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2021 Touring vs. Ascent Drive Quality (and opinions of silver color)

10K views 55 replies 19 participants last post by  Percy Garris 
#1 ·
Hi fellow Subie groupies!

After a LOT of thinking, I’m about to pull the trigger on putting a deposit down on a new Ascent. The (quiet yet frumpy and expensive!!) Honda Pilot gave it a run for its money, but I so fondly remember my 2013 Outback Limited (selling that thing last year was a big mistake!) that I think it’s time to return to a trusty Subaru rather than venture to an untested Honda. I also live in Alaska and have a hard time believing what feels like at least 50% of people here are wrong about the most appropriate Alaska vehicle - Outbacks still dominate our roads, but Ascents are also everywhere.

Anyway, I need to pick an Ascent trim. Both a Touring and Limited (with pano roof, nav, better speakers, etc) are available at roughly the same ETA. I don’t need all of the Touring bells and whistles and prefer the Limited’s blue color option but I will pay for the quieter, cushier trim if there is indeed a difference between the two. Finding any Ascents to repeatedly test drive is impossible, so I can’t directly compare how each trim feels. Can someone help? Are they different? I saw someone on this forum’s anecdote that the Touring absolutely rode better than the Limited, which has really complicated my decision (had nearly settled on the Limited when I read that!). As an engineer, I have a very hard time seeing Subie make major design tweaks between the two upper trims. What can y’all tell me about this?

Also welcome your two cents about the silver colored Touring. I’ve never been crazy about silver cars, but maybe this one looks okay with all the chrome accents elsewhere on the car? My dream would be the blue Touring with the brown leather but that’s not viable given dealer stock (or lack thereof) and my timing. First world problem, right?
 
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#2 ·
You can always try your luck contacting other dealers for the model/color of your choice. Some may make delivery arrangements to other states/regions or you could fly out and drive it back.

Not sure why a Limited and Touring would reportedly drive different as they are virtually identical except for a few features. That noted, the Limited and Touring will drive somewhat different from the base and Premium models based on the difference in tire size, though. The base and Premium have 18-inch wheels/tires with slightly taller sidewalls giving a bit more forgiving ride, while the Limited and Touring have 20-inch wheels/tires that may corner a bit better but have thinner sidewalls that result in bit more of a firm ride compared to the lower models - although not offensive. Some dealers have allowed/arranged for buyers to get 18 or 20-inch wheels. That noted, lots of aftermarket options for wheels and tires.
 
#8 ·
You can always try your luck contacting other dealers for the model/color of your choice. Some may make delivery arrangements to other states/regions or you could fly out and drive it back.

Not sure why a Limited and Touring would reportedly drive different as they are virtually identical except for a few features. That noted, the Limited and Touring will drive somewhat different from the base and Premium models based on the difference in tire size, though. The base and Premium have 18-inch wheels/tires with slightly taller sidewalls giving a bit more forgiving ride, while the Limited and Touring have 20-inch wheels/tires that may corner a bit better but have thinner sidewalls that result in bit more of a firm ride compared to the lower models - although not offensive. Some dealers have allowed/arranged for buyers to get 18 or 20-inch wheels. That noted, lots of aftermarket options for wheels and tires.
Not trying to be snide, but it's time for a quick geography lesson! Alaska is VERY far from the mainland. Assuming I could find exactly what I want at a Subaru dealer in NW Washington, this is what the drive home would look like:
13122

You're looking at three days minimum, 3k ROUGH miles, gas and hotels, and a crapload of wear and tear on a brand new vehicle (you're guaranteed a cracked windshield at a minimum). I would have to basically steal the Ascent from the dealer to have that make any economic or practical sense. Shipping the car from that same place is $2700 (I've researched this thoroughly) and can escalate up to $5-6k for east coast dealers.

In exchange for living in the most beautiful place on earth, Alaskans must accept being held hostage by the most arrogant, entitled, and, frankly, lazy car dealers you can imagine. Since I'm seeing basically no wiggle room on Ascent pricing - correct me if I'm wrong, but you're paying MSRP for these these cars AND waiting for them regardless of where you are in the US - I need to bite the bullet and just pick from what our TWO statewide Subaru dealers have on order. I'd need a few (up to 6) grand off MSRP to cover shipping from the L48 and just don't see that happening in this environment. At this point, I consider myself lucky that these cars are still going for "only" MSRP here given what I'm hearing about Kia and Hyundai SUV pricing. Subaru staying classy, I suppose.

