We are a family of four like you but our kids are teens now. No dog. We made two trips from Houston to New Mexico skiing. Once in my wife's 19 Forester and more recently in the Ascent. Thus cargo space is not a major issue with either car, but it is a lot more comfortable in the Ascent as there was more room to spread out.

 

We almost always have the 3rd row down, and love how much room there is back there. Seems way more than my old Outback could hold (though it was a really old Outback, a '95, and those did grow a bit over the years) And we do love the option of putting the 3rd row up on occasion when we're needing the extra seats.
Also, depending on if your kids are still in rear facing carseats or not, sliding the 2nd row up a few inches can add a bit of extra space in the back when you're needing it.

 

We‘re 2 adults, two teenagers and a 90lb pup in the Ascent. For long trips, I’d recommend a roof rack for all the big luggage. That will give the dog plenty of room. You’ll also have room for a few bags of essentials you’ll need quick access to during the trip.

 

In our 2010 Pilot, we had a dog crate that took up half of the rear for a 50lb dog. We were able to fit a decent amount on the side of the crate and then on the top. The roof top box gave us even more space. Your dog probably takes up the same amount of room as our crate. You'll have some room if you pack well with the dog but I think it would be safe to say having roof top cargo space would make life easier. 2 adults and 3 kids, no dog now, but for car camping in the Ascent the cooler took up a lot of space so we really had to be efficient in packing the rear and using the cargo box on the roof. When the kids were small, they all were in the 2nd row bench seats. When they got older, one would be in the third row in the smaller side. If your dog is taking up the bigger side in the cargo area, then the smaller side and between the 2nd row kids is all you have to work with.

 

One of the major reasons I bought my first Ascent Touring in 2019 was for the cargo space...it was an upgrade from the Grand Cherokee I drove previously (no three row available at that point) but gave me the size and comfort I was used to. And I finally could get that with a Subaru, my preferred brand. My satisfaction remains with the MY23 Touring I drive now.

 

From some Google searching, I'm seeing that the '24 Outback has approx. 32.6 cu.ft. of cargo space behind the second row, while the Ascent is spec'ed at 43.5 cu.ft. behind its second row.

Immediately before my '19 Touring (I currently have a '21 Touring, we're a leasing family; my '21 is due up in August, and I am 95% positive that I'm going to re-up with a '24 Touring), I had a '16 Outback 2.5i Limited.

The '16's behind-second-row volume was spec'ed at 35.5 cu.ft.

We're a family of 3, with one dog (35-40 lb. -depending on the length of his hair at any particular time- Goldendoodle). He's sling is near-permanently installed behind me. 😝

With that as a frame of reference, the Ascent's practical volume behind the second row is so much more than that of the Outback's. I really don't like to stack luggage or whatever else that I'm carrying above the level of the rear seatbacks, as this allows me to deploy the cargo cover -or simply for increased safety- the Ascent can take so much more luggage and "stuffs," it's surprising just how much difference there is.

The math is the math: I'm a basic scientist, and this is a part of my creed.

But the numbers really don't do justice, here, in the comparison.

If you're really on the fence about this, @Greygoosesubie , I'd recommend that you ask to see if you can get an extended test-drive in an Ascent. Let the dealership know that you're trying to decide between it and a new Outback -that you'll be taking hone a car from them either way- and I'd bet they'll extend that courtesy. Go home and see what it'll look like in the Ascent with, with your camping gear and your doggo staged behind the second row.

 

We are a family of 4 with 2 adult sized kids and a 50 lb dog. We go snowboarding with the snowboards on top. We have a 2013 Outback and a 2021 Ascent with captain chairs.

Though the Ascent has more cargo space, it is not that much more.

We also had a 2005 Odyssey (and have been in the Sienna) and have rented a Suburban / Yukon XL. If you want space with AWD/4WD for the majority of these adventures without using addition cargo storage on the roof or hitch basket. Look into the AWD Sienna or something like a Suburban/ Yukon XL. Honest opinion coming from a Subie fan.

 

The Ascent has lots of room. We went from Outback's to the Ascent. Wow, it's big. You have lots of room. Although it is big I would still consider a Tahoe or Suburban. Great vehicles , good mileage for their size. I too am a Subie fan but next to them GM builds excellent vehicles. I would drive either and be just as happy. GM is just bigger. Good luck in your hunt. Nick

 

There’s also a hitch haul as optional storage instead of roof rack.

 

Always my choice...I've never put things up on the roof and never will.

