Used 2019 Subaru Ascent Limited SUV Review

Subaru is back in the big SUV game. One of the last major mainstream automakers lacking a three-row SUV comes out swinging with the brawny 2019 Subaru Ascent. This isn't Subaru's first three-row SUV effort, the generally unloved Tribeca. It quietly slipped out the door five years ago after eight years of unremarkable sales, not helped any by the car's small third row and large thirst for fuel.

The Ascent is an altogether different SUV. With standard seating for eight passengers, or seven if specified with optional captain's chairs in the second row, the Ascent offers nearly 32 inches of third-row legroom, about the same as its Honda Pilot rival. Its 86.5 cubic feet of maximum cargo space means you'll rarely run out of room for gear and luggage, while a new turbocharged four-cylinder engine not only returns 23 mpg combined, but can also tow up to 5,000 pounds.

Subaru equips the Ascent with standard all-wheel drive, a Subaru signature feature that drivers in wet weather areas will appreciate. And with 8.7 inches of ground clearance, the Ascent should also prove capable of getting far off the highway when the mood strikes.

Overall, the 2019 Subaru Ascent looks to be an ideal pick for a three-row SUV, but we'll know more for sure once we conduct a full test in the coming months.

Notably, we picked the 2019 Ascent as one of Edmunds' Best Midsize SUVs and Best Gas Mileage SUVs for this year.

The 2019 Subaru Ascent is available in base, Premium, Limited and Touring trim levels. Base models offer good value, especially with driver assistance features, but the Premium adds more of today's desirable features, such as heated seats and a Wi-Fi hotspot. The Limited classes things up with leather upholstery, while the Touring maxes out the Ascent's luxury, convenience and safety features.

All use a turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine (260 horsepower, 277 pound-feet of torque) paired to a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT). All-wheel drive comes standard across the lineup.

Base models start with 18-inch wheels, roof rails, automatic headlights, 60/40-split folding second- and third-row seats, tri-zone automatic climate control, a height-adjustable driver's seat, a rearview camera, four USB ports (two in front, two in the second row), a 6.5-inch touchscreen display, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration, and a six-speaker audio system with satellite radio.

Also included is Subaru's EyeSight driver assist technology, which bundles forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control and lane departure warning.

The Premium trim adds heated side mirrors, a windshield wiper de-icer, a power-adjustable driver's seat, heated front seats, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, rear-seat climate controls, spill-resistant cloth upholstery, and an upgraded multimedia system with an 8-inch touchscreen, voice controls, and a 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot. The Premium trim also includes blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert, as well as towing capacity of up to 5,000 pounds.

Subaru offers a couple of optional packages for the Premium. The OP 12 package bundles a power liftgate with preferred height memory, keyless access and ignition, a panoramic sunroof, an auto-dimming mirror, and reverse automatic braking, which applies the brakes to avoid a collision while in reverse. An OP 14 version has those features plus 20-inch wheels, a panoramic sunroof, a navigation system and a cargo area cover. When you pick one of these packages, second-row captain's chairs (seven-passenger max capacity) also become available.

The Limited is also available in a seven- or eight-passenger seating configuration and adds on to the Premium with the contents of the OP 12 package, 20-inch wheels, adaptive LED headlights, automatic high beams, LED foglights, leather upholstery, a power-adjustable front passenger seat, additional driver-seat adjustments, heated outboard second-row seats, rear door sunshades, dual third-row USB ports, and additional leather cabin accents.

An optional package for the Limited trim gets you the panoramic sunroof, navigation system, cargo, cover and a 14-speaker Harman Kardon premium sound system.

The Touring trim bundles all of the Limited's features and options, then adds chrome exterior accents, automatic wipers, ambient cabin lighting, upgraded leather upholstery, ventilated front seats, a heated steering wheel, a 120-volt household-style power outlet, a total of eight USB ports, a front-view camera display, and a rearview mirror with a rearview camera image, which lets you see out back even if your normal view is blocked by passengers or cargo.