2025 Subaru Ascent Touring

The Subaru Ascent Touring is Subaru's largest vehicle, and it fulfills its role as a capable, safety-focused family hauler with characteristically understated competence. The standard Symmetrical AWD provides genuine all-weather confidence that few competitors offer as standard equipment, and the turbocharged Boxer engine delivers adequate power for most situations. The Touring trim brings leather seats, a panoramic moonroof, a Harman Kardon audio system, and driver assistance features that make long trips less fatiguing. Eight-passenger seating across three rows provides family flexibility, and the X-MODE system offers mild off-road capability. However, the Ascent's CVT transmission is a persistent weak point, introducing drone under acceleration and reducing the overall driving refinement. The fuel economy is mediocre for the class, and the engine can feel strained when fully loaded. Interior materials, while adequate, do not match the perceived quality of the Hyundai Palisade or Kia Telluride. At around $46,000, the Ascent Touring offers the unique combination of standard AWD and Subaru reliability, but it faces increasingly strong competition from more polished three-row alternatives.