Get upfront price offers on local inventory. We take our obsession for automobiles, motorcycles and heart pounding adventures around the globe and put you in the front seat with us. Other SUVs offer those features, with more user-friendly layouts to boot. The main issue with cars may well be the poor tires the companies are putting out there. He has been part of the Car and Driver team since 2016 and now lives in New York City. Subaru has had recalls on the 2019 Ascent for transmission issues and a defective PCV valve that could cause engine failure. Standing-start accel times omit 1-ft rollout of 0.3 sec. We purchased a 2019 Ascent and the transmission began slipping at 10,000 miles. But the steering also feels quicker in action than we'd like in a tall SUV. The turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder engines robust-sounding output 260 horsepower and 277 pounds-feet of torque is undermined by its continuously variable automatic transmission. Subaru may have embraced the CVT, but we can't help but wonder if it's time for it to move on, what with the bounty of excellent multi-speed automatics on the market today. All problems reported are for the 2019 model year, as are the recalls. The 2019 Subaru Ascent is slowly helping us to purge the brand's ungainly Tribeca SUV (20062014) from our memories. CR gives the new 2021 models a predicted owner satisfaction score of 4/5. A whopping 19 cupholders are aboard. Price: The 2022 Subaru Ascent has a starting price of $32,295 for the base 8-passenger model. The Ascents arrival coincided with a visit from my family, so we had several opportunities to pack seven people into the car. At least the second-row seats do slide, giving families more options than they'd have otherwise. Its light steering lacks feel and feedback, removing any sense of engagement from the equation, but its accurate enough, and only the comparison-test-winning CX-9 really provides much driving joy in this segment, anyway. Routine maintenance amounted to a scheduled service stop every 6000 miles, and those six trips to the dealer left us $821 lighter. Out of twenty-six automakers in the U.S. market, Subaru scores number eight overall, dropping from number seven previously. The second row, available with either a three-place bench or a pair of captains chairs, is both capacious and flexible. 1984 Audi 4000S Quattro: Put Your Mind at Ease, Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads. All things considered, it's clear that Subaru has a winner on its hands. The rest were still sitting on dealers' lots or in transit when the Japanese automaker discovered the issue. If you're an automaker nowadays and you don't have a .css-xtkis1{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-thickness:0.0625rem;text-decoration-color:inherit;text-underline-offset:0.25rem;color:#1C5f8B;-webkit-transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;font-weight:bold;}.css-xtkis1:hover{color:#000000;text-decoration-color:border-link-body-hover;}three-row SUV in your lineup with seating for more than five people, you're in a tough spot. "The third-row seat is really for small children only," Rechtin wrote. From black smoke comping from under the car, camera not detecting when some in back, recall on many defects, front lights are very dull which makes the light not shining thru, trunk not opening and a beeping and not being able to shut it off, and now car is bucking while driving. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links. Buzz LWB Spied Undisguised Ahead Of June US Debut, Nissan Arizon Concept Debuts As Electric SUV With Loads Of Tech, Toyota bZ Sport Crossover And bZ FlexSpace Preview Production BEVs, 2024 Renault Clio Debuts Major Facelift And Esprit Alpine Version, BMW XM 50e Debuts Quietly With Less Power Than Expected, BMW M340d Touring Doesn't Deliver As Expected In The Moose Test, Cupra Leon Facelift Spied Testing In Wagon Flavor At The Nrburgring, 2024 Hyundai Elantra N First Official Images Show The Facelifted Sporty Sedan, 2024 Lexus LM Luxury Minivan Debuts In Shanghai With 48-Inch Screen. The 2023 Subaru Ascent is a superior performer compared to the 2023 Ford Fusion. I would buy an accent over the other comparable models and did. Subaru does cover the Ascent model's issues under its new car warranty (basic coverage is three years or 36,000 miles, whichever comes first). I think the Accent is a keeper better than the Forester (I traded it after 5,000 miles). Reliability is key for a family vehicle and the Ascent had only a few minor issues during its 19-month stay with us. Subaru is set to double down on the want/need duality with the new 2019 Ascent. Nevertheless, Dorian commended the Subaru's highway stability with a trailer in tow, but only after disabling the hyperactive lane-keeping assist. That lead photo might look bad, but truth be told, the Subie did very well. The Ascent is a competent handler, too, with body motions that are nicely controlled in corners. The third row is cramped. Price as tested: $47,183.00 That was Subaru's case not too long ago, and it needed a larger vehicle to keep Subaru intenders who had outgrown their Foresters and Outbacks from having to defect to other brands that already offered more capacious crossovers. The Ascent's turbocharged four-cylinder delivers ample power in daily driving and gets 22 mpg overall. Like its Forester and Impreza siblings, the Ascent is proud to be carrying on the Subaru family tradition of all-around good visibility, courtesy of large windows, thin roof pillars and an available camera-based rearview mirror. With a successful moose test in the books, the SUV bobbed and weaved through the slalom. David Beard studies and reviews automotive related things and pushes fossil-fuel and electric-powered stuff to their limits. Torque News reported last week, Subaru's newest SUV, the Ascent, makes the Consumer Reports 10 Least Reliable Cars list and lost their recommendation due to reliability issues. Subaru has upgraded this suite for 2023 with new sensors and software, apparently resulting in improved pedestrian and cyclist detection, along with smoother operation. The lid of the underfloor storage compartment, behind the third row, can be Velcroed to the back of