[Hujorgen]

Good life to you! I currently own and absolutely love my 2018 Forested Limited. Great gas mileage, lots of technology which I love and it's just the right size for me. But I need more room for family and friends during planned trips throughout the western US next year. My wife is handicapped and uses a mobility scooter as her legs thus I am the only driver currently and hope some friends will join us to have others share the driving. The Forester holds the scooter in the back and our luggage is in the back seat. Don't realy want to use a roof rack but may have to if my fears of the Ascent are not proven false.

I like the concept of the Ascent but after reading the comments about problems in this forum I am having major reservations. Lots of engine, electrical, transmission and other problems with seemingly no solutions from the dealers and Subaru of America.

All cars have problems unless they never leave the showroom floor. Here is one forum post with problems and I looked at many more yesterday.

The Problem list.

I think it might be useful to get a list of problems with the new ascent. At no point should this be considered a bad review of the ascent. Almost every new car has some problems from the start. And most of them are simply user error. I think it might be useful to get a list of problems found...

www.ascentforums.com

I am wondering what others have come to get from the Ascent. Have most of the initial problems been addressed or is it time to wait on the Ascent until it gets better from the factory.

Thank you in advance.

I also purchased a 2014 Forester Premium with a dealer rebuild short block that has 12,000 on it since the rebuild and it sucks oil about 1 qt per 1,000 miles.

 

[Jim_in_PA]

Welcome to the forum. Speaking of forums, they are not the best place to ascertain things like major problems. Why? Because people who are unhappy tend to speak up and the much larger group of those who are happy are out driving around. That's human nature. The Ascent hasn't been perfect...no vehicle is...but there are no widespread issues, for the most part. And like any make and model, dealer service sometimes is at the forefront of customer satisfaction. In general, SOA does take care of people when that is the case. Ascent is also now in its third model year and yes, stuff that were "featured" in early vehicles have largely been addressed. My local dealer's service department is top-notch technically...the only thing I butt heads with them a little on is their preference to "bundle" services which is not how I want to buy them. We work it out

I have had zero issues with my Ascent over 21K miles. I did have a couple of recalls performed because that's why they are issued. Other than oil changes, the only expense I've had was new tires a few months ago. That was because of multiple pieces of metal in one of them in an irreparable area (ie accidental) and there was just enough wear on the OEM tires that replacing only one wasn't an option. (4WD/AWD vehicles have strict requirements around tire diameter variance and I was at 7/32 compared to 10/32 new for the same tire)

To your specific situation, the Ascent will be a nice step up for you in size and capacity. You may choose to utilize it a little differently than the Forester.. For example, since it sounds like you're shooting for more people to be riding for your planned travel, you might consider a hitch receiver mount platform for the scooter which will leave a reasonably large space for luggage and other cargo inside the cabin without having to do the roof rack dance. I've only even used a roof rack exactly one time in decades. I don't like them and don't use them. I would have opted for a "roof rack delete" from the factory if it had been offered. You will find the Ascent to be a comfortable vehicle for travel. It cruises very nicely and the ACC via Eyesight is very good to reduce stress. The Ascent is build on the Subaru Global Platform which is very tight compared to your MY18 Forester which pre-dates the global platform by one year. (Our MY20 Forester Limited drives like a smaller version of my MY19 Ascent)

 

[Ey31]

It's your money, do what you want.

 

[Merope]

As with any vehicle, there were some teething problems, the biggest being a run of bad transmission harnesses that caused terminal transmission failures and the PCV valve issue which affected other models as well. Those were still in the very small minority. With the 2021s, you're into the third model year so I think the Ascent would be a pretty safe bet.

 

[IndySubieFan]

Good life to you! I currently own and absolutely love my 2018 Forested Limited. Great gas mileage, lots of technology which I love and it's just the right size for me. But I need more room for family and friends during planned trips throughout the western US next year. My wife is handicapped and uses a mobility scooter as her legs thus I am the only driver currently and hope some friends will join us to have others share the driving. The Forester holds the scooter in the back and our luggage is in the back seat. Don't realy want to use a roof rack but may have to if my fears of the Ascent are not proven false.

I like the concept of the Ascent but after reading the comments about problems in this forum I am having major reservations. Lots of engine, electrical, transmission and other problems with seemingly no solutions from the dealers and Subaru of America.

