Great review. Glad to see you invested some time in the forgotten 3-row by Subaru. I owned a fully-loaded 2021 Ascent. My teenagers loved it - the captains chairs were comfortable for sleeping on long road trips and there were cubbies and cupholders for all their snacks and devices. When I bought a Grand Cherokee 4xe, we lost those creature comforts and the kids weren't impressed. The Ascent offers incredible value, example being Eye-Sight and it's nearly-autonomous lane centering feature. Real world fuel consumption can reach 17-20 L/100km in the city and as low as 8 L/100km on flat highway. Real-world towing capacity is overstated, the fine print states you must have trailer brakes on anything over 1,000lbs. Our Ascent, with a set of Michelin Cross Climate tires, was absolutely unstoppable in snow and ice. We put a lot of road-trip miles on our Ascent and it was comfortable and accommodating with a soft ride and good acoustic insulation. By the way, I bought a GC Trailhawk based on your video and trim recommendation. My current tank of gas racked up 1,000km and I still have a half tank left!
Eye sight, not to be a downer here, isn’t anything special. Honestly it’s close to being as bad as Teslas system after they removed radars. Cameras without a radar are the worst for safety, weather, sun even, are enough to make the system stop working
I think you nailed the main points of this. Car like drive, SUV shape/size. It's actually a decent vehicle with a good amount of value to it. Regarding fuel economy, this part is often misunderstood by many people. If you drive the vehicle and "request" 250 HP from the engine, it doesn't matter if it's a turbo 2 Liter 4 cylinder, a 3 liter V6 or a 5 V8, you are going to burn 250 HP worth of fuel. This mad rush of companies using small displacement turbo engines doesn't really do much for saving fuel. It's more marketing than anything else. If you want to save fuel, use less HP and drive more gently. Regarding the slow driver on the highway comment, they need to move to the right lane to stay out of the way. However, they would be getting better fuel economy than the people passing them. The power required to increase the speeds is cubed relative to the velocity. So if you want to go 2 times as fast (30 mph to 60 mph), you need 8 times the power.
Believe it's more CAFE Rating than Marketing, Governments requiring better Fuel Mileage from Automakers and are overpriced EV's or Hybrids the answer? Only if they can get them charged quicker, safe to park in your garage and most importantly - figure out what to do when they need to be replaced, cost of New and disposal of Old! And that Car slowing everyone down in the Left Lane? That's even harder! Common Courtesy and losing that Narcissistic Attitude would help so much on the Road and in general... Don't ya think?!?
just checked out one of these yesterday while I was at the Subaru dealership having my Forester serviced. The Ascent is a very handsome SUV. If I were a young man and my kids were still growing up (gawd I'm glad we are past that!!!) I would definitely get the Ascent Touring model. This is a big SUV, too big for two senior citizens in my opinion. The Forester is the way to go for oldsters.
I drive my 23 Outback faster than almost anything I've ever owned. It's very quick when I want it to be, but it is extremely comfortable when commuting. The first time I got pulled over for speeding in 15 years was in my turbo.
I'm 6'2" and when I cram myself into an Outback my knees are way above the seat unlike our Pilot. The Eye Sight feature above the rear view mirror is a significant blindspot for me and my wife who's only 5'9". My friend's a Subaru dealer and I could have gotten one way under invoice but no dice.
Great review! I had several Audis, Grand Cherokee and now a Volvo V90 2023 (cross country) and just purchased my second Outback 2023 . Driving on the right side of the highway (Ontariens are so bad with driving on the left side of the 401) I think the main reason why we all love Subarus is the AWD. Being a resident of Montreal, our Subaru in the winter is like driving on rails. Love it. Much better than my Audis etc.
Hey Robert, if you think Ontariens are bad with slow drivers in the passing lane... come up to Quebec City where apparently going 2km/h faster than the speed limit justifies driving in the left lane all day lol Heck they usually drive slower than the speed limit here.
You guys do a very good review. I usually pick up on biased sales pitched reviews, but you guys are entertaining and touch on the most important points without bias. Subscribed.
I always enjoy your realistic use case reviews and this is no exception. I would love to see a total cost of ownership for something like the first 5 years including scheduled maintenance and combined fuel economy to compare with the other 4 suggestions. BTW in my area the slow pokes are usually in a beige or silver Toyota Corolla!
A great review and based on it and my needs etc. I purchased one. You both do a very good job reviewing vehicles and are very knowledgeable and informative. You make a great team! Thank you.
Great review guys. I do like the wood trim instead of piano black or fake carbon fiber. Isn’t it time to stop the CVT jokes? Remember the Prius jokes? The Prius wasn’t a joke and neither are the latest CVTs. They work just fine.
I had a really good look at the Ascent in Jan ‘23. I just could not get by the CVT. And I needed some tow capacity (5k). So I got a ‘23 Chevy Traverse RS. I’m very happy with my choice. And LOTS of space and ease of entry/egress for us folks with a need. 😉. And I hear the ‘24 is even better. BTW I’m not a dealer 🤭 Great review as always you guys. Luv them. 🍁
@@Brian_Eugene_Lee Well he went for Chevy instead of any other Japanese brand. This shows his intelligence toward cars. CTV and Hybrid are the future, just accept it or buy American only. I own two American car because it was a trade in and I only have to pay $2k different. Both didn't last to 100k miles. Will never ever EVER buy an American car again.
A 4 banger with manuel cloth seats and a CVT. Made for folks with mobilty issues so in plain terms, the perfect car for the modern Geezer. Sounds like a real winner. Ugly included at no extra cost.
Love your guys videos. Just plain fun to watch, as well as honest and informative! 😊 Is there any way you can add projected cost of upkeep to your stats segment?
