A and USB-C ports in the first and second rows, adaptive LED headlights with High Beam Assist, and raised roof rails.
Available features include proximity keyless entry, push-button start, surround-view camera, auto-dimming rearview mirror, digital rearview mirror, leather upholstery, heated front seats, ventilated front seats, eight- or 12-way power-adjustable driver’s seat with memory settings, four-way power-adjustable passenger seat, heated steering wheel, leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift lever handle, second-row independent automatic climate control, heated outboard second-row seats, navigation, 14-speaker Harman Kardon surround-sound audio system, two third-row USB ports, household-style power outlet, ambient interior lighting, heated exterior mirrors, windshield wiper deicer, universal garage door opener, rain-sensing windshield wipers, and panoramic power moonroof.
Standard driver assistance technologies include forward collision warning, forward automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, lane-centering assist, pedestrian and cyclist detection, and rear-seat alert.
Available driver assistance technologies include blind-spot monitoring, lane-change assist, reverse automatic emergency braking, rear cross-traffic alert, and driver-attention alert.
The Ascent got an updated infotainment system in its 2023 refresh. It looks good with its 11.6-inch touchscreen and big, crisp, high-res graphics. The system responds quickly to touch and voice commands. Menus are logically arranged for the most part. Volume, tuning and some climate settings can be easily adjusted with physical controls, but you have to go through the touchscreen for some climate controls. The screen has some glare in bright sunshine. Wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are standard.
Cargo space is good for the class. There are 17.8 cubes with all three rows in place, 43.5 cubes with the third row folded, and 75.6 cubes with both rows folded. These numbers shrink slightly in models with the available panoramic moonroof. A power liftgate and retractable cargo cover are available.
The good:
Easy to drive
Smooth ride
Spacious, comfortable interior
Many standard and available features and tech
Standard wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay
The not-so-good:
Meh handling
Cabin not as nice as some rivals
Pricing info:
My tester starts at $46,595. All-weather floor liners are $141. Destination fee is $1,295 bringing the grand total to $48,031.
Bottom line:
Subaru sure has a loyal following, especially here in the Pacific Northwest. Those who’ve driven Subarus and now want a three-row crossover will feel right at home in the Ascent. It has a comfortable ride, spacious interior, standard AWD, and many standard features and tech. But there are so many worthy three-row crossovers that you’ll want to shop around before making a final decision.