Since I have absolutely no negotiating power, I'm very tempted to design and order exactly what I want rather than spend the same amount of money and compromise on a bad (silver blahhh) color, but that's 3+ months delay; haven't decided if the wait is worth it since that could mean a lot of obnoxious carpooling with the hubs. (He's already about to strangle me from all the Ascent chatter.) Furthermore, if I'm going to wait that long, I should just wait a tiny bit longer for the 2022s since rumor is the MSRPs on those isn't changing materially.

For all the vehicular headache and heartache, a great thing about cars in Alaska is their depreciation curves, particularly on Subarus. If I so choose, I'll be able to sell the Ascent in 3-4 years for near what I paid. Since the current market is totally bonkers, the thought has crossed my mind to buy one of the ones I have access to next month, order the dream Ascent, and then sell the original car. Odds are I could make a little money on that transaction. Strange times.

::Geography lesson / rant over::

I definitely get that tire size will matter. I'm firmly in the 20" wheel camp so the Limited and Touring really should ride the same, like you've said.
 
#3 ·
The Touring absolutely did feel different. I preferred it. I can't blame it all on the tires. The seats were firmer. It was quieter inside. I suspected more or improved sound deadening material. Or.it could have been the rubber not cloth mats. Mine did have the seat back and cargo rubber already installed too. Steering seemed slightly tighter (may have been the tires); the difference was subtle and unless you drove both within 15 minutes you never notice. The front and xtra rear cameras have come in handy already.

Give me a color, almost any color. Not white black or silver, lol!
 
#9 ·
The Touring absolutely did feel different. I preferred it. I can't blame it all on the tires. The seats were firmer. It was quieter inside. I suspected more or improved sound deadening material. Or.it could have been the rubber not cloth mats. Mine did have the seat back and cargo rubber already installed too. Steering seemed slightly tighter (may have been the tires); the difference was subtle and unless you drove both within 15 minutes you never notice. The front and xtra rear cameras have come in handy already.

Give me a color, almost any color. Not white black or silver, lol!
Did you ask any questions to confirm your suspicion about more sound deadening material in the Touring? How long did you spend in each and what trims are you comparing for the seat firmness, steering tightness, etc?

I'll absolutely have rubber mats and rubber seat back covers installed; I hadn't thought about how those might dull road noise a bit. Hmmm....
 
#4 ·
Rubber floor mats would certainly have that effect of quietening the road noise a bit. Whether the panoramic sunroof shade (optional on the Limited) was open or closed - would also impact the transmission of sound into the cabin. While I'm sure I drove a demo vehicle at the dealership, I believe they only had one model and the time in it was very limited due to demand at the time. The first Ascent I actually spent any decent amount of time in was the Touring we ordered and bought 6+ months later when it was delivered from the factory. Therefore, I cannot personally speak to any subtle differences between a Limited and Touring for feel and performance - but the only (signficant) listed differences are:
  • Second-row captain's chairs
  • STARLINK Multimedia Navigation
  • 14-speaker 792-watt-equivalent Harman Kardon premium audio system
  • Panoramic power moonroof
  • 180-Degree Front-View Monitor
  • Body colored or chrome ascent pieces and mirrors
For us, the additional kit on the Touring made the difference. All that noted, the Limited and Touring reflect one less MPG than the base and Premium - so there's does appear to be some weight related differences between the lower two and upper two models.
 
#11 ·
I'm only considering an optioned out Limited, which, for $3k, gives you the pano roof (a non-negotiable for me), better speakers, and nav, so many of the Touring "perks" are removed. I don't consider captains chairs a perk; can go either way on that one (the Limited I have access to does have them, meh). Two things the Touring does have that you cannot option into a Limited are auto wipers and ventilated seats; these are nice to haves but not mandatory. I don't have auto wipers now and only use ventilated seats a half dozen times a year in Alaska.

I can see the front view camera being useful since we have dogs running about our property, but have read reports that it shuts off very quickly and at super low speeds; can you confirm? It seems that people use the rear-facing camera a lot; I can see this becoming a "necessary luxury" like a backup camera has become...not sure I want to tread in those waters yet! I suppose with our large Saint Bernard in the back, a camera that lets me see past him would improve safety. I am curious to learn more about the day-to-day functioning of both of these cameras.

The thing that would immediately put me at ease about forking over an extra $2800 for the Touring is a relatively high level of confidence that it will ride nicer. I don't think this is the case.
 
#5 ·
The fuel economy estimate difference between Base/Premium and Limited/Touring is due, at least in part, to the difference in wheel sizes between the two trims (the larger wheels add rotational mass). We have a Touring and generally average about the Base/Premium's estimate, but there are way too many factors involved to predict what any one person will get in terms of fuel economy. Climate, geography, terrain, driving style...they all play significant influencing roles in that.

