I purchased a Subaru Ascent last month, and agree with some of the complaints, but they weren’t as important to us and I still love my car. In fact, I have almost the same one you built but with the technology package and sunroof. A couple of my favorite features I didn’t see you mention: 1. You can control all the lights from a button on the drivers seat. SUPER helpful if I want to check on the kiddo in the back and it’s dark. 2. You can change what the the dash display and smaller display show with the arrows on the steering wheel and underneath the smaller display. One of the most mom-things it does is it’ll remind you of any saved anniversaries or birthdays as it approaches. Headed to Target and need to get a birthday card? Subaru has your back and will tell you at the most convenient time, when you get in your car. 3. The drivers extended calf support & seat memory. 4. In the Touring trim there’s a front view camera in addition to the back up camera. The one thing I wish I had in the Limited trim level. 5. The ability to LOCK the car when closing the power tailgate. 6. The turning headlights. I didn’t realize how amazing this would be, but the headlights that turn with the steering wheel are SO cool and give so much more visibility. 7. Lastly, this is my third Subaru and I didn’t find this out until recently, but the STARLINK subscription gives so much peace of mind. Not only does it give you so much control in the app (remote start with climate control, lock/unlock doors), but if your car is stolen and it’s parked somewhere, Subaru can disable the entire vehicle, even if they have the key! They’ll handle everything with law enforcement and will only reactivate when it’s been recovered. With that, you also have the ability to locate your car.
I’m really surprised with this review. I bought a 2021 limited trim level in June and absolutely love it! So many of the safety features were missed: the cross bar in the rear doors, the reminder to check the back seat if you opened it before entering the driver door, the rear view camera/ reverse assist…it will stop the car if you’re getting to close to something, etc. We have the captains chairs and a Graco 4ever rear facing car seat with zero issues. We’ve had plenty of people ride in the back seat behind our child. No complaints. I can’t say enough good things about Subaru. One of the best things is their customer service. There’s absolutely ZERO pressure to buy because the salespeople are not commission based. They follow up with you to answer any questions about the technology and give you a gas card for taking the time to allow them to help you out. It’s amazing! I love the simplicity of the dash..no need to feel like I’m driving a space ship.
I don’t know where you bought from, but my experience looking at a Subaru outback was anything but no pressure. It was one of the most high pressure shopping experiences I have ever had. We did a test drive and told him honestly that we weren’t ready to make a decision right then, and he immediately turned on the high-pressure tactics. Honestly, it’s really turned me off from ever getting a Subaru.
@@libbyneefe1075 oh wow. That sounds horrible. We have a great Subaru dealership in my area. I have several friends who have bought there with great experiences.
I have an Ascent Limited w captain chairs and pano roof. I came from a 10 year run with Honda Pilot. It drives like a DREAM compared to the Pilot. And don’t be persuaded the CVT is inferior, it’s not. I drove a Nissan with a CVT and it does not even compare. This CVT is different. My husband explained to me why but I don’t remember. All i know is I LOVE how it drives! The drive in the Ascent is super quiet and amazing. Super quick for an SUV. The crash test ratings are excellent. I drove the mountains of WV this year and it was awesome. I LOVE LOVE LOVE the lane departure signals and lane keep assist, plus it will hold you at a certain car length away from the car in front of you when in cruise dependent on your setting. Listen, THESE are game changers! I highly recommend you drive one. This is coming from a Honda girl who had NEVER been in a Subaru before and it won me over the first drive after driving multiple other cars. There are pluses and minuses of every vehicle. I have 2 teenagers and one still in a booster and they love it. I usually have the 3rd row down but we do use it for carpool. The ONLY thing I miss from my Pilot is the trunk window that opened without the whole trunk being opened. But the Ascent drives a million times better IMO. Pilot is more like a truck. There’s my two cents.
We just moved to the mountains from flat, hot Houston. I was in a 2WD Armada which I loved. However, driving in the mountains we needed an AWD. In Houston traffic I liked being high off the ground. Now driving up and down switchbacks all day I like being lower and hugging the road more. There are 2 features that you didn’t talk about (can’t talk about everything) that I love. The gear shifting on the steering wheel. It has been so convenient and easy on steep slopes. I use it everyday. The other thing is that the headlights move with the steering wheel. We moved to a small mountain town where there are no street lights. Driving at night is 110% better on windy roads at night when the lights move. I also like that the Ascent fits my 5’8” frame better than the Armada. We have three teenagers and it’s a little tight when we are all in it together but with teenagers that rarely happens except for Sunday mornings.
Family of 4 - two kiddos - one rear facing and one forward facing. I’m 5’11” and husband over 6 feet. We have done multiple road trips (6+ hours) without an issues spacing wise. I have been in the front and third row seats for those rides. I do think the 2020 version doesn’t elevate the third row the same way - and also our clearance to the third row in between the seats seems bigger. I always feel so safe and comfortable in this car. We’re huge fans of it after never thinking we would get a Subaru! For us - safety ended up being #1!
Wow, we absolutely love our 2019 Acsent! As a family of 5, with kids from 11 year to newborn we have no problem all fitting with a stroller, diaper bags and sports gear.We love all the cup holders and have not had any issues fitting cups (except my 32oz hydro flex jug that just sits in the seat next to me 😂) Love the all weather mats with kids and the panoramic sunroof, some of my favorite features! We upgraded to this car this year after driving a Ford Explorer for 7 years and the only big difference I notice is it doesn’t ride as high and you don’t have to climb up into it. It bothered me a little bit at first but after 6 months, I hardly notice it and the kids have a much easier time jumping in the car at school pick up! I also love doing home project and wanted to make sure my next car had similar back cargo space to the Explorer, as am often loading lots of supplies in the back with at least 1 or more kids with me! I have not had an issue yet loading bags of mulch, 2x4’s, groceries or packing us all for a 10 day trip to the lake!
I have a 2019 Ascent Touring and I actually really like it for our family’s needs. Coming from a 2012 sedan I find the safety, comfort, and convenience features are so nice. Can’t forget about the heated steering wheel, CarPlay, rain sensing wipers, and AVH! Also the different displays can be customized to make more sense. I got the brown leather seats and really like the look. For our setup we have one rear facing toddler, a baby on the way, and 2 medium size dogs that I occasionally bring to doggy daycare or on road trips. No plans to have more kids and it’s rare that we have other human passengers in the car, so the third row is for the dogs! We have a seat cover for them back there and strap them in with their seatbelt harnesses, and everyone is safe and happy. I agree trunk space is pretty crappy with the third row up, but it’s rare that I need to use the third row AND need more trunk space at the same time. And for my non-obnoxious sized cups and water bottles, the cup holders (that I actually use) work fine. So yeah, I agree that this vehicle doesn’t have it all for a larger family, but for us, it’s great!
I like the Ascent. The lack of that modern sloping window design or huge b pillars means that rear visibility is really good. I like its ground clearance. At 8.7 inches it can handle some pretty rough terrain/weather when things get rough. I myself have an Outback and can attest to Subarus practicality and AWD. I also appreciate its simplicity. It has enough things to make it a comfortable place to be in without overloading you with features that break or cost a fortune to repair. My only issue is lack of power and the CVT. Other than those little foibles, it really is a great product
I have a 2021 Subaru Ascent Touring and I LOVE IT! We are a family of 5- kiddos are 11, 7 (still in car seat) and 1.5yr old (rear facing) and we fit perfectly, we've even gone to ikea and came home with 4 bookshelves and a desk. We don't use strollers so that saves space and all the safety and bonus features trump space! Overall we are in love with our car! 🙌🏽 oh and the what my kids call x games mode is awesome, we've used it on our outdoor adventures!
