We drove a $46,000 Subaru Ascent SUV to see if it's ready to challenge Honda, Toyota, and Ford - here's the verdict
The Ascent is Subaru's first attempt to crack the mid-size SUV market since the failed...
...B9 Tribeca that sold from 2005 to 2014.
At 196.8 inches long, the Ascent is nearly half a foot longer than the Tribeca.
The Ascent will slot in above Subaru's other popular crossover suck as the Crosstrek,...
...The Forester, and...
... The Outback wagon as the brand's new flagship and most expensive offering.
At the same time, the new Ascent will compete directly against industry heavyweights like...
... The Toyota Highlander,...
...Ford Explorer,...
...Honda Pilot,...
...Chevrolet Traverse,...
...Mazda CX-9...
...Volkswagen Atlas, and...
... Nissan Pathfinder.
Aesthetically, the Ascent has a heavy does of Subaru corporate styling DNA.
Its front grille and headlights draw heavily from the popular Outback and Forester. Overall, the look is attractive but a bit anonymous.
From the side, it looks like every other crossover in the segment.
In the back, the Ascent features dual exhausts and a power liftgate. I'm a fan of the sculpted tail lights.
I also really like these optional 20-inch alloys and...
... LED headlights.
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.
The dark tan leather and wood grain accents add an extra dash of luxury to the business-like cabin.
In front of the driver is a nicely contoured leather-wrapped steering wheel complete with paddle shifters.
Beyond that, is a set of traditional analog gauges flanking a digital information display.
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...
... 4G LTE Wifi hotspot capability, built-in navigation, and...
... emergency roadside assistance.
There's Apple CarPlay integration.
There's also a standard backup camera.
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,...
...Navigation,...
...Fuel economy, and...
...Vehicle dynamics.
The display also shows which safety features are turned and...
... Is the home to the Ascent's front-view camera.
Below the two screens on the center stack are the climate control switches,...
...USB plugs/AUV plugs, and controls for the SUV's all-wheel-drive system.
Above the driver is a rear-view mirror that can double as a digital display.
In case of an emergency, there's an SOS button located on the panel above the rear-view mirror.
Also located above the rear-view mirror are the sensors for Subaru's Eyesight safety system that is standard on all Accents.
Eyesight is a suite of driver assistance features that include...
... 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.
There's a cavernous 38.5 inches of legroom available for second-row passengers.
Rear seat passengers also have their own climate control, heated seats, and power plugs.
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.
In case you're wondering, the Ascent boasts 19 cup and bottle holders.
Open up the power train gate...
... You'll find 17.5 cubic feet of cargo room behind the third row.
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.
It's mated to a continuously variant transmission and...
...Subaru's signature Symmetrical all-wheel-drive system.
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.
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