the rearmost seats to stay open, and the compartment can accommodate the optional removable cargo shade when its not in use so it doesnt take up room in your garage. The recalled models could not be fixed and were destroyed. Observed fuel economy (L/100 km): 14.5 L/100 km At 30,000 miles, Subaru's windshield-mounted EyeSight sensors needed recalibrating ($165) after a cracked windscreen was replaced ($646). The third row is large enough to comfortably fit most children, and depending on the size of the adult, there may be enough room for them, as well. Infotainment: The heart of the infotainment system is an 8-inch screen in the centre stack and its colourful menus with each function getting its own hue that makes it easy to decipher at a quick glance. With winter in full force upon its arrival, we fitted a set of Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2 winter tires in the OE size of 245/50R-20. Take the design, for instance. That wasn't the case with the Ascent's oddly styled predecessor, the B9 Tribeca. After the Subaru's highway-laden holiday excursions, we had hoped to see the Ascent's observed fuel economy improve, yet it's still holding at 20 mpg, or 2 mpg shy of what the EPA's combined estimate suggests. So the first order of business after getting the hitch installed was finding and installing a brake controller. Overall cargo space was excellent with the seats up or down. The car also has impressive handling and agility, making it easy to . For our full take, be sure to check out Cars.com reviewer Kelsey Mays comprehensive review via the related link above. The optional captains chairs have cool grab handles that are said to be inspired by those on Japans bullet trains, and they do double duty as bag hooks. The charge to 100 . Shoppers will find more space in the Honda Pilot or Chevy Traverse. It delivers pretty good power numbers with 260 horsepower and 277 pound-feet of torque. Follow Denis on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Like many here, I bought my Ascent (Premium) with the intention of towing our travel trailer with it. How will it fare in our test? The engine in question is a 260-hp turbocharged 2.4-liter flat-four, which in all Ascents pairs with a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) and standard all-wheel drive. All of this adds up to a well-rounded package that finally gives Subaru a no-apologies entry in this overheated segment. Should SUV shoppers stay away from the 2021 Subaru Ascent? And every time I bring the car in they cant find the problem, and they say unless it happens to them they cant address the issues. Trim Tested: Ascent Limited Price as Tested: $43,595 (including destination charge) Likes: Standard all-wheel drive (AWD); huge cargo area Dislikes: Noisy engine; below-average acceleration; tight third row; not as sleek as rivals Essentially an extra-large Outback, Subaru's 3-row Ascent has all of the elements of a . The base Ascent trim level features Subaru's excellent 2.4-liter turbocharged flat-four, producing 260 hp and 277 lb-ft of torque. A front-wheel-drive option could boost efficiency. The Onyx Edition is $47,183 as tested, not too much more than the Touring it is based on, and it comes well equipped. For comparison, the last Honda Pilot we tested posted a 0-60 mph time of 6.2 seconds and ran the quarter mile in 14.8 seconds at 93.9 mph. "Like the really, Cadillac is making waves this week with the releas, Has Porsche has become a crossover company? Our 2019 Subaru Ascent Fulfilled its Mission, 3-Row SUVs Compared: 2018 Ascent, Traverse, CX-9, 2019 Subaru Ascent vs. 2019 Volkswagen Atlas, 1984 Audi 4000S Quattro: Put Your Mind at Ease, Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads. Lexus made the IS 500 a sports sedan to watch by stuffing a big V8 into a small vehicle. Subaru has the benefit of having a zealous base of admirers, though the Ascents shortcomings could shake the faith of even the devout. In our acceleration testing, the Premium hit 60 mph in 6.9 seconds and ran the quarter mile in 15.5 seconds at 90.9 mph. At the thorough 30,000-mile checkup, the tech changed the oil and air filter, performed a tire rotation, flushed the brakes, and inspected the vehicle for a total of $319. Action shot taken during the moderate overlap frontal crash test. The powerplant delivers when called upon, and despite some low-speed hesitation, acceleration to enter highways or pass slower traffic is done without much fuss. The Premium averaged 0.81 g on the skidpad, and the Touring averaged 0.80 g. The Premium also completed the figure eight in 27.1 seconds at 0.63 g, slightly quicker than the Touring's 27.4-second time at an identical 0.63 g. In fact, the only test where the Touring outperformed the Premium was braking. Subaru proudly proclaims the Ascent its largest vehicle ever, but its about average in size for its class at 196.8 inches long, 71.6 inches tall, and 76.0 inches wide. We have a 2020 Ascent and it is plagued with electrical gremlins. We can help! Engine/transmission:2.4-litre Turbocharged Boxer 4-cylinder/ CVT The third row floor is high and the seat is low hence the knees being at the chest. But all were corrected very early. Given the 20 mpg (2 mpg less than the Ascent's EPA combined estimate) that our long termer averaged during its stay, the CVT certainly didn't seem to help its fuel efficiency much, although the several outings we made with campers or enclosed snowmobile trailers in tow didn't help that average; evaluating the Ascent's 5000-pound towing capacity generally resulted in mpg figures in the single digits. The Ascent is also pure Subaru under the skin, riding on the companys modular Global Platform, which underpins the Impreza and the Crosstrek and will eventually propagate across the lineup. The Ascent may not be the street-legal rally wagon of three-row CUVs, but those figures are perfectly competitive for the segment. Nothing is constant, just periodical problems, which, of course, can't be fixed. Exterior: You wont find a spot of chrome on this bad boy. Learn how it stacks up to the old model. In the midst of our holiday shenanigans, we overshot the 6000-mile dealer visit by 900 miles. 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