Subaru Ascent - Review, Specs, Pricing, Features, Videos and More

AutoGuide.com Staff
by AutoGuide.com Staff
Find everything you need to know about the Subaru Ascent here, along with expert reviews, specs, photos, videos and more.
subaru ascent review specs pricing features videos and more
Our Rating3.7/5
Price$34,195 - $48,495
Engine2.4-liter turbo 4-cylinder
Power260 hp
Torque277 lb-ft
DrivetrainAWD

Subaru’s Ascent is the no-nonsense vehicle of the three-row SUV world. It’s designed to excel at its intended job without any excessive flash or flair. Shuttling seven or eight passengers from point A to point B, regardless of weather or road conditions, is the Ascent’s operational directive. Recently though, it’s gained a bit more personality as Subaru looks to expand the vehicle’s appeal.

The Ascent received a refresh inside and out. The most notable changes are a larger infotainment screen on higher end trim levels and revised front-end styling.

Pros

Subaru reputation for AWD security, a huge interior full of cupholders, low pricing

Cons

Overbearing lane-keep system, mid-level fuel economy, and a forgettable driving experience

Bottom Line

A whole lot of SUV for the money, the Subaru Ascent is the pragmatist's choice, not the most exciting, but mega-practical.

VIDEO - Best 3-Row SUV: New Mazda CX-90 vs 7 Rivals


Best 3-Row SUV: New Mazda CX-90 vs 7 Rivals

subaru ascent review specs pricing features videos and more

We sent out the call. A request to every manufacturer, looking for new, significantly updated, or strong contenders in the mainstream three-row SUV segment. We need the best of best for a special AutoGuide Three-Row SUV Shootout Comparison brought to you by Weathertech. Our goal: to find the best 3 row SUV.

Quickly, manufacturers responded and entries poured in. Representing Korea are two strong options in the Kia Telluride and Hyundai Palisade. From Japan, we have the usual players, the Honda Pilot, Nissan Pathfinder, Subaru Ascent, and Toyota Highlander.

Also, there’s Mazda. The brand was eager to get the tried-and-true CX-9 in our shootout, but what they offered next was huge; both literally and figuratively. Mazda was granting us early access to the brand’s yet unreleased, all-new, CX-90 three-row SUV for this shootout. For those unfamiliar with the CX-90, it’s built on a completely new rear-wheel drive bias platform, featuring an equally new turbocharged inline-six.

Read the full comparison here


2023 Subaru Ascent First Drive Review

subaru ascent review specs pricing features videos and more

It’s a brisk December morning in Prince Edward County, one of Ontario’s key viticultural areas.

Visible exhales in the air make it hard to see the supposedly mild climate that makes this place suitable for growing wine grapes. We arrive here to get a sampling of the 2023 Subaru Ascent, a new revision of the largest testament to the brand’s undying fandom. It’s great the seat heaters are already on when we plant ourselves inside.

Driving along the country roads, the only thing more abundant than hibernating grape vines were other Subaru drivers. If terroir is an important concept in oenophile circles to define the context of a wine, it’s probably fair to apply the same idea to a vehicle—even if cars aren’t grown from the dirt and the rain. We drive for a few hundred kilometers in the new Ascent to find out why there are so many Subarus in wine country. Maybe we will discover why a rugged three-row SUV might make the most sense.

Click Here to Read the Review.


Kia Telluride vs Subaru Ascent Comparison

subaru ascent review specs pricing features videos and more

Going into this comparison, it almost didn’t seem fair.

It’s no secret that the Telluride has been a smash hit for Kia. The brand’s larger three-row has won awards right out of the gate, and folks are paying over list for used examples. The Telluride has immediately become one of the very best choices in the three-row crossover set.

The Subaru Ascent had its own time in the spotlight, roughly six months before the Telluride’s debut. A far cry from the maligned Tribeca before it, the Ascent leans into the modern Subaru values of pragmatic practicality and a learning curve as steep as playing Pong.

Click Here to Read the Review


Competitors


Detailed Specs

Price$34,195 - $48,495
Engine2.4-liter turbo 4-cylinder
Power260 hp
Torque277 lb-ft
DrivetrainAWD
TransmissionCVT
Fuel Economy (city/hwy)19–20 mpg / 25–26 mpg
Cargo capacity17.8 cu ft

Our Final Verdict

Subaru Ascent

Overall

3.7

Performance7.0
Features7.0
Comfort9.0
Quality and Styling7.0
Value9.0
AutoGuide.com Staff
AutoGuide.com Staff

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