I drive a 2021 premium ascent with some passenger package add on (gives that keyless entry and rear automatic braking feature you mentioned). I actually really like that the dash display ISNT all digital-less things to go wrong. Lots of the information on that secondary screen are also accessible from the steering wheel. Subaru really prides itself on safety, a main reason this is our 2nd Subaru. To demonstrate the eyesight system the salesman drove straight at parked cars at the dealership and the car fully stopped with feet to spare. I had a minor heart attack, but the car did stop. Subaru is also all about outdoor adventure, which is also in line with our needs. The built in roof rails were important to us as we will be adding surf racks soon. There’s also a hidden button to lock your keys and phone in the car and be able to still get back in. Helpful for my husbands surf trips. While I absolutely love this car, I agree with you on a couple things: 1) the cup holders really do suck. I’m currently in the market for a new coffee traveler that will fit better lol. 2) the third row is a little cramped/not the easiest to get into. We knew this before we bought it, though. We currently have a 3 year old rear facing (just a few more pounds to go before forward facing), and a 4 month old. We are done adding to our family. We know that we will have this car for about 10-12 years. While our babies are young, we don’t have many reasons to use that 3rd row and are currently benefiting from the extra cargo space. As kids get older and we’re less likely to travel with strollers AND pack and plays, etc. we think that 3rd row will come in handy for toting around kids and their friends. Right now third row is only used by an adult while heading out to lunch, etc in town. Just food for thought for anyone figuring out if that’s a deal breaker or nah. Love my ascent!
Hidden button, I guess its still hidden from me as I haven't seen it on mine :) For the cup holder not sure about the 2021, but on the 2019 I replaced out the center cup holder insert with an upgraded one from Subaru. Its the same one that is in the video and easy to swap out and holds drinks more snuggly. Not sure what size she uses in a video but a 32 Oz mug fits in there with no problem.
I’ve had a 2021 ascent premium with some upgrades for over a year and I love it. It helps that my husband and I are short, so my 3 kids have quite a bit of space in the 2nd row. I knew that moving from a minivan to suv our storage space was going to go down, but we’ve used a cargo carrier when we went camping and we’re able to bring every thing we needed. Love the standard roof racks! I love all the safety features. In mine at least, when you turn off the car it chimes and a reminder pops up on the dash saying to check the backseat, so you won’t forget your sleeping baby. I’m always picking up and dropping off kids, so it’s a nice reminder. I really like the turbo engine and have gotten used to the cvt. It works for us, so that’s all that matters. I had my heart set on the Honda Pilot, but test drove the Ascent on a whim and loved it. The pick up and handling is so much better and it was quite a bit cheaper for what I wanted.
This just goes to show that you should 100% test drive a car you’re interested in - every family has different needs. We only have two children, so the Ascent is perfect for us. We have the third row down 90% of the time, so we can easily fit our double stroller AND a full load of groceries. We LOVE it. It’s nice, without being too fancy. And we have plenty of room for when our kiddies are older and want to have friends ride with us.
We are a family of 5 and had a Subaru ascent (sold it because we sold everything to travel for a year). There was so much I LOVED about, and it worked for us. But this review is now making me watch your other ones to see if I want something different. Hard to beat a Subaru, holds value really well, too!
I just got the 2022 Limited and absolutely love it. You won't find a safer vehicle out there. My only complaints are: The cup holders don't fit my 32 oz water bottle and the OEM rubber mats are way too small. Other than that we are in love with our bigger vehicle. We came from a 2016 Subaru Crosstrek (family of 4 with 2 teenagers).
This came at a perfect time I am test driving the 2022 suburu ascent this Saturday I have been obsessed with and there is a 2018 highlander I am comparing it too. Wish me luck🤞🏼 this mama of 2 needs a bigger car and we love suburu! Their safety features are the best!
Hi, mind sharing what you've ended up with? I am in the situation- going to test drive the 2022 Ascent and maybe some other vehicles later on, so it'd be interesting to see what other people's experiences were.
I love our Ascent. Big love. We have three kids and two big dogs. It’s a great size for all of us without being ridiculous to parallel park on our crowded street. I’m 5’9” and comfortably did a two hour drive in the third row so my grandparents could sit up front. We have two RFing car seats in the captains chairs and our 12yo sits in the third row. We could also probably do one car seat in each row with the 12yo in a captains chair, but the pre-teen wants to sit as far away from us as possible so they crawl under the car seats or in through the trunk. Such is life. I can fit my double BOB in the car if I fold the single seat down in the third row. I have a stroller wagon that I can fit with the third row in use, but it does take some finagling. The most important part to me are the safety features. They are above and beyond. They honestly make my drive safer. It’s also a beast in the snow and mud, which it’s a Subaru so of course it is. Overall I have very minimal complaints about this car. I agree the cup holders are all kind of underwhelming. None of them hold my water bottle. That’s the worse I can say about it though. I love our car and plan on driving it for many years.
"Hey! What are you doing?!?!" Girl, you've got the mom voice down!!! We just got a great deal on ours today. So surprised by how lush the Touring feels inside. I NEVER would have looked at it or a Subaru if it wasn't for a salesman. I'm excited to drive it and see what I feel about it, but I think I'm going to love it. Thanks for the good mom perspective!
I have the 2021 touring & really like it. It’s perfect for my family (10 & 8 year old). I do wish the infotainment system screen was bigger, like the outback, & the cup holders are on the small size. Love all the safety features. I chose the ascent over the highlander bc it was roomer. Previously had a 4Runner and wanted a 3rd row. Overall I love it!
Love my ascent for the stage of life we are in now. Two kids, one in a forward facing and one in a high back booster, so we wanted the third row to be able to stuff a few kids or smaller adults in every once in a while. But I totally agree that the cup holders suck! My Stanley cup barely fits in the center. And the rest are just sooo small and some are obstructed. But I LOVE the drive! We test drove a palisade and an ascent and the Ascent had the power and quickness I wanted. The palisade just took too long to get going. Thank you for this tour! I love all your tours!
Inconsistent negativity. Not a lot of midsize SUVs will accommodate large bottles like that in many cup spaces. Missed a lot of the Ascent positives (many mentioned in the comments: ground clearance, symmetrical AWD, etc.) but did identify some such as safety. Brand reliability is likewise high. Styling is subjective. Fair critiques on not being a large SUV for its class. One of the big ones is the cost to size ratio which is strong here. Relatively inexpensive for a reliable AWD, 3-row SUV with solid ground clearance and seating up to 8 (granted, some being small spaces for older kids). Cargo area better than many models (e.g. older Highlander, new Sequoia) but made it seem tiny with placement of stroller. Seemed against it from the beginning with mostly subjective critiques (interior volume being one of the few objective challenges).
Had my 21 for 2 yrs now. Have 2 grandkids & german sheperd. Love it. Also serves as my 2nd p/u truck at times. Fits in garage next to my F150 just right. Ascent has many more standard features for the $$$ than any other vehicle. In all big bang for my buck. My all around vehicle w/decent gas mileage
The Palisade,the Telirude and possibly the Atlas would come first in my opinion and also the new Pathfinder. So there are alternatives but all of them are overpriced for American families. the basic trim may be the only option since some cars cost 20k more when optioned up. Talk to your family and see if it is the right thing for you to deprive your family of 10-20K in order to give that money to the dealer on account of bigger screen a sunroof or similar gimmicks. 1/2 of US moms are single moms and they could buy a lot of cereal and baby pumpers by not opting for limited models etc
We love our 2021 Ascent Limited with some added features, like the moon roof and the sound system. I have a family of 8, two are in carseats (one forward facing and one rear facing), and even my teenagers, that are taller than me, can fit comfortably on the third row seat! It drives like a dream, and it’s faster than our previous v6 SUV. It fits all of our cups and water bottles, and our jogging stroller too!
I have a 2022 Acura ILX and it has a CD player as well. At first I was like I’m never going to use that but I busted out some of my old school CD’s and I’m loving it!
I was actually excited to see the CD player. We had one in my car that was totaled and the rental we’ve been driving does not have one. My 2 year old has been so upset he can’t listen to his songs.
I love my Subaru Ascent. In fact, I had the 2019 Limited and now have the 2021 Limited. My kids are now 11 and 7 so we only have a booster and don't have a stroller. We rarely use the 3rd row but my kids love sitting back there. I love the trunk space with the seats down for groceries. I agree, the cupholders stink and I often have water bottles on the floor instead. I was hoping they would fix the cupholders from 2019 to 2021 but they didn't. Overall I am so happy!