In addition to the features listed by @TwoHats above, the exclusive Touring features we really like are the ventilated seats (perhaps not a factor for those in Alaska!) and the Smart rearview mirror, where you can use it in conventional mirror mode or as a video monitor for a high-mounted rear camera (separate from the backup camera in the license plate area). We have our mirror in video monitor mode nearly 100% of the time. Other Touring features that I preferred, not available on other trims, were some of the cosmetic things. I preferred the satin mirrors and chrome door handles to the body colored ones on Limited and below. I preferred the Java Brown and woodgrain patterned trim. I preferred the upgraded leather on the Touring's steering wheel. We like all the interior accent lighting in the Touring. Optioned the way we would have bought a Limited (with roof and navigation), it'd have been about $1,500 less than a Touring and we thought all of the other exclusive Touring features were worth the extra cost. We use some way more often than we thought we would (like the front and rear cameras).
 
#14 ·
How did you option out the Limited to only be $1500 less than the Touring? I've done countless builds online and the delta is $2800. Did you just get a good deal?

I wouldn't blink at paying for the Touring if I could get the Java Brown leather and the wood accents - it is gorgeous and I loved it in my Outback. Issue is, I can't get that leather on the Touring that's available and there is no line of sight on when an Ascent with that leather will be ordered. If I'm going to be stuck with black leather (still a million times better for my dirty doggy life than light colored leather), save the cash and just get the optioned out Limited with the same black leather. But your feedback about the cameras is making me think. They seem like things you didn't know you needed until you have them. I also like auto wipers.
 
#6 ·
The optioned out Limited is nice, but I really do like and use the additional features that the Touring provides. The single things with the Touring that I'd like to be different is the availability of a light colored interior, such as the "dove grey" we have in our MY20 Forester Limited. But the Java is fine and pretty much identical other than in exact shade to the interior I had on the Grand Cherokee I drove previously.

Ascent will do well in your geography as it can be just as nimble as the Outback in those times where conditions are more severe in winter as well as comfortable when dealing with the unprecedented hot, too. And...more space, higher seating view, etc.
 
#18 ·
My Outback was a TANK in the snow. So, so awesome. There was nothing I couldn't get through in that sucker and boy was some gnarly stuff thrown at it. The winter driving confidence I had in my Outback is why I nixed the Honda Pilot for the Ascent. I know Subaru makes an "Alaska tough" car, so why mess with something that isn't broken. We also now live seven miles back in a mountain valley and have a 900' long switch-backed gravel driveway; I have no doubt the Ascent will keep me safe on that twisty, turny, narrow, sometimes-icy road and shuffle right on up the driveway without issue. Once we moved to our current house, I was not happy with the Outback's visibility and lower seating position so got rid of it and bought a glorious F-150. The truck has been comfy, fun, and practical for a lot of things, but we already have another truck in our family and I'm tired of not being able to do u-turns, having to park in the back of lots, and just dealing with VERY large vehicle probz. The Ascent seems like a great way to square the circle. I have no doubt I'll love it.

Question for folks with Touring trims in wintery climates - does the front-facing EyeSight system work well in active snow? What about the rear-view camera? Since both are inside the vehicle, they shouldn't get gummed up with moisture like the front sensor on my truck periodically does. Do the front and back wipers adequately clear debris from them?
 
#7 ·
You've received comments on the options; those might sway the direction you choose. It's been a while since I've checked, but silver cars have traditionally had higher collision rates than other colors. Has to do with blending with the horizon in distance vision. Silver is also almost impossible to color match of you ever require body work and touchups. Only black is less forgiving.

Personally, despite buying a Touring, I wish that Subaru would have offered a moon roof delete and Captain's chair delete and while we're on the delete wishlist, delete 20"wheels. I chose the Touring to get the smart mirror and front camera. There was practically nothing else in the Touring bundle that I found necessary or better than lower trim levels. After a year of ownership, I probably would not have bought the Touring. The front camera isn't implemented well, I've written extensively about it in other threads. The smart mirror is nice and useful but not a great justification for jumping to the Touring.

As an engineer, if you read Consumer Reports, be aware that the road test score was determined on 18" wheels. They've never published a score for the 20's but I've communicated with CR and they stated that the ride was noisier and rougher on the 20's. As an Alaskan you might want to make note of ride harshness while testing both 20's and 18's. The 20's handle better but they don't make the Ascent into a sports car. There are also more snow tires options for the 18.

Another Alaska point, make sure you have windshield replacement insurance.
 
