Subaru Ascent

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.[6] Production began in early 2018 alongside the current Subaru Impreza.[7] It will be the flagship Subaru vehicle in North America, and will replace the Subaru Tribeca (previously the B9 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.[8] Although the Ascent was again spotted testing in 2017 with an expected mid-2017 on-market date,[9] the current expected on-sale date is early summer 2018.[10]

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.[11] 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.[12] In April 2020, several automotive media had discovered the Evoltis name had been registered and trademarked by Subaru.[13] 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.[14]

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 (SGA) Platform, which previously underpinned only the fifth-generation Subaru Impreza. Powering the Ascent is a 2.4-liter turbocharged boxer four-cylinder (H4) gasoline engine, which produces 260 horsepower (190 kW) and 277 pound-feet (376 N⋅m) of torque. All Ascent models will feature All Wheel Drive with "X-Mode" as standard equipment, as well as Subaru EyeSight driver assistance technologies.[3] The U.S. starting base price is $31,995, ranging up to $44,695 for the Touring trim level.[3][17]

With both rows of rear seats folded down, the Ascent has a total cargo capacity of 86.5 cubic feet (2.45 m³),[10] and 153.5 cubic feet (4.35 m³) of total passenger volume. Ground clearance is 8.7 inches (220 mm). There are a total of nineteen cup holders in the vehicle.[3]

Models

Rear view

Subaru 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 260-horsepower (190 kW), 2.4-liter Turbocharged Subaru Boxer Flat Four-Cylinder (H4) 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,[10] a 5,000-pound (2,300 kg) maximum towing capacity, Subaru STARLINK safety and security features with mobile Wi-Fi capabilities, spill-resistant cloth seating surfaces, blind spot detection (BLIS) 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, 20-inch (51 cm) 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.

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.[20]

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."[21]

Consumer Reports deemed it "the right vehicle for many suburban families".[22]

Preorders surpassed expectations. [23]

The 2020 Ascent is currently holding the 2019 IIHS TOP SAFETY PICK+:

Small overlap front: driver-side - Good.

Small overlap front: passenger-side - Good.

Moderate overlap front - Good.

Side - Good.

Roof strength - Good.

Head restraints and seats - Good.

Front crash prevention: vehicle-to-vehicle - Superior.

Headlights - Good for Limited and Touring, Poor for Base and Premium.

Child seat anchors LATCH ease of use - Good+ (extra LATCH positions).[24]

• Official website