The 2019 Subaru Ascent will be available in the summer of 2018
The Subaru Ascent Is Here to Conquer All Other Crossovers
After seeing a concept, we finally see the production version of the new Subaru Ascent. It’s a three-row crossover that can fit up to eight people. It will also make war on other three-row crossovers, and make Subaru a ton of cash.
Ever since the Subaru Tribeca whimpered out of the market, Subaru has had nothing to offer people who wanted a third row. The Subaru Ascent closes up that big gap in the product lineup, and from the looks of it, does that extremely well.
The Looks
First off, yes, the production version of the Subaru Ascent sadly looks quite different from the concept. Gone is the rugged, muscular crossover that wowed everyone. In its place is what could be best described as a bloated Outback. At least nobody will confuse it for a Toyota Highlander, probably.
Fit and finish look tremendous, in true Subaru fashion. Like the Outback, the Touring version has a more premium interior feel – more about that in a minute. This crossover is attractive enough that it will impress in the school pickup queue, so long as nobody else has a Range Rover or the like.
Oh, and it’s big. Like really big, with a 113.8-inch wheelbase and 153.8 cubic feet of passenger volume. That was the problem with the Tribeca: it was just too small. The Ascent should go head-to-head against its competitors without any problem.
Under the Skin
As a true Subaru, the Ascent uses an all-new 2.4-liter Boxer engine with a twin-scroll turbo. Thanks to that force feeding, peak output comes in at 260 horsepower and 277 lb-ft of torque. All trims work with the same Lineatronic CVT, which has an 8-speed manual mode you control with paddle shifters.
Subaru claims you get over 500 miles of range on a single tank of gas. That’s great for road trips.
Of course, you also get symmetric all-wheel drive. X-Mode comes standard, which reduces wheel slippage on slick surfaces or when climbing steep hills. Hill descent control comes on all models, too. Just don’t confuse this for a true trail monster, because this is obviously for fairly light conditions only.
You can tow up to 5,000 pounds with the Subaru Ascent. That means you can bring along a boat, camper, or all sorts of other toys.
Bristling with Safety
Subaru pushes safety a ton, and the Ascent will be kicking things up a notch. All models come with EyeSight Driver Assist Technology standard. That includes adaptive cruise control, automatic pre-collision braking, pre-collision throttle management, lane departure and sway warning, plus EyeSight Assist Monitor. That last one is a new heads-up display.
Plenty of other advanced safety equipment is available. The Safety Plus package adds automatic collision notification, SOS emergency assistance, enhanced roadside assistance and more. Among the other options are automatic high beams, blind spot detection and even reverse automatic braking.
Touring models gain some extra goodies, like Front View Monitor. Basically, it’s a front camera that gives a 180-degree view of whatever’s out in front, which is especially helpful when coming out of a blind alley. The Smart Rear View Mirror lets the driver turn on a high-mounted camera, so if cargo or whatever is blocking them from seeing behind the crossover, a video feed projects on the rearview mirror.
Loaded Interior
You can get all the usual interior features like leather upholstery, and seat heaters and ventilation, on the Ascent. Three-zone automatic climate control comes standard, along with air vents for all three rows.
Eight USB ports can be added, so everyone can charge their phone or whatever. A 120-volt three-prong outlet in the rear portion of the center console means you can bring along your Xbox One X for trips. Oh, and designers put in 19 cup and bottle holders, because we Americans can’t get enough of those, obviously.
Subaru designed the rear doors to open 75 degrees so your kids will ding other cars more harshly. Well, they will, but really that’s so getting into and out of the third row is easier. Even with all the seats up, there’s a good amount of cargo space, which is unique for this segment.
Also, Subaru is promising a reduction in noise, vibration and harshness like nobody’s seen for midsize SUVs. That’s a tall order, and if true will mean a pretty luxurious experience. The new platform includes optimized cross sections and stiffer joints, combining with acoustic glass to achieve this goal.
Competitive Pricing
You’ll be able to get the 2019 Subaru Ascent in the early part of the summer. It comes in four trims: base, Premium, Limited and Touring.
One of the best things is the price. Subaru executives are stressing that the base model will start in the low $30,000 range, which is competitive. No official pricing info has been released, and it probably won’t until the spring.
But it sounds like the Touring might go for somewhere around $40,000. That’s a tremendous value, and should make competitors sweat.
