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2027 Subaru Ascent
The Ascent is Subaru’s biggest SUV, but it’s one of the smallest three-row midsize SUVs you can buy, and that matters a lot once car seats come into the picture. It’s safe, reliable, and all-wheel drive standard, and the second row has some genuinely thoughtful family features. Just know going in that the third row is tight, and you’ll need to be picky about car seats to make it work.
- Lower anchors and top tethers in both second-row captain’s chairs: each captain’s chair has its own set of lower anchors and a tether anchor, so installs in the second row are straightforward.
- Three top tethers in the third row: every third-row seat has a tether anchor, plus there’s one set of lower anchors shared between the middle seat and an outboard seat.
- Removable head restraints in every seat: that really helps with car seat and booster compatibility, especially in the tight third row.
- Seat belt pretensioners in the second row: both second-row window seats have pretensioners, which tighten the seat belt within milliseconds in a crash.
- Ceiling vents and built-in sunshades: you get ceiling vents in both the second and third rows, plus sunshades in the second row.
- Room for a tall driver with a compact rear-facing seat: with a Graco Extend2Fit 3-in-1 set to its most upright rear-facing position, I still had plenty of room up front.
- Standard all-wheel drive in a shorter package: every Ascent is all-wheel drive, and the shorter wheelbase is easier to live with in a city.
- A height-adjustable power tailgate: you can set how high it opens, which is great for shorter parents and smaller garages.
The Exterior
Subaru’s Biggest SUV Is One of the Smallest Three-Row SUVs
The Ascent came out for the 2019 model year as Subaru’s first three-row SUV, and it’s still the biggest car they make. But compared to the rest of the midsize three-row lineup, it’s not a big car. It’s actually one of the smallest three-row midsize SUVs you can get. The best comparisons are more compact three-row SUVs like the Toyota Highlander, Hyundai Santa Fe, and Kia Sorento.
A Shorter Wheelbase and All-Wheel Drive Standard
The Ascent is built on the same platform as the Subaru Forester, so it has a shorter wheelbase but still fits a second and third row. You could make the argument that it’s good for families who live in a city, because it’s not very long. Every Ascent is also all-wheel drive standard, so if you’re in