No pricing data available at this time. Our Opinion - 2025 Subaru Ascent Review There are a lot of medium three-row crossovers on the market, and the Subaru Ascent has to deal with tough competition. The Kia Telluride is a great value, the Mazda CX-90 is smart and performs well, and the Ford Explorer has built a loyal customer base over decades of sales. Still, the Ascent has the unmistakable Subaru personality along with a number of safety measures, such as all-wheel drive and room for up to eight people. However, its worst parts are the continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) and the 260-hp turbocharged four-cylinder engine. It often feels like it needs a boost to get going, and the engine can be loud. The first two rows of seats are roomy and comfy, and the third row is great for kids or people who like to make contortionist moves. Another good thing about the Ascent is that it gets good gas mileage. It got 28 mpg in our 75-mpg highway test, which was 2 mpg more than the EPA’s highway estimate. What's New? Subaru started getting rid of the base model in 2024 and put out the Ascent Premium as the first model in 2025. It comes with a more high-end set of technologies, like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, that work wirelessly, USB ports in every row, emergency stop assist, rear cross-traffic alert, and blind-spot recognition with lane change assist. There is also an Onyx Edition Touring trim at the top of the line, as well as a new Bronze Edition with wheels and accents that are the same color. Pros and Cons Pros The WRX has a turbocharged engine. Great interior style and usefulness. Is the Ascent Wilderness event for this year due? Cons It’s pretty hard to ride. Technology features that could be more amazing. Third-row seats that are close together. Engine, Transmission, and Performance The innovative all-wheel-drive system in the Ascent makes it perfect for family road trips all year long. While its 2.6-liter four-cylinder turbocharged engine with 260 horsepower can pull a speedboat or a camper trailer, it doesn’t move very quickly and can be loud when it’s under a lot of stress. The noise is made worse by the Subaru’s continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT). Aside from that, the gearless transmission was quick and reliable, and the paddle shifters on the steering wheel give you more control over it. It took some time to get used to how harsh the Ascent’s throttle action felt at low speeds in town. On the other hand, the Subaru had a smooth ride. Even though it had 20-inch wheels, it did a good job of protecting us from rough roads and softening hard hits. We had to deal with a lot of wind and road noise as we drove down the highway. Even though the Mazda CX-90 is more fun to drive than the Subaru, the huge three-row car did very well when it was driven correctly. When going faster, the steering felt accurate and light, and it was easy to make quick moves with. Safety With the EyeSight safety suite built into every Ascent, the best safety and driver-assistance features aren’t just for the highest trim levels. The following are important safety features: Automated emergency braking and conventional forward collision warning. Normal lane-keeping assistance and lane departure warning. It comes with adaptive speed control. Internal and External Cargo Capacity The Ascent has all the features of a big car on the inside, like seats that can be moved around and a higher driving position. There is enough space inside for a lot of people, but the third row holds fewer people than bigger, more roomy cars like the Volkswagen Atlas. The base model was taken off the market in 2025, and now the Premium is the base model with extra features included as normal. A leather-wrapped steering wheel, heated front seats, a motorized liftgate that can remember your height and 19 cupholders all over the car are just a few of the features. The Ascent has room for eight people, but we found that behind the third row, there was only room for five carry-on bags. The Subaru had fewer storage cubbies inside than some of its competitors, but the Traverse did have one more. It can still be a useful journey companion with some smart cargo arrangements. There are Velcro straps in the cargo area to support the load floor if you need more room. The optional second-row captain’s chairs in our test car had a lot of adjustment buttons and could fold almost flat. Fuel Economy and Actual MPG The Ascent Premium gets 20 mpg in the city and 26 mpg on the highway. In both cases, the gas mileage will drop by 1 mpg for every base level above that. However, the EPA says the Ascent is better than normal, and our test at 75 mph proved this. The Onyx Edition Limited got more than the EPA’s highway rate of 28 mpg on our trip. That’s better than cars like the Honda Pilot and Kia Telluride. Infotainment and Connectivity Subaru’s entertainment system doesn’t have easy-to-use buttons or settings that can be changed like those of top competitors. Still, users like features like Wi-Fi hotspots, Android Auto, and Apple CarPlay. The standard 11.6-inch tablet has big icons that are easy to see and respond quickly to touch. Touch-only makes it more likely that the driver will pay attention, but the layout and size of the icons help to lessen this problem. Range, Charging, and Battery Life The Onyx Edition Limited ran at 60 MPH in 6.8 seconds on our test track. It takes a little longer than cars like the Hyundai Palisade and Mazda CX-90, which got times of 6.4 and 6.3 seconds, respectively. Towing and Payload Capacity Up to 5,000 pounds can be pulled behind a Subaru Ascent. We tested this by pulling a bunch of toys behind it during our 40,000-mile long-term test with one, like snowmobiles and an Airstream camper. The Ascent’s fuel economy often dropped into the single digits during these trips. Price and How to Choose Since Subaru discontinued the base model, we think the Premium trim offers the best mix of features customers want and total value. The 2025 Premium trim has a few more high-end features than the rest of the lineup, like adaptive cruise control, heated front seats, a rear camera with a washer, and rear automated emergency braking. It also gets better gas mileage than the rest of the lineup.