This is my favorite 3 row SUV. Has the cargo capacity of a big SUV without being big and bulky. My only regret is my Ascent year model doesn't have Lane Centering technology and Subaru won't upgrade that software for us. They want us to buy a newer year model. I use Adaptive Cruise Control for 80% of my drive even at night time. Lane Centering would be a big bonus on top of that. Realistically, you don't get 400 miles per tank unless all you do is highway and driving under 70 mph. I'm getting less than 300 miles and average out at 18 mpg. That's the only bad thing about this. Wish they adopted a hybrid engine like the Highlander later on.
@@palebeachbum really? Your going with that old tale? Everyone who has an ounce of knowledge knows that was the early 2000s Subaru head gaskets. They have been perfectly fine since.
As far as the mpg goes. The pilot gets 19 city 25 hwy. so realistically this is still a good option for me and my family. Plus you can’t beat the Subaru awd system
When you guys compare fuel efficiency, keep in mind that the competitors are AWD as the Ascent has full time AWD on all the time which generally uses more gas.
I've got a '23 Limited a couple of months ago and couldn't be happier, what an awesome family vehicle! And one of the main selling features is safety, which is second to none.
The Ascent when it first came out was so nice and restrained. Not to big grill with clean lines and nice touchscreen/physical knob combination. Then they made the grill "TRUCK LIKE!" and I guess we're stuck with the laggy 11' screen now for the next 6 years until whatever the next platform turns out to be. I've never really seen the point of the Ascent other than "look at me, I bought the biggest Subaru I could get" because you rarely see a Subaru buyer maxing out all of that space and the Outback is just a better package all-around, and probably better matched to that turbo FA24/CVT engine.
Regular towing was any vehicle that has a CVT transmission is asking for transmission trouble. Agree with Andrea too on the especially questionable reliability of a turbocharged four-cylinder engine and CVT in a tow vehicle...😮 Definitely buy a V6 (or V8) with a traditional automatic. Maybe even a Tahoe?
There is someone on the subaru ascent forum and his 2019 just past 200,000 miles. No CVT failure, no turbo failure. It’s still going with regular maintenance.
You two are too much...and of course fun! Don't bash Subaru drivers, correction please, "left to save gas, right to Speed" LOL What is it with Subaru and their 4 cylinder on a cvt, turbo or not!!?? Put a 6 in it already! BTW I still have my 2011 Forester XT 175/225 HP - I get offers but I am keeping it. Thanks for the review. Cheers
I have the 2019 model and on my 4th Subaru .I see a LOTTT of them on the road , so definitely not forgotten . However , the interior badly needs a refresh given the competition it has in this segment . The storage and the organization in the cab is awful and needs a total overhaul , the CVT needs to go , Subaru should have maintained the knobs for climate control, the touch screen is distracting during driving and is a safety issue . The car is just selling on the extraordinary full time all wheel drive system and the standard safety systems . However , Subaru does offer a lot more with less that $50,000 MSRP than any of its competitors
The Mid-Cycle-Refresh is a No Sale for me! The Pre-Mid-Cycle Refresh was a far much more sleeker and better looking vehicle. These OEM's need to concentrate on internal and driver safety improvements rather than trying to jazz up the exteriors with cheap looking black plastic. Where is the chrome around the windows and doors? Fully Polished Aluminum Wheels is a must in my book. Put me on a product design team and I would make proper suggestions for improvements that will increase sales and visibility of the Subaru Ascent!
Yes totally what I think they should. Focus on safety, driver assist and reliability. Not the silly bells and whistles which one can always get aftermarket.
I appreciate your review. Here is mine. I bought th me 2023 ascent for the balance between comfortable 3rd row seating but still not quite feeling like a bus like other 3rd row seated vehicles. What annoys me about this vehicle (note: first time subaru owner): 1) remote start. Shame on me for not fully understanding what the sales person meanr when they said remote start. The mysubaru app is terrible and extraordinarily inconvenient for remote start. Somehoe subaru gives you a fob that is 50% bigger but much less capable then other manufacturers. 2) the sunroof. You have it open, want to close it before parking. You hit and hold the close button. It closes, then reopens in tilted moonroof. Hopefully it doesnt rain 3) all the subscriptions. Tack in another $300 a year if you want to keep the basic services other manufacturers build in for free. 4) less then 500 miles and my back hatch already broke (they fixed for free) 5) the center op screen is not intuitive making any adjustment difficult when trying to drive (even simple things like changing air temp) 6) its lane assist is more annoying then other cars, esp in cruise mode. 7) despite all the sensors and cameras, it fails on basic parking assists compared to other manufacturers. Overall, while likely a very good quality vehicle, its electronic development are terrible compared to other brands (nissan, Toyota, honda).
Many years ago, I rented an outback with a CVT. The CVT screams under hard acceleration. A few years later, I rented another outback. The CVT no longer screams under hard acceleration. But the software is obviously lowering the throttle, which can be dangerous in some cases. The CVT is the Achilles heel of subaru. For the same amount of $, I will go for a dodge durango AWD with a hemi and the old faithful ZF 8AT.
The front end is pretty terrible. Subaru has struggled with odd styling for decades. They occassionally make a model that looks great. Hopefully the new 2.4L Turbo doesnt have issues with blowing its head gasket.
A very fair review! I own a 2021, and allow me to make a few "adjustments" to what you reviewed: 1) Agreed! The "styling' of the front end....is GROSS. Makes absolutely no sense. 2) PLEASE TELL SUBARU TO STOP BUILDING AND SELLING THIS CAR.....WITH 18 INCH WHEELS!!! IT DRIVES TERRIBLY WITH THAT SIZE WHEEL! THE CAR TENDS TO WANDER CONSTANTLY. BUT....with ther 20 inch wheels that the other Ascents come with......IT DRIVES GREAT! 3) Fuel economy!! Regardless of what the "armchair experts" have to say......I have always run with HIGH TEST fuel.....and i get AMAZING gas mileage! 24 around town and as much as 28 to 30 mpg. on the highway using the cruise. If you're willing to pay tons more for a "Hybrid"......why not pay less.....and use high octane fuel? My car is approaching 60,000 miles on it.....with "zero" issues....and it is super comfortable. 4) Towing: The jury is still out. I would love to hear from people who tow with the CVT. I really believe that the CVT is more to provide constant, interrupted power to all 4 wheels in all driving conditions with no shifts.....more than for fuel economy. In any slippery or really wet condition.....this car is as sure footed as it gets. It FEELS completely safe.
