RYAN ZUMMALLEN: It has been a year. Am I right? And when life is throwing everything at us, it helps to have a vehicle that just makes things easy. Remember easy? Today we have a trio of three-row SUVs, each with a starting price around $33,000. They're competing in a tight segment for the title of most convenient family SUV. And for 2021, they've all made improvements but some more than others.
In this video we will show you what's new, talk about which vehicles we've owned, and show you some hidden talents that you won't want to miss. So which vehicles spent the last year getting better, and which ones were eating Oreos and binge watching that Formula One docuseries? It was pretty good.
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There is no beating around the bush here. The Kia Telluride is still Edmunds top-rated midsize three-row SUV after impressing us with its 2020 debut. In fact, this is our long-term test vehicle. We've owned it for over a year now, and the Telluride is still impressing us with its comfortable and value-packed approach.
To read more about our ownership, click the link above to see our long-term page. Inside, you get spacious seating for up to eight passengers, lots of standard features, and to round it all out, a responsive V6 engine under the hood. But here's the thing you need to know about the 2021 Telluride, it now comes with seven pin wiring. Two words, standard.
This allows you to use electronic trailer brakes when towing larger loads, but more on that later. There's also a new Nightfall Edition which you can add to higher trims for an extra $1,300 if you want to block out the exterior. Moving on.
The Subaru Ascent once reigned supreme in our three-row SUV rankings, but then the Telluride and its punk brother the Hyundai Palisade came along and knocked it off its perch. Too bad. But the Ascent still comes in at a solid number three in our Edmunds rankings. And for 2021, it's got something a little extra.
All Ascents now come with dual zone climate control and the once optional nine-speed automatic transmission. Subaru is essentially upping the value in base versions of the Ascent, and we think that's a win for buyers. We actually owned a Ascent in this generation, but that was way back in 2016 when it first debuted. We had a positive ownership experience with that car, and its roomy cabin and smooth ride remain a big part of this year's model.
Finally, we have the Subaru Ascent. Now, this model comes in at number nine in our Edmunds rankings. But trust me, that is a strong number nine. There are plenty of familiar names they got squeezed out of the top 10 to make room for the Ascent.
In fact, it's only 0.5 points off of the number three Subaru Ascent, so it's a close race. For 2021 you get two big upgrades, adaptive cruise control and cornering LED headlights that are, say it with me, standard. Combine that with an excellent all-wheel drive system and it's easy to see the appeal of the Ascent.
Now that we've checked out all these vehicles, let's get into greater detail.
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So, inside the Ascent. There's nothing offensive in here, but it just doesn't feel as focused or cohesive as the other two as you'll see later. Seat cushioning is so-so. Materials are OK. There are a cup holders everywhere for some reason. Count with me. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19. Maybe more in a pinch.
Here's a standout area for the Ascent. This touch screen has really bright and clear graphics. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard too. The Bluetooth system will read out your text messages from your phone to you, even if they're acronyms that are R-rated.
SPEAKER 2 (CAR AUDIO): What the [BLEEP], Mark? Takahashi is better than you. It stinks in here. Ryan, it's a bad start but keep going.
[CHUCKLES]
RYAN ZUMMALLEN: We're such children. Third row space is acceptable, but I'm six feet and I find it pretty limiting back there. The upside is there are rear USB ports so your passengers will stay connected. If you already like the Ascent, you'll like the interior too. But it's not the reason you buy this car.
Let's check out the Ascent.
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Subaru is known for clever packaging, and let me show you a little bit about what I mean by that. Immediately when you get in there's a lot of space to move around and get comfortable. Just good use of the interior room. There's also a lot of different storage places to keep your small items.
And here are two more interesting things. There's a drop-down mirror so that you can look at your rear passengers here instead of having to turn around. The Ascent also offers that. There's also an intercom system that will turn on a microphone so your rear passengers can hear you without having to turn around. The Telluride offers that, but the Ascent is the only one that offers both.
Another interesting note on space. In the third row it's going to be a little bit tricky for adults to squeeze back there and stay back there for long periods of time, but it is much, much, better than the Ascent. OK. So, Subaru infotainment. First off, on the base Ascent LX you don't get Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. Boo.
Another thing to know is that on our long term Subaru Passport which uses the same screen as this, we had a crashing issue where it would just completely stop working. But Subaru has issued a fix for that, and it seems to have done the job. The screen responds really quickly to your touch, and you can even hold and drag icons to move them around wherever you want, just like a smartphone. And I really like that. All in all, success.
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Inside the Telluride it's clear that Kia paid attention to all of the details. The seats, the panels, the big controls, they all feel upscale. And these big windows make visibility a breeze. It's also a champion of space inside. This is a very roomy cabin, and I even fit comfortably in the third row. That never happens.
When it comes to infotainment, the Telluride has a sharp setup. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard. And our vehicle has the larger optional screen that's very crisp and easy to use. And check this out. It also has Doppler radar for the weather. And 64-color ambient lighting. That's just sweet. Out of these three, the Telluride's interior definitely stands out. But is it a champion on the road? Let's take them for a spin and find out.