All cars have problems unless they never leave the showroom floor. Here is one forum post with problems and I looked at many more yesterday.

The Problem list.

I think it might be useful to get a list of problems with the new ascent. At no point should this be considered a bad review of the ascent. Almost every new car has some problems from the start. And most of them are simply user error. I think it might be useful to get a list of problems found...

www.ascentforums.com

I am wondering what others have come to get from the Ascent. Have most of the initial problems been addressed or is it time to wait on the Ascent until it gets better from the factory.

Thank you in advance.

I also purchased a 2014 Forester Premium with a dealer rebuild short block that has 12,000 on it since the rebuild and it sucks oil about 1 qt per 1,000 miles.

2019 Ascent Limited -- purchased in April 2019 and now have almost 15,000 miles. It's a great car and we've had no issues whatsoever. I did have the two recalls done (transmission wiring harness and ECU reprogrammed). Only other issues was a hood shake at highway speed, which my dealer corrected as per the technical service bulletin. It is my wife's car and she loves it. One thing you might want to be aware of is that the mileage in the city for most people appears to be less than the 20 mpg EPA estimate for city driving -- we get 15 to 18 mpg in the city. However our overall mileage is right near the 22 mpg overall EPA figure (we do about 50% highway driving).

Overall, I think you will be happy and get great service from an Ascent -- we've driven 600,000 to 700,000 trouble-free miles in our eight Subarus since 1985. Good luck with your decision.

 

[Avster]

I bought a 2020 Ascent about a month ago and have >2300 miles. No issues whatsoever and love my car. I had a 2014 Acura MDX and had loads of issues even though it had decent reliability. We didn't buy a Forester because it was too small. I'm averaging about 20 mpg city and 25 mpg hwy. As long as you are okay with the MPG, then the car is a great option! Your choice, of course.

 

[SkiPro3]

I've owned, new, 2005, 2011, 2015 Foresters. I traded in the 2015 for my 2020 Ascent. Best decision ever. It really doesn't feel that much bigger at first, then if you get back behind the wheel of a Forester, you'll wonder how you could ever drive such a tiny car. Ha!
Test drive one and see for yourself. The biggest surprise to me was the sheer power the Ascent possessed. It was hard to believe the acceleration would be that impressive. Much smoother, quieter and quicker. Without the speedometer, 80 feels like 60 on the freeway.
Anyways, I'm sure glad I went with the Ascent. Everyone and every thing fits, no more shuttling stuff in and out for multi uses.

 

[budzster]

We went from a '15 to'18 Forester to an Ascent, so we were at the same decision as you.
Test drive one and you will not be disappointed, as I said on another thread the
extra curb weight and wheelbase give the ascent a secure feel. I loved the Forester's and on
occasion drive the '18 still as it was sold to family. After 2000mi driving the Ascent the Forester
feels like a toy, no disrespect. We buy Subaru's for their reliability and have never been to a dealership
for any reason. If gas mileage is at the top of your list you will not like the Ascent +or- 20mpg.

 

[Hujorgen]

Welcome to the forum. Speaking of forums, they are not the best place to ascertain things like major problems. Why? Because people who are unhappy tend to speak up and the much larger group of those who are happy are out driving around. That's human nature. The Ascent hasn't been perfect...no vehicle is...but there are no widespread issues, for the most part. And like any make and model, dealer service sometimes is at the forefront of customer satisfaction. In general, SOA does take care of people when that is the case. Ascent is also now in its third model year and yes, stuff that were "featured" in early vehicles have largely been addressed. My local dealer's service department is top-notch technically...the only thing I butt heads with them a little on is their preference to "bundle" services which is not how I want to buy them. We work it out

I have had zero issues with my Ascent over 21K miles. I did have a couple of recalls performed because that's why they are issued. Other than oil changes, the only expense I've had was new tires a few months ago. That was because of multiple pieces of metal in one of them in an irreparable area (ie accidental) and there was just enough wear on the OEM tires that replacing only one wasn't an option. (4WD/AWD vehicles have strict requirements around tire diameter variance and I was at 7/32 compared to 10/32 new for the same tire)