Tape measure shows the third row in the Ascent is actually 1" wider than the Pilot, and the Ascent has one more inch depth behind the third row to the tailgate than the Pilot. The smart shopper will compare for themselves rather than relying on manufacturer provided measurements.
Bought a 2023 brand new Subaru Ascent -- oct 5 Silver **noticed defective cracked paint along the whole back hood edge.. brought in to dealer 37 days of owning dropped off 40th day(given a loaner ) - have yet to hear from Subaru 14 days later. First Subaru i have owned - starting to wonder what i bought........Make sure you look at your hood edge closely facing driver and passenger
Subaru Outback should I go XT or 2.5? And is OB for 2024 good to go? Or should I look at Honda CRV touring? I have currently a 21 Subaru Crosstrek touring 2.0 lease
Enjoy your videos and appreciate the Canadian emphasis. Are you planning to do a review of the 2024 Subaru Outback Premier XT in the near future? Thanks
What do you mean by "with CC?" The only term I am familiar with in reference to cars is cubic centimeters of displacement. For a low volume vehicle, there are far too many variants.
I like the Ascent because of the price starting and the 3rd row seating. I'm surprised that the 4 you chose are much more expensive starting. It makes it hard to really compare when the base model is 40k+ in those and the base model of this is 33k-ish. I'm curious as to why those were the 4 picks to compare it to.
own a 2023 ascent onyx since March, have 4K miles on it, about 70% in town and 30% highway, love the vehicle, in town gas mileage is horrible! Get about 14 mpg and we baby it....doubt the "break in" period is causing it to be that bad, seems very jumpy off the line like they have the turbo tuned too high, kicks in right away so you cant try and get better gad mileage by taking it easy on the pedal. Otherwise fun to drive, I'm 6'2" and love the leg room for both driver and passenger side. The adaptive headlights are awesome at night and adaptive cruise control works great. If they came out with a hybrid or all electric would be perfect vehicle.
Damn 14 in the city that's bad 👎 I mean, if it was at least 20 but 14. U will be spending so much on only gas. For a car that cost over 35k, u would think it would be great on mileage. How's the 3rd road seat. That sounds very spacious in the front cause ur 6'2
my friend tows motorcycles and other heavy stuff all the time in southern nm with his little Mitsubishi mirage with a cvt and it has not given out on him yet. In fact he says the CVT works better for towing and automatically adjusts to give more power when the vehicle is weighted down than an automatic tranny could. I would trust the towing figures of the subaru to be adaquate.
So in Ontario the Ascent is approximately the same price as the Honda Passport or the Pathfinder. The key difference between the Ascent and the Passport or Pathfinder is the CVT and the underpowered turbo charger in the Ascent! No one has heard about the Ascent because it can't compare against the V6 competition or even get better gas mileage. Plus the Boxster engine has had issues in the past (i.e. IMS-bearing failure); I suspect a turbo charged Boxster with a CVT will have even more long term issues. I guess for the 3 families in Canada that actually have the 5 kids they need to drive around this 7 row may be an option, but certainly it wouldn't be my top 5 vehicle in the class. I guess when Toyota gives them their hybrid technology it will make this vehicle more attractive, but why would I want a Toyota based Ascent, in the future when I can but a much more reliable Toyota Highlander Hybrid TODAY!
Zack I have to agree with you WRT the exhaust outlets on the front end. A look only a mother could love. However I don't mind the 1960's wood trim - old, just like me :-) And I imagine that I can't get a bench in the 2nd row of the top trim 😞And finally, I'm already ALL IN ON PEOPLE DRIVING IN THE RIGHT LANE IF THEY WANT TO DRIVE SLOWER THAN THOSE IN THE FAST LANE!!!!!!!
You guys are being kind. Notwithstanding the reputation for safety, The exterior design of this SUV is plain UGLY! They really need to hire new designers and stop playing it safe and boring. It's 2023 Subaru!
I’m all about utility and really appreciate Subaru … however, they are really falling behind when it comes to mpg. Where’s the Hybrid engine like RAV4 or Highlander? This is what’s holding me back from seriously considering an Ascent or Forester.
i feel like marketing would help sell the Ascent better, the fact people don't know it exists has to do with marketing. Subaru does very little marketing on the Ascent, they can't just depend on car reviewers and auto journalists like yourself, because people are only going to be interested in the popular mainstream options. And when it comes to Subaru, it's the Forester and the Outback, along with the Crosstrek. 3 row suv's are becoming popular once again, thanks to Hyundai/Kia making the segment competitive again, along with GM and Toyota. so for Subaru to be more competitive with the Ascent, you have to do something that gets people interested in it. i think that tablet style screen is too big, but there's also no hybrid option.
The Ascent didn't age well. The car feels a touch old next to the Palisade, Atlas or Pilot. The 2.4L turbo is okay in the smaller Outback and Legacy, but the engine feels underpowered in this application. Subaru still needs to make their CVT...less CVT like.
Well, styling is subjective. But speaking of power - I didn't notice any performance issues, actually feels pretty good and getss up to a 100 km/h in about 7 seconds, not too bad for a basic family hauler.
If this were a hybrid, Subaru would have something. It would justify the CVT, for one thing, and I suspect that it would also play well to lots of Subaru owners' sensibilities. I turned in my 2014 Outback for a new Highlander Hybrid. I did not consider moving up to an Ascent.