 

One obvious advantage of the Ascent is that you can put half of the third row down and still retain a lot of cargo space. Perfect spot for your dog to sit.

We are a family of 6 with the 8 passenger version, which we like due to the versatility of the seating arrangements.

 

We came to the Ascent(8 passenger, 2020 Premium) from years of Foresters. Great cars like the Outbacks, but left no room for more people than the 4 of us(2adult/2teen girls). You will not regret getting more space! For us the Ascent is more a people mover than a cargo hauler. Far more trips with a gang of our daughters' friends to the mall/movies/dances/sport events than off roading in the wild, though that happens on occasion.

Only downside I see is you will not get the MPG you are used to with the Outback. My wife's Forester averages about 33mpg in mixed driving. With smooth driving, I average 22-23mpg mixed with the Ascent. Well worth it for us.

 

We're a family of 2.5 (we have my 16yo daughter half time) and 3 human sized dogs (100-140#). How we pack depends on where we travel and for what, but we can do anything from putting our suitcases and the dogs and people inside the car if we're visiting friends or doing a hotel stay (rare), use the rooftop cargo box (most of the time we road trip since we're going to AirBnB/VRBO and pack food) or both the cargo box and the hitch mount rack (which we use when we're tent camping).

For us, nothing smaller could even begin to work, mostly because the dogs don't have room to stand up in the Outback (we've tried) and there's only room enough for 1 or 2 in a Forester (also tried).

If I were in the OPs shoes, I think I'd try to decide how much economy I was willing to trade for space (or vice versa) since it sounds like both options could work. Having the space would be the option I'd choose. But a reasonable argument could be made for the Outback with extra cargo carrying capacity.

 

If it were me and I were in your shoes, I would be seriously considering a minivan. If you don’t have a need to tow and have two young kids in car seats, you genuinely can’t beat a minivan for passenger comfort and space. The only reason we don’t drive one is because we tow.

However, if all wheel drive and more ground clearance is important to you, the Ascent would fit the bill. Just know that it is not the roomiest three row SUV on the market but it’s not the smallest either. The Honda Passport would also be a worthy contender in the five seater segment.

If it must be a Subaru, I would definitely select the Ascent over the Outback. With just over 2500 miles in 6 weeks of ownership we are very pleased with our Ascent.

 

Former minivan owner here. It was perfect for us with 2 kids, sports, their friends, camping, etc. If I could have gotten a minivan that could tow 5000lb I would have test drove it. As it was, I am loving this Ascent! First time Subie owner. That said, for me cost is a big consideration! The Ascent offers so so much for much less than other options.

 

We had 3 minivans before getting the Ascent. With our family size (2 adults, 4 kids) the Ascent actually offers better seating/cargo than a 7 seater van. Doesn't really apply to OP, but with 4 kids in the van and 7 seats, it meant having to keep the whole 3rd row up all the time, which limited our cargo to only behind the 3rd row. With the 8 seater Ascent we can have the larger half of the 3rd row always folded down, giving us more cargo room than our van(s) did. And of course the Ascent is way more capable.

That said, for OP the Toyota Sienna has an AWD version (with 6.9 inches of ground clearance) that can tow up to 3,500lbs. Might be something to look at. Although the starting MSRP of the Sienna (with AWD) is about $6k more than the Ascent.

 

We have an Outback and Ascent, and always choose the Ascent unless we're going somewhere with tight parking or if we know we are going to be doing more challenging soft roading. If you can only have one choose the Ascent for sure.

 

We are a family of 4, 2 adults 2 kids in car seats, with a big 90lb dog. We have an Outback and love it but it is tight for camping adventures as the dog takes up half the trunk.

I'm trying to get an idea of the amount of cargo space in the Ascent with the third row folded down.

We don't need the extra seats and we don't tow so I'm not sure if the Ascent is the right choice. I'm really wondering if the extra 10 cubic feet of cargo space makes a difference for people?!?

Other option is to go with a new Outback with a roof box and hitch rack...seems like a lot of stuff though and would prefer to store inside the car.
Please feel free to give your ideas.

My other 2 cents worth is the 7 seater would probably work good as the dog could be between the seats if needed. I had a 105lb lab that fit fine there. However I don’t have kids so 🙄

 

4 People here -- 2 adults, a baby/car seat and an 8 year old. No dog,l but our 3rd row is almost always down. We do a lot of driving around California and neighboring states and the Ascent provides us with PLENTY of cargo space without sacrificing room around the passengers. We love it. MY23 here.

