2020 Subaru Ascent test drive

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Sep 23, 2008
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Ontario, Canada
I dropped off the Outback for servicing yesterday and they gave me a new Ascent Touring as a loaner for the day. Overall I surprised how much it was like our 18 Outback, looks pretty similar in the drivers seat with the same steering wheel and gauges. The steering is lighter than the Outback which is already pretty light, but the Ascent somehow has a bit of road feel left. The engine and chassis sounds and feels very close as well until you use alot of throttle, then the Ascent moves out pretty quickly compared to our car. Neither the door or centre arm rest are close enough to the steering wheel though as it kind of feels like they just spaced out the Outback seats and interior a couple inches for the extra width of the Ascent.
This was my first experience with the eyesight system, and initially the lane keep assist was kind of annoying, especially if you had too light a touch on the steering wheel as it ping pongs between lane lines. After a while you learn to know when its going to turn for you and when its not, and kind of start relying on it, but it doesn't take much of a corner for it to quit. When I got my car back for the first mile I found myself waiting for the light nudges on the wheel but its not like keeping the car in its lane is very challenging to do. I didn't go on any roads suitable to try the adaptive cruise but I suspect on a long interstate trip the lane keep assist and ACC might become nice to have. For 95% of my driving I can't say I'd want to pay anything for eyesight, I guess perhaps the emergency braking might save you if you are a distracted driver and are looking at your phone too much, but that isn't me.
The CVT and engine seem well matched and feel plenty strong and I can imagine the same drivetrain in the 1000lbs lighter Legacy and Outback must be more impressive. In Canada though, both the Legacy and Outback have to be optioned up to get the 2.4 turbo to more than the base Ascent in which case I'd probably just get the Ascent over the Outback as the mileage is pretty close.
 
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I previously posted I had no faith nor respect for the non turbo engines. I have a 17 3.6 OB with EyeSight. I also posted that the 2.5 Turbo in the Ascent had gotten really good reviews to date and had been out long enough to hear of early gremlins. Looking at the Ascent it sure is a OB on some Ivan Drago Rocky IV steroids. Really glad to hear your comments on the CVT. I've found the high torque model in my 17 to be really smooth and responsive (82k miles so far).

Lane assist...I agree. Works too well and is annoying. A lot of my roads are hilly and windy where you often leave your exact lane (if its even marked). I have found the EyeSight is remarkably reliable.
 
On the Mazda I turned off the intervention for lane assist as I could not get used to the car nudging me over. The only thing I see is a visible sign in the HUD and the vibrating steering wheel. As for Adaptive Cruise I found this to be worthwhile on longer trips. No more cancelling and restarting when slower traffic bogs up.

As for emergency braking, if it saves you from crashing then it has paid for itself the first time it activates. Mine did just a few days after we purchased it.
 
I previously posted I had no faith nor respect for the non turbo engines. I have a 17 3.6 OB with EyeSight. I also posted that the 2.5 Turbo in the Ascent had gotten really good reviews to date and had been out long enough to hear of early gremlins. Looking at the Ascent it sure is a OB on some Ivan Drago Rocky IV steroids. Really glad to hear your comments on the CVT. I've found the high torque model in my 17 to be really smooth and responsive (82k miles so far).

Lane assist...I agree. Works too well and is annoying. A lot of my roads are hilly and windy where you often leave your exact lane (if its even marked). I have found the EyeSight is remarkably reliable.
I didn't really think about the CVT being a different model than mine, they seemed programmed to behave the same. I think the 2.4t seemed to use the preprogrammed steps a bit less or you had less time to notice them. Subaru seems to be masters of reusing designs across multiple car and years which I guess is good for reliability once they get it right.
 
The Ascent is not the same transmission as any of the other Subarus or previous model years. It also uses its own CVT fluid, introduced for that car model only. Subaru in the current model year now uses four different CVT fluids that are not compatible nor interchangeable with each other. I believe Subaru has got the CVT completely down and solid across their whole model line. The one in the Impreza was new for 2020.
 
The Ascent is not the same transmission as any of the other Subarus or previous model years. It also uses its own CVT fluid, introduced for that car model only. Subaru in the current model year now uses four different CVT fluids that are not compatible nor interchangeable with each other. I believe Subaru has got the CVT completely down and solid across their whole model line. The one in the Impreza was new for 2020.

I did not know.

For this reason I am a staunch believer in dealer CVT maintenance. Sux but end of day it's worth it. They are finicky.
 
I did not know.

For this reason I am a staunch believer in dealer CVT maintenance. Sux but end of day it's worth it. They are finicky.
Yeah, iffy lube is not the place to go for these. It would be prudent to double check what they are going to use at even the subaru dealer. Doing a drain and fill doesn't appear to be that hard on youtube so hopefully my service dept can do it for a reasonable price.
 
Yeah, iffy lube is not the place to go for these. It would be prudent to double check what they are going to use at even the subaru dealer. Doing a drain and fill doesn't appear to be that hard on youtube so hopefully my service dept can do it for a reasonable price.