I bought an Ascent about 6 months ago, upgrading from an old CR-V. With one toddler in a forward facing seat we thought we would like the space. Honestly the space between first and second rows is way too tight (as others mentioned - captain chair all the way back, you still have to scoot the passenger seat forward for space and that doesn’t work well with tall passengers). Trunk space behind third row is unrealistic for anything more than a few groceries. We ended up turning ours back in and will look for bigger interior dimensions in the future. Positives - the safety features were awesome - loved the “car in front of you has moved” feature.
The CD player is my favorite part! I love my books on tape from the library and not every one I want is on things like Libby. Also I hated that my 2020 hyandai Santa Fe didn’t have one! And I can get a CT chicco next fit installed with the 6 ft passenger seat occupant comfortable! Tons of room for car seats!
We are a family of 3 with the 2021 limited. I think the car works perfectly for our needs, but if we were a family of 5 it would be too small for us. I feel like you get a lot of features for a lower price than other vehicles in the same class. My complaints are the heated leather seats don’t work well unless it is really cold outside, and I feel like it has soft paint. I use a 32oz yeti as my daily cup and it fits in the front cup holders just fine. The front door cup holders are good for sippy cups and regular water bottles. It says it fits 3, but I can only use it for 2 cups/bottles. I have driven almost 23,000 miles in 10 months. Overall we are really happy with it!
We recently test drove one of these... Family of 4 expecting number five. I loved some of the features, but definitely would not work for us. Went with a Honda Odyssey and have ZERO regrets. So so much room, easy for car seats, and tons of safety features.
We have a Limited Ascent and love it. We wanted the Touring, but require a bench seat for three car seats. Our Dionos didn't fit rear facing (I'm 6'4"), so we got Graco SlimFits. The third row lives down, with our double Vista in it, except for two times when we had an adult climb in through the hatch to sit in the third row (with the other "half" of the third row down). It has plenty of space for vacations, but we did use a hitch mounted cargo carrier once. We shouldn't need that once the kids outgrow the stroller and Bumbos. It has the best visibility of any three row crossover we test drove too. My kids love the panoramic sunroof (this is one of the few three row crossovers that lets you get a panoramic sunroof and a bench). Also, the blue looks better in person. We drove 3 hours to get a blue one.
@@melaniepylegay5500 we haven't tried that, but three car seats fit if you get narrow ones, so two and adult should be fine depending on the adult and length of the trip. We tested our car seats in the car during the test drive.
We don't have the Ascent, but we do have a 2019 Forester Touring. Not sure how they compare to the Ascent, but I haven't had much of a problem with the cup holders in that car. The only thing I have found that doesn't fit is my big Yeti water bottle. Our 2.5 year old is rear facing in a Nuna Rava behind the driver and there is plenty of clearance for my husband who is 6ft tall. Your comment about the infotainment system is spot on. It's basically the exact same screen that is in the Forester and the Crosstrek. I believe the Outback has a much bigger screen. I can't believe how tiny that trunk is. I mean, really? Do you have plans to review the Forester and the Outback? We really love our Forester.
We have an 21 Ascent and a 20 Outback. The Outback has some cool features I miss in the Ascent. One being the ability to open the tailgate hands-free. That and the HUGE touchscreen that makes Apple CarPlay a dream.
by the by.. that stroller easily fits back there because the trunk door actually has a significant angle and strollers wheels do not touch when closed even though it looks it would...
If you care.... you’ll really care. 😂 You are very entertaining! I love your honest opinions. Although you didn’t seem to love some features it is still nice to hear so that we can see if it works for us or not. That being said, we are still interested in this Subaru. We are shorter and don’t carry huge cups lol.
I wish most vehicle manufacturers would stop trying to cram three seats in the third row and stop trying to cram more and more features back there (excessive cupholders? really?) to make it seem appealing. Just accept that most families need the occasional person or two in the third row, and they'd rather have seat space. We will soon be a family of four and utilize our three-row SUV for road trips with two big dogs. Literally the third row is exclusively for dogs. I think we've had one person back there one time.
I wish more vehicle manufacturers paid MORE attention to the 3rd row in these SUV's. We are about to be a family of 6 and getting a vehicle big enough for our needs is incredibly expensive if you look at full size SUV's (most of which won't even fit in our garage due to their massive size). Luckily Subaru was smart enough to make an actual useable 3rd row with not only great knee room, but with actual room for your feet (unlike almost every other SUV in this segment that boasts knee room, but doesn't mention the lack of foot room). After test driving a few vehicles that compete with the Ascent we ended up ordering a 2023 Subaru Ascent. We are replacing a minivan, but with 4 kids now, the 8 passenger Ascent will give us both more seating capacity and more cargo room (at the same time) than our 7 passenger minivan does. This is because we can fit 3 kids across in 2nd row, plus 1 in 3rd row and still put part of the 3rd row down. Compared to our minivan which would require us to put the entire 3rd row up in order to fit two child seats back there, leaving us restricted to only the space behind the 3rd row for cargo.
We are soon to be family of 6. 2 kids in child seats, 2 kids in boosters, 2 adults (5'8" and under). Cross shopping the Subaru Ascent and the Volvo XC90 T8 Recharge (PHEV). I'm already a subaru fan with our 2004 subaru wrx wagon, but I'm honestly not sure which one to go with. Subaru or Volvo? I live in the PNW, so the AWD of both is very welcome. One is practical, one is luxury, both are super safe, both have enough seating. One is kind of mute on performance (Subaru) and one is very fast (Volvo). Anyone care to share their opinion?
We own a 2019. It’s a great car for families with 1 or 2 kids who occasionally need a third row. The third row is one of the few in smaller 7 seaters that my 11 yo can actually fit in. I’d love to see a head to head comparison with the VW Atlas, since that was the only competitor back in 2019 (and we ultimately chose the Ascent as the slightly shorter turn radius made it easier in my work garage).
We have the 2019 Touring version, yes I know it's 2021. However, I don't think they have made many changes to this trim line. I just wanted to point out that in the last two weeks I've had the same issue with the car, the Check Engine light comes on and by default, all the other lights come on, eyesight, rough terrain light you name it. Anyhow, the first time it came on, I looked online for a fix since the dealership didn't have any service openings for 2 weeks. What I found is that there are threads about the same issue and around the same mileage as mine, I'm at 23000 miles. Turns out it's the gas cap, yes that sensor will cause the engine light and from there the rest of the lights. So today it happened again and both times it has happened the day after we put gas into it. Now I didn't forget how to pump gas and complete the process in the last two weeks. I'm assuming it's the same issue, this time I have to wait about 5 days for my service appointment. It's hard to convince my wife that it will be "ok" even though the lights are on. I have contacted Subaru directly on both occasions, I heard back the first time and have yet to hear back the second time. Maybe some of you have had this issue, maybe not, but for the last two years absolutely no issues other than one recall and now the same one in two weeks. It just sucks having to go back for the same issue. Other than that, it's an all-around good car.
We have the Touring with two kids in car seats - one infant and one forward facing. My only issue with the car is the leg room! My husband and I are pretty tall (5'9'' and 6'2'') and my daughter is pretty tall for her age so we have to push her captain chair as far back as it can go. I then have to push my seat up as far as it can go to fit her legs (and her legs are still touching the back of my seat), and mine are almost touching the dashboard! Same issue with the infant car seat when it's in there. I wish I'd realized the leg room problem before getting the car, although I can't say if it would've steered us in another direction or not.
This doesn’t sound realistic. I’m 6’ tall and can sit in the 2nd row with the passenger seat all the way back and my legs aren’t anywhere near touching the seat. But we have the bench seat, no captains chair so maybe they’re way less space efficient. Interesting.
I compared the cubic inches in both cars and they are pretty much the same. The second row bench seat is the same inches across. I had my heart set on the pilot, but the ascent was better.
Thank you for talking about the drive we just got a renault Triber 2021 and it has that drive and it isn’t our fave but we didn’t know before driving. Sometimes it sounds like the gears are stuck
I have the same 2021 touring trim model in silver. Just hit the 36K mile mark at 1.5 years, purchasing the gold-plus plan (hopefully, will not need to use it). Prior, I owned two Santa Fe's (3 rows). Unfortunately, they were totaled (people on the phone, running red lights, which is really getting old -- PUT THE PHONE DOWN, WATCH THE ROAD PEOPLE). The Ascent is a turbo-4-cylinder (same engine in the WRX). Gas mileage is the same as the 3-row Santa Fe. Oddly, the Ascent does better climbing hilly mountain roads than the 6-cylinder Santa Fe. As for the CVT transmission -- I baby this car. Highway miles. Finger crossed (things will hold out, won't have to use the gold-plus plan and, most importantly, I won't get my car totaled by yet another phone-driver running a red light).
