Subaru is back in the three-row crossover game after a notable absence since the ill-fated Tribeca died a slow, agonizing death in 2014 from poor customer reception and slow sales over its nine-year life. Naturally, Subaru has done everything it knows in order to avoid repeating past mistakes. The all-new 2019 Ascent is larger, sleeker, more tech-savvy, loaded with active safety features, and powered by an all-new 260-horsepower, 2.4-liter Boxer engine with Symmetrical AWD.

The Ascent comes at just the right time as crossovers are utterly exploding in popularity. Growing families who eschew the minivan stigma are gravitating to three-row crossovers while empty nesters find the extra seating handy for grandkids. Four trim levels are offered – the base, Premium, Limited, and Touring – with pricing starting at $31,995. We’ve got all the details below, so keep reading for more.

Update 02/15/2018: Subaru has announced pricing for the 2019 Ascent. Check out the pricing category below for all the details.

Continue reading for more on the 2019 Subaru Ascent.

2019 Subaru Ascent

Specifications
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  • Model: 2019 Subaru Ascent
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Pros
Cons

2019 Subaru Ascent Exterior

- Larger dimensions equals more interior volume - 8.7 inches of ground clearance - Sculpted design is fresh but connected to Subi’s other models - 18- to 20-inch alloy wheels

While Subaru has been known to display stunningly gorgeous concept models only to deliver diluted and dull production versions, the 2019 Ascent doesn’t follow that trend… for the most part. The 2019 production model is certainly toned down from the concept we saw in 2017, but overall, the two share many of the same visual attributes. The crossover will be instantly recognizable as a Subaru since it looks like every other wagon and crossover in the automaker’s lineup, but it does have a handful of interesting cues.

Subaru’s six-sided grille, wide lower grille, and fog light surrounds all feel familiar. The wheel wells and rocker panels are accented with black plastic cladding, which does add protection from parking lot dings and minor road debris. Impressively, the Ascent has 8.7 inches of ground clearance, meaning it won’t have an issue hitting parking stops, scraping on steep driveways, or traversing a mild trail in any given state park.

The Ascent comes with a roof rack for added storage – a surprisingly popular thing among Subaru owners. The rear has a somewhat forgettable design, offer no real injections of excitement or visual interest. While boring, the Ascent’s rump doesn’t look bad. Overall, the Ascent is far more attractive than the Tribeca ever was.

Wheel choices range from 18 inches on the base model to 20 inches on the Touring trim. A trailer hitch can be added, too, complementing the Ascent’s max towing of 5,000 pounds – the most in Subaru history.

2019 Subaru Ascent Exterior Dimensions

Wheelbase

113.8 in.

Length

196.8 in.

Width

76.0 in. (85.7 with mirrors and 86.1 with turn signal mirrors)

Height

71.6 in. with roof rails

Min. road clearance

8.7 in.

Angle of approach

17.6 deg.

Angle of departure

21.8 deg.

Ramp breakover angle

18.2 deg.

Track (front/rear)

64.4 in. / 64.2 in.


2019 Subaru Ascent Interior

- Standard 6.5-inch Starlink infotainment system - Available 8.0-inch Starlink system - Seating for seven or eight, depending on the second row - 86.5 cubic feet of cargo behind the second row - 153.5 cubic feet of cargo behind the first row - 19 cup holders - Four trim levels offer various levels of luxury

In keeping with its SUV-ish attitude, the 2019 Ascent offers a more upright seating position and a tall dashboard. In its standard trim, there is seating for eight in a 2+3+3 configuration. In the upper trims, the second-row bench can be swapped for captain’s chairs at no cost. While this decreases total seating by one, it makes access to the third row much easier, especially for smaller kids.

Regardless of how many people are sitting inside, everyone will have plenty of cup holders. Subaru included a whopping 19 of them throughout the cabin, meaning everyone has more than one to choose from. Other storage spots include the center console, glove box, door pockets, seatback pockets, and a compartment under the cargo area. Floor.

The Ascent offers 85.5 cubic feet of cargo space with the third row folded flat. Add the second row, and the space grows to 153.5 cubic feet of storage room. That’s far more that the 74.4 cubic feet offered in the old Tribeca.

When it comes to in-dash technology, the 2019 Ascent has things on lock. The standard Starlink infotainment system has a 6.5-inch touchscreen, while the upper trims come with an 8.0-inch display. Both come standard with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The larger system even boasts Wi-Fi connectivity.

2019 Subaru Ascent Interior Dimensions

Headroom Front:

41.3 in. (with moonroof: 40.1 in.)
2nd row: 40.0 in. (with moonroof: 38.7 in.)
3rd row: 36.3 (all models)

Legroom Front:

42.2 in.
2nd row: 38.6 in.
3rd row: 31.7 in.

