Used 2020 Subaru Ascent SUV Consumer Reviews
Used Ascent for sale
1...
See Edmunds pricing data
Has Your Car's Value Changed?
Used car values are constantly changing. Edmunds lets you track your vehicle's value over time so you can decide when to sell or trade in.
2020 Ascent still hits a sweet spot, 4 years later
Satisfied Customer , 07/31/2019
updated 08/03/2023
2020 Subaru Ascent Touring 4dr SUV AWD w/7-Passenger (2.4L 4cyl Turbo CVT)
140 of 143 people found this review helpful
This is only a first impression and I will update it after I have owned the Ascent a bit longer but so I am very happy with the 2020 Touring. Folks who complain about the accelerator being too responsive must be lead footed- for me its responsiveness hits a sweet spot and is one of the main reasons I picked the Ascent over its competitors, which I found to be, for lack of better words, lumbering and clunky in their responsiveness. I'm also baffled by reviews that the engine is "loud" or that there is too much noise inside the car. I just called a friend using the hands free setup while driving on the highway and we both we commented how you could hear a pin drop during the call. The Ascent feels like a premium quality car and in particular I love the balance Subaru has struck in building in so many standard safety features without them feeling clunky or obtrusive. I don't have a large enough data set to comment on fuel efficiency. However, based on my experience so far, I can confirm I am thoroughly satisfied with the new 2020 Ascent and am happy to give it an emphatic five stars. Update: I have now owned the 2020 Ascent for two years and over 20,000 miles. It has met or exceeded all of my expectations during this time. I use it to commute into NYC where the potholes can be huge and require an all terrain vehicle, on ski trips when the roads are iced over, and when the rain is coming down so hard that there are flash flood warnings, and at all times have felt in control and safe. I truly love this car, and look forward to continuing to drive it for many years to come. I remain a thoroughly satisfied customer. I am now nearly 40,000 miles into owning my Subaru Ascent. I continue to love this car, as well as the Subaru service center that takes care of it. I find my Ascent to be dependable and comfortable, and currently my main issue that that my wife now wants to use it more and more for group excursions with our son and his schoolmates. I give the Ascent particularly high marks for control in inclement weather and rough terrain.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
Me happy
Florida Jack, 10/14/2019
2020 Subaru Ascent Touring 4dr SUV AWD w/7-Passenger (2.4L 4cyl Turbo CVT)
71 of 72 people found this review helpful
A previous reviewer questioned owners who claim the Ascent is noisy, and at 3K mi so do I. Tire noise is annoying over older and coarse concrete pavement on I-5, but other than that mine is quiet until 80 mph. I wouldn’t drive faster than that in a vehicle this big anyway. The new boxer engine’s torque is pretty amazing, especially when stabbing the throttle at 25 mph. Forget paddle shifters; just floor it! My four banger boxer engine also is vibration free — because it’s a boxer design, I’ve read. Boxer engine design also means lower center of gravity, which improves handling. My Ascent’s ride & handling seem very good to excellent for such a tall vehicle. Right now I’m getting 23.5 mpg over 1300 miles; other tankfuls have been as low as 19 mpg. All on cheap 87 octane. Pretty sweet for a torquey turbo engine IMO.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
Great all rounder, great value
Ed Weick, 02/02/2020
updated 08/05/2021
2020 Subaru Ascent Touring 4dr SUV AWD w/7-Passenger (2.4L 4cyl Turbo CVT)
36 of 36 people found this review helpful
I’m very happy with this car. It may not be the most exciting category of cars to shop in, but it’s an excellent daily companion which will make your life easier. As a daily driver for commuting to work, driving kids, dogs, shopping- it’s perfect. When it’s time to hit some trail heads for hiking, biking, or camp sites it’s a natural. With the seats folded down you can throw in an air mattress and camp right in the back. I’m continually surprised how comfortable and luxurious his car feels, and that’s coming from a BMW. It’s quiet, smooth, and has a very solid build quality that makes it feel like a much more expensive branded car. It’s really a tremendous value for the money. The eye sight features work very well and has made this the best highway cruiser I’ve ever had. If you’re concerned how the power train sounds on paper, don’t be. It works extraordinarily well. The car review industry hates CVTs, but this is the best I’ve driven. It’s so smooth and unobtrusive you’ll soon forget its there. The power is good. Great actually considering it’s a turbo 4, as a daily driver it has plenty of power. I disagree with Edmunds assessment of abrupt throttle response and being noisy at times. Fuel economy is OK depending on how much highway you do. If I do all local suburban driving I’ll average about 18.5 mpg, on highway it does fantastic, so if I have a tank that I mix even a few highway trips in, I’ll beat 20 mpg. The AWD system in this car is unstoppable. I’ve owned a lot of cars and this car is a great all rounder that does everything very well. Update: 15k miles in and still no issues, still a great car, still recommend. Update 20k miles, still no issues, still recommend
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
Sue is a delight
Dave, 10/22/2019
2020 Subaru Ascent Touring 4dr SUV AWD w/7-Passenger (2.4L 4cyl Turbo CVT)
90 of 93 people found this review helpful
I have the Touring Model with as many extras as I could get. I've owned the Mercedes R350 (my favorite car ever) and two xc90s (old model and new). The Ascent compares favorably to all of them when you factor in cost and maintenance. I've never felt safer in a car going faster than 80 MPH. The ride is smooth and quiet (I'm not getting the noise complaints). The only real issue is that the hood vibrates up and down at speed and can be distracting for a few minutes. Subaru could tighten the latch down better. The gas mileage is ok, but I wish it was better; it's still better than the XC90. It's a little sluggish getting up to speed, but I kind of expect that as well. The interior is just as nice as a luxury car and my kids love the USB ports and in-car WiFi. The third row is not for adults, but unless you are driving a Suburban or Expidition that is going to be the case anyway. The car is a bargain at half the price of most luxury brands with many of the same touches. I"m happy I bought it and would buy it again.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
Love this car!