The whole recording, we could hear the outside noise. This is the biggest problem with Subaru. I own a 18 XT, everything is perfect except one, if you go for a long road trip, you'd notice the car is extremely noisy with all the road and wind noise. It's so noisy that you'd need to speak louder when talking to the front passenger.
Years ago, at the Toronto auto show, they had this, and it looked amazing. I guess it was a concept pre-production model? because it looks nothing like this.
For some reason, and I don’t know why, it reminds me of the Family Truckster. I can see the Griswolds travelling from Chicago to Wally World in this thing. I just can’t figure if the glass roof would hold grandma. 😎
Hi Zack and Andrea. Another great video as per the usual arrangement! Thank you 🙂Do you know, does any version of this 2.4T boxer engine get a water cooled intercooler rather than this air cooled one? And why does the hood have to be so long (besides styling) when the engine is so short? (It *is* mounted longitudinally, right? So there are only 2 cylinders worth of depth to deal with, not 3 or 4 or 6 as with a V6, V8, or I6.) I guess it's because there's a transmission and whatever the thing is called that splits power off to give the vehicle AWD...? Also, any idea how many PSI this engine is being boosted with? Thanks again. We have an Outback but I'm just not sure I want a second Subaru in the family from a reliability standpoint (vs. Toyota.)
Well I can tell you my Ascent needed 2 new CVTs in under 20k. I almost lemon law’d it but the prices were high during the pandemic so I sold it. The hood is long because of the symmetrical AWD. When your company’s main claim to fame requires equal length axles with a rear output on the engine. They also claim a smoother running engine but my boxer was no better than anything else I’ve owned. Toyota and Lexus v6/V8s, Honda in-line 4s were just a smooth. We have Toyota hybrids now, the Ascent was and will be my only Subaru. Never again
@@TobyCostaRicaI wanted to get a Subaru Ascent, but being that you told me you needed two CVTs in it at 20,000 miles no thank you. I'll either get a Forester or a Honda Pilot
@@coreturkoane5570 Supposedly they are better now, but they have a long history of CVT issues with other Subarus too. There is a reason they are discounting Ascents while other 3 rows are sold before they even are built.
About the slow drivers. I keep reminding people that it is called “THE PASSING LANE” and not “The FAST LANE”. FAST is subjective and it's not up to anybody to say this is as fast anyone needs to go. They may be right but that’s not how it is. There will always be people that want to go faster and if they decide to start lane changes then that just puts more people at risk. My wife hates it when I say, "you’re passing who?". I'd hate to have me as a passenger.
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Towing with my '19 Ascent since day one. NO transmission or engine problems. 21' travel trailer loaded up.
What is your accumulated mileage now and have you had the CVT fluid changed if those miles are in excess of 30,000 miles (somewhere around 48,000 Km)?
@@TexasHarleyBoy65 Nope, no CVT Fluid change. 63,278 total miles on the Ascent.
@@bgrzesiak5996 are you going to change the fluid in the transmission, if so, at what mileage are you going to do it?
Lol. The pregnant Forester😂
Subaru should call it Littltree 😊
😂😂😂😂
Great review. Glad to see you invested some time in the forgotten 3-row by Subaru. I owned a fully-loaded 2021 Ascent. My teenagers loved it - the captains chairs were comfortable for sleeping on long road trips and there were cubbies and cupholders for all their snacks and devices. When I bought a Grand Cherokee 4xe, we lost those creature comforts and the kids weren't impressed. The Ascent offers incredible value, example being Eye-Sight and it's nearly-autonomous lane centering feature. Real world fuel consumption can reach 17-20 L/100km in the city and as low as 8 L/100km on flat highway. Real-world towing capacity is overstated, the fine print states you must have trailer brakes on anything over 1,000lbs. Our Ascent, with a set of Michelin Cross Climate tires, was absolutely unstoppable in snow and ice. We put a lot of road-trip miles on our Ascent and it was comfortable and accommodating with a soft ride and good acoustic insulation.
By the way, I bought a GC Trailhawk based on your video and trim recommendation. My current tank of gas racked up 1,000km and I still have a half tank left!
Eye sight, not to be a downer here, isn’t anything special. Honestly it’s close to being as bad as Teslas system after they removed radars.
Cameras without a radar are the worst for safety, weather, sun even, are enough to make the system stop working
@@Brian-jv8iy
Honda passport 2023
Great review, and thanks for your Dad commands to the back seat Zack, that brought back some great road trip memories 😊
I think you nailed the main points of this. Car like drive, SUV shape/size. It's actually a decent vehicle with a good amount of value to it. Regarding fuel economy, this part is often misunderstood by many people. If you drive the vehicle and "request" 250 HP from the engine, it doesn't matter if it's a turbo 2 Liter 4 cylinder, a 3 liter V6 or a 5 V8, you are going to burn 250 HP worth of fuel. This mad rush of companies using small displacement turbo engines doesn't really do much for saving fuel. It's more marketing than anything else. If you want to save fuel, use less HP and drive more gently. Regarding the slow driver on the highway comment, they need to move to the right lane to stay out of the way. However, they would be getting better fuel economy than the people passing them. The power required to increase the speeds is cubed relative to the velocity. So if you want to go 2 times as fast (30 mph to 60 mph), you need 8 times the power.
Believe it's more CAFE Rating than Marketing, Governments requiring better Fuel Mileage from Automakers and are overpriced EV's or Hybrids the answer? Only if they can get them charged quicker, safe to park in your garage and most importantly - figure out what to do when they need to be replaced, cost of New and disposal of Old! And that Car slowing everyone down in the Left Lane? That's even harder! Common Courtesy and losing that Narcissistic Attitude would help so much on the Road and in general... Don't ya think?!?
just checked out one of these yesterday while I was at the Subaru dealership having my Forester serviced. The Ascent is a very handsome SUV. If I were a young man and my kids were still growing up (gawd I'm glad we are past that!!!) I would definitely get the Ascent Touring model. This is a big SUV, too big for two senior citizens in my opinion. The Forester is the way to go for oldsters.
