Alex on Autos 8 day test of production model Ascent
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I was glad to see that he got good mileage in his test. Some of the mileage reports on this forum are discouraging. My current car is a 2008 Passat Wagon which was rated at 20/28/23 but that was on an earlier and somewhat easier EPA test. I have never had trouble averaging 23-24 mpg even with a turbo motor.
Overall I'm a big fan of Alex because he is very thorough in going over features and uses the car like a normal person.
Overall I'm a big fan of Alex because he is very thorough in going over features and uses the car like a normal person.
Alex is my go to guy for in depth car reviews. With that said, I think his comparison to the Honda Pilot is off on a few categories.
Here are the comments I added to his review:
I am an owner of a 2017 Honda Pilot in Touring trim and a 2019 Subaru Ascent in Limited trim. I am 6'2" tall and I find that the Subaru is vastly more comfortable for the driver. It is not even close. The extending thigh cushion alone pushed me to the Limited trim. I have the seat all the way back in the Pilot and still need another inch while the Subaru seat is about an inch away from all the way back. Your review mentions the Pilot as having superior handling. I find that the Ascent is substantially better in the handling department. It feels precise and sure footed while the Pilot feels floaty and less confidence inspiring. I chose the Pilot Touring over lower trims due to noticeable difference with the acoustic glass. When I commented that the Touring was quieter that the EX-L the salesman informed me of the side acoustic glass. I have found the Ascent to be even better than the Pilot in this category as well. If the Ascent was available when I bought the Pilot I would have bought it instead. As a nice bonus it was a couple of thousand cheaper. It is nice that it is rated to tow 5000 pounds as it sits. Subaru did a great job with this car!
I think Subaru spent plenty of time benchmarking the competition and making sure the Ascent could compete across the board. There are a few minor things I would change but in my book it ranks on top of 3 rows crossover heap. I really, really like this car and wish I could get rid of the Pilot. My wife gets attached to vehicles and is not ready to let it go.
Here are the comments I added to his review:
I am an owner of a 2017 Honda Pilot in Touring trim and a 2019 Subaru Ascent in Limited trim. I am 6'2" tall and I find that the Subaru is vastly more comfortable for the driver. It is not even close. The extending thigh cushion alone pushed me to the Limited trim. I have the seat all the way back in the Pilot and still need another inch while the Subaru seat is about an inch away from all the way back. Your review mentions the Pilot as having superior handling. I find that the Ascent is substantially better in the handling department. It feels precise and sure footed while the Pilot feels floaty and less confidence inspiring. I chose the Pilot Touring over lower trims due to noticeable difference with the acoustic glass. When I commented that the Touring was quieter that the EX-L the salesman informed me of the side acoustic glass. I have found the Ascent to be even better than the Pilot in this category as well. If the Ascent was available when I bought the Pilot I would have bought it instead. As a nice bonus it was a couple of thousand cheaper. It is nice that it is rated to tow 5000 pounds as it sits. Subaru did a great job with this car!
I think Subaru spent plenty of time benchmarking the competition and making sure the Ascent could compete across the board. There are a few minor things I would change but in my book it ranks on top of 3 rows crossover heap. I really, really like this car and wish I could get rid of the Pilot. My wife gets attached to vehicles and is not ready to let it go.
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When I was buying my 2017 Outback, the salesman was already talking enthusiastically about the Ascent. He had mentioned the failure of the Tribeca and how Subaru did extensive research to make sure the Ascent was a hit. Lots of market research and planning, hence the gap between the Tribeca and the Ascent launch. It was worth the wait!
His praise was definitely a factor when my situation changed this summer and I decided to trade in my 2 vehicles for a "do it all" single vehicle. I lost a few mpg, but also lost a 2nd set of insurance, plates, etc but can still tow my trailer!
Body roll? No way. My 16 Outback had far more and it was 7 inches less in height. The SGP allows for a lower center of gravity which really helps. Alex is way off on that. I will agree the lower trim levels represent the best value. Subaru's Premium model is always the best buy IMO. I just completed a short 50 mile road trip today and it felt great. At speeds 80-85 the handling was spot on and that was with some wind involved. This car purchased from 31-35k is a best buy on the market in this category
I think gap came from not having production capacity and not wanting to invest in building out more production lines as they knew their contract with Toyota was going to expire soon with producing the Camry. If they did build out more lines then they'd be left with excess capacity when that contact ended.
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