Is Subaru's 3-Row SUV Any Good? | 2023 Subaru Ascent Review

Just got an Outback Wilderness and I love it! My first new car purchase ever.

Take a shot every time Alex mentions how much he likes the fake wood trim.

Brown leather and brown imitation wood looks like the library room of a university professor’s house

My 2019 Ascent has nearly 60,000 miles and has been dead reliable. No problems of any kind. The recalls found no issues.

Very good review...you know your stuff! It is great to have someone who knows their vehicle when doing a video!!!!! Thank You

One of the under rated, yet really great features of my 2019 Ascent Touring is the rear -view camera built into the rear view mirror. With all seats up, or dog and boxes in the back that would block normal mirrors, I can easily see out the rear middle while driving or stopped. It is also height adjustable. The separate dash mounted front view camera is also a real asset when parking. After more than 4 years with the Ascent I am really pleased. My wife will be driving it if she ever wants to give up her 12 year old Outback

The review is spot on, having driven my Limited Ascent for the last 6 months I like the ride, the feel and the comfort of the vehicle. I would love to see better gas mileage. I average 19.5 to 20 and I don’t drive this hard. For the price, this 4 wheel drive high safety rating SUV will be mine for a while. When they come out with the hybrid model i may have to look hard at that one

We love our 2023 Ascent Touring, it drives good, rides good, and ours is quiet. We do also like the wood grain as well! Tons of storage also. Ours was purchased with the optional wireless charger too which we love.

The Ascent looks more like a pregnant Forester.... 😅 Although I definitely prefer the plastic wood interior trim over awful piano black trim.

Alex, I love the color of the simulated wood trim also. It looks believable and Subaru did a great job with it. I do agree with the poor placement of the 2nd row cup holders though.

Really happy with our 21 Touring. They can be had for way less than advertised. Get the Costco deal. We paid $42.5K. I’m sure the 2024 models are as competitively priced. Really like the headlights. The rear view mirror that switches to video for when the vehicle is loaded with cargo is something I can’t live without now. Great 2nd row Cpt’s seats. Great ground clearance and the AWD system is top notch. OEM tires, not so great. Get some Michelin CrossClimate 2’s on the rims.

Always appreciate your review alex. I have never gone wrong using your review for purchase.

Great review and very informative. This is one of the most thorough, reviews I have seen ever seen.

Subaru seats on the upper trims are fantastic. I have a 2022 Highlander and one of my few complaints is the front seat comfort, especially the lack of an extending thigh cushion, even on the top trim. My parents have a loaded outback and the front seat comfort is amazing!

Great, informative video! I’ve got a ‘22 Ascent and I love it! I actually get, or have gotten fairly often, 25-27 mpg on the highway. My city driving is between 18 & 20 mpg. Haven’t calculated combined, but it should be north of 21-22 mpg.

great value for people who want AWD and often available with discounts below MSRP, huge OTD price difference to many AWD competitors edit: didn't know about the great headlights even in base trim, makes the value even better

Really wanted the Pilot because we're long time Honda owners. After measuring the inside with a tape measure we found the third row in the Ascent is 1 inch wider and the distance behind the third row is also 1 inch longer than the Pilot. Pilot does have more third row headroom, so if adults in the back are a big deal then the Pilot might still be the better choice. For us it's just grandkids in the back so for that the Ascent is perfect. Biggest difference Alex didn't cover is Subaru offers automatic crash notification and emergency response all the way down to the Premium level, whereas Honda only offers that on Touring and Elite for $15K more. Equally priced we would have chosen the Ascent, saving $15K was a nice bonus. Biggest surprise is it drives like a V6, it doesn't feel like a turbo or CVT at all. Fuel economy from our Premium in the first 16K miles has been 25.5 overall measured at the pump. Keep in mind our Premium is rated higher than the model Alex tested, and we don't use remote stat even though the vehicle comes with it. Other than safety features, the other big difference for us was the small infotainment screen in the Pilot compared to the big screen in the Ascent that lets you display a large map, climate, and audio information all at the same time. Grand Highlander was tempting, but the price difference put it out of consideration as we would never recoup the $$ even with better economy with the hybrid version. As Alex mentioned, Subaru is legendary for off-road capability; no it's not a Jeep, but for what it's designed for it's hard to beat. Hopefully Subaru will use some of Toyota's hybrid technology in the years ahead. For now we're pretty happy with our 23 Ascent, even happier than we were with our 02, 04, 05, 06, and 12 Hondas (Civic, Accord, and 3 Odysseys).

Thanks, Alex. I have a 2020 Ascent. I enjoy it every day. I think the greatest advantage of Subaru over all others in this segment is the boxer engine and symmetrical all wheel drive. No other suv has the accumulated experience that Subaru has on AWD worldwide. You and many people like Kia & Hyundai without having in mind the old-school/dated V6 engine with no hydraulic lifters, it sounds as an old coffee maker when cold., plus some other issues as the poor finish underneath.

Alex is the AnandTech of car reviews. Simply amazing!

This is the best & most detailed explanation of the Ascent that I have ever heard!! You said it all! Thanks!!