Subaru Ascent
The Subaru Ascent is a mid-size crossover SUV made by Subaru. It is the largest automobile Subaru manufactures. The seven or eight-seat passenger SUV, with the design based on the VIZIV-7 concept, made its debut at the LA Auto Show on November 28, 2017. The Ascent became available in the third quarter of 2018.
History
The Ascent was originally introduced as a concept car at the 2017 New York International Auto Show in April, where it was also announced that Subaru would be producing the vehicle at its Lafayette, Indiana Subaru of Indiana Assembly Plant. Production began in early 2018 alongside the current Subaru Impreza. It will be the flagship Subaru vehicle in North America, and will replace the Subaru Tribeca, which was discontinued after the 2014 model year. Subaru Japan had their own three-row crossover called the Subaru Exiga that was available from 2008 until its discontinuation in 2018. In terms of exterior design, it was akin to a 3 row Outback as is the Ascent to the Forester.The first spy photographs of Subaru Ascent development mules surfaced in late summer 2016. Although the Ascent was again spotted testing in 2017 with an expected mid-2017 on-market date, the current expected on-sale date is early summer 2018.
In January 2020, it was announced that the Ascent would be sold in the Philippines in the third quarter of 2020 as the Subaru Evoltis. This had been directly confirmed by Glenn Tan, the chairman and managing director of Tan Chong International, the parent of Subaru distributor in the Philippines. The main reason why the "Ascent" cannot be used in the market due to Subaru North America has trademarked the name for the U.S. market and couldn’t be used for the Philippine lineup even though they are both Subarus and the same models. In April 2020, several automotive media had discovered the Evoltis name had been registered and trademarked by Subaru. As the name starts with 'Ev' which usually means electric vehicle, this had led the media into making incorrect speculations that the name would be used for a future Subaru electric crossover.
Stop-Sale Recall
In August 2018, Subaru recalled 293 vehicles that were thought to have faulty spot welds. Due to the complexity of fixing such a problem, the company said it would instead provide owners with new vehicles. Most were still in dealer inventory; only nine had been sold. However, after physical inspection all 293 vehicles were correctly welded and cleared for service.Design
The production Ascent is a seven- or eight-passenger, mid-size sport utility vehicle. Competing with other three-row, mid-size sport utility vehicles such as the Chevrolet Traverse, Ford Explorer, GMC Acadia, Honda Pilot, Hyundai Palisade, Kia Telluride, Mazda CX-9, Nissan Pathfinder, Toyota Highlander, and Volkswagen Atlas. The all-new Ascent is built on the Subaru Global Architecture Platform, which previously underpinned only the fifth-generation Subaru Impreza. Powering the Ascent is a 2.4-liter turbocharged boxer four-cylinder gasoline engine, which produces and of torque. All Ascent models will feature All Wheel Drive with "X-Mode" as standard equipment, as well as Subaru EyeSight driver assistance technologies.The U.S. starting base price is $31,995, ranging up to $44,695 for the Touring trim level.
With both rows of rear seats folded down, the Ascent has a total cargo capacity of, and of total passenger volume. Ground clearance is. There are a total of nineteen cup holders in the vehicle.
Models
has released full specifications for the Ascent as well as a list of select standard equipment for each trim level:The Ascent is the base trim level. Standard features include standard Subaru Symmetrical All Wheel Drive, standard Subaru EyeSight driver assistance technologies, eight-passenger seating, raised roof rails, cloth seating surfaces, Subaru STARLINK multimedia, three-zone climate control system, and a, 2.4-liter Turbocharged Subaru Boxer Flat Four-Cylinder gasoline engine.
The Ascent Premium is the mid-level trim of the Ascent. It adds a choice of either seven or eight-passenger seating by deleting the second-row bench seat in favor of individual captain's chairs, a maximum towing capacity, Subaru STARLINK safety and security features with mobile Wi-Fi capabilities, spill-resistant cloth seating surfaces, blind spot detection with rear cross-path detection, and the All-Weather Package with heated front seats.
The Ascent Limited is the "luxury" trim level of the Ascent. It adds leather-trimmed upholstery, aluminum-alloy wheels, keyless access with push-button start, adaptive front headlamps, reverse automatic braking, and a power rear tailgate.
The Ascent Touring is the top-of-the-line Ascent trim level. It adds Java Brown leather-trimmed seating surfaces, second-row captain's chairs with seven-passenger seating, heated and ventilated front seats, rear sunshades, a panoramic power moonroof, and a Harman Kardon premium audio system with 14 speakers and 792 watts of total power.
Engine
The Ascent features a newly developed FA24 engine. The turbocharged direct injection flat-four engine has a bore × stroke for a total displacement of with a 10.6:1 compression ratio. The cylinder block and heads are made of aluminum alloy, and the heads each have twin overhead camshafts driven by a timing chain. Peak power is at 5,600 rpm, and peak torque of is achieved between 2,000 and 4,800 rpm.Features
The all-new Ascent also introduces new technologies that are not currently available in other Subaru models, such as optional mobile Wi-Fi capabilities, and standard Subaru EyeSight driver assistance technologies.A suite of new Subaru STARLINK infotainment systems, first introduced on the 2017 Subaru Impreza, will be available on the Ascent. The base system features a seven-inch color touch screen display, standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity and SiriusXM Satellite Radio. Available features include integrated GPS navigation provided by TomTom, and an eight-inch color touch screen display.
Reception
Regarding their experience performing preliminary testing of a development prototype, Motor Trend wrote that mid-range power seemed a bit limited when passing at cruising speed, likely because Subaru have aimed for best-in-class fuel economy for the upcoming Ascent. They also observed the ride was well-damped and the interior was quiet.The follow up Motor Trend article stated that the "2.4-liter turbocharged boxer-four proves surprisingly satisfying" and that "the Ascent provides enough motivation for merging onto the highway or passing other vehicles."
Consumer Reports deemed it "the right vehicle for many suburban families".
Preorders surpassed expectations.
Safety
The 2020 Ascent is currently holding the 2019 IIHS Top Safety Pick+.| Small overlap front | Good |
| Small overlap front | Good |
| Moderate overlap front | Good |
| Side impact | Good |
| Roof strength | Good |
| Head restraints & seats | Good |
| Front crash prevention | Superior |
| Headlights | Good |
| Headlights | Poor |
| Child seat anchors ease of use | Good+ |