Family-Sized Subaru Ascent Turns Daily Driver into Adventure-Seeking Machine

The highly-anticipated new Subaru Ascent is the largest family-sized SUV that Subaru has ever manufactured to date. For the normal weekly family taxi-pool service and grocery-getter tasks, the Ascent now offers a larger SUV with additional third row seating that can be configured to seat 7 or 8 passengers comfortably. There is also almost 18 cubic feet of storage space behind the third row for groceries or luggage when the second and third row seats are being used. Because the ascent was designed and built for its versatility and comfort, you will be able to choose between a bench seat or captain's chairs for the second row of your SUV.

The Ascent is being marketed as a versatile SUV, so if you are an active family that likes to travel and has a lot of electronic devices, you will find the charging capabilities in this vehicle very convenient. I was able to find eight USB charging ports dispersed throughout the vehicle and one 120-volt power outlet at the rear of the center console. The Ascent will come standard with a three-zone climate control system and large air vents for all three rows, so pretty much everyone will have a vent for those long hot summer vacation trips.

You Can Now Tow That Family Adventure Too

Subaru engineers didn't design the Ascent just to be longer with a third row, it was also designed with the ability to pursue more adventures beyond hiking or kayaking. The new longer, sturdier Ascent has been rated with a towing capacity up to 5,000 lbs which gives an active family many more options for fun. It is coincidentally worth noting that the new Ascent is built in Lafayette, Indiana, the manufacturing home of many of the travel trailers and campers you see rolling across North America.

The 5,000-pound towing capacity and extra 8.7 inches of ground clearance will allow the Ascent to pull a 20' travel trailer off the grid to the mountainous ranges in North America (or an even larger travel trailer for short weekend trips). It can also tow a couple of jet skis or even a bass boat for a day of fun and adventure. Because Subaru is one of the leaders in vehicle safety, the engineers at Subaru have created a Trailer Stability Assist program that utilizes yaw sensors to monitor trailer sway and apply brakes to individual wheels to stabilize the vehicle and trailer. So you can drive with peace of mind and confidence as you set out on your great adventures.

Though the Ascent offers SUV capability, it rides and handles like a car because it is built on the strengthened and extended version of the Subaru Global Platform. This platform uses high-strength steel that focuses on durability, rigidity, and vibration resistance to give you a feel of a nimble car. To drive home the ease with which it handles, the Ascent also uses its legendary Subaru Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive system and four-wheel independent suspension.

Power to Go Places

Because the Ascent is the largest vehicle ever manufactured by Subaru, the engineers also had to design a new engine to move this new three-row SUV around. The Ascent has a 2.4-liter turbocharged BOXER® engine that produces 260 horsepower with a broad torque curve that peaks at 277 lb. ft. What do all those numbers mean? When I was tooling around Dallas in the Ascent, I found I had more than enough power to move around the big city with all of its on and off ramps. I also ran the Ascent on the highway a bit, and this new engine had no issues maintaining highway speeds; so I would imagine towing anything within its rated wheelhouse will not be an issue either.

Subaru Is Known for Its Safety

The 2019 Ascent comes standard with EyeSight® Driver Assist Technology that includes Automatic Pre-Collision Braking, Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Departure and Sway Warning, Pre-Collision Throttle Management, and new EyeSight Assist Monitor (EAM) which provides a heads-up display of the EyeSight system warnings as well as system status information on the windshield of the vehicle. The Ascent was also named a 2018 Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) TOP SAFETY PICK+ (when equipped with available Steering Responsive Headlights) and achieved the highest possible rating of "Superior" for front crash prevention from IIHS with standard EyeSight.

The extra space the Ascent provides, for more people and outdoor gear, is easily met. The question I have is: Will the Ascent ever be perceived as a towing vehicle? It appears on paper to be a very worthy vehicle to be considered, but will the dealerships even mention that potential or will they continue to sell it as one of the safest three rows on the road that is great for Saturday or Sunday hiking and kayaking adventures? With camp grounds putting more restrictions on appearances of vehicles and vehicle/trailer sizes, I think it is quite possible the Ascent could be a real sleeper in the travel trailer world; but only time will tell.

I did find the new Ascent to be a vehicle that checks a lot of boxes for me and with a base model MSRP starting $31,995 it is a great value. I had the Ascent Limited package, so it's starting MSRP is s bit higher, but I feel you are getting a lot of whistle and bells and safety for your money. The ascent comes in four trim lines: base, Premium, Limited and Touring. The Ascent pictured is the Limited which has a starting price of $38,995. With the additional option package it will peak at $42,920.

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