I'm surprised you didn't like this car much -- I just looked at one yesterday a few hours before this dropped. I'm 6'2"/225 and I didn't have much trouble getting in the back and moving around. Also, just going off the eyeball test, it looked like it had more room in the back, with the 3rd row down, than our Pathfinder did. I AM worried about that CVT, though.
The small display shocks me cuz we have a 2020 Subaru Outback and the display is HUGE. Also did our bulky car seats better then most of our friends SUVs. We live somewhere snowy so the safety features and AWD was hugely important to us. We love it! (Cupholders are large but not quite big enough though)
@@Lauren-yq3ds yup. We have our car seats together (one on the passenger side and one in the middle) and we have room for a third or to use the seat for passengers.
Love this review! I am trying to get a 3 row car with good safety features, 3 row leg room, and great cup holders. I was really leaning towards a Subaru for safety reasons but now I want to look at other cars with similar safety features.
Love this review! As a family of 2 I wanted something safe, roomy and something to carry a few of the church kids. However, I am not sure I’m loving the dashboard, it seems small and eh. Well off to find another vehicle.
I test drove one about a year ago. I am 5’2” and didn’t have any issues getting into the back through the gap between the captains chairs, and I did have leg room. I think it would be fine if your family members where shorter or just kids used the 3rd row. But there is no way my 6’ husband could fit in the back.
I agree, NOT a fan of CVT transmission. Different vehicle, but I recently purchased a 2019 Honda Odyssey. It’s my first vehicle with CVT, I noticed it during the test drives but I thought I’d get used to it. We’re 4 months in, nope! I’m stuck with it now, or at least for a while.
Thanks for doing this. It’s one of our main contenders. You skipped the front camera. That’s the only safety feature that separates it from the trim below.
I fully understand that Subaru SUVs are not designed to be extremely sporty looking, but they really couldn’t try any harder to make this 2021 vehicle look like a decade old SUV on the outside? Lol.. I dont put a lot of weight on the look of cars but if I’m paying that much for a vehicle, I want it to at least look a little sportier or classier
Are there many 3-row midsize SUVs where a 6ft person wouldn't touch the cabin ceiling? And, for that matter, that could fit a full-size stroller behind the third row? Sounds like you'd prefer or need an Escalade or Suburban.
One pet peeve of mine on all car reviews is that it seems like 99% of all reviewers are over 6 ft, even the women. This gives an unrealistic review of the space inside the car. Personally I'm 5'8" and have sat in the 3rd row of the Ascent with the 2nd and 1st rows set to my height. I had TONS of space in the 3rd row for leg room, etc (easily 5 inches of knee room). I honestly don't get the complaints about lack of space in the third row. In the US the average height of a man is 5'9" and woman is 5'4". It' something to keep in mind when watching the reviews and something I wish the reviewers themselves would point out.
Def agree with some of the complaints, but those cup holders are perfect for sippy cups, which I use them all for lol. The one big feature I would have mentioned is the front view camera. I use it every day when trying to get into a tight parking space and it’s specific to the Touring. I’m not in love with the transmission either but I’m getting used to it!
Yeah you can. My Wife took some pictures when testing forward facing child seats in the 3rd row. I put the pic on imgur but I can't post a link. If you have the url for an imgur picture put this after the /a/CO4xtXC Also note that in the picture the 2nd row is all the way back, so you can move it forward to give more room to 3rd row.
Been watching your videos for the past 3 nights trying to find a car that fits my small family. Im trading this P.O.S because it literally gives me 12-16 mpg . Looking in to the X7 👍
CD player wins! No joke. And buttons for controls is good. Look of this car is better than pilot, highlander etc.. I have no idea what people are talking about when they it is dated or boring...
I feel like this is a really biased review with negative undertones from the start. The 3rd row was folded down and then we never were given an example of how much trunk space there was after that. Also no example of the car seat being slid on the 2nd row rails to optimize space and comfort.
So obviously this is a pretty new vehicle - so I guess my question will be about the reliability of a Subaru in general. Since our closest dealership is 2 hrs away .. I just worry about the dealership being so far … what has been your experience with Subaru ?
I don't have an Ascent, but I do have a 2004 Subaru WRX Wagon. We are a family of 5 and the Subaru is now our secondary vehicle. We have put 235k miles on the Subaru and it has been the most reliable vehicle we've ever had. The first clutch replacement happened at 230k miles. Other than regular maintenance, we had to replace the radiator at 192k miles. Literally that's it. I drive it hard and it just keeps going. We now have a 2020 Pacifica Hybrid (7 passenger) for our family vehicle but after having that van in the shop for over 3 months in less than 1 year of ownership we are very seriously considering going for the 8 passenger Subaru Ascent (losing cargo and mpg, but gaining reliability, AWD, extra seat, and safety). Twice in the past several years we've ordered a new subaru then ended up walking away before taking ownership (a new WRX and then a new Forester). Both times we ended up regretting it. This is our 3rd chance at buying a new Subaru to partner with our older subaru. Our Pacifica qualified for the lemon law and Chrysler is offering us $8k to keep it... We have $14k trade-in value on it, so $22k (trade-in plus cash down) off a brand new Subaru Ascent is enticing.
I test drove one and hated it the drive felt bumpy, I found it ugly in comparison to other similar cars it looked like an older model car when it was a 2021.. ended up buying a 2022 palisade calligraphy instead
I will say, I rode in the 3rd row of my friend’s Ascent and holy moly, it was a horrible ride as an adult. My 10 year old also said she was super uncomfortable. But I know lots of people love it!
I purchased a Subaru Ascent last month, and agree with some of the complaints, but they weren’t as important to us and I still love my car. In fact, I have almost the same one you built but with the technology package and sunroof.
A couple of my favorite features I didn’t see you mention:
1. You can control all the lights from a button on the drivers seat. SUPER helpful if I want to check on the kiddo in the back and it’s dark.
2. You can change what the the dash display and smaller display show with the arrows on the steering wheel and underneath the smaller display. One of the most mom-things it does is it’ll remind you of any saved anniversaries or birthdays as it approaches. Headed to Target and need to get a birthday card? Subaru has your back and will tell you at the most convenient time, when you get in your car.
3. The drivers extended calf support & seat memory.
4. In the Touring trim there’s a front view camera in addition to the back up camera. The one thing I wish I had in the Limited trim level.
5. The ability to LOCK the car when closing the power tailgate.
6. The turning headlights. I didn’t realize how amazing this would be, but the headlights that turn with the steering wheel are SO cool and give so much more visibility.
7. Lastly, this is my third Subaru and I didn’t find this out until recently, but the STARLINK subscription gives so much peace of mind. Not only does it give you so much control in the app (remote start with climate control, lock/unlock doors), but if your car is stolen and it’s parked somewhere, Subaru can disable the entire vehicle, even if they have the key! They’ll handle everything with law enforcement and will only reactivate when it’s been recovered. With that, you also have the ability to locate your car.
thank you for sharing!!
Thank you for the info.. just purchase a Subaru ascent limited 2019 and love it for my family of 5
I’m really surprised with this review. I bought a 2021 limited trim level in June and absolutely love it! So many of the safety features were missed: the cross bar in the rear doors, the reminder to check the back seat if you opened it before entering the driver door, the rear view camera/ reverse assist…it will stop the car if you’re getting to close to something, etc. We have the captains chairs and a Graco 4ever rear facing car seat with zero issues. We’ve had plenty of people ride in the back seat behind our child. No complaints. I can’t say enough good things about Subaru. One of the best things is their customer service. There’s absolutely ZERO pressure to buy because the salespeople are not commission based. They follow up with you to answer any questions about the technology and give you a gas card for taking the time to allow them to help you out. It’s amazing! I love the simplicity of the dash..no need to feel like I’m driving a space ship.
I agree. Also, get a smaller drink cup!
