2024 Subaru Ascent Review: Growing Pains
The verdict: While the 2024 Subaru Ascent might appeal to brand loyalists, its snug interior, lackluster fuel economy and frustrating tech prove the three-row SUV is in need of an overhaul.
Versus the competition: The Ascent was observably smaller inside and had worse observed fuel economy than the other three-row SUVs in our recent comparison test, but its excellent visibility, torquey turbocharged powertrain and second-row amenities were highlights.
We generally like Subarus around here. Their slightly quirky, somewhat irreverent approach to mass-market transportation makes them just a skosh more interesting to operate and live with than much of their competition, yet they don’t sacrifice the essentials, like reliability and functionality. We like Subies small and we like Subies tall, but after driving the 2024 Subaru Ascent Touring, it turns out we don’t like ‘em all.
Related: What’s the Best 3-Row SUV for 2024?
Maybe that’s a bit strong. We don’t dislike Subaru’s biggest SUV, but we do think it has some areas in need of improvement, especially compared with six other three-row mid-size heavy hitters we put it up against recently in a direct comparison test. The biggest issue our test judges had was actually the opposite of big: Despite its clear market position, the Ascent feels a whole class size smaller than its competition.
Diminutive Dimensions
“Feels” is the key word here. On paper, the Ascent does sit near the bottom in its class, but it matches some rivals for exterior length and surpasses others in height. It’s the Subaru’s roughly 2-inch width deficit versus most of the field that shrinks it the most and puts the squeeze on its occupants. The Ascent’s first-, second- and third-row comfort all scored the lowest of any SUV in our test. Even so, the Ascent’s second row is far from unusable, though larger adults will find it cozy; the compacted third row, however, is somewhat cruel for adults. Also frustrating is a lack of in-cabin storage for smaller items.
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That’s the sour. Here’s the sweet: For those who occasionally need a third row — or just flat out like having one — the Ascent might be just right size-wise. Visibility, a Subaru hallmark, is also among the best in the class, and there’s oodles of second-row amenities, including USB-A and USB-C charge ports and a traditional household outlet. Also, parents can scream at kids or unruly relatives more effectively via an available Cabin Connect system, which is always a bonus.
Pleasant Power
The Ascent’s standard turbocharged 2.4-liter flat-four engine is reassuringly torquey, and it’s absolutely up for the job of hauling a full house. That’s the most important function of any three-row SUV, and the Ascent’s 260 horsepower and 277 pounds-feet of torque pull (reasonably) hard; outfitted properly, it can tow up to 5,000 pounds. But there’s a cost: While the Ascent had one of the smallest engines in our comparison test, it proved the thirstiest in our real-world long-distance fuel-economy drive, where our observed gas mileage was only 22.9 mpg.
Tricky Tech
Also frustrating was this Subaru’s active-safety tech. The camera-based EyeSight suite of safety features is generally useful, but most judges found the Ascent’s lane keep assist and driver attention monitor intrusive. Both can be disabled without much fuss, but toggling off the former lights an amber warning light on the dash that stays on no matter what. Beyond that, the Ascent’s collision warning system was a mite too aggressive.
There were some things we liked on the tech front, including all-wheel drive and X-Mode, both of which are standard. X-Mode is Subaru’s trademark off-road mode, which is useful in any low-traction situation. Also nice was the Ascent’s pricing: Our top Touring trim’s $49,931 as-tested price was the lowest in our comparison test, coming in around $3,300 less than the next most affordable model, a Toyota Grand Highlander.
Should You Buy a 2024 Subaru Ascent?
Many of our complaints about the Ascent are amplified in the presence of its larger direct competition, but if you view its smaller footprint as an advantage rather than a liability — whether for parking, maneuverability or other reasons — it might be your pick of the three-row mid-size SUV litter. It’s unclear when the next-generation Ascent will debut, but if it follows current industry trends, it’ll be bigger when it does.
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