 

I do a lot of traveling for curling. That's a 4 person team for 4 day weekend events, with equipment plus luggage. In my Forester we are packed to the gills, equioment bag doesnt fit well, can't see out the back window, and small luggage in the back seat between passengers. In the Ascent, everything packs neatly in the cargo area behind the captain's seats, with good rear vision, and passengers are comfortable with room for snacks in a cubby on the floor between the seats. When packing for a week-long vacation for two with kayaks and bikes, everything we need to pack fits under the cargo cover enroute.

 

We got an Ascent Touring with Captain chairs in the second row and keep the third row folded and have a cargo separator so that we can use the added cargo space.

 

With the captains chairs put the dog on the floor between the kids. Lots of cargo space then.

 

We have 2 big dogs weighing a total of roughly 135 pounds, and we go to Florida for two months every winter in our '21 Ascent 8 passenger. The previous vehicle was a 2012 Outback; I loved that Outback, but the Ascent is way better for us. We load up a thule rooftop box with all the stuff we need in Florida, put the third row seat down for the pups, and put the short term stuff in the second row seats. At the motels, we grab our bags, dog food, etc. from the second row -- easy. And the dogs have plenty of room to get up and move around and get comfortable.
It's most likely better and safer to put the dogs in secured crates and get them out more often, but this is what we do.

 

We are a family of 4, 2 adults 2 kids in car seats, with a big 90lb dog. We have an Outback and love it but it is tight for camping adventures as the dog takes up half the trunk.

I'm trying to get an idea of the amount of cargo space in the Ascent with the third row folded down.

We don't need the extra seats and we don't tow so I'm not sure if the Ascent is the right choice. I'm really wondering if the extra 10 cubic feet of cargo space makes a difference for people?!?

Other option is to go with a new Outback with a roof box and hitch rack...seems like a lot of stuff though and would prefer to store inside the car.
Please feel free to give your ideas.

Hi. We have a ‘23 Ascent Limited and a 2018 Outback. 3rd row has never been in use on the Ascent…. always folded. Plenty of storage room and cavernous with 2nd row down. We did a 1400 mile trip to Florida a month ago and start the return trip tomorrow. The Outback (with nothing stored on the roof) would average 30+ mpg on the interstate. The Ascent will not break 24. That may be a consideration for you. I prefer the Ascent for trips due to the power and higher driving position and better seats. A roof box on the Outback will definitely affect your gas mileage negatively. I know this from experience. Just something to keep in mind.

 

Just got our Ascent. Similar family but our dog is 120 lbs. She loves all the space and off we use a roof top carrier, there is more than enough room for everyone and the kids love that they can control the temperature in the back. We have the 2023 premium.

 

We have an 8-passenger Ascent. This gives us the ability to have the little ones at the ends and small dog in between. This also gives the kids an area to set stuff down on and be reachable throughout a drive if the little dog isn’t with us. When we packed for camping trips we were packed to the brim. Plus bigger bulky stuff on a hitch rack. Now that we have a big dog I imagine she will take up half the back and we may end up investing in a roof rack. I’ll rather not since it would hurt our already precious fuel economy but may not have a choice. A small trailer is another option for camping trip. Our camping trips are usually a week long. Great car with plenty of space but at some point it will get maxed out by your family if you plan on packing big like we do. We don’t alway pack this way and is why we wouldn’t need something bigger than the ascent. No need for a bigger car if we will only truly need that space 2-3 times a year. I trailer or roof rack is much cheaper than a bigger car with more cargo space.

 

I'm in a similar situation (2 adults, 2 kids in car seats) but no dog. We have a 2011 Outback 3.6R and a 2022 Ascent Limited 7-passenger.

For me, the extra cargo space in the back makes a huge difference. There are often situations where I can just put the 3rd row down and load up the back where with the Outback, I would have to take the car seats out and fold the back seats down. With the captain's chairs (not sure about the 2nd row bench) I can also push those forward for even more room. It's very convenient to not have to take out car seats.

For instance, I can easily fit my 20ft Gorilla ladder in the back with just the 3rd row down whereas in the Outback, I would have to take at least 1 car seat out.

The Ascent is definitely a bigger vehicle and the biggest I've owned – it took a bit to get used to the size. It's nice that we hung on to our Outback for places that have tighter parking. A few months into ownership, I ended up installing the OEM hitch receiver myself (based on lots of helpful forum posts here). I don't tow often or have much experience, but it's been nice to have the option.