I don’t know where you bought from, but my experience looking at a Subaru outback was anything but no pressure. It was one of the most high pressure shopping experiences I have ever had. We did a test drive and told him honestly that we weren’t ready to make a decision right then, and he immediately turned on the high-pressure tactics. Honestly, it’s really turned me off from ever getting a Subaru.
@@libbyneefe1075 oh wow. That sounds horrible. We have a great Subaru dealership in my area. I have several friends who have bought there with great experiences.
I have an Ascent Limited w captain chairs and pano roof. I came from a 10 year run with Honda Pilot. It drives like a DREAM compared to the Pilot. And don’t be persuaded the CVT is inferior, it’s not. I drove a Nissan with a CVT and it does not even compare. This CVT is different. My husband explained to me why but I don’t remember. All i know is I LOVE how it drives! The drive in the Ascent is super quiet and amazing. Super quick for an SUV. The crash test ratings are excellent. I drove the mountains of WV this year and it was awesome. I LOVE LOVE LOVE the lane departure signals and lane keep assist, plus it will hold you at a certain car length away from the car in front of you when in cruise dependent on your setting. Listen, THESE are game changers! I highly recommend you drive one. This is coming from a Honda girl who had NEVER been in a Subaru before and it won me over the first drive after driving multiple other cars. There are pluses and minuses of every vehicle. I have 2 teenagers and one still in a booster and they love it. I usually have the 3rd row down but we do use it for carpool. The ONLY thing I miss from my Pilot is the trunk window that opened without the whole trunk being opened. But the Ascent drives a million times better IMO. Pilot is more like a truck. There’s my two cents.
We just moved to the mountains from flat, hot Houston. I was in a 2WD Armada which I loved. However, driving in the mountains we needed an AWD. In Houston traffic I liked being high off the ground. Now driving up and down switchbacks all day I like being lower and hugging the road more. There are 2 features that you didn’t talk about (can’t talk about everything) that I love. The gear shifting on the steering wheel. It has been so convenient and easy on steep slopes. I use it everyday. The other thing is that the headlights move with the steering wheel. We moved to a small mountain town where there are no street lights. Driving at night is 110% better on windy roads at night when the lights move. I also like that the Ascent fits my 5’8” frame better than the Armada. We have three teenagers and it’s a little tight when we are all in it together but with teenagers that rarely happens except for Sunday mornings.
Family of 4 - two kiddos - one rear facing and one forward facing. I’m 5’11” and husband over 6 feet. We have done multiple road trips (6+ hours) without an issues spacing wise. I have been in the front and third row seats for those rides. I do think the 2020 version doesn’t elevate the third row the same way - and also our clearance to the third row in between the seats seems bigger. I always feel so safe and comfortable in this car. We’re huge fans of it after never thinking we would get a Subaru! For us - safety ended up being #1!
thanks for sharing your feedback!!!
I think your right about the third row in the 2020. Mine doesn’t seem as high either.
Wow, we absolutely love our 2019 Acsent! As a family of 5, with kids from 11 year to newborn we have no problem all fitting with a stroller, diaper bags and sports gear.We love all the cup holders and have not had any issues fitting cups (except my 32oz hydro flex jug that just sits in the seat next to me 😂) Love the all weather mats with kids and the panoramic sunroof, some of my favorite features!
We upgraded to this car this year after driving a Ford Explorer for 7 years and the only big difference I notice is it doesn’t ride as high and you don’t have to climb up into it. It bothered me a little bit at first but after 6 months, I hardly notice it and the kids have a much easier time jumping in the car at school pick up! I also love doing home project and wanted to make sure my next car had similar back cargo space to the Explorer, as am often loading lots of supplies in the back with at least 1 or more kids with me! I have not had an issue yet loading bags of mulch, 2x4’s, groceries or packing us all for a 10 day trip to the lake!
I have a 2019 Ascent Touring and I actually really like it for our family’s needs. Coming from a 2012 sedan I find the safety, comfort, and convenience features are so nice. Can’t forget about the heated steering wheel, CarPlay, rain sensing wipers, and AVH! Also the different displays can be customized to make more sense. I got the brown leather seats and really like the look. For our setup we have one rear facing toddler, a baby on the way, and 2 medium size dogs that I occasionally bring to doggy daycare or on road trips. No plans to have more kids and it’s rare that we have other human passengers in the car, so the third row is for the dogs! We have a seat cover for them back there and strap them in with their seatbelt harnesses, and everyone is safe and happy. I agree trunk space is pretty crappy with the third row up, but it’s rare that I need to use the third row AND need more trunk space at the same time. And for my non-obnoxious sized cups and water bottles, the cup holders (that I actually use) work fine. So yeah, I agree that this vehicle doesn’t have it all for a larger family, but for us, it’s great!
I like the Ascent. The lack of that modern sloping window design or huge b pillars means that rear visibility is really good. I like its ground clearance. At 8.7 inches it can handle some pretty rough terrain/weather when things get rough. I myself have an Outback and can attest to Subarus practicality and AWD. I also appreciate its simplicity. It has enough things to make it a comfortable place to be in without overloading you with features that break or cost a fortune to repair. My only issue is lack of power and the CVT. Other than those little foibles, it really is a great product
Those are cup not 30oz tumbler holders they are cup holders. It doesn't say tumbler holders.
I have a 2021 Subaru Ascent Touring and I LOVE IT! We are a family of 5- kiddos are 11, 7 (still in car seat) and 1.5yr old (rear facing) and we fit perfectly, we've even gone to ikea and came home with 4 bookshelves and a desk. We don't use strollers so that saves space and all the safety and bonus features trump space! Overall we are in love with our car! 🙌🏽 oh and the what my kids call x games mode is awesome, we've used it on our outdoor adventures!
I drive a 2021 premium ascent with some passenger package add on (gives that keyless entry and rear automatic braking feature you mentioned). I actually really like that the dash display ISNT all digital-less things to go wrong. Lots of the information on that secondary screen are also accessible from the steering wheel. Subaru really prides itself on safety, a main reason this is our 2nd Subaru. To demonstrate the eyesight system the salesman drove straight at parked cars at the dealership and the car fully stopped with feet to spare. I had a minor heart attack, but the car did stop. Subaru is also all about outdoor adventure, which is also in line with our needs. The built in roof rails were important to us as we will be adding surf racks soon. There’s also a hidden button to lock your keys and phone in the car and be able to still get back in. Helpful for my husbands surf trips.
While I absolutely love this car, I agree with you on a couple things: 1) the cup holders really do suck. I’m currently in the market for a new coffee traveler that will fit better lol. 2) the third row is a little cramped/not the easiest to get into. We knew this before we bought it, though. We currently have a 3 year old rear facing (just a few more pounds to go before forward facing), and a 4 month old. We are done adding to our family. We know that we will have this car for about 10-12 years. While our babies are young, we don’t have many reasons to use that 3rd row and are currently benefiting from the extra cargo space. As kids get older and we’re less likely to travel with strollers AND pack and plays, etc. we think that 3rd row will come in handy for toting around kids and their friends. Right now third row is only used by an adult while heading out to lunch, etc in town. Just food for thought for anyone figuring out if that’s a deal breaker or nah.
Love my ascent!
Hidden button, I guess its still hidden from me as I haven't seen it on mine :) For the cup holder not sure about the 2021, but on the 2019 I replaced out the center cup holder insert with an upgraded one from Subaru. Its the same one that is in the video and easy to swap out and holds drinks more snuggly. Not sure what size she uses in a video but a 32 Oz mug fits in there with no problem.
Can two car seats and an adult fit comfortably in the 2nd row?
I’ve had a 2021 ascent premium with some upgrades for over a year and I love it. It helps that my husband and I are short, so my 3 kids have quite a bit of space in the 2nd row. I knew that moving from a minivan to suv our storage space was going to go down, but we’ve used a cargo carrier when we went camping and we’re able to bring every thing we needed. Love the standard roof racks! I love all the safety features. In mine at least, when you turn off the car it chimes and a reminder pops up on the dash saying to check the backseat, so you won’t forget your sleeping baby. I’m always picking up and dropping off kids, so it’s a nice reminder. I really like the turbo engine and have gotten used to the cvt. It works for us, so that’s all that matters. I had my heart set on the Honda Pilot, but test drove the Ascent on a whim and loved it. The pick up and handling is so much better and it was quite a bit cheaper for what I wanted.