Hip room Front:

57.7 in.
2nd row: 57.5 in.
3rd row: 45.9 in.

Shoulder room Front:

61.1 in.
2nd row: 60.3 in.
3rd row: 57.2 in.

EPA passenger volume

153.5 cu. ft. (with moonroof: 150.0 cu.ft.)

Cargo area height

33.9 in. (with moonroof: 33.6)

Cargo width between wheel housings

45.9 in.

Rear gate opening width at floor:

47.0 in. Maximum: 47.2 in.

Cargo liftover height

32.0 in.

Floor length

2nd and 3rd rows up: 19.9 in.
3rd row folded: 47.6 in.
2nd and 3rd rows folded: 82.5 in.

Cargo volume

2nd and 3rd rows up: 17.8 cu.ft. (with moonroof: 17.6 cu.ft.)
3rd row folded: 47.5 cu.ft. (with moonroof: 47.0 cu.ft.)
2nd and 3rd rows folded: 86.5 cu.ft. (with moonroof: 86.0 cu.ft.)


2019 Subaru Ascent Drivetrain

- New 2.5-liter Boxer turbo-four with direct injection - 260 horsepower at 5,600 rpm - 277 pound-feet of torque from 2,000 to 4,800 rpm - Continuously Variable Transmission - Standard Symmetrical AWD - 5,000-pound tow rating - Max fuel economy of 21 mpg city/ 27 mpg hwy / 23 mpg comb

Subaru is giving the 2019 Ascent an all-new, 2.0-liter turbocharged Boxer four-cylinder. The horizontally opposed cylinder arrangement puts the engine lower in the Ascent’s engine bay and helps reduce the crossover’s center of gravity. And at 260 horsepower and 277 pound-feet of torque, the Boxer should give the Subi enough grunt for daily driving chores. Of course, it’s not a WRX STi, by any means.

The engine is paired with a continuously variable transmission that offers eight “gears” for manual shifting. Subaru is known for its Symmetrical all-wheel-drive system, and the Ascent will be no different. The full-time AWD system also includes X-Mode with Hill Descent Control for more challenging terrain.

The Ascent’s unibody chassis is beefy enough to allow for a 5,000-pound towing capacity. Still, fuel economy is decently good at 21 mpg city, 27 mpg highway, and 23 mpg combined on models with the 18-inch wheels and standard array of features and equipment. For loaded models fitted with the 20-inch wheels, the fuel economy drops to 20 mpg city, 26 mpg highway, and 22 mpg combined.

2019 Subaru Ascent Drivetrain Specifications

Engine

4-cylinder, horizontally opposed SUBARU BOXER, aluminum cylinder block and cylinder heads, twin-scroll turbocharger, intercooler

Displacement

2,387 cc / 146 cu. in.

Bore x Stroke

94mm x 86mm (3.70 in. x 3.39 in.)

Compression ratio

10.6:1

Horsepower

260 HP @ 5,600 RPM

Torque

277 LB-FT @ 2,000-4,800 RPM

Fuel system

Direct fuel injection, electronic throttle control

Valvetrain

Double overhead chain-driven camshafts (DOHC), 4 valves per cylinder, Dual Active Valve Control System (DAVCS) controls valve timing on intake camshafts, tumble generator valves

Ignition

Direct

Transmission

Lineartronic® CVT (continuously variable transmission) with Hill Descent Control; selectable 8-speed manual shift mode and steering wheel paddle shift control switches

Fuel economy city/highway/combined (mpg)

21/27/23 for 18” wheels
20/26/22 for 20” wheels

Curb weight (lb)

4,430 base
4,477 Premium
4,499 Limited
4,603 Touring


2019 Subaru Ascent Safety

Many modern vehicles come with a laundry list of active safety features designed to keep accidents from happening. On the 2019 Ascent, the long list includes Automatic Pre-Collision Braking, Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Departure and Sway Warning, Pre-Collision Throttle Management, and the available EyeSight Assist Monitor. The EAM provides a heads-up display of warnings from the EyeSight system and system status information.

Other techy options include Blind Spot Detection with Lane Change Assist and Rear Cross Traffic Alert, High Beam Assist, and Reverse Automatic Braking. The list of passive safety is impressive, too, with dual front airbags, a driver’s knee airbag, front side torso airbags, and side curtain airbags for all three rows.

2019 Subaru Ascent Pricing

The 2019 Subaru Ascent starts at $31,995. For that, the Ascent comes with Symmetrical AWD, EyeSight Driver Assist, Subaru Starlink with the 6.5-inch screen, four USB ports, three-zone climate controls, a second-row bench seat for eight seats total, 18-inch alloy wheels, and a whopping 19 cup holders.

