Its front grille and headlights draw heavily from the popular Outback and Forester. Overall, the look is attractive but a bit anonymous.
In the back, the Ascent features dual exhausts and a power liftgate. I'm a fan of the sculpted tail lights.
Inside, the interior of our top-spec Touring model really impressed. The cabin is traditional Subaru — very conservative, but effective and easy to use. Ergonomics are terrific, with no oddly-placed buttons or knobs to report.
The interior feels solidly put together with good quality materials. The leather upholstery is soft to the touch and the plastics look and feel robust.
In front of the driver is a nicely contoured leather-wrapped steering wheel complete with paddle shifters.
The center stack is dominated by an optional eight-inch high definition touchscreen running the latest variant of Subaru's Starlink infotainment system. The Ascent comes standard with a 6.5-inch unit.
Subaru's Starlink system is simple and intuitive. It features a solid array of app content as well as...
Atop the main screen is a secondary information display. Using a set of buttons located on the dash, you can scroll through a variety of information including the weather,...
Also located above the rear-view mirror are the sensors for Subaru's Eyesight safety system that is standard on all Accents.
... Adaptive cruise control, automatic pre-collision braking, lane departure warning, and pre-collision throttle control.
Our Ascent test car came equipped with the optional second-row captain's seats. Lower-spec models are available with a second-row bench which gives the Subaru room for up to eight.
The second-row captain's chairs are comfortable and supportive. They are also mounted higher to give the occupants a commanding view of the road.
Third-row passengers have 31.7 inches of legroom. Adults can fit back there and be comfortable on trips around town, but these seats are best reserved for children.
The optional panoramic sunroof floods the cabin with light. Even though, it robs the first and second row passengers of about an inch of headroom, it's definitely worth it.
With the third row folded, cargo capacity increase to 47 cubic feet. The maximum cargo capacity behind the first row is 86 cubic feet.
Power for all versions of the Ascent comes from a new 2.4 liter, turbocharged, horizontally-opposed four-cylinder engine. The "flat" or "boxer" turbo four produces a stout 260 horsepower.
According to Motor Trend, the Accent Touring can make the run from 0-60 mph in 7.3 seconds.
Source: Motor Trend.
So, what's it like to drive?
The Subaru Ascent is surprisingly good to drive. In a segment of the market where driving pleasure is not exactly at the top of the priority list, the Ascent stands out for its confident handling and gutsy acceleration.
I was initially concerned about the lack of a six-cylinder option. After all, this is a 4,600-pound, three-row SUV. However, my fears were quickly allayed by turbo four.
The Accent felt perky around town and plenty capable while sprinting down highway on-ramps. In fact, even with four occupants and a full load of cargo, the Ascent's drivetrain never once felt overmatched.
The engine delivers solid low-end grunt with its 277 pounds of torque at just 2,000 RPMS. In addition, the traditionally lackadaisical CVT did a fair impression of an eight-speed automatic transmission. Its pre-programmed shift points mimicked the feel of an automatic and reduced the effect that dreaded CVT drone.
Our only real complaint with the Ascent driving dynamics were its brakes, which felt spongy and not as responsive as we would have liked.
Our verdict.
In all honesty, we haven't been terribly impressed with the last couple of Subarus we've tested. We found the four-cylinder Outback wagon and Crosstrek crossover to be underpowered and a bit rough around the edges.
The Ascent was none of those things.
Subaru really needed to get the Ascent right. And boy did they nail it. The 2019 Subaru Ascent wowed us with its user-friendly design, refined cabin, a cornucopia of standard safety features, infotainment tech that works, and a gutsy turbocharged engine.
In a market where the weak are quickly exposed, Subaru is entering the fray with all guns blazing.