Subaru Ascent Pricing: When You're Confident, You Don't Need to Undercut the Competition

Steph Willems
by Steph Willems

Subaru’s new range-topping crossover just dropped its pricing list, adding a new entry in the remarkably tight base MSRP battle waged among three-row Japanese midsizers.

The 2019 Ascent, a seven- or eight-passenger crossover with familiar styling and unsuspectingly large dimensions, doesn’t seem worried by the healthy sales enjoyed by its competitors, and certainly doesn’t feel the need to arrive at dealers this summer with a discount tag hanging from its sleeve.

In fact, its base price tops that of three well-established rivals.

The Ascent, which boasts a 113.8-inch wheelbase and 153.5 cubic feet of passenger volume, starts at $32,370 after delivery. This price gets you a base model with a standard second-row bench seat and the same continuously variable transmission and turbocharged 2.4-liter flat four (260 hp, 277 lb-ft) found in other trims. That’s nearly ten grand more than a base Forester.

Compared to its competitors, the Ascent is just a tad pricier than the Toyota Highlander ($32,025), Honda Pilot ($31,875), and Nissan Pathfinder ($32,015). Only the semi-upscale Mazda CX-9, which isn’t known for its third-row space, outflanks the Ascent in price, at $33,105. As we said, it’s a tight race.

Of course, Subaru has good reason to feel confident, even though its first midsize crossover — the B9 Tribeca — met with failure and, um, controversial quips over its appearance. As the U.S. new vehicle market continues its modest contraction, Subaru volume appears to know no ceiling. After selling 187,699 vehicles in the grim days of 2008, Subaru’s U.S. sales skyrocketed to 647,956 units last year — a 5.3-percent increase from 2016. Even January saw a year-over-year sales increase of 1.1 percent.

Subaru seems confident it knows what Americans want, and that they’ll find it in a vehicle offering full-time symmetrical all-wheel drive on all trims — something its competitors can’t boast. The Ascent’s Subaru Global Platform promises a stiff body and reduced road noise. Also standard is adaptive cruise control and emergency pre-collision braking, among other nannies, though you’ll need to shell extra cash for the full suite of safety aids.

Buyers can expect a familiar trim ladder, with Premium and Limited models offering both seating configurations. The top-spec Touring model is seven-passenger-only. Subaru claims its interior, when outfitted in seven-passenger guise, is the most adaptable in the segment.

The Premium range starts at $35,170 after delivery, adding blind-spot detection and rear cross-traffic alert, plus an 8.0-inch multimedia screen (base models get a 6.5-inch screen). A host of extra standard or available features appears at this level. Moving up to Limited costs a minimum of $39,970. There, you’ll find standard leather, 20-inch wheels, lower body cladding, keyless entry, push-button ignition, and steering-responsive headlights.

At the Touring level, the Ascent offers extra chrome and interior furnishings, including enhanced audio, every connectivity feature in Subaru’s toolkit, and a 180-degree front camera. This model will set you back $45,670 after delivery.

The Indiana-built Ascent rolls into dealers this summer.

[Images: Subaru of America]

Steph Willems
Steph Willems

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  • Gtem Gtem on Feb 17, 2018

    I predict that this will stem the bleeding of Subaru loyalists that begrudgingly upgrade to Highlanders and Pilots and such once they outgrow outbacks. These Ascents will print money for Subaru.

  • Amca Amca on Feb 18, 2018

    That thing's a rolling tragedy.

  • CanadaCraig You can just imagine how quickly the tires are going to wear out on a 5,800 lbs AWD 2024 Dodge Charger.
  • Luke42 I tried FSD for a month in December 2022 on my Model Y and wasn’t impressed.The building-blocks were amazing but sum of the all of those amazing parts was about as useful as Honda Sensing in terms of reducing the driver’s workload.I have a list of fixes I need to see in Autopilot before I blow another $200 renting FSD. But I will try it for free for a month.I would love it if FSD v12 lived up to the hype and my mind were changed. But I have no reason to believe I might be wrong at this point, based on the reviews I’ve read so far. [shrug]. I’m sure I’ll have more to say about it once I get to test it.
  • FormerFF We bought three new and one used car last year, so we won't be visiting any showrooms this year unless a meteor hits one of them. Sorry to hear that Mini has terminated the manual transmission, a Mini could be a fun car to drive with a stick.It appears that 2025 is going to see a significant decrease in the number of models that can be had with a stick. The used car we bought is a Mk 7 GTI with a six speed manual, and my younger daughter and I are enjoying it quite a lot. We'll be hanging on to it for many years.
  • Oberkanone Where is the value here? Magna is assembling the vehicles. The IP is not novel. Just buy the IP at bankruptcy stage for next to nothing.
  • Jalop1991 what, no Turbo trim?
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