The Premium trim starts at $34,195 and adds several convenience and safety features. They include the 8.0-inch Starlink infotainment system, blind-spot detection with lane change assist and rear cross-traffic alert, a power driver’s seat, stain resistant cloth seats, rear climate controls, heated front seats, a windshield de-icer, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and gear shifter, tinted windows, and 18-inch alloy wheels.

Those wanting leather seats will want the $38,995 Limited trim. Not only does it have the upgraded upholstery, but it comes with second-row captains chairs (or opt to keep the bench seat at no charge), adaptive LED headlights with high-beam assist, LED fog lights, second-row retractable sunshades, 20-inch alloy wheels, a power liftgate, keyless access and push-button starting, and two extra USB ports.

The Touring trim is the range-topping model and starts at $44,695. Standard features are mostly cosmetic, though navigation is added to the 8.0-inch Starlink infotainment system, a Harman Kardon sound system with 14 speakers is included, and a panoramic moonroof and rain-sensing windshield wipers are made standard. On the safety side, Subaru’s Smart Rear-View mirror and 180-degree front-view camera are added. As for the cosmetic stuff, the exterior gets chrome and satin silver detailing while the interior gets Java Brown leather seating with faux woodgrain trim.

Model/Trim

Seating

Transmission

Applicable Option Code

MSRP

MSRP + Destination & Delivery

Ascent

8-p

CVT

‘01

$31,995

$32,970

Ascent Premium

8-p

CVT

11
12
14

$34,195
$35,655
$38,455

$35,170
$36,630
$39,430

Ascent Premium

7-p

CVT

12
14

$35,655
$38,455

$36,630
$39,430

Ascent Limited

8-p

CVT

21, 23

$38,995

$39,970

Ascent Limited

7-p

CVT

21, 23

$38,995

$39,970

Ascent Touring

7-p

CVT

31

$44,695

$45,670


2019 Subaru Ascent Competition

Honda Pilot

The Pilot might be a few years old, but it’s one of the best-selling three-row crossovers in the business. It combines outright utility with comfort and style. Sprinkle on Honda’s brand image of reliability and available AWD and you’ve got family-hauling homerun.

The Pilot is powered by a 3.5-liter V-6 making 280 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque. As mentioned, FWD is standard and AWD is optional. With all four wheels turning, the Pilot can lug a 5,000-pound trailer and regardless of the drivetrain, it will carry up to eight people – seven with the optional second-row captain’s chairs. Lower trims come with a six-speed automatic and upper trims (Touring and Elite) come with a fuel-saving nine-speed automatic.

Pricing varies wildly depending on trim and options. The base LX starts at $30,745 while the range-topping Elite starts at $47,220. Getting the Elite means everything that is normally optional is now standard. That means $47,220 is about the highest price you can pay, barring you go crazy with dealership add-ons.

Read our full review on the 2017 Honda Pilot.

Volkswagen Atlas

The Atlas should be pronounced “At last” since it’s taken Volkswagen so long to enter the three-row SUV game. Thankfully, the Atlas is well-baked with tons of well-conceived features, a roomy interior, seating for seven people, and a couple drivetrain options. The Atlas also rides on familiar bones; it’s the MQB platform that also underpins seemingly every modern VW and Audi product. Interior niceties include an available digital dash, VW’s latest infotainment system, and 97cubic-feet of cargo room with the rear seats folded.

Standard power comes from a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder, but it’s relegated to lower trims with FWD. Most Atlas models come with a 3.6-liter V-6 with 276 horsepower and 266 pound-feet of torque. An eight-speed automatic sends power to the front wheels. VW’s 4Motion AWD system is optional.

Pricing starts at $30,500, but most will skip the 2.0-liter base S model. Other trims include the SE, SE with Technology, and SEL. Opting for the V-6 pushes the base price to $31,900. For 2018, VW is offering a V-6 Launch Edition. The S, SE, SE with 4Motion, SE with Technology, SE with Technology and 4Motion, SEL, SEL with 4Motion and SEL Premium with 4Motion are available. While a bit confusing at first, the trims do make sense. Expect to by $48,490 for the V-6 SEL Platinum with 4Motion before options.

Read our full review on the 2018 Volkswagen Atlas

Conclusion

It’s been a while since Subaru has offered a three-row crossover. The 2019 Ascent should do rather well for itself in filling this gap in Subaru’s product lineup. It’s also been long enough that nobody remembers the easily forgettable Tribeca, and that’ll work in the Ascent’s favor.

Crossovers and SUVs are hot these days and Subaru has done a great job marketing itself as a family and safety-oriented automaker, so it’s very fitting that a three-row crossover join its lineup.

References

Read our full review on the 2017 Subaru Ascent Concept.

Read more 2017 Los Angeles Auto Show news.