An affordable three-row SUV is a recipe for success in today’s market, right? Well, not always, as the Subaru Ascent proves. Despite starting at just over $40,000 – well below today’s average new vehicle transaction price of around $50,000 – Subaru’s biggest SUV has struggled in recent years, leading to rumors that it may even be axed without a successor. While the jury is still out on the Ascent’s long-term fate, its lack of popularity today means families on tight budgets can pick up a lightly used example for a steal.
The Real Reasons Ascent Sales Collapsed – And Why That’s Your Opportunity
2023 Subaru Ascent Front 3/4 ViewSubaru
The Subaru Ascent was launched for the 2019 model year in the US, five years after the Tribeca, another SUV with third-row seats that Subaru had struggled to convince buyers to embrace. Subaru took home a lot of lessons from the Tribeca, resulting in the Ascent’s bigger size and more traditional, boxier shape, which buyers in the segment tend to adore. Subaru also gave it a slew of family-friendly features, including up to eight seats and 19 cupholders in some trims.
Admittedly, Subaru’s homework initially paid off, with Ascent sales reaching just shy of 82,000 units in the SUV’s first full year on the market. This was followed by a steady decline as rivals ratcheted up strong alternatives, with 2025’s total coming in at just 44,400 units, or less than a third of Outback sales and just a quarter of Forester sales that year. Hyundai and Kia launched their respective Palisade and Telluride SUVs soon after the Ascent’s arrival, and more recently, the strong-selling Toyota Grand Highlander entered this already crowded segment.
Subaru
The Ascent also suffered from early reliability issues, one of them related to the vehicle’s CVT transmission – an unpopular transmission choice that also puts the Ascent at a disadvantage. Then there’s the lack of powertrain options: all Ascents come with a turbocharged 2.4-liter flat-four that, with 260 horsepower, isn’t particularly impressive, especially up against rivals offering stronger and more popular V6 powertrains. Increasingly, buyers in the segment are also looking for hybrid options.
Outdated in-car technology has also plagued the Ascent, as it has most other Subarus, though that is starting to change. While Subaru gave the Ascent a 2023 facelift that addressed some of these issues, including a new infotainment system and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration, the infotainment system can still feel laggy, and its connectivity is sometimes unreliable. The Ascent’s lack of powertrain options also remained unchanged.
All of which might explain why used Ascents are piling up on lots right now – and why that’s actually great news for budget-conscious families.
How To Find A Clean Ascent For Under $25k (And Which Years To Avoid)
Searching the CarBuzz Marketplace and other popular classifieds websites, you can easily find clean-title Subaru Ascents with 70,000 miles or less starting at just $15,000. And if you’re happy to go with more mileage, you can make some huge savings. However, smart shoppers will want to increase the budget a little, to around $20,000. Now you’ll be able to find examples with around 40,000 miles and, in some cases, even less.
When it comes to model years, we’d recommend a pre-facelifted example – ie, a 2022 model year or earlier – if basic transportation is all you’re after. However, if in-car technology is important to you, it’s best to opt for 2023 examples and newer. For anything under 100,000 miles, you’re looking at a minimum of $18,000 for a facelifted model, and if you want below 70,000 miles, be prepared to pay at least $22,000. For about $25,000, it’s not hard to find examples with 45,000 miles or less, which represents excellent value for families.
As mentioned, there’s a lot of competition in this space. If you want that same Japanese penchant for reliability, a good alternative is the Honda Pilot, which offers more space, a naturally aspirated V6, and a proper automatic transmission.
If the driving experience is important to you, and you only need the third row for occasional use, the Mazda CX-90 is worth a look. You lose some space compared to the Ascent, but you get a more premium driving experience as well as the option of a plug-in hybrid powertrain.
Both the Pilot and CX-90 are newer designs, too, dating to 2023 and 2024, respectively. This means used prices tend to be higher. But a low price tag only matters if the car delivers. Here’s what you actually get for your money – and it’s more than most people expect.
A Lot Of Car For The Money
2025 Subaru Ascent – rear 3/4 angle Subaru
The Ascent, manufactured in Lafayette, Indiana, is the largest Subaru ever built and rides on a stretched version of the Subaru Global Platform, the modular design that underpins all gas-powered Subarus apart from the BRZ sports car. It can seat seven or eight passengers depending on whether you choose captain’s chairs or a bench for the second row, and is one of the safest vehicles in its class.