This just goes to show that you should 100% test drive a car you’re interested in - every family has different needs.
We only have two children, so the Ascent is perfect for us. We have the third row down 90% of the time, so we can easily fit our double stroller AND a full load of groceries.
We LOVE it. It’s nice, without being too fancy. And we have plenty of room for when our kiddies are older and want to have friends ride with us.
absolutely!!
We are a family of 5 and had a Subaru ascent (sold it because we sold everything to travel for a year). There was so much I LOVED about, and it worked for us. But this review is now making me watch your other ones to see if I want something different. Hard to beat a Subaru, holds value really well, too!
I just got the 2022 Limited and absolutely love it. You won't find a safer vehicle out there. My only complaints are: The cup holders don't fit my 32 oz water bottle and the OEM rubber mats are way too small. Other than that we are in love with our bigger vehicle. We came from a 2016 Subaru Crosstrek (family of 4 with 2 teenagers).
This came at a perfect time I am test driving the 2022 suburu ascent this Saturday I have been obsessed with and there is a 2018 highlander I am comparing it too. Wish me luck🤞🏼 this mama of 2 needs a bigger car and we love suburu! Their safety features are the best!
Hi, mind sharing what you've ended up with? I am in the situation- going to test drive the 2022 Ascent and maybe some other vehicles later on, so it'd be interesting to see what other people's experiences were.
I love our Ascent. Big love. We have three kids and two big dogs. It’s a great size for all of us without being ridiculous to parallel park on our crowded street. I’m 5’9” and comfortably did a two hour drive in the third row so my grandparents could sit up front. We have two RFing car seats in the captains chairs and our 12yo sits in the third row. We could also probably do one car seat in each row with the 12yo in a captains chair, but the pre-teen wants to sit as far away from us as possible so they crawl under the car seats or in through the trunk. Such is life. I can fit my double BOB in the car if I fold the single seat down in the third row. I have a stroller wagon that I can fit with the third row in use, but it does take some finagling.
The most important part to me are the safety features. They are above and beyond. They honestly make my drive safer. It’s also a beast in the snow and mud, which it’s a Subaru so of course it is.
Overall I have very minimal complaints about this car. I agree the cup holders are all kind of underwhelming. None of them hold my water bottle. That’s the worse I can say about it though. I love our car and plan on driving it for many years.
"Hey! What are you doing?!?!" Girl, you've got the mom voice down!!! We just got a great deal on ours today. So surprised by how lush the Touring feels inside. I NEVER would have looked at it or a Subaru if it wasn't for a salesman. I'm excited to drive it and see what I feel about it, but I think I'm going to love it. Thanks for the good mom perspective!
I have the 2021 touring & really like it. It’s perfect for my family (10 & 8 year old). I do wish the infotainment system screen was bigger, like the outback, & the cup holders are on the small size. Love all the safety features. I chose the ascent over the highlander bc it was roomer. Previously had a 4Runner and wanted a 3rd row. Overall I love it!
Love my ascent for the stage of life we are in now. Two kids, one in a forward facing and one in a high back booster, so we wanted the third row to be able to stuff a few kids or smaller adults in every once in a while.
But I totally agree that the cup holders suck! My Stanley cup barely fits in the center. And the rest are just sooo small and some are obstructed.
But I LOVE the drive! We test drove a palisade and an ascent and the Ascent had the power and quickness I wanted. The palisade just took too long to get going.
Thank you for this tour! I love all your tours!
Inconsistent negativity. Not a lot of midsize SUVs will accommodate large bottles like that in many cup spaces. Missed a lot of the Ascent positives (many mentioned in the comments: ground clearance, symmetrical AWD, etc.) but did identify some such as safety. Brand reliability is likewise high. Styling is subjective. Fair critiques on not being a large SUV for its class. One of the big ones is the cost to size ratio which is strong here. Relatively inexpensive for a reliable AWD, 3-row SUV with solid ground clearance and seating up to 8 (granted, some being small spaces for older kids). Cargo area better than many models (e.g. older Highlander, new Sequoia) but made it seem tiny with placement of stroller. Seemed against it from the beginning with mostly subjective critiques (interior volume being one of the few objective challenges).
I love the obnoxious comment, dying laughing. Great personality and honestly.
Had my 21 for 2 yrs now. Have 2 grandkids & german sheperd. Love it. Also serves as my 2nd p/u truck at times. Fits in garage next to my F150 just right. Ascent has many more standard features for the $$$ than any other vehicle. In all big bang for my buck. My all around vehicle w/decent gas mileage
“Because I’m an obnoxious person” hahaha we love ya for it!!
The Palisade,the Telirude and possibly the Atlas would come first in my opinion and also the new Pathfinder. So there are alternatives but all of them are overpriced for American families. the basic trim may be the only option since some cars cost 20k more when optioned up. Talk to your family and see if it is the right thing for you to deprive your family of 10-20K in order to give that money to the dealer on account of bigger screen a sunroof or similar gimmicks. 1/2 of US moms are single moms and they could buy a lot of cereal and baby pumpers by not opting for limited models etc
We love our 2021 Ascent Limited with some added features, like the moon roof and the sound system. I have a family of 8, two are in carseats (one forward facing and one rear facing), and even my teenagers, that are taller than me, can fit comfortably on the third row seat! It drives like a dream, and it’s faster than our previous v6 SUV. It fits all of our cups and water bottles, and our jogging stroller too!
I have a 2022 Acura ILX and it has a CD player as well. At first I was like I’m never going to use that but I busted out some of my old school CD’s and I’m loving it!
I was actually excited to see the CD player. We had one in my car that was totaled and the rental we’ve been driving does not have one. My 2 year old has been so upset he can’t listen to his songs.
Yayy!! tysm i loved the tour! ive been needing this! thanks.
Glad you liked it!!
I love my Subaru Ascent. In fact, I had the 2019 Limited and now have the 2021 Limited. My kids are now 11 and 7 so we only have a booster and don't have a stroller. We rarely use the 3rd row but my kids love sitting back there. I love the trunk space with the seats down for groceries. I agree, the cupholders stink and I often have water bottles on the floor instead. I was hoping they would fix the cupholders from 2019 to 2021 but they didn't. Overall I am so happy!
I bought an Ascent about 6 months ago, upgrading from an old CR-V. With one toddler in a forward facing seat we thought we would like the space. Honestly the space between first and second rows is way too tight (as others mentioned - captain chair all the way back, you still have to scoot the passenger seat forward for space and that doesn’t work well with tall passengers). Trunk space behind third row is unrealistic for anything more than a few groceries. We ended up turning ours back in and will look for bigger interior dimensions in the future. Positives - the safety features were awesome - loved the “car in front of you has moved” feature.
The CD player is my favorite part! I love my books on tape from the library and not every one I want is on things like Libby. Also I hated that my 2020 hyandai Santa Fe didn’t have one!
And I can get a CT chicco next fit installed with the 6 ft passenger seat occupant comfortable! Tons of room for car seats!
I agree with you on style. The new Ascent Onyx looks good though!
We are a family of 3 with the 2021 limited. I think the car works perfectly for our needs, but if we were a family of 5 it would be too small for us. I feel like you get a lot of features for a lower price than other vehicles in the same class.
My complaints are the heated leather seats don’t work well unless it is really cold outside, and I feel like it has soft paint.
I use a 32oz yeti as my daily cup and it fits in the front cup holders just fine. The front door cup holders are good for sippy cups and regular water bottles. It says it fits 3, but I can only use it for 2 cups/bottles.
I have driven almost 23,000 miles in 10 months. Overall we are really happy with it!
I was also disappointed by the cup holders when they wouldn’t accommodate my 5 gallon Igloo construction site water jug personal hydration flask.
We recently test drove one of these... Family of 4 expecting number five. I loved some of the features, but definitely would not work for us. Went with a Honda Odyssey and have ZERO regrets. So so much room, easy for car seats, and tons of safety features.