#13 ·
Our local Subaru dealer has exactly ONE new model for sale...a silver 2021 Legacy sedan. Everything else is gone. And they say that the next few trucks' worth of new cars are pre-sold. It's just a tough market right now for buying cars.

Regarding the cameras, we use both front and rear cameras all the time. We park in a standard 2-car garage but I have a workbench on the end wall and want to pull the Ascent in just far enough to where the garage door will close, to maximize the space in front of it. I'd also like to be able to pull the Ascent into the garage just far enough that the rear liftgate will open without hitting the closed garage door (so we can pack the car when it's raining or snowing or whatever). So I have two bright tape marks on the floor and we use the front camera every time we pull into the garage. When we pull forward enough so that the first tape mark is just no longer visible, then we're in far enough to close the garage door. When we pull forward enough so that the second tape mark is just no longer visible, then we're in far enough to close the garage door and have the rear liftgate open.

The rear camera (in the mirror that comes with the Touring) is nice because you don't have to adjust the mirror for different drivers. It's truly like a television display when it's on, and the viewing angle isn't critical. I really like the brightness and fullness of the color picture and find that my older eyes can more easily see what's going on behind me when in television mode than a mirror. I find that I have to look "into" the mirror for longer, and let my eyes re-focus on that 3-dimension visual, before I get good clarity on what's behind me. Television mode, however, presents a 2-dimensional image for me to look at and I can acquire objects with my eyes much faster in that mode.

The rearview mirror is probably the biggest surprise to us, in terms of a Touring feature we didn't think we cared about but find that we use all the time.

I will say that I also fold the outside mirrors a lot. That's also a Touring specific feature. I fold the mirrors in our garage (for more room, fewer brushes against the mirrors, etc.) and I fold the mirrors when parked.
 
#21 ·
Yep, same here, everything is pre-sold / reserved. One dealer requires a $500 deposit, the other doesn't care about that; both dealers know they can sell the car immediately if whoever has reserved it backs out. Once you accept that you're paying MSRP and might not get the color or trim you want, it's actually a fairly low-pressure sales environment. You will get what you get and you will like it...or someone else will! Our car dealership lots across all brands are truly depressing to see. Bare parking lots for days.

Very helpful feedback on the front and rear cameras. They both sound very practical even if excessive! I imagine both will come standard on most cars in the next five years. Even though the Touring isn't cheap, those sorts of bells and whistles for the price make it a great value IMO. If you price out the top-tier Pilot, you're past $50k and still missing some of this stuff, on top of having a car that looks dumb (although they are very quiet). A new Highlander will cost even more than that and looks worse than the Pilot!
 
#19 ·
Black or white colors are boring or muted color. A color that's between black and white w/ metallic (i.e. silver) is almost boring or muted.

p.s. I own a white Limited ... lol
Although it's not my favorite color (that would be the blue), I would kill for a white Touring with the Java Brown leather. When clean, which is never in my life TBH, that thing would be absolutely heavenly.

Totally agree about the silver. Whyyyyyy is it a color option, whyyyyy. Anything else would be better!!
 
#32 ·
I used to live up in Alaska, and both my '82 GL wagon and my '95 Outback were awesome in the snow, which made me a Subaru loyalist for life. No longer live in Alaska, but I know our Ascent would be as great if not better, and it did great up on Mt Hood this winter the couple times we headed up there. We love our Limited, and for us 8 seats was a need, but I'm sure either the Limited or Touring will end up making you very happy.
 
#33 ·
Looks like I missed a lot of solid responses in the last day or so. I've always wanted to drive a car/motorcycle to Alaska since I had family assigned there, but I do see your point about the challenges of doing so - especially in a new car. Apologies if that suggestion came across as cavalier.

As suggested though, you may be able to find a dealer in the Lower 48 willing to give you a discount. This may help to offset at least some of the cost to ship to your location. It might take several calls/e-mails, but there are some dealers still offering them, even in this buying environment.
 
#34 ·
We decided on a new Touring (White/w/Black int) several months ago and have been very happy with the choice. The extra amenities and nice trim are well worth the extra expense in my book. We lived in Alaska for 15 years and I understand your concerns about driving a brand new car up the ALCAN. I did it once in a brand new STI that I bought in WA state, since they were really tough to get below MSRP in state. It took a beating on the way back and really knocked the new off the car very quickly!

For anyone else dreaming of driving to Alaska, my opinion is to do it as soon as you possibly can! It's an awesome trip, and we were fortunate enough to do it 7 times during (once on a motorcycle and also flew it 3 times in small planes) our years up there! It's a beautiful drive and one you'll never forget!

