2024 Subaru Ascent: Riding high, then suddenly feeling fuel-ish

2024 Subaru Ascent: New look, higher climb?

Price: $49,931 as tested. Just $141 floor mats were the lone option.

Conventional wisdom: Car and Driver likes that there’s “all-wheel drive on every model,” with a comfortable ride,” and “cornucopia of standard safety tech.” It was less pleased that “engine noise infiltrates the cabin,” called the “third row cramped for adults,” and lamented the vehicle’s “lethargic acceleration when passing.”

Marketer’s pitch: “Love is now bigger than ever.”

Reality: A nice ride, but stiff competition.

What’s new: The three-row SUV from Subaru enjoyed a redesign in 2023 — a new look and more tech features highlight the changes — and now carries over this year.

The Ascent remains as pleasant a companion as any Subaru. At first glance in the Sturgis family driveway — and without other vehicles to easily compare size — it didn’t appear much different than a Forester.

Competition: Toyota Highlander, Kia Telluride, Hyundai Palisade, Mazda CX-90.

Friends and stuff: The aforementioned Forester-sized appearance had me predicting it would be a tight fit inside. But the second row is easily accessed, and the third is as well. I crawled my way between the captain’s chairs and to the back seat and found it not to be uncomfortable.

Once there, the seat itself provided plenty of space for a compact-ish three-row SUV. Headroom was cramped but everything else seemed good, even knee room. I’m surprised to be so opposed to the other publications on this, as usually I’m the whiniest about tight spaces. But I call them like I see them.

Cargo space is 43.5 cubic feet behind the second row and 75.6 behind the first. No number is given for behind the third, but I didn’t find it to be as laughably snug as some.

Eight-passenger versions are also available.

Driver’s Seat: The Ascent in top-of-the-line Touring trim level also provided a very nice cockpit for the front-seat occupants. Plenty of leather and wood really make it feel like a woodsy cabin-type experience.

The seat is comfortable and supportive, although maybe a little firm. But I had no real complaints after four hours of driving in one night.

Subaru keeps with the old-style gauges — no fancy electronic renditions here — and they provide the information you need without whiz-bang adjustments that can go dark.

Stay safe: One unusual complaint is about the front seat belts. I thought I was whiny because raising and lowering the shoulder belt is a challenging proposition — it requires a pinch and pull motion, and is nearly impossible to do while seated. (My shoulder felt its own pinch and pull when I tried it.)

The Lovely Mrs. Passenger Seat’s seat belt gave her no end of struggle during test week. She’d pull, get halfway to the latch; pull, get halfway; pull, get halfway, again and again. Then finally it would release and she could buckle the seat belt. But it became a running joke after a while. Worse, the Subaru has an obnoxious seat belt reminder chime, so it would squawk even as I traveled up the driveway at 5 mph trying to make a little progress. Sigh.

Up to speed: The Ascent burbled ahead like most Subarus do; it doesn’t feel like a rocket in everyday situations, but it moves pleasantly and confidently.

The only engine available, a 2.4-liter turbo four-cylinder engine, creates 260 horses. Motor Trend said 0-60 takes 6.9 seconds.

Shifty: The shift lever follows an old-fashioned pattern, with PRND front to back and a shift mode to the side. Steering-wheel triggers then offer shift capability. But that shifting did precious little for me, as the continuously variable transmission just did its own work.

On the road: The Ascent doesn’t surprise or delight with its road manners. It’s a little large for the usual feeling of competence Subarus usually provide; finding the right spot as the Ascent meanders along is only a hair trickier.

But among three-row SUVs, the Ascent does feel as svelte as its appearance. There’s no bumbling around like in an older Sorento or similar SUV.

We drove it up north and found the Ascent to be companionable.

No drive modes add sportiness or other touches — just modes for snow and mud and such.

Play some tunes: The Ascent gets the standard Subaru vertical screen, measuring 11.6 inches. Dials also control volume and tuning; no real complaints about functionality. And it’s an attractive unit.

Sound from the system was nothing to write home about, though, about a B+.

Keeping warm and cool: Controls are all at the bottom of the touchscreen, and they seem easy enough to maneuver on the fly. They expand to the whole screen when needed.

Fuel economy: Here, all the competence and joy of the Ascent come undone. I could only crack 18 after a long stretch on the highway — it started out between 12 and 15 mpg, which is woeful.

Where it’s built: Lafayette, Ind.

How it’s built: Consumer Reports predicts the Ascent reliability will be a 3 out of 5.

In the end: The Ascent is as nice a companion as any Subaru. But with the Telluride, Palisade, and Highlander outperforming most aspects from drivability to fuel economy, plus the Highlander’s reliability, there are better options.