Comparison - Volkswagen Atlas SEL 2019 - vs - Subaru Ascent Premium 2020

The 2020 Subaru Ascent is nearly as rational a family hauler as a minivan.

Pros
Well-conceived interior
Standard AWD
Lots of safety tech
Decent power
Great value

Cons
Short on powertrain refinement
Seats a little narrow
Fuel economy just so-so
Hardly stylish

The 2020 Subaru Ascent comes with all wheel drive. Available transmissions include: continuously variable-speed automatic.Adds a standard rear-seat reminder alert system.Adds power-folding side mirrors.

PROS
Substantial list of standard and optional driving aids
High-quality interior materials
Generous ground clearance and standard all-wheel drive
Easy-to-use infotainment system

CONS
Accelerator pedal is too touchy
Invasive engine and tire noise
Not much second-row shoulder room, and third row is tight
Rolling over bumps at higher speeds sends vibrations through the cabin

Since the Ascent was all new for 2019, Subaru makes the mildest of changes to its largest model for 2020. A newly standard alert system—called Rear Seat Reminder—helps to prevent people from leaving items in the back seats by beeping a warning and displaying a message on the instrument panel. Starting with the Premium trim level, each Ascent now features one-touch controls to turn the interior lighting on or off. The 2020 Ascent now offers a vehicle lock button with its optional power-operated rear gate, and the top-tier Touring version receives power-folding exterior mirrors with built-in turn signals.
Measuring 204.7 inches long and sitting on a 117.7-inch wheelbase, the Viziv-7 is some 15 inches longer than Subaru’s Outback, and its wheelbase is more than nine inches greater. The Viziv-7 also is larger than most mainstream three-row, mid-size crossover SUVs. While the Buick Enclave, the Chevrolet Traverse, the Dodge Durango, and the Ford Flex ride on longer wheelbases, the Subaru’s overall length is greater than all four. Additionally, the Viziv-7’s 79.9-inch width and 72.0-inch height (73.2 inches including the roof rails) are tops among today’s segment offerings. Needless to say, if the Viziv-7’s dimensions carry over to the production vehicle, Subaru’s new SUV promises to dwarf the other models in the lineup as it attempts to move far beyond the cramped Tribeca

We believe the production vehicle will go by the name Ascent, given that Subaru recently registered that moniker with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Spy photographers recently caught Subaru testing its new three-row crossover, and along for comparison was both a Mazda CX-9 and a Ford Explorer; like them, we expect the Ascent to offer a turbocharged four-cylinder engine, although the 3.6-liter six-cylinder boxer engine that’s optional in the Outback is also a possibility. We’ll know more in the coming months, as Subaru says its production three-row crossover will enter our market in early 2018.