Body roll is significant, and the front tires howl in protest if you really get into it, but Subaru’s AWD sends just enough power rearward to restore some balance if you add gas through tight bends. Handling is acceptable, with some initial soupiness turning into corners but quicker reflexes thereafter. (Lower trim levels have 18-inch wheels and higher-profile tires, which might ride softer still we haven’t evaluated one thus equipped.) But the Ascent’s outright cushiness, even with 20-inch wheels, is the right idea for a family SUV, even if execution does fall short. It’s not terribly well controlled, however, with lingering body movement after rapid elevation changes that’s something many rivals, including firmer ones, do a better job cleaning up. Suspension tuning is deliberately soft - a welcome approach versus firmer-riding rivals like the redesigned Nissan Pathfinder and Ford Explorer.
Shoppers who don’t need AWD should see even better numbers with the front-drive options other brands offer but Subaru doesn’t.
The Ascent’s combined EPA estimate of 22-23 mpg (depending on trim) is unremarkable versus AWD rivals. That’s a bit below the Ascent Onyx’s 26 mpg EPA highway rating. I observed 24.8 mpg over 385 miles of mostly highway driving with two adults, two kids and a long weekend’s worth of luggage on board. It might be more forgivable if the endgame were efficiency, but that’s not necessarily happening here. Things haven’t changed appreciably since.Ģ022 Subaru Ascent | photo by Christian Lantry The numbers tell it all: In our seven-SUV comparison, the Ascent brought up the rear by a wide margin in the Powertrain category. Throw some lead in your shoe and the drivetrain can muscle the SUV up to speed, but responsiveness feels torpid if you press the pedal anything less than three-fourths of the way. Accelerate while already in motion, and the CVT raises engine rpm and accelerates without much delay, but from a stop it’s a relaxed operator: Engine revs rise slowly - and a little behind schedule - with the press of your right foot. That’s stout on paper, but it’s a lackluster pairing with Subaru’s continuously variable automatic transmission. Rather than the V-6 engines that power most three-row mid-size SUVs, the Ascent employs Subaru’s turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder, good here for 260 horsepower and 277 pounds-feet of torque.
Related: Subaru Ascent: Which Should You Buy, 2021 or 2022? Snoozy Powertrain It’s the middle of five trim levels for the 2022 Ascent ( stack them up or compare the 20 models ), all with standard AWD. New for 2022 is an Onyx Edition, which has darkened styling elements and Subaru’s neoprene-like StarTex upholstery both are reminiscent of the Outback Onyx. Now in the fourth year of its current generation, the Ascent is a three-row SUV that seats eight (seven if you get second-row captain’s chairs, replacing the standard three-seat bench). Subaru’s contender offers good visibility and standard-all-wheel-drive value, but it’s short on passenger and storage space, and its lethargic drivetrain creates more noise than confidence. Versus the competition: Little has changed since the Ascent placed fifth out of seven SUVs in a comparison test in late 2019. For Subaru loyalists who’ve outgrown their Outbacks, it might be time to consider another brand. The verdict: The Ascent is the best Subaru for families, but it’s hardly the best SUV in its class.
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