I drive my 23 Outback faster than almost anything I've ever owned. It's very quick when I want it to be, but it is extremely comfortable when commuting. The first time I got pulled over for speeding in 15 years was in my turbo.
I'm 6'2" and when I cram myself into an Outback my knees are way above the seat unlike our Pilot. The Eye Sight feature above the rear view mirror is a significant blindspot for me and my wife who's only 5'9". My friend's a Subaru dealer and I could have gotten one way under invoice but no dice.
Great review! I had several Audis, Grand Cherokee and now a Volvo V90 2023 (cross country) and just purchased my second Outback 2023 . Driving on the right side of the highway (Ontariens are so bad with driving on the left side of the 401) I think the main reason why we all love Subarus is the AWD. Being a resident of Montreal, our Subaru in the winter is like driving on rails. Love it. Much better than my Audis etc.
Hey Robert, if you think Ontariens are bad with slow drivers in the passing lane... come up to Quebec City where apparently going 2km/h faster than the speed limit justifies driving in the left lane all day lol Heck they usually drive slower than the speed limit here.
They don't want to get to that government job!
You’ve added the gunslinger flourish and holster. Cute add. Good review as per usual
You guys do a very good review. I usually pick up on biased sales pitched reviews, but you guys are entertaining and touch on the most important points without bias. Subscribed.
Excellent review. I love how you two make each other laugh so genuinely and sweetly.
The 22 and older Ascent were NOT recommended by Consumer Reports and Edmonds.
I always enjoy your realistic use case reviews and this is no exception. I would love to see a total cost of ownership for something like the first 5 years including scheduled maintenance and combined fuel economy to compare with the other 4 suggestions. BTW in my area the slow pokes are usually in a beige or silver Toyota Corolla!
I agree that a cost of ownership section would be very beneficial. I just purchased a 23 outback
Thank God the Subaru Ascent finally gets a top view/360 camera (at least in the top trim), now please work on the hybrid/PHEV version.
A great review and based on it and my needs etc. I purchased one. You both do a very good job reviewing vehicles and are very knowledgeable and informative. You make a great team! Thank you.
How's it doing?
So true about the slow drivers in the passing lane. I'm in Alaska, and Subarus are very popular.
Great review guys. I do like the wood trim instead of piano black or fake carbon fiber. Isn’t it time to stop the CVT jokes? Remember the Prius jokes? The Prius wasn’t a joke and neither are the latest CVTs. They work just fine.
I had a really good look at the Ascent in Jan ‘23. I just could not get by the CVT. And I needed some tow capacity (5k). So I got a ‘23 Chevy Traverse RS. I’m very happy with my choice. And LOTS of space and ease of entry/egress for us folks with a need. 😉. And I hear the ‘24 is even better. BTW I’m not a dealer 🤭 Great review as always you guys. Luv them. 🍁
@@Brian_Eugene_Lee Lol Lol.
@@Brian_Eugene_Lee Well he went for Chevy instead of any other Japanese brand. This shows his intelligence toward cars. CTV and Hybrid are the future, just accept it or buy American only. I own two American car because it was a trade in and I only have to pay $2k different. Both didn't last to 100k miles. Will never ever EVER buy an American car again.
The best Subaru has to offer. Loved it when I had it ❤
Love your reviews and the humour that you add. Very refreshing compared to other reviews.
A 4 banger with manuel cloth seats and a CVT. Made for folks with mobilty issues so in plain terms, the perfect car for the modern Geezer. Sounds like a real winner. Ugly included at no extra cost.
Love your guys videos. Just plain fun to watch, as well as honest and informative! 😊
Is there any way you can add projected cost of upkeep to your stats segment?
Thanks for taking my question! Great answer! It’s an awesome vehicle. Great show Andrea! 👍🏻👍🏻☕️☕️
Thanks for the great question 👍
@@andreaspencer9813 You’re an very welcome Andrea! 👍🏻👍🏻
This is my favorite 3 row SUV. Has the cargo capacity of a big SUV without being big and bulky. My only regret is my Ascent year model doesn't have Lane Centering technology and Subaru won't upgrade that software for us. They want us to buy a newer year model. I use Adaptive Cruise Control for 80% of my drive even at night time. Lane Centering would be a big bonus on top of that.
Realistically, you don't get 400 miles per tank unless all you do is highway and driving under 70 mph. I'm getting less than 300 miles and average out at 18 mpg. That's the only bad thing about this. Wish they adopted a hybrid engine like the Highlander later on.
Just don’t see why anyone would choose this over a Palisade or Telluride.
Price
Yeah this thing offers an entry trim that’s ~$10k less that cheapest palisade trim in Canada.
If you don’t want your vehicle to catch fire or be very easy to steal, than Subaru all the way
@@kevinW826instead you're choosing an $1100 head gasket that blows every 70k miles. 😂
@@palebeachbum really? Your going with that old tale? Everyone who has an ounce of knowledge knows that was the early 2000s Subaru head gaskets. They have been perfectly fine since.
As far as the mpg goes. The pilot gets 19 city 25 hwy. so realistically this is still a good option for me and my family. Plus you can’t beat the Subaru awd system
And don’t forget to mention the safety factors, cost to own, etc… Thank you for this great video
When you guys compare fuel efficiency, keep in mind that the competitors are AWD as the Ascent has full time AWD on all the time which generally uses more gas.
I've got a '23 Limited a couple of months ago and couldn't be happier, what an awesome family vehicle! And one of the main selling features is safety, which is second to none.
The Ascent when it first came out was so nice and restrained. Not to big grill with clean lines and nice touchscreen/physical knob combination. Then they made the grill "TRUCK LIKE!" and I guess we're stuck with the laggy 11' screen now for the next 6 years until whatever the next platform turns out to be. I've never really seen the point of the Ascent other than "look at me, I bought the biggest Subaru I could get" because you rarely see a Subaru buyer maxing out all of that space and the Outback is just a better package all-around, and probably better matched to that turbo FA24/CVT engine.