To your specific situation, the Ascent will be a nice step up for you in size and capacity. You may choose to utilize it a little differently than the Forester.. For example, since it sounds like you're shooting for more people to be riding for your planned travel, you might consider a hitch receiver mount platform for the scooter which will leave a reasonably large space for luggage and other cargo inside the cabin without having to do the roof rack dance. I've only even used a roof rack exactly one time in decades. I don't like them and don't use them. I would have opted for a "roof rack delete" from the factory if it had been offered. You will find the Ascent to be a comfortable vehicle for travel. It cruises very nicely and the ACC via Eyesight is very good to reduce stress. The Ascent is build on the Subaru Global Platform which is very tight compared to your MY18 Forester which pre-dates the global platform by one year. (Our MY20 Forester Limited drives like a smaller version of my MY19 Ascent)

Thank you for your input. I appreciate it. It is good to hear some positives regarding the Ascent. Regarding the hitch receiver mount for the scooter. In our case (and I only mention this for information and not to disregard your reply) the hitch receiver doesn't work for our situation. My wife isn't able to walk or drive so every time we stop I have to unload and then re-load the scooter on the car so she has mobility. Using a hitch receiver means I have to cover up the scooter from the bottom up and top down for dust, dirt and rain water kicked up by the wheels during every stop for meals, gas, stretching etc. and it is a lot of work. We have what is known as a "Go Go Traveller portable scooter that breaks down easy and I lift it into the back hatch area. A test driv e is the next step.

 

[Hujorgen]

As with any vehicle, there were some teething problems, the biggest being a run of bad transmission harnesses that caused terminal transmission failures and the PCV valve issue which affected other models as well. Those were still in the very small minority. With the 2021s, you're into the third model year so I think the Ascent would be a pretty safe bet.

Thank you for your reply.

 

[Hujorgen]

As with any vehicle, there were some teething problems, the biggest being a run of bad transmission harnesses that caused terminal transmission failures and the PCV valve issue which affected other models as well. Those were still in the very small minority. With the 2021s, you're into the third model year so I think the Ascent would be a pretty safe bet.

Sounds good. Thank you for your reply.

 

[Hujorgen]

It's your money, do what you want.

I am doing what I want.

 

[Hujorgen]

We went from a '15 to'18 Forester to an Ascent, so we were at the same decision as you.
Test drive one and you will not be disappointed, as I said on another thread the
extra curb weight and wheelbase give the ascent a secure feel. I loved the Forester's and on
occasion drive the '18 still as it was sold to family. After 2000mi driving the Ascent the Forester
feels like a toy, no disrespect. We buy Subaru's for their reliability and have never been to a dealership
for any reason. If gas mileage is at the top of your list you will not like the Ascent +or- 20mpg.

Thanks, gas mileage is a priority but I have to balance that for the convenience. I need more space to be able to enjoy the free time I have earned. Gas mileage isn't everything anymore. ;-)

 

[Hujorgen]

2019 Ascent Limited -- purchased in April 2019 and now have almost 15,000 miles. It's a great car and we've had no issues whatsoever. I did have the two recalls done (transmission wiring harness and ECU reprogrammed). Only other issues was a hood shake at highway speed, which my dealer corrected as per the technical service bulletin. It is my wife's car and she loves it. One thing you might want to be aware of is that the mileage in the city for most people appears to be less than the 20 mpg EPA estimate for city driving -- we get 15 to 18 mpg in the city. However our overall mileage is right near the 22 mpg overall EPA figure (we do about 50% highway driving).

Overall, I think you will be happy and get great service from an Ascent -- we've driven 600,000 to 700,000 trouble-free miles in our eight Subarus since 1985. Good luck with your decision.

Thank you for your reply. Most of my driving is rural ~80% with rare stop and go driving.

 

[Hujorgen]

I've owned, new, 2005, 2011, 2015 Foresters. I traded in the 2015 for my 2020 Ascent. Best decision ever. It really doesn't feel that much bigger at first, then if you get back behind the wheel of a Forester, you'll wonder how you could ever drive such a tiny car. Ha!
Test drive one and see for yourself. The biggest surprise to me was the sheer power the Ascent possessed. It was hard to believe the acceleration would be that impressive. Much smoother, quieter and quicker. Without the speedometer, 80 feels like 60 on the freeway.
Anyways, I'm sure glad I went with the Ascent. Everyone and every thing fits, no more shuttling stuff in and out for multi uses.