rob, 02/21/2020
2020 Subaru Ascent Touring 4dr SUV AWD w/7-Passenger (2.4L 4cyl Turbo CVT)
61 of 63 people found this review helpful
I have driven a lot of different style cars in my time. A minivan, a Suburban, half tons, ambulances, coupes and crossovers, hmmwvs, and MRAPS. I recently purchased a 2020 Ascent Touring. I LOVE this car. With three growing kids a a new (giant) puppy, the two row crossover ('17 Volvo XC60) was no longer cutting it. Is the Ascent as nimble in handling as the Volvo? No. Is it as quick to accelerate? No, but the official 0-60 time of 8 seconds is greatly exaggerated. The thing moves surprisingly well, I would say 0 to 60 in approximately 7 seconds. But that is not really what is important, this car has EXCELLENT mid-range pull. It has all the power and acceleration you need for merging and passing. I love the seats, they are very comfortable. The extending thigh support works wonders for my back (herniated discs). This was a new feature for me and I didn't realize the impact it would have. It is only on the drivers seat though. I love the layout of the dashboard and the infotainment system is intuitive and fast. There are plenty of USB slots for charging and there is lots of storage spaces in the front row. The biggest change for me driving this vehicle was Eyesight. I have never driven a car with adaptive cruise control (which works fantastically). I have never driven a car with lane keep assist (works well). I have never had a car with a front view camera (to assist in parking) or with a camera built in to the rear view mirror (I have not gotten use to this and use the mirror, but it would be very useful if you had cargo or passengers blocking your line of sight). My car insurance dropped 40 dollars a month. The dealership I visited was great, no slimy sales tactics. I was impressed with the professionalism and the personalities of the people working there. I was wary of the CVT issues that I have seen from the 2019 model. I asked and they told me it was a software issue and it has been resolved since. Spending this much money on a vehicle loaded with electronics... I bought peace of mind by purchasing an extended warranty. I suppose you can put my lack of trust in the transmission as a negative. The engine noise was weird getting used to but it doesn't even register in my mind anymore. People have complained about the road noise. I typically drive on the highway from 70 to 75 mph and have not noticed anything louder than any other vehicle I have driven. I test drove the Pilot, the Palisade/Telluride, Highlander, and Durango. This car hit the sweet spot for my needs. Do I wish it had a V6? Sure, but the turbo engine is more than adequate. I will admit I wish I could justify spending the money to drive the 2021 GMC Yukon Denali... but its cost is twice what I paid for this vehicle. As I mentioned, I am in love with this car. I love the way it looks inside and out. I love the storage space and the practicality of the vehicle. I have a boat and the 5,000 pound towing capability will come in hand, but I have not tried that yet. I get compliments all the time, I feel like the value I got for my money is outstanding, and I have peace of mine for 8 years or 80k miles. It's nice to know there is a little bit of off road capability in the vehicle as well should it ever be required. I would absolutely recommend this vehicle.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
Family Adventures Galore
Root, 12/06/2019
2020 Subaru Ascent Limited 4dr SUV AWD w/7-Passenger (2.4L 4cyl Turbo CVT)
35 of 37 people found this review helpful
Love this vehicle so much! Took it through a blizzard and the manual transmission option and AWD with All Season tires was amazing. The handling is great, especially for a car that fits 7 people. The space to move is really nice, and my 6'4" husband can easily sit in any seat in the vehicle. The gas mileage is less than ideal, but absolutely worth it for the amount of safety features and handling this thing has. It's my first Subaru and I'm looking forward to all the adventures we get to take it on.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
Great SUV except for low speed acceleration
John D, 06/02/2020
2020 Subaru Ascent Touring 4dr SUV AWD w/7-Passenger (2.4L 4cyl Turbo CVT)
13 of 13 people found this review helpful
We purchases a Touring Edition in January 2020, but due to the corona virus situation, the SUV has accumulated less than 1,000 miles so far. My only complaint about this car is a hesitation that occurs when accelerating from a stop. When engine speed reaches approximately 2,000 rpm, there is a noticeable loss of power, and the car will no longer accelerate. This can be disturbing, especially if accelerating up an incline. Pressing the gas pedal will result in an immediate power surge and the car will leap ahead. My concern is that this hesitation problem will result in (a) another car rear - ending me, or (b) me rear-ending a vehicle I am following. I'm fairly certain the problem is caused by the simulated transmission shifts that Subaru has installed in response to earlier customer complaints regarding its CVT transmission. I have contacted both the dealer and a Subaru representative, and was told that no measures are being taken to address this situation. Other than this, I am finding the Ascent to be a very fine vehicle.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
All good......but!