We just came back from an 1800 mile trip picking up a new puppy, (we love any excuse for a good road trip) and used the rear camera during the entire drive since we had the back cargo full and obstructed the mirror view. Many of the Touring options aren't a necessity, but once you have them, you grow to really appreciate them immensely.
We came form a Land Rover Discovery diesel, and while we loved that one, the dealer was way too far away and small issues were a pain to deal with. The Ascent Touring has been an awesome fit for us and has filled the SUV void very well. Good luck with finding the right one for the right price!
 
#35 ·
I've only done the ALCAN once, back in '97, but still remember the trip fondly. We purposely took it the slow and fun way, spending 8 days working our way down, alternating between camping and hotels depending on our mood or needs each night. Super amazing trip, but yeah, can be rough on a car, that's for sure.
 
#37 ·
Though I'm now targeting a Forester to buy and not an Ascent, I did a ton of research on the Ascent and I can't imagine there are any mechanical differences between the two that would lead to a difference in ride quality or road noise. I can tell you most (if not all) of the differences though.
  • Touring is 7 Passenger only. No 8-Passenger option (2nd row bench)
  • Touring has Java Brown interior, Limited has ivory, both have black
  • Touring has more chrome and wood accents 🤢🤮
  • Touring has Ventilated Seats (probably not relevant in Alaska, but big here in Oklahoma)
  • Touring has Power folding side mirrors
  • Touring has a camera based smart rear-view mirror (digital display built into the mirror)
  • Touring has a 120V AC outlet
  • Touring has a Front view camera
  • Touring has Rain sensing wipers (not mentioned on Subaru's site for some reason. Only in the manual)
So there are a several comfort features on the touring that can make a big difference in user experience. When you factor the technology package (Moonroof, HK Audio, and Nav) into the price of the Limited the difference is only $2,900. Considering you are spending over $40K that really isn't a huge jump for what you get.
 
#40 ·
I agree. I have owned Silver Limited for a year now. I love everything about the car so far. We were debating whether we should go for Touring as well but did not want to pay for options we weren’t going to be using. I think silver hides dust in the summertime and white after snow residue in the winter pretty well. Less car wash visits for me
 
#39 ·
My dealership tried offering over selling price of what I purchased it for and I have 2019 Premium- I requested it didn’t have a sunroof. Looking back I should’ve went the Touring and sunroof. There is a lot of issues with it but in the End my vehicle has saved us with others being reckless, close calls and through damage. It’s road quiet. Overall I’m still pretty good with my Ascent. If my dealership offers over $50k that serious money- Serious Upgrade to the Fully Electric Outback that’s coming out.
 
#41 ·
Welcome to the Forum. I am going to try my best to bite my tongue regarding some of the replies you are receiving. I sincerely hope you will consider the more reliable vehicles Subaru sells like the Forester or Outback. The purchase of any car today is a major investment. Don't regret your purchase by buying an Ascent . I have one & will never have another. I bought my Ascent based on my loyalty to Subaru and having an Outback that I truly loved. If you don't want to take my advice then please check reliability ratings, especially with respect to problem areas as listed with Consumer Reports. The total road test score is only a part of the overall testing they do. To the best of my knowledge, JD Power and other companies do not purchase the cars they test. Only CR does. Good luck!
 
#43 ·
I'm sad that you had a bad experience with your Ascent. But honestly, your experience isn't universal. There's also been extensive discussion about the CR ratings of the vehicle and there are some fundamental flaws in the logic that were identified that didn't reflect the work that Subaru did to mitigate issues primarily attributed to MY19 (first model year) that didn't materially affect MY20 and MY21. Many of us have no confidence in CR anymore.
 
#51 ·
I noticed that too... the demo cars I tested were Limiteds, and mine was a lot firmer. I ended up surprisingly preferring it - I didn't think I would. But, I think that's also personal preference.
 
#54 ·
I also prefer the former seats...it was the same with my previous ride. They upper trim I had featured seats that were noted to be more firm. And that made for more support and comfort over long distance travel for me. The lumbar support on my Ascent Touring isn't as adjustable as I had before, but it happens to "hit the right spot" for my body, so it's not an issue.
 
#56 ·
Seats with cooling or ventilation are pretty much always more firm than seats without. The last 7 cars we've owned had ventilated or cooled seats. And they were all firmer than the same models without that feature ( there has to be some firmness to the structure in order for the air passages not to be compromised). I have found cooled seats to be preferable to ventilated seats, but having either feature is better than not having it at all.
I'd agree that the leather on the touring is a little bit nicer, or perhaps more accurately, more durable feeling than other models..
 
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