2019 Ascent is the Subaru families have been waiting for
Subaru’s legion of loyal owners — many of them golden retrievers, if the brand’s commercials can be believed — patiently awaiting a familyhauling three-row SUV will welcome the 2019 Ascent, but the seven- or eight-seater doesn’t take up immediate residency at the head of its class, like other recent Subarus.
Still there’s plenty to like about the Ascent, not least of which is that it should erase memories of Subaru’s unfortunate first attempt at building a three-row, the bafflingly named and generally appalling 2006-14 B9 Tribeca, and the least that can be said of that is that it was malignant, not benign.
Starting with its name, everything about the Ascent makes sense. It’s an obvious step up for a brand that built a sterling reputation on safe, durable all-wheel-drive cars and SUVs. The Ascent fills a major gap in Subaru’s lineup, and does it with a slew of advanced features and an interior ready to carry more kids than anything else in the lineup.
It’s an almost surefire hit, but the Ascent doesn’t put competitors like the Chevrolet Traverse, Ford Explorer, Honda Pilot, Mazda CX-9, Nissan Pathfinder, Toyota Highlander and Volkswagen Atlas on the shelf.
Behind the Wheel
2019 Subaru Ascent Touring All-wheel-drive, seven-passenger compact utility wagon
Price as tested: $44,695 (excluding destination charge)
Rating: Three out of four stars
Reasons to buy: Value; room; fuel economy; driver assistance features.
Shortcomings: Awkward mechanism to raise and lower third-row seats; cargo space. How much?
Ascent prices start at $31,995. All models have allwheel drive, a continuously variable transmission and 260-horsepower turbocharged four-cylinder “boxer” horizontally opposed engine.
I tested a top-of-the-line Ascent Touring that was loaded with features like adaptive cruise control, touch screen, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, high-def digital rearview mirror, seating for seven, leather upholstery, power tailgate and more. It cost $44,695. All prices exclude destination charges.
The Ascent’s prices are in line with seven- and eight-seat competitors like the Traverse, Explorer, Pilot, Pathfinder and Highlander, but it frequently offers more for the money. That’s particularly notable in the Subaru’s standard AWD and EyeSight package of safety and driver assistance features.
Subaru builds the Ascent at its bustling plant in Lafayette, Indiana, alongside the Outback, Legacy and Impreza.
Outstanding features
The Ascent is roomy and comfortable. My seven-passenger model provided plenty of head and leg room in all three rows of seats.
The controls are straightforward and easy to use, thanks to a touch screen, voice recognition, buttons and switches. My Touring model had brown leather seats, oyster leather on the dash, soft black trim and faux wood elsewhere. The center console provides plenty of storage. Standard equipment includes four USB ports and a somewhat baffling 19 cup and bottle holders. I never managed to find them all, or maybe I lost count, or got confused doing the math to divide 19 cupholders by seven passengers. I eventually decided I’d let the driver and five passengers have three drinks each, limiting the last passenger to a single drink just because I could.
The second-row seats slide forward for easy access to the rear seat.
Subaru’s EyeSight suite of driver-assist features has become one of the brand’s hallmarks. Standard equipment includes adaptive cruise control, lane departure alert, front collision alert and automatic front braking. They all worked fine.
Safety features offered on high-end models like the Ascent Touring I tested include a high-def video rearview mirror, automatic rear braking, automatic high beams, blind spot and cross traffic alerts.
The ride is comfortable but sporty. Subaru tuned the Ascent’s steering and suspension to promote peaceful family drives, not enthusiastic jaunts in the countryside.
Fuel economy good, power satisfactory
The Ascent’s 2.4L turbocharged horizontally opposed four-cylinder engine is among the smallest powering a seven- or eight-passenger SUV, but its output of 260 hp and 277 pound feet of torque are competitive. The V6s powering comparably equipped and priced versions of the Atlas, CX-3 Highlander, Pathfinder, Hyundai Santa Fe XL, Kia Sorento, Pilot and Traverse all produce more horsepower, torque or both. Despite that, the Ascent’s acceleration and highway cruising performance compare well, probably thanks to a broad torque range from 2,000 to 4,000 and Subaru’s smooth and responsive continuously variable transmission.
The EPA rates the Ascent at 20 mpg in the city, 26 on the highway and 22 in combined driving. The combined figure tops comparably priced versions of the Traverse, Explorer, Pilot Santa Fe XL, Sorento, Pathfinder and Atlas. The Highlander matches the Ascent’s combined rating and the CX-3 leads the pack at 23 mpg. All the SUVs achieve their rated power and fuel economy using regular gasoline.