As stated earlier, the Telluride feels great on the road. It isn't blindingly fast, reaching 60 miles an hour in 7.5 seconds on our test track. We'd call the power output of this engine adequate for the task. It makes up for its lack of zip with natural handling and smooth brakes.
Front-wheel drive models get an estimated 23 mpg combined. In our year of ownership of the all-wheel drive version, we've gotten and observed 19.5 mpg combined, putting it in a lower strata for the segment when it comes to fuel economy.
On the tech side, in our ownership experience we weren't so big on the blind spot camera. It's a neat trick but not as helpful as it seems when blind spot monitoring works just fine. Otherwise, though, standard adaptive cruise control and other safety features are easy to set and work superbly.
As always, the Ascent is an oddball. Its turbocharged four-cylinder is the smallest engine here, but power isn't the problem. If anything, the pedal is too sensitive off the line. It literally feels jumpy, and it doesn't really smooth out as you go along. And strangely it seems wider than it is. It's hard to gauge the size of the hood in front. Just an odd note.
Handling and braking feel good. And we love, love, love it's 8.7 inches of ground clearance, putting it near the top of its class and almost at a 4Runner level. Press this little X-Mode button for additional all-wheel drive capability. And in slippery conditions, the Ascent is a great wingman. It's clearly built for adventure.
Base models get 23 miles per gallon combined, while higher trims get 22 mpg. Both of these numbers put it near the top of the segment. And they feel right to us as our testing revealed 21.7 miles per gallon over the course of our evaluation.
OK. Serious time. Subaru nails the safety features in the Ascent. Adaptive cruise is butter smooth and all the warnings are effective. If I have one tiny gripe, it's why does the adaptive cruise control only move in five mile per hour increments. You have to hold the button to change speed by one mile an hour, which is just completely backwards. Argh! You flew too close to the sun, Subaru.
The Ascent is the oldest model here having debuted in 2016. But in this case, old does not mean slow. The Ascent scurried to 60 miles per hour in seven seconds flat in our testing thanks to its strong V6 engine. Handling is predictable and precise. Same with the brakes.
There's not as much ground clearance or all-wheel drive capability as the other two. But fuel economy is good at 23 miles per gallon for front-wheel drive and 22 mpg for all-wheel drive. And in our evaluation loop with the nine speed automatic transmission, the Ascent came back with a little over 25 miles per gallon. So that tells us those ratings are spot on.
Subaru still has work to do on its safety features though. Adaptive cruise control is standard but it's too jerky. Come on. This is 2021. And it won't work below 20 miles per hour, which is when I want it most. The warnings are still too sensitive. The competition is simply better. Old man Ascent can still yell at the young punks to get off its lawn due to its edge in performance and mpg, but the competition ain't over yet.
Now let's check out the business end.
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Once upon a time the Subaru Ascent led this segment in cargo space. Now it's just a tick above average at 16.5 cubic feet behind the third row and 83.9 behind the second row. Bonus, all this underfloor storage. All-wheel drive models are rated to tow up to 5,000 pounds, but front-wheel drive models are limited to 3,500. Subaru also does not offer seven pin wiring, just a four pin like most crossovers.
The Ascent makes a strong showing back here. Behind the third row there's 17.6 cubic feet of space, and with the third row down, there's 86 cubic feet inside. You can fold the third row down by pulling this strap and laying it flat, but for the second row you have to walk around the doors. Maximum towing capacity on upper trims is 5,000 pounds, but be wary that on base models it's only 2000, and there's no seven pin wiring available.
Back here, the Telluride only adds to its resume. You have 21 cubic feet of space behind the third row, which is the runaway winner in the class. And 87 feet behind the second row is dang good, I'll tell you what. All of these SUVs can tow 5,000 pounds when properly equipped, but the Telluride is the only one that claims that figure across all trims, all models. Plus, don't forget for 2021 there's that standard seven pin wiring harness that has extra functionality on large trailers. Towers, you're picking up what I'm throwing down.
What I want from this group, sorry, what I need, is a daily driver that doubles as self-care. And remarkably, each of these three can fill that role to some extent. The Ascent for its low hassle, all around sufficiency. The Ascent for its rugged demeanor and weirdly specific areas of expertise.
But for me, it's the Telluride that retains its spot at the top of the class. It simply feels a step above and has a ton of amenities that are, say with me now, standard. The Telluride provides you with confidence when you're packing for a trip and relief after a hectic day. And if there's anything we all need more of, it's more confidence and more relief. I mean, jeez already.
But what this says for 2021 and beyond is that the competition is tight among three-row crossovers, and it's likely going to boil down to personal preference. There's a lot to like here, so let us know which of these three choices you would bring home. How do you say je ne sais quoi in Korean?
[KOREAN SPEECH]
Yeah, I'm not attempting that. Thanks for watching. Throw us a like and hit subscribe to see more videos like this. If you're selling your car, go to edmunds.com/sellmycar get a cash offer right now.