We have a Limited Ascent and love it. We wanted the Touring, but require a bench seat for three car seats. Our Dionos didn't fit rear facing (I'm 6'4"), so we got Graco SlimFits. The third row lives down, with our double Vista in it, except for two times when we had an adult climb in through the hatch to sit in the third row (with the other "half" of the third row down). It has plenty of space for vacations, but we did use a hitch mounted cargo carrier once. We shouldn't need that once the kids outgrow the stroller and Bumbos. It has the best visibility of any three row crossover we test drove too. My kids love the panoramic sunroof (this is one of the few three row crossovers that lets you get a panoramic sunroof and a bench). Also, the blue looks better in person. We drove 3 hours to get a blue one.
Is there enough room to fit two car seats and an adult in the second row comfortably?
@@melaniepylegay5500 we haven't tried that, but three car seats fit if you get narrow ones, so two and adult should be fine depending on the adult and length of the trip. We tested our car seats in the car during the test drive.
This review really does a disservice to the Ascent. 😢 Hope to see one of the 2023 model soon!
My thoughts exactly! Great review.
I have so many CDs that I actually love it they put the CD player in.
Thank you for taking the time to do this redo tour!
We don't have the Ascent, but we do have a 2019 Forester Touring. Not sure how they compare to the Ascent, but I haven't had much of a problem with the cup holders in that car. The only thing I have found that doesn't fit is my big Yeti water bottle. Our 2.5 year old is rear facing in a Nuna Rava behind the driver and there is plenty of clearance for my husband who is 6ft tall. Your comment about the infotainment system is spot on. It's basically the exact same screen that is in the Forester and the Crosstrek. I believe the Outback has a much bigger screen.
I can't believe how tiny that trunk is. I mean, really?
Do you have plans to review the Forester and the Outback? We really love our Forester.
We have an 21 Ascent and a 20 Outback. The Outback has some cool features I miss in the Ascent. One being the ability to open the tailgate hands-free. That and the HUGE touchscreen that makes Apple CarPlay a dream.
by the by.. that stroller easily fits back there because the trunk door actually has a significant angle and strollers wheels do not touch when closed even though it looks it would...
If you care.... you’ll really care. 😂 You are very entertaining! I love your honest opinions. Although you didn’t seem to love some features it is still nice to hear so that we can see if it works for us or not. That being said, we are still interested in this Subaru. We are shorter and don’t carry huge cups lol.
I DO separate my quarters because ALDI 😂🤓
hahahah girl i feel you!
I wish most vehicle manufacturers would stop trying to cram three seats in the third row and stop trying to cram more and more features back there (excessive cupholders? really?) to make it seem appealing. Just accept that most families need the occasional person or two in the third row, and they'd rather have seat space.
We will soon be a family of four and utilize our three-row SUV for road trips with two big dogs. Literally the third row is exclusively for dogs. I think we've had one person back there one time.
I wish more vehicle manufacturers paid MORE attention to the 3rd row in these SUV's. We are about to be a family of 6 and getting a vehicle big enough for our needs is incredibly expensive if you look at full size SUV's (most of which won't even fit in our garage due to their massive size). Luckily Subaru was smart enough to make an actual useable 3rd row with not only great knee room, but with actual room for your feet (unlike almost every other SUV in this segment that boasts knee room, but doesn't mention the lack of foot room).
After test driving a few vehicles that compete with the Ascent we ended up ordering a 2023 Subaru Ascent. We are replacing a minivan, but with 4 kids now, the 8 passenger Ascent will give us both more seating capacity and more cargo room (at the same time) than our 7 passenger minivan does. This is because we can fit 3 kids across in 2nd row, plus 1 in 3rd row and still put part of the 3rd row down. Compared to our minivan which would require us to put the entire 3rd row up in order to fit two child seats back there, leaving us restricted to only the space behind the 3rd row for cargo.
It’s 2023 and I have a family of 4 kids and thinking of this.
We are soon to be family of 6. 2 kids in child seats, 2 kids in boosters, 2 adults (5'8" and under). Cross shopping the Subaru Ascent and the Volvo XC90 T8 Recharge (PHEV). I'm already a subaru fan with our 2004 subaru wrx wagon, but I'm honestly not sure which one to go with. Subaru or Volvo? I live in the PNW, so the AWD of both is very welcome. One is practical, one is luxury, both are super safe, both have enough seating. One is kind of mute on performance (Subaru) and one is very fast (Volvo). Anyone care to share their opinion?
Which route did you end up going?
We own a 2019. It’s a great car for families with 1 or 2 kids who occasionally need a third row. The third row is one of the few in smaller 7 seaters that my 11 yo can actually fit in. I’d love to see a head to head comparison with the VW Atlas, since that was the only competitor back in 2019 (and we ultimately chose the Ascent as the slightly shorter turn radius made it easier in my work garage).
We have the 2019 Touring version, yes I know it's 2021. However, I don't think they have made many changes to this trim line. I just wanted to point out that in the last two weeks I've had the same issue with the car, the Check Engine light comes on and by default, all the other lights come on, eyesight, rough terrain light you name it. Anyhow, the first time it came on, I looked online for a fix since the dealership didn't have any service openings for 2 weeks. What I found is that there are threads about the same issue and around the same mileage as mine, I'm at 23000 miles. Turns out it's the gas cap, yes that sensor will cause the engine light and from there the rest of the lights. So today it happened again and both times it has happened the day after we put gas into it. Now I didn't forget how to pump gas and complete the process in the last two weeks. I'm assuming it's the same issue, this time I have to wait about 5 days for my service appointment. It's hard to convince my wife that it will be "ok" even though the lights are on. I have contacted Subaru directly on both occasions, I heard back the first time and have yet to hear back the second time. Maybe some of you have had this issue, maybe not, but for the last two years absolutely no issues other than one recall and now the same one in two weeks. It just sucks having to go back for the same issue. Other than that, it's an all-around good car.
We have the Touring with two kids in car seats - one infant and one forward facing. My only issue with the car is the leg room! My husband and I are pretty tall (5'9'' and 6'2'') and my daughter is pretty tall for her age so we have to push her captain chair as far back as it can go. I then have to push my seat up as far as it can go to fit her legs (and her legs are still touching the back of my seat), and mine are almost touching the dashboard! Same issue with the infant car seat when it's in there. I wish I'd realized the leg room problem before getting the car, although I can't say if it would've steered us in another direction or not.
This doesn’t sound realistic. I’m 6’ tall and can sit in the 2nd row with the passenger seat all the way back and my legs aren’t anywhere near touching the seat. But we have the bench seat, no captains chair so maybe they’re way less space efficient. Interesting.
Not a fan! This looks very cramped…would love to see a Honda Pilot tour! Looking to upgrade from our older odyssey!
If you think it's cramped, the Honda Pilot is pretty much the same. 🤪
@@elisepowell3465 oh no!! That’s not what I wanted to hear! I need to see the car moms car seat and cup holder take on it!
The Honda Pilot is actually slightly more cramped. One of the reasons we went with the ascent
I compared the cubic inches in both cars and they are pretty much the same. The second row bench seat is the same inches across. I had my heart set on the pilot, but the ascent was better.
We looked at the 2021 ascent and it is smaller than a pilot. We went with a pilot SE and I love it!
Thank you for talking about the drive we just got a renault Triber 2021 and it has that drive and it isn’t our fave but we didn’t know before driving. Sometimes it sounds like the gears are stuck
I have the same 2021 touring trim model in silver. Just hit the 36K mile mark at 1.5 years, purchasing the gold-plus plan (hopefully, will not need to use it). Prior, I owned two Santa Fe's (3 rows). Unfortunately, they were totaled (people on the phone, running red lights, which is really getting old -- PUT THE PHONE DOWN, WATCH THE ROAD PEOPLE).
The Ascent is a turbo-4-cylinder (same engine in the WRX). Gas mileage is the same as the 3-row Santa Fe. Oddly, the Ascent does better climbing hilly mountain roads than the 6-cylinder Santa Fe.
As for the CVT transmission -- I baby this car. Highway miles. Finger crossed (things will hold out, won't have to use the gold-plus plan and, most importantly, I won't get my car totaled by yet another phone-driver running a red light).