The turbo-four engine does the job but only tows a maximum 5,000 lbs. The base trim, which was dropped starting with the 2025 model year, had a 2,000-lb limit, so buyers who plan to tow should check the capacity of the specific trim.
Key Specifications At A Glance
Engine
Turbocharged 2.4-liter flat-four
Horsepower | Torque
260 hp | 277 lb-ft
Drivetrain
AWD
Transmission
CVT
EPA Fuel Economy (city, highway, combined)
Up to 20 / 26 / 22 MPG
Towing Capacity
Up to 5,000 lbs
Storage Space
Up to 75.6 cubic feet
Driving performance can best be described as comfortable but unremarkable. It’s a case of delivering enough power for daily duties, but not enough to make the drive particularly appealing. Fuel economy also isn’t particularly impressive, despite the engine only having four cylinders.
Note that the facelifted version lost about 1 MPG due to the added weight of new features and related powertrain adjustments. On the plus side, the Ascent’s handling is surprisingly impressive, whether on the road or off it.
You won’t be tackling boulders, but the Ascent does offer some genuine off-road ability for a family SUV. All-wheel drive comes standard, while 8.7 inches of ground clearance and decent approach (17.6 degrees), breakover (18.2 degrees), and departure (21.8 degrees) angles provide some confidence on rough surfaces.
The Ascent also gets standard X-Mode, which optimizes the engine, transmission ratio, and all-wheel-drive system for better traction, while trims equipped with Dual-Mode X-Mode add Snow/Dirt and Deep Snow/Mud settings.
2025 Subaru Ascent – interior view of the back seatsSubaru
Inside, the cabin is tough enough to handle kids and their messes, with a wide range of available interior trims that includes stain-resistant cloth, water-repellent StarTex upholstery, and premium Nappa leather. Interior space is middle of the field, with a wheelbase measuring 113.8 inches and storage of 17.8 cubic feet behind the third row, 43.5 behind the second row, and 75.6 with both rows folded. The third row is big enough for adults but still mostly suited for children and young teens.
Subaru offers the Ascent in a wide range of trim levels, and the previously available base trim priced in the mid-$30,000 bracket made the SUV reasonably affordable for families. Even that entry-level version came reasonably well-equipped, although handy items like heated seats, blind-spot monitoring, and a powered liftgate required upgrading to a higher trim. Thankfully, most used listings are the better-equipped trim levels.
Subaru Ascent Reliability And Common Problems
The rear of hte 2024 Subaru Ascent in snow.Subaru
Buyers traditionally seek out Japanese brands for their reliability, but the Ascent had a somewhat rocky start that ended up hurting its reputation, with the early 2019 and 2020 model years generating a disproportionate number of complaints. CarComplaintslists 71 reports for the 2019 model year and 19 for 2020, with transmission and electrical issues among the most common problems.
While Subaru’s engines are known to be reliable, the automaker’s CVTs have a reputation for giving out at between 120,000 to 150,000 miles, so buyers should factor this in if considering a high-mileage example or planning to hold on to the vehicle for a long time.
Fortunately, according toCarComplaints data, examples from the 2021 model year appear to have almost zero issues reported. Subaru sorted those CVT issues quickly in automotive terms, so if you avoid the first two model years, you’ll get something quite reliable.
Should You Buy One?
The 2024 Subaru Ascent in snow.Subaru
Cost-of-living pressures are up across the board and family budgets are stretched more than ever, but there are still bargains to be had. Finding them, however, requires a little more legwork. The Subaru Ascent is one such bargain, as it ticks most of the boxes for a solid family vehicle and can be had for relatively little money on the used market. If you can live without excitement every time you get behind the wheel, and budget for a potential transmission issue down the road, the Ascent is exceptional value right now.
Base Trim Engine
2.4L H4 ICE
Base Trim Transmission
8-speed Lineartronic CVT
Base Trim Drivetrain
All-Wheel Drive
Base Trim Horsepower
260 HP @5600 RPM
Base Trim Torque
277 lb.-ft. @ 2000 RPM
Base Trim Fuel Economy (city/highway/combined)
19/26/22 MPG
Infotainment & Features
7 /10
Sources:Subaru,CarComplaints