Well, some of us actually have kids, other family members and dogs, so yeah, we're actually maxing out that space quite alright.
Love you guys and your reviews!!
😍😍
Hopefully the 2025 Ascent redesign has a powerful and fuel efficient hybrid model!!
I think super have said that they are not doing hybrid models anymore. Either full electric or full gas.
Regular towing was any vehicle that has a CVT transmission is asking for transmission trouble. Agree with Andrea too on the especially questionable reliability of a turbocharged four-cylinder engine and CVT in a tow vehicle...😮 Definitely buy a V6 (or V8) with a traditional automatic. Maybe even a Tahoe?
There is someone on the subaru ascent forum and his 2019 just past 200,000 miles. No CVT failure, no turbo failure. It’s still going with regular maintenance.
Nice review! Enjoyed how you switched up the "subscribe" section. Very funny.
It’s sad when the Legacy is the best looking Subaru in North America.
You two are too much...and of course fun! Don't bash Subaru drivers, correction please, "left to save gas, right to Speed" LOL What is it with Subaru and their 4 cylinder on a cvt, turbo or not!!?? Put a 6 in it already! BTW I still have my 2011 Forester XT 175/225 HP - I get offers but I am keeping it. Thanks for the review. Cheers
My wife and I drove this while car shopping. I could not sit in the third row. My neck was bent and legs did not fit behind the second row
I have the 2019 model and on my 4th Subaru .I see a LOTTT of them on the road , so definitely not forgotten . However , the interior badly needs a refresh given the competition it has in this segment . The storage and the organization in the cab is awful and needs a total overhaul , the CVT needs to go , Subaru should have maintained the knobs for climate control, the touch screen is distracting during driving and is a safety issue . The car is just selling on the extraordinary full time all wheel drive system and the standard safety systems . However , Subaru does offer a lot more with less that $50,000 MSRP than any of its competitors
The Mid-Cycle-Refresh is a No Sale for me! The Pre-Mid-Cycle Refresh was a far much more sleeker and better looking vehicle. These OEM's need to concentrate on internal and driver safety improvements rather than trying to jazz up the exteriors with cheap looking black plastic. Where is the chrome around the windows and doors? Fully Polished Aluminum Wheels is a must in my book. Put me on a product design team and I would make proper suggestions for improvements that will increase sales and visibility of the Subaru Ascent!
Yes totally what I think they should. Focus on safety, driver assist and reliability. Not the silly bells and whistles which one can always get aftermarket.
I appreciate your review.
Here is mine. I bought th me 2023 ascent for the balance between comfortable 3rd row seating but still not quite feeling like a bus like other 3rd row seated vehicles.
What annoys me about this vehicle (note: first time subaru owner):
1) remote start. Shame on me for not fully understanding what the sales person meanr when they said remote start. The mysubaru app is terrible and extraordinarily inconvenient for remote start. Somehoe subaru gives you a fob that is 50% bigger but much less capable then other manufacturers.
2) the sunroof. You have it open, want to close it before parking. You hit and hold the close button. It closes, then reopens in tilted moonroof. Hopefully it doesnt rain
3) all the subscriptions. Tack in another $300 a year if you want to keep the basic services other manufacturers build in for free.
4) less then 500 miles and my back hatch already broke (they fixed for free)
5) the center op screen is not intuitive making any adjustment difficult when trying to drive (even simple things like changing air temp)
6) its lane assist is more annoying then other cars, esp in cruise mode.
7) despite all the sensors and cameras, it fails on basic parking assists compared to other manufacturers.
Overall, while likely a very good quality vehicle, its electronic development are terrible compared to other brands (nissan, Toyota, honda).
What subscriptions do u have to pay for?
Pregnent Forester 😂😂 ... I cannot unsee it now!!
Does the driver sit high, with good visibility, like in a Forester or does the driver sit lower like in an Outback.
Yes it does sit high like the Forester
@@pumbaa32 Thank you.
What are your thoughts on new 2024 Volkswagen Atlas ? Which one is better overall between Ascent and Atlas ?
it depends if you like German styling/execution or Japanese. I think Ascent gives you more customizable ability. Eyesight is nice....
Many years ago, I rented an outback with a CVT. The CVT screams under hard acceleration. A few years later, I rented another outback. The CVT no longer screams under hard acceleration. But the software is obviously lowering the throttle, which can be dangerous in some cases. The CVT is the Achilles heel of subaru. For the same amount of $, I will go for a dodge durango AWD with a hemi and the old faithful ZF 8AT.
Excellent analysis, I love your channel,Job well done.
Thank you so much!
The reason they’re going so slow is the deafening road noise from the thin glass. They think they’re flying!
All Subies need a hybrid option. If they had it, I think sales would skyrocket. They're great cars but weak natural aspirated and thirsty turbo.
Is a CD player still available?
The front end is pretty terrible. Subaru has struggled with odd styling for decades. They occassionally make a model that looks great. Hopefully the new 2.4L Turbo doesnt have issues with blowing its head gasket.
My dealer confirmed 2025 Forester Hybrid …..