I'm surprised you didn't like this car much -- I just looked at one yesterday a few hours before this dropped. I'm 6'2"/225 and I didn't have much trouble getting in the back and moving around. Also, just going off the eyeball test, it looked like it had more room in the back, with the 3rd row down, than our Pathfinder did. I AM worried about that CVT, though.
The small display shocks me cuz we have a 2020 Subaru Outback and the display is HUGE. Also did our bulky car seats better then most of our friends SUVs. We live somewhere snowy so the safety features and AWD was hugely important to us. We love it! (Cupholders are large but not quite big enough though)
Can you fit 3 across car seats?
@@Lauren-yq3ds yup. We have our car seats together (one on the passenger side and one in the middle) and we have room for a third or to use the seat for passengers.
Thank you!! I kept reading conflicting answers.
Any overweight folks who have the Ascent? I test drove it and loved the car, but the bucket seats were so uncomfortable on my legs I couldn't do it :(
Love this review! I am trying to get a 3 row car with good safety features, 3 row leg room, and great cup holders. I was really leaning towards a Subaru for safety reasons but now I want to look at other cars with similar safety features.
Can't say enough good about the Honda Odyssey! Amazing safety features and great cup holders.
Sorento is decent
I think it's great for old people but I would love to see 2022 grand wagoneer with the navy blue leather
Love this review! As a family of 2 I wanted something safe, roomy and something to carry a few of the church kids. However, I am not sure I’m loving the dashboard, it seems small and eh. Well off to find another vehicle.
Please do the Subaru outback! It's my dream car once I don't need my minivan anymore but I'm so curious about your opinion!
If you look on her videos I’m pretty sure she did one. Not positive but I think it was a used one in the lot…
@@christishaw8181 Thank you! I'll have to look and see!
I test drove one about a year ago. I am 5’2” and didn’t have any issues getting into the back through the gap between the captains chairs, and I did have leg room. I think it would be fine if your family members where shorter or just kids used the 3rd row. But there is no way my 6’ husband could fit in the back.
My 6 ft 2 husband fit
I’m sure it depends more on torso length than actual overall height. If you have a shorter torso I’d bet it’s more forgiving.
Would love to see a review on a Nissan Murano!!
I agree, NOT a fan of CVT transmission. Different vehicle, but I recently purchased a 2019 Honda Odyssey. It’s my first vehicle with CVT, I noticed it during the test drives but I thought I’d get used to it. We’re 4 months in, nope! I’m stuck with it now, or at least for a while.
Thanks for doing this. It’s one of our main contenders. You skipped the front camera. That’s the only safety feature that separates it from the trim below.
Hey can you do a uppababy vista stroller review? Since I saw the mockingbird And the bob. (Day 1)
Not my favorite for sure. I would also love to see a Honda Pilot review!
Do you have a review of a 2022 ascent?
I fully understand that Subaru SUVs are not designed to be extremely sporty looking, but they really couldn’t try any harder to make this 2021 vehicle look like a decade old SUV on the outside? Lol.. I dont put a lot of weight on the look of cars but if I’m paying that much for a vehicle, I want it to at least look a little sportier or classier
Can we get a review with a bench on the Ascent?
Please do a tour of the latest Honda Pilot next!
That’s why they’re called “cup holders” and not “bucket holders”.
Please tour a Honda Pilot!
Also I love this outfit
Are there many 3-row midsize SUVs where a 6ft person wouldn't touch the cabin ceiling? And, for that matter, that could fit a full-size stroller behind the third row? Sounds like you'd prefer or need an Escalade or Suburban.
One pet peeve of mine on all car reviews is that it seems like 99% of all reviewers are over 6 ft, even the women. This gives an unrealistic review of the space inside the car. Personally I'm 5'8" and have sat in the 3rd row of the Ascent with the 2nd and 1st rows set to my height. I had TONS of space in the 3rd row for leg room, etc (easily 5 inches of knee room). I honestly don't get the complaints about lack of space in the third row.
In the US the average height of a man is 5'9" and woman is 5'4". It' something to keep in mind when watching the reviews and something I wish the reviewers themselves would point out.
Def agree with some of the complaints, but those cup holders are perfect for sippy cups, which I use them all for lol. The one big feature I would have mentioned is the front view camera. I use it every day when trying to get into a tight parking space and it’s specific to the Touring. I’m not in love with the transmission either but I’m getting used to it!
I came here to say the cup holders work for bottles too!!
Can you fit a forward facing car seat in the 3rd row? We are soon to have 3 children and so will need a carseat in the 3rd row.
Yeah you can. My Wife took some pictures when testing forward facing child seats in the 3rd row. I put the pic on imgur but I can't post a link. If you have the url for an imgur picture put this after the /a/CO4xtXC
Also note that in the picture the 2nd row is all the way back, so you can move it forward to give more room to 3rd row.
Been watching your videos for the past 3 nights trying to find a car that fits my small family. Im trading this P.O.S because it literally gives me 12-16 mpg . Looking in to the X7 👍
CD player wins! No joke. And buttons for controls is good. Look of this car is better than pilot, highlander etc.. I have no idea what people are talking about when they it is dated or boring...
Great video as always, very informative and helpful! I’m a dad researching to buy a used car for our growing family. Am I allowed to this channel?
Please review Audi A6 Allroad. keep up the good work and Thank you.
Hi CarMom, Are you able to review the Jeep grand wagoneer?
I feel like this is a really biased review with negative undertones from the start. The 3rd row was folded down and then we never were given an example of how much trunk space there was after that. Also no example of the car seat being slid on the 2nd row rails to optimize space and comfort.
You have a small tanker of a cup and it won't fit. Is there a vehicle made that it will fit every cup holder???
Also pulling that cup liner out would have allowed it to fit. That was installed by Subaru cause people were complaining it was too big lol.
Please do a tour on the Jeep Wagoneer/Grand Wagoneer
So obviously this is a pretty new vehicle - so I guess my question will be about the reliability of a Subaru in general. Since our closest dealership is 2 hrs away .. I just worry about the dealership being so far … what has been your experience with Subaru ?
I don't have an Ascent, but I do have a 2004 Subaru WRX Wagon. We are a family of 5 and the Subaru is now our secondary vehicle. We have put 235k miles on the Subaru and it has been the most reliable vehicle we've ever had. The first clutch replacement happened at 230k miles. Other than regular maintenance, we had to replace the radiator at 192k miles. Literally that's it. I drive it hard and it just keeps going.
We now have a 2020 Pacifica Hybrid (7 passenger) for our family vehicle but after having that van in the shop for over 3 months in less than 1 year of ownership we are very seriously considering going for the 8 passenger Subaru Ascent (losing cargo and mpg, but gaining reliability, AWD, extra seat, and safety).
Twice in the past several years we've ordered a new subaru then ended up walking away before taking ownership (a new WRX and then a new Forester). Both times we ended up regretting it. This is our 3rd chance at buying a new Subaru to partner with our older subaru.
Our Pacifica qualified for the lemon law and Chrysler is offering us $8k to keep it... We have $14k trade-in value on it, so $22k (trade-in plus cash down) off a brand new Subaru Ascent is enticing.
Does the middle row seat remove?
I test drove one and hated it the drive felt bumpy, I found it ugly in comparison to other similar cars it looked like an older model car when it was a 2021.. ended up buying a 2022 palisade calligraphy instead
I hate CVT’s but that’s not a dealbreaker my Honda Accord has a CVT I got used to it
Can you review a Subaru Outback please!
Can you review dodge durango please!!! :)
Can you do the Subaru outback?
Please review the Mercedes Benz GLS
450GLS
@@klah2u Yeah
Would love to see a Honda Pilot 2022 😍
Great video 👍🏽
Well-made, excellent video, Kelly!
Love the outfit with the booties!
thanks!
I will say, I rode in the 3rd row of my friend’s Ascent and holy moly, it was a horrible ride as an adult. My 10 year old also said she was super uncomfortable. But I know lots of people love it!
Review the 4Runner please
Corvette 2017 to 2019 all trims/models.
I like the turbo 4 cylinder engine
"This sucks!"
By the end of the tour, 100% agreed. (Not really a Subaru fan anyway but this sure validated those feelings)
I love watching your reviews! Would love to see a review of the 2022 Land Rover Defender 110.