Results above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.3 sec.Radio w/Seek-Scan, MP3 Player, Clock, Speed Compensated Volume Control and Radio Data System Turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 16-valve flat-4, aluminum block and heads, direct fuel injectionīrakes, F/R: 13.1-in vented disc/13.0-in vented discĬargo Volume, Behind F/M/R: 73/42/18 ft 3 Vehicle Type: front-engine, all-wheel-drive, 7-passenger, 4-door wagon However, we did see a solid 28 mpg on 0ur 75-mph highway test, so there's that. Which is great for grip, possibly less so for fuel economy-our 17-mpg observed figure undercut even the EPA city rating of 19 mpg, never mind the 25-mpg highway rating. The system is constantly varying its deployment of power to the pavement, but unlike some all-wheel-drive systems, it never disengages either the front or rear axle. The manual-transmission WRX is the only Subaru model still using that setup, and the Ascent employs a multiplate wet clutch to handle fore-and-aft torque shuffling. Power is deployed through Subaru's "symmetrical all-wheel-drive" system, which once meant a 50-50 front-to-rear torque split and a viscous center differential. Its eight simulated ratios are basically an admission that most drivers would prefer a conventional automatic, but at least it pretends to shift rather than hanging the engine at constant high rpm. That transmission is a little bit noisy when it's cold, with a Dyson whine accompanying rev changes, but it's mostly transparent in its operation. So if you spend a lot of time on the autobahn, its 120-plus-mph top speed will allow it to blow by the likes of the Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid Max, which tops out at a governed 117 mph. Superlatives are few, but the Ascent does have top-speed bragging rights against some of its competitors. The Ascent is rated to tow 5000 pounds, which is pretty much industry standard in the three-row game. It pulled 0.80 g on the skidpad, and stopping from 70 mph requires 179 feet. So, not as quick as a 2003 Forester 2.5XT, but you can't expect everyone in the family to live up to a legend like that one.Īs with its acceleration, the Ascent's other performance results are best described as fine-no missteps. We saw 60 mph in arrive in 6.8 seconds, and the quarter-mile in 15.4 seconds at 92 mph. With 4578 pounds of Subaru to haul around, that torque stat is important, and the Ascent feels plenty spry. The engine makes 260 horsepower-a bit low for this class-but its 277 pound-feet of torque arrives at 2000 rpm and sticks around till 4800 rpm. For SUV duty, the tuning dials were spun in the direction of ample torque rather than top-end horsepower. Under that hood, though, there is a WRX-adjacent powerplant in the form of a turbocharged 2.4-liter horizontally opposed four-cylinder. The front end and taillights have been redesigned, but not dramatically-our letters pleading for a towering STI hood scoop have evidently gone unread. On a related note, the camera-based driver-assistance system adds a wide-angle mono camera to supplement its stereoscopic cameras, essentially improving its peripheral vision, and the brakes get a quicker-acting electric booster to help the car initiate a slowdown when it spies an impending collision. Every trim except the base model now features automatic emergency steering, which takes evasive action if it can steer you around an immovable object while keeping the car in its lane. There's an intercom to help people in the front seats talk to (yell at?) denizens of the third row. The rear camera gets a washer to help clear the slushy grime when you reach the ski-mountain parking lot. Would the Ascent sway a brand-agnostic shopper who'd already driven a Kia Telluride, Toyota Grand Highlander, or Mazda CX-90? Maybe not, but it doesn't have any glaring flaws, either, and Subaru treated its big lug to a refresh for 2023 that further refines its people-schlepping talents. Highs: Strong value, hits all its performance marks, feels huge inside.
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