2026 Subaru Ascent

The Subaru Ascent is the answer to Subaru people’s desire for a bigger Outback with 3-row seating. The most family-friendly Subaru has enough seats for the whole family to come along on off-road adventures, but it’s just as suitable for the daily suburban commute. When it comes to the practical stuff, this SUV checks a lot of boxes for a lot of families, including standard all-wheel drive (AWD), the essential infotainment tech, good resale value, and some of the best safety scores in its class. For those who want all of the Subaru charm in a practical family hauler, the Ascent is a unique option in its class.

We’ve spent hundreds of hours driving and evaluating this generation of midsize SUVs, including the Subaru Ascent.

The 2026 Subaru Ascent gets a few changes this year. The Onyx Edition trim is discontinued, but the base Premium trim adopts its black styling cues and StarTex water-repellant seats. Further, the fancy Touring trim now has upgraded matte-finish woodgrain interior accents. Another small change is the discontinuation of the Cosmic Blue Pearl paint option, replaced by Sapphire Blue Pearl.

The Subaru Ascent’s pricing is about average for a midsize 3-row SUV with all-wheel drive. Rivals that are similarly priced when equipped with this desirable feature include the Honda Pilot, Toyota Highlander, Jeep Grand Cherokee L, and Ford Explorer.

Before buying an Ascent, check the Kelley Blue Book Fair Purchase Price to know what you should really pay. Subaru Ascent resale value is above average for the segment. Recouping more money when selling a vehicle can mean a bigger down payment and lower monthly payments on the next one.

The 2026 Subaru Ascent is motivated by a 260-horsepower turbocharged 4-cylinder engine matched with a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) and all-wheel drive. The horsepower count is on the low end among 3-row midsize SUVs. For instance, the Chevy Traverse has 328 hp, the Ford Explorer has 300 hp, and the Kia Telluride has 291 hp. A sprint to 60 mph from a standstill takes just under 7 seconds, which is okay for this class.

Still, the Subaru Ascent delivers an agreeable driving experience. The ride is smooth, the cabin is reasonably quiet, and the seats are supportive. The handling isn’t particularly agile, but that’s forgivable in a family SUV. Regardless of the driving situation, we find the Ascent manageable, comfortable, and adequately powered.

The Ascent doesn’t skip a beat if the roads get ugly. The standard all-wheel drive, generous ground clearance, and X-Mode with hill-descent control make it great in the snow and for mild off-roading. Comparable SUVs in this class with at least a modicum of off-road chops include the Jeep Grand Cherokee L, Honda Pilot TrailSport, Chevy Traverse Z71, Ford Explorer Tremor, and Nissan Pathfinder Rock Creek.

Fuel Economy

Considering the Ascent has standard all-wheel drive, its 22 mpg in combined driving (20 city/26 highway) compares well to even some of its front-wheel-drive (FWD) competitors. However, all but the base trim of the Ascent get knocked down to a 21 mpg combined rating because of their bigger 20-inch wheels.

The interior of the Subaru Ascent has three rows of seats with room for up to eight people, or seven if you opt for second-row captain’s chairs instead of a bench. We find the first two rows spacious and comfortable, but would only relegate the kiddos to the third row. An adult of moderate height will fit back there, but it won’t be comfortable for very long. Its 31.7 inches of legroom places it in the bottom half of its segment. Second-row captain’s chairs make the second row more comfortable and the third row easier to access. They’re optional in the Premium and Limited trims and standard in every other trim.

The interior design is pleasant, and the seat comfort is suitable for long-distance road trips. Now that the Premium trim has standard StarTex water-repellant upholstery, there are no cloth seats in the 2026 Ascent lineup. The interior’s centerpiece is the standard tablet-type infotainment screen. This system is loaded with features like wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, but the native system is showing its age, and the interface can be a bit laggy. The interior grows nicer as you work your way up the model range, with perforated leather seats in the top Touring trims.

The cargo area in the Ascent is about typical for its class. With all the seats in place, it has 17.8 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row. Fold down the third row, and you get 43.5 cubic feet of space; if you can afford to fold down all of the back seats, you get a generous 75.6 cubic feet of space.

The Subaru Ascent’s appearance changes slightly depending on the trim. A nice update to the base Premium trim this year is that it adopts some of the styling elements of the now-discontinued Onyx Edition, like black exterior trim and black wheels. The stylish Bronze Edition builds on the Limited trim with bronze accents, wheels, and interior stitching.

Standard AWD
Every Ascent trim includes Subaru’s symmetrical all-wheel-drive system and X-Mode with hill-descent control, making it a competent off-roader for a 3-row family SUV.

Wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay
This handy feature brings your maps, music, and more to the screen in your SUV without the need to take your phone out of a purse or pocket. We love to see it as a standard feature on the Ascent.

EyeSight
Subaru’s extensive suite of driver-assist and safety technologies such as automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, and lane-keep assist helps keep you and yours safe. Blind-spot monitoring is also standard.

11.6-inch touchscreen
Featuring large icons, physical knobs for volume and tuning, and toggle switches for temperature control, this center-mounted touchscreen puts the driver in control.

All-Weather Package
This bundle of features, standard on every trim, includes heated front seats, heated outboard mirrors, and heating elements at the base of the windshield to help prevent ice buildup on the wiper blades.

Available Harman Kardon audio
Designed for the music lover, this audio upgrade includes 13 speakers, a subwoofer, and 792 watts of power. It’s standard on the Limited trim and up.

There’s only one engine available for the Subaru Ascent. It’s a 2.4-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder mated to a CVT automatic transmission. All-wheel drive is standard on every Ascent trim.

The Subaru Ascent can tow up to 5,000 pounds, and Trailer Stability Assist comes standard. This is about the average tow rating in the segment.

3-Year/36,000-Mile Warranty

Subaru provides the average warranty coverage among non-luxury brands. For limited bumper-to-bumper coverage, it’s three years or 36,000 miles. The powertrain coverage is for five years or 60,000 miles.

Safety Ratings

The Subaru Ascent boasts excellent safety ratings. Its National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) 5-Star overall rating is the highest possible. It’s also earned a spot on the coveted Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) Top Safety Pick (TSP) list.

The standard EyeSight safety tech suite is part of why it gets such good safety scores. It includes forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane-centering assist, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, and adaptive cruise control.