Great to hear it. Thank you for your reply

 

[Orbital911]

2019 Ascent Limited -- purchased in April 2019 and now have almost 15,000 miles. It's a great car and we've had no issues whatsoever. I did have the two recalls done (transmission wiring harness and ECU reprogrammed). Only other issues was a hood shake at highway speed, which my dealer corrected as per the technical service bulletin. It is my wife's car and she loves it. One thing you might want to be aware of is that the mileage in the city for most people appears to be less than the 20 mpg EPA estimate for city driving -- we get 15 to 18 mpg in the city. However our overall mileage is right near the 22 mpg overall EPA figure (we do about 50% highway driving).

Overall, I think you will be happy and get great service from an Ascent -- we've driven 600,000 to 700,000 trouble-free miles in our eight Subarus since 1985. Good luck with your decision.

Fuel mileage is a good thing to keep in mind when considering differences between it and a Forester. I like the poster above have had minor issues that have been taken care of by my excellent dealer nearby but the fuel mileage was a bit below what I was expecting and I really baby mine to get the best I can. When seats are down cargo room is great but a bit small when carting around more people which is why I use a cargo box for longer trips. My family and I love our third Subbie and thanks to the great engine I only miss my 08 Legacy GT a little bit at times. I think it drives solidly and feels like a smaller car, which I am partial to, plus the added stability on frequent trips over the passes from Western to Eastern WA and back make it a fun and safe vehicle which I totally recommend to anyone.

 

[Hujorgen]

Update on my initial post.
Happy owner of a brand new Ascent!
I set up a game plan and bought a 2021 Crimson Red Ascent Limited with package 23 and popular package #2 with an MSRP of $44,698 for $39,737 before sales tax and reg fees.

VIP pricing (ASPCA), and a $500 loyalty coupon from Subaru of America.

I highly recommend The Homework Guy videos on youtube. #thehomeworkguy

 

[lesanek]

Good life to you! I currently own and absolutely love my 2018 Forested Limited. Great gas mileage, lots of technology which I love and it's just the right size for me. But I need more room for family and friends during planned trips throughout the western US next year. My wife is handicapped and uses a mobility scooter as her legs thus I am the only driver currently and hope some friends will join us to have others share the driving. The Forester holds the scooter in the back and our luggage is in the back seat. Don't realy want to use a roof rack but may have to if my fears of the Ascent are not proven false.

I like the concept of the Ascent but after reading the comments about problems in this forum I am having major reservations. Lots of engine, electrical, transmission and other problems with seemingly no solutions from the dealers and Subaru of America.

All cars have problems unless they never leave the showroom floor. Here is one forum post with problems and I looked at many more yesterday.

The Problem list.

I think it might be useful to get a list of problems with the new ascent. At no point should this be considered a bad review of the ascent. Almost every new car has some problems from the start. And most of them are simply user error. I think it might be useful to get a list of problems found...

www.ascentforums.com

I am wondering what others have come to get from the Ascent. Have most of the initial problems been addressed or is it time to wait on the Ascent until it gets better from the factory.

Thank you in advance.

I also purchased a 2014 Forester Premium with a dealer rebuild short block that has 12,000 on it since the rebuild and it sucks oil about 1 qt per 1,000 miles.

Jim_in_pa is right not all happy campers will post but most unhappy will . U can just lease it for starting ....make the purchase later if you like it....so far happy camper

 

[burgessms]

Wife has a 2011 Forrester, I have 2019 Ascent

She gets 24mpg round trip to San Francisco, I get 26mpg. As soon as I get off the freeway and start / stop, I drop down to an average of 22mpg. Same roads, same elevation gain / loss

She fiddles with the old cruise control constantly, i love the smart cruise that maintains a distance from a slower car till they get out of the way.

The doors of the forrester feel and close like they are half the weight of the ascent doors. the ascent is heavier, tires cost more, and it has much more power.

 

[Jim_in_PA]

We have both a MY19 Ascent Touring and a MY20 Forester Limited. We love them both. The current generation of Forester feels kinda like a mini-Ascent to me. I drive both vehicles and do most of the driving for our household. Switching back and forth feels nearly seamless to me, other than the lack of the video rear-view in the Foz. If you need more space, Ascent is a good upgrade from the Forester, IMHO.