A very fair review! I own a 2021, and allow me to make a few "adjustments" to what you reviewed: 1) Agreed! The "styling' of the front end....is GROSS. Makes absolutely no sense. 2) PLEASE TELL SUBARU TO STOP BUILDING AND SELLING THIS CAR.....WITH 18 INCH WHEELS!!! IT DRIVES TERRIBLY WITH THAT SIZE WHEEL! THE CAR TENDS TO WANDER CONSTANTLY. BUT....with ther 20 inch wheels that the other Ascents come with......IT DRIVES GREAT! 3) Fuel economy!! Regardless of what the "armchair experts" have to say......I have always run with HIGH TEST fuel.....and i get AMAZING gas mileage! 24 around town and as much as 28 to 30 mpg. on the highway using the cruise. If you're willing to pay tons more for a "Hybrid"......why not pay less.....and use high octane fuel? My car is approaching 60,000 miles on it.....with "zero" issues....and it is super comfortable. 4) Towing: The jury is still out. I would love to hear from people who tow with the CVT. I really believe that the CVT is more to provide constant, interrupted power to all 4 wheels in all driving conditions with no shifts.....more than for fuel economy. In any slippery or really wet condition.....this car is as sure footed as it gets. It FEELS completely safe.
Any issues on the cvt?
Like your view. I just wish you would mention the driver headroom for us taller drivers.
Tape measure shows the third row in the Ascent is actually 1" wider than the Pilot, and the Ascent has one more inch depth behind the third row to the tailgate than the Pilot. The smart shopper will compare for themselves rather than relying on manufacturer provided measurements.
Not being able to get a second row bench seat, on higher level trims, is a deal breaker.
Does it have lane-centering assist?
Great review - Now that you mentioned the front tail pipes - that is all I can see when I see the front.. 😉
Bought a 2023 brand new Subaru Ascent -- oct 5 Silver **noticed defective cracked paint along the whole back hood edge.. brought in to dealer 37 days of owning dropped off 40th day(given a loaner ) - have yet to hear from Subaru 14 days later. First Subaru i have owned - starting to wonder what i bought........Make sure you look at your hood edge closely facing driver and passenger
Subaru Outback should I go XT or 2.5? And is OB for 2024 good to go? Or should I look at Honda CRV touring? I have currently a 21 Subaru Crosstrek touring 2.0 lease
what do you need the vehicle to do? have you driven each?
@@K03sport I commute 120km daily highway all seasons. Mpgs matter but don't want it gutless either
Enjoy your videos and appreciate the Canadian emphasis. Are you planning to do a review of the 2024 Subaru Outback Premier XT in the near future? Thanks
I love my wifes outback but I cant see trading in my pilot for an Ascent. Learn from Nissan and ditch the CVT on large SUV's
Front signals lights are way too small..went with the Highlander More Torque
I don't hybrid tech works well with their symmetrical AWD system, they'll probably have to go in another direction.
Pregnant Forester 😂😂 that is the most accurate description of this car I have ever heard
The "exhaust at the front" trend was started by Mitsubishi with the second facelift of the 3rd GEN Mitsubishi Outlander :)
Left lane blockage is common in lower mainland as well not just by Subaru
Anyone know if these have a long wait list process like basically every else?
Nice review. Thanks, guys. 👍
What do you mean by "with CC?" The only term I am familiar with in reference to cars is cubic centimeters of displacement. For a low volume vehicle, there are far too many variants.
Captain’s Chairs
@@andreaspencer9813 Thanks.
I like the Ascent because of the price starting and the 3rd row seating. I'm surprised that the 4 you chose are much more expensive starting. It makes it hard to really compare when the base model is 40k+ in those and the base model of this is 33k-ish.
I'm curious as to why those were the 4 picks to compare it to.
own a 2023 ascent onyx since March, have 4K miles on it, about 70% in town and 30% highway, love the vehicle, in town gas mileage is horrible! Get about 14 mpg and we baby it....doubt the "break in" period is causing it to be that bad, seems very jumpy off the line like they have the turbo tuned too high, kicks in right away so you cant try and get better gad mileage by taking it easy on the pedal. Otherwise fun to drive, I'm 6'2" and love the leg room for both driver and passenger side. The adaptive headlights are awesome at night and adaptive cruise control works great. If they came out with a hybrid or all electric would be perfect vehicle.
Damn 14 in the city that's bad 👎
I mean, if it was at least 20 but 14. U will be spending so much on only gas. For a car that cost over 35k, u would think it would be great on mileage.
How's the 3rd road seat. That sounds very spacious in the front cause ur 6'2
How is it doing now? Gas mileage any better?
Help... Toyota Grand Highlander vs Subaru Ascent vs VW Atlas ???
what trim? low, middle, top? middle on VW, and middle-top for the Ascent for me
In Whistler for most of winter so need something super capable. Leaning towards an ascent touring or limited.
im jusxt worried about that turbo becasue in fl, especially the area I'm in, there are floods around..
People thought it was good to buy them, it will be a good purchase option among competitors, a good evaluation too.
my friend tows motorcycles and other heavy stuff all the time in southern nm with his little Mitsubishi mirage with a cvt and it has not given out on him yet. In fact he says the CVT works better for towing and automatically adjusts to give more power when the vehicle is weighted down than an automatic tranny could. I would trust the towing figures of the subaru to be adaquate.
Can it fit 2 large dog boxes side by side (>47 inches width between wheel wells)? Thanks.
So in Ontario the Ascent is approximately the same price as the Honda Passport or the Pathfinder. The key difference between the Ascent and the Passport or Pathfinder is the CVT and the underpowered turbo charger in the Ascent! No one has heard about the Ascent because it can't compare against the V6 competition or even get better gas mileage. Plus the Boxster engine has had issues in the past (i.e. IMS-bearing failure); I suspect a turbo charged Boxster with a CVT will have even more long term issues. I guess for the 3 families in Canada that actually have the 5 kids they need to drive around this 7 row may be an option, but certainly it wouldn't be my top 5 vehicle in the class. I guess when Toyota gives them their hybrid technology it will make this vehicle more attractive, but why would I want a Toyota based Ascent, in the future when I can but a much more reliable Toyota Highlander Hybrid TODAY!
Toyota and Subaru cars are the ones I noticed in the left lane holding up traffic.
Great review as usual. You both compliment each other and we truly benefit from a well rounded reviews... 💯👌🏻☕
Much appreciated!
Thank you so much!
