Source: Motor Trend.
The Subaru Ascent is surprisingly good to drive. In a segment of the market in which driving pleasure is not exactly at the top of the priority list, the Ascent stands out for its confident handling and gutsy acceleration.
I was initially concerned about the lack of a six-cylinder option. After all, this is a 4,600-pound, three-row SUV. My fears, however, were quickly allayed by turbo four.
The Ascent felt perky around town and plenty capable while sprinting down highway on-ramps. In fact, even with four occupants and a full load of cargo, the Ascent's drivetrain never felt overmatched.
The engine delivers solid low-end grunt with its 277 pounds of torque at just 2,000 RPMs. In addition, the traditionally lackadaisical CVT did a fair impression of an eight-speed automatic transmission. Its pre-programmed shift points mimicked the feel of an automatic and reduced the effect of that dreaded CVT drone.
Our only real complaint with the Ascent's driving dynamics was its brakes, which felt spongy and not as responsive as we would have liked.
In all honesty, we haven't been terribly impressed with the past couple of Subarus we've tested. We found the four-cylinder Outback wagon and the Crosstrek crossover to be underpowered and a bit rough around the edges.
The Ascent was none of those things.
Subaru really needed to get the Ascent right. And boy did they nail it. The 2019 Subaru Ascent wowed us with its user-friendly design, its refined cabin, a cornucopia of standard safety features, infotainment tech that works, and a gutsy turbocharged engine.
In a market in which the weak are quickly exposed, Subaru is entering the fray with all guns blazing.
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