I had mine done at 75kin Westchester NY which is usually costly at a dealer! $225 or $235 for drain and fill. Can't remember exactly. 7k Later all good. The full flush is only $100 more. I have confidence in the Sub CVT so I do feel the maintenance is worth it if you are keeping it long term. If you will sell before 150k I'd let it ride. That's not me though.
 
I had mine done at 75kin Westchester NY which is usually costly at a dealer! $225 or $235 for drain and fill. Can't remember exactly. 7k Later all good. The full flush is only $100 more. I have confidence in the Sub CVT so I do feel the maintenance is worth it if you are keeping it long term. If you will sell before 150k I'd let it ride. That's not me though.
I'm at 80K, I have been thinking of getting a drain and fill which I thought might cost north of $200 as yours did. I'd be interested in your opinion on spark plugs, manual calls for change at 60K (mine are still original)?
 
The Ascent is not the same transmission as any of the other Subarus or previous model years. It also uses its own CVT fluid, introduced for that car model only. Subaru in the current model year now uses four different CVT fluids that are not compatible nor interchangeable with each other. I believe Subaru has got the CVT completely down and solid across their whole model line. The one in the Impreza was new for 2020.
Maybe the same fluid across all four with a different color dye? Judging by the replies here Sub has effectively boosted their service advisor bookings!
 
Maybe the same fluid across all four with a different color dye? Judging by the replies here Sub has effectively boosted their service advisor bookings!

Different fluids. Very specific. It's not something to be taken lightly. Subaru seems to have a good thing going with them but they are finicky to fluid and to the correct level of fill. This is all from service tech's. The place I settled on I'm not a fan of but I felt comfortable. They literally only allow 2 tech's to work on CVT's. They both have proper training. I realize it's not rocket science but it requires attention to detail and specific instructions followed.
 
I'm at 80K, I have been thinking of getting a drain and fill which I thought might cost north of $200 as yours did. I'd be interested in your opinion on spark plugs, manual calls for change at 60K (mine are still original)?

In my area the dealerships don't want to do them early or too late. If you plan on keeping the vehicle past say 150k I would want to do a drain and fill and keep doing them every 30k or so. That's just me. If you will sell or trade that confounds the matter.

I have 82k on my 3.6. I have no loss of mileage (I have averaged mix driving 24.3 (winter blend drops a mpg) for a very long time. I'm changing mine at 100k. It's not the easiest process on the 3.6 (not sure of the 2.5) so I'll wait as there are no presenting issues.
 
Different fluids. Very specific. It's not something to be taken lightly. Subaru seems to have a good thing going with them but they are finicky to fluid and to the correct level of fill. This is all from service tech's. The place I settled on I'm not a fan of but I felt comfortable. They literally only allow 2 tech's to work on CVT's. They both have proper training. I realize it's not rocket science but it requires attention to detail and specific instructions followed.

We see so many Subaru's at my indy shop that I can do the CVT services in my sleep. They REALLY aren't that hard, all you need is a scan tool and the smarts to order fluid from the DEALER ONLY, per the VIN. This is what we do, we have no problem running to the local Subie dealer and grabbing 6q of the proper fluid to not ruin a $4k transmission. We're also well versed in replacing the valve body's on the earlier units due to (usually) the TCC solenoid failing.
 
It’s not the same fluid with a different color, quite the opposite. Subarus makes the four different CVT fluids different colors so mechanics don’t use the wrong fluid and wreck the transmission, at Subaru’s expense.
 
We see so many Subaru's at my indy shop that I can do the CVT services in my sleep. They REALLY aren't that hard, all you need is a scan tool and the smarts to order fluid from the DEALER ONLY, per the VIN. This is what we do, we have no problem running to the local Subie dealer and grabbing 6q of the proper fluid to not ruin a $4k transmission. We're also well versed in replacing the valve body's on the earlier units due to (usually) the TCC solenoid failing.

I never espoused them as being difficult; there is a procedure and it needs to be adhered too. You and your shop have it down. The young man at Jiffy Lube or the "average Joe" used at the dealer to do oil changes is not the guy you want to rely on to follow the correct procedure. Easy to not take the temp reading at the correct time and therefore not have the correct fluid level. Bad thing for the Subaru CVT.
 
I was reading an Ascent forum that mentioned two Ascents at the same dealership had blown up CVTs soon after the wrong Subaru CVT fluid being put in them. Subaru fluid, but the wrong fluid. It was not the brand new fluid introduced for the Ascent.
 
I think the Ascent is a nice vehicle.

Subaru absolutely blew it by setting the GVWR at 6000 even.

At 6001 you get to take a section 179 deduction. Probably double sales if they went 1 lb up.

UD
 
I think the Ascent is a nice vehicle.

Subaru absolutely blew it by setting the GVWR at 6000 even.

At 6001 you get to take a section 179 deduction. Probably double sales if they went 1 lb up.

UD

Up to $25k deduction if over 6000 and under 14k.
 
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