The Ascent is a three-row crossover SUV. Shop it against the Kia Telluride, Honda Pilot, and Toyota Highlander, among myriad other competitors.聽

It may not be tops in any category, but the Subaru Ascent does just about everything well. It鈥檚 a solid overall choice thanks to its big and versatile cabin, its good driving dynamics, and a price tag that went up for '25 but is still reasonable against its competitors. The 2025 Ascent rates a 6.5 on the TCC scale. (Read more about how we rate cars.)

The base trim level of the Ascent is now the Premium, which was previously the first rung up the ladder. While the Ascent鈥檚 price of entry climbs considerably, there鈥檚 some good news: the Premium includes the previously optional blind-spot monitors and rear cross-traffic alerts. A new Bronze Edition trim level builds on the higher-end Limited with bronze exterior accents, though it deletes leather seats in favor of synthetic leather.聽

The Ascent is Subaru鈥檚 biggest model and its only three-row crossover SUV. Styled like an oversized Forester (which it pretty much is), the Ascent won鈥檛 win any crossover styling awards inside or out. But it is immensely practical, in typical Subaru fashion.

The 2.3-liter turbo-4 musters a decent 260 hp sent to all four wheels via a well-behaved continuously variable transmission. It鈥檚 fairly quick and quiet, while serving up a class-typical 21-22 mpg combined. No hybrid option means the Ascent trails the Toyota Highlander for fuel economy, though. But the Ascent rides well and has quick-witted steering that gives it an almost sporty personality. It鈥檚 marginally more off-road competent than many of its rivals thanks to a hefty 8.7 inches of ground clearance, though Subaru doesn鈥檛 (currently) offer an off-roady Wilderness trim level.聽聽

The big interior offers seating for seven or eight passengers, depending on the configuration. Those in rows one and two will find supportive, well-padded seats and plenty of room. As is typical for a three-row crossover, the third row is best for kids. However, it鈥檚 just easy enough to access and just spacious enough for adults to fit in a pinch. We can鈥檛 say that about every competitor. The Ascent also has good cargo figures for the segment, especially considering its 196.8-inch overall length makes it one of the shortest three-row crossovers. There鈥檚 no particularly fancy model, though the top Touring has nice leather upholstery.聽

The Ascent is a top choice when it comes to safety. It has performed very well in IIHS and NHTSA evaluations, and all versions come standard with a good amount of crash-avoidance and driver-assistance technology, including adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, and rear cross-traffic alerts. Outward vision is very good for a big crossover SUV owing to its narrow front roof pillars.聽

The 2025 Ascent comes in Premium, Onyx Edition, Limited, and Touring trim levels. The base Ascent Premium runs $40,215 to start, which makes it a pretty good overall value. It has an 11.6-inch touchscreen, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, cloth upholstery, heated front seats, an 8-way power-adjustable driver seat, and 18-inch alloy wheels. The Touring tops the lineup at $50,415.

In Lafayette, Indiana.聽