Zack I have to agree with you WRT the exhaust outlets on the front end. A look only a mother could love. However I don't mind the 1960's wood trim - old, just like me :-) And I imagine that I can't get a bench in the 2nd row of the top trim 😞And finally, I'm already ALL IN ON PEOPLE DRIVING IN THE RIGHT LANE IF THEY WANT TO DRIVE SLOWER THAN THOSE IN THE FAST LANE!!!!!!!
These are awesome family & roadtrip vehicles. I wouldn’t tow with it due to the CVT though.
How is the acceleration?
Very good.
You guys are being kind. Notwithstanding the reputation for safety, The exterior design of this SUV is plain UGLY! They really need to hire new designers and stop playing it safe and boring. It's 2023 Subaru!
I would consider a Subaru if they dropped the CVT .
Thank you for your video.
It's a 4WD minivan
I’m all about utility and really appreciate Subaru … however, they are really falling behind when it comes to mpg. Where’s the Hybrid engine like RAV4 or Highlander? This is what’s holding me back from seriously considering an Ascent or Forester.
i feel like marketing would help sell the Ascent better, the fact people don't know it exists has to do with marketing. Subaru does very little marketing on the Ascent, they can't just depend on car reviewers and auto journalists like yourself, because people are only going to be interested in the popular mainstream options.
And when it comes to Subaru, it's the Forester and the Outback, along with the Crosstrek.
3 row suv's are becoming popular once again, thanks to Hyundai/Kia making the segment competitive again, along with GM and Toyota.
so for Subaru to be more competitive with the Ascent, you have to do something that gets people interested in it.
i think that tablet style screen is too big, but there's also no hybrid option.
The Ascent didn't age well. The car feels a touch old next to the Palisade, Atlas or Pilot.
The 2.4L turbo is okay in the smaller Outback and Legacy, but the engine feels underpowered in this application. Subaru still needs to make their CVT...less CVT like.
Well, styling is subjective. But speaking of power - I didn't notice any performance issues, actually feels pretty good and getss up to a 100 km/h in about 7 seconds, not too bad for a basic family hauler.
I still yell at my kids in the 3rd row like that haha!
Do the Outback next!
Does Subaru make a hybrid
Easy now Andrea, what's under the hood of this intriguing Subaru!, exhausts on the front, not sure about that. 🤔
Lol!!
@@andreaspencer9813 Glad you liked that one Lol!
@@timphillips4147 I did! 👍
We own a 21 Touring model that my wife drives. We love the car except for the mileage. If you are heavy on the gas it gets 16mpg.
If this were a hybrid, Subaru would have something. It would justify the CVT, for one thing, and I suspect that it would also play well to lots of Subaru owners' sensibilities. I turned in my 2014 Outback for a new Highlander Hybrid. I did not consider moving up to an Ascent.
Thanks to the gas prices here in US, hybrids are the way to go. That’s why Toyota is so popular.
How do you like your Highlander?
@@Lauren-yq3ds It's been absolutely terrific.
@@squirreldriverthanks! I honestly like the accent but the gas milage is so horrible I can’t do it.
The whole recording, we could hear the outside noise. This is the biggest problem with Subaru. I own a 18 XT, everything is perfect except one, if you go for a long road trip, you'd notice the car is extremely noisy with all the road and wind noise. It's so noisy that you'd need to speak louder when talking to the front passenger.
Years ago, at the Toronto auto show, they had this, and it looked amazing. I guess it was a concept pre-production model? because it looks nothing like this.
For some reason, and I don’t know why, it reminds me of the Family Truckster. I can see the Griswolds travelling from Chicago to Wally World in this thing. I just can’t figure if the glass roof would hold grandma. 😎
Does the Ascent have the annoying feature that turns the engine off/on every time you start/stop?
No.
No it high revs the engine for the first 15 minutes instead and this is a failure from the high ranks of Subaru engineering.
The Mazda CX-90 Inline-6 gets way better gas mileage too. Obviously the PHEV demolishes it.
Hi Zack and Andrea. Another great video as per the usual arrangement! Thank you 🙂Do you know, does any version of this 2.4T boxer engine get a water cooled intercooler rather than this air cooled one? And why does the hood have to be so long (besides styling) when the engine is so short? (It *is* mounted longitudinally, right? So there are only 2 cylinders worth of depth to deal with, not 3 or 4 or 6 as with a V6, V8, or I6.) I guess it's because there's a transmission and whatever the thing is called that splits power off to give the vehicle AWD...? Also, any idea how many PSI this engine is being boosted with? Thanks again. We have an Outback but I'm just not sure I want a second Subaru in the family from a reliability standpoint (vs. Toyota.)
Well I can tell you my Ascent needed 2 new CVTs in under 20k. I almost lemon law’d it but the prices were high during the pandemic so I sold it.
The hood is long because of the symmetrical AWD. When your company’s main claim to fame requires equal length axles with a rear output on the engine.
They also claim a smoother running engine but my boxer was no better than anything else I’ve owned. Toyota and Lexus v6/V8s, Honda in-line 4s were just a smooth.
We have Toyota hybrids now, the Ascent was and will be my only Subaru. Never again
@@TobyCostaRicaI wanted to get a Subaru Ascent, but being that you told me you needed two CVTs in it at 20,000 miles no thank you. I'll either get a Forester or a Honda Pilot
@@coreturkoane5570 Supposedly they are better now, but they have a long history of CVT issues with other Subarus too. There is a reason they are discounting Ascents while other 3 rows are sold before they even are built.
About the slow drivers.
I keep reminding people that it is called “THE PASSING LANE” and not “The FAST LANE”. FAST is subjective and it's not up to anybody to say this is as fast anyone needs to go. They may be right but that’s not how it is. There will always be people that want to go faster and if they decide to start lane changes then that just puts more people at risk. My wife hates it when I say, "you’re passing who?". I'd hate to have me as a passenger.