Subaru is renowned for rugged, reliable, and downright practical vehicles that walk that fine line between on-road comfort, safety, functionality, and mild off-road and lousy weather capability. The 2021 Subaru Ascent is the largest SUV that the company makes and offers seating for up to 8 people in three rows. It comes standard with all-wheel-drive.
The 2021 Subaru Ascent gets just one engine option; a gutsy 4-cylinder turbocharged engine making 260 horsepower and 277 lb-ft of torque. On curving roads, the mid-sized SUV is slightly sporty with solid handling, steering, and braking, making it feel like a smaller vehicle than it really is. The standard all-wheel-drive system gets Subaru’s X-Mode which comes with hill descent control and active torque vectoring.
Trims to make more passenger space
There are four trims to choose from, Ascent (base), Premium, Limited, and Touring.
The basic version of the 2021 Ascent comes with a wall of standard features. Outside the Ascent cabin, these include all-wheel drive, 18-inch alloy wheels, roof rails, active torque vectoring, hill-descent control, and steering-responsive LED headlights with automatic high beams. Inside, you get 8-occupant seating, EyeSight driving assistance features, 3-zone automatic climate control, air vents in all three rows, cloth upholstery, rear-seat reminder, 6-way manually adjustable driver’s seat, seat belt reminders for all three rows, reclining/60/40 split-folding 2nd-row and 3rd-row seats, a 6.5-inch infotainment touchscreen, satellite radio, AM/FM/CD stereo, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto smartphone integration, four USB ports, Bluetooth, and 19 cup holders. The base Ascents starts at $32,295 plus a destination fee of $1,050.
You can choose to swap out the second-row bench seat at the Premium trim level with a pair of captain’s chairs, which brings passenger capacity down to 7. The Premium trim starts at $34,795 plus destination. The Limited trim adds The Limited a long list of features that raises the price to $39,393.
At the top of the Ascent lineup is the Touring model. The model gets all the Limited trim features and adds perforated leather upholstery, ventilated front seats, an 8-inch touchscreen, rain-sensing wipers, panoramic moonroof, an upgraded Harmon-Kardon sound system, smart rearview mirror, and 180-degree front camera. Prices for the Ascent start at $45,445 plus destination.
We’d recommend opting for the Premium trim on the 2021 Subaru Ascent since it adds safety features and comfort, and you can opt for second-row captain’s chairs at this level. Subaru has a very strong 5-Year Cost to Own reputation and solid resale values.
Here’s the Complete Rundown on 2021 Subaru Ascent Trims and Prices:
2021 Subaru Ascent: $32,295
- All-wheel drive
- 18-inch alloy wheels
- Tri-zone automatic climate control
- Steering-responsive LED headlights
- EyeSight safety features
- 6.5-inch infotainment touchscreen
2021 Subaru Ascent Premium: $34,795
- Blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert
- 8-way power-adjustable driver’s seat
- Leather-wrapped steering wheel
- Heated front seats/side mirrors
- Second-row independent climate control
2021 Subaru Ascent Limited: $39,595
- Keyless entry/ignition
- Powered tailgate
- Reverse automatic braking
- LED fog lights
- 20-inch alloy wheels
- 10-way power-adjust driver’s seat/4-way power-adjust front passenger seat
- Six USB ports
- Heated 2nd-row seats
2021 Subaru Ascent Touring: $45,445
- Perforated leather upholstery
- Ventilated front seats
- 8-inch touchscreen
- Rain-sensing wipers
- Panoramic moonroof
- Harman Kardon surround-sound system
- Smart rearview mirror
- 180-degree front-view camera
Ready to buy a 2021 Subaru Ascent Premium? Shop for one on sale now near you.