Kevin L., 01/10/2020
updated 01/10/2022
2020 Subaru Ascent Limited 4dr SUV AWD w/8-Passenger (2.4L 4cyl Turbo CVT)
24 of 26 people found this review helpful
Overall a great SUV with plenty of room and comfortable ride. Purchased the Ascent mainly because of great reviews, the Subaru name and the overall look. Decent acceleration but fairly loud noise from engine. When car is cold there is a loud whine in engine that goes away once the engine is warm. Dealership claimed the engine whine was a bad transmission (3,000 miles) and replaced it. Whine is still there and vehicle seems to hold back until engine warm. Dealer now says it is normal. Brakes did not feel normal when applied abruptly. Dealer resurfaced brakes and brakes now ok. Gas mileage is not good especially around town, maybe about 14mpg. Occasional hesitation from a full stop. Hard to believe the limited model does not have rain sensing wipers.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
An unfortunate purchase
Ryan , 03/06/2020
updated 03/09/2021
2020 Subaru Ascent Limited 4dr SUV AWD w/7-Passenger Technology Pkg (2.4L 4cyl Turbo CVT)
44 of 49 people found this review helpful
Three months into ownership and we're experiencing what we've come to find out is a known issue with this particular car and motor, oil dilution, which leads to a dreadfully potent fuel smell both inside the cabin and outside the vehicle. UPDATE: Subaru replaced our vehicle with a new Ascent and the new one still exhibits the same fuel smell characteristics as the one they replaced. Subaru has built fine cars in the past but their new ones are riddled with problems. Stay away unless you like rolling the dice.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
2020 is not clear of 2019 defects
smoky_mountains, 08/31/2019
updated 09/03/2020
2020 Subaru Ascent Premium 4dr SUV AWD w/7-Passenger Sporty Pkg (2.4L 4cyl Turbo CVT)
144 of 164 people found this review helpful
Updated. What a letdown this brand new car was! Endless quality issues with shaking/vibrating middle seats to squeaks and rattles throughout the cabin and now all failing transmissions reported by hundreds of people. I owned 4 Subarus over the years and Ascent on paper is a perfect vehicle for us. 7 seats, offroad, symmetric AWD. We test drove it for 1.5 days driving it on highways and local roads. We have been impressed with low-end torque it takes off from stop really well. Fairly quiet at low speeds, comfortable seats. Problems appeared at 70 mph - noise from wind and tires, vibration in the middle seats that kids complained about, crickets in the dashboard, rattle in the headrest. Car had 16 miles on the odometer - brand new. We have looked at the gaps in the sheetmetal panels to see if that is the source of wind noise, indeed uneven gaps on the front passenger door and hood. I must say that quality Ascents do exist and probably a majority of Ascents are good. Two that I have tested 2019 and 2020 were far from quality. Reason I am writing here because Edmunds is independent from a manufacturer. If you go to Subaru forums and discuss the Cons of the Ascent openly, your reviews will be removed and you will be banned by Subaru Ambassadors. It happened to me, they claimed I was a spammer from another brand, there many reasons to ban people. I use the same id on every forum and have nothing to hide. Be aware that forums are no longer true source of knowledge that they used to be 10 years ago when they were bought and now they are sources of advertising revenue and heavily moderated by the advertisers and you will not get the true picture there if you are deciding about your next vehicle. Consumer Reports, Edmunds are great sources indeed and Consumer Reports did get an excellent Ascent with zero issues. It pains me to see that even trusted Japanese brands are relaxing Quality standards. Our 2014 vehicle is quieter than 2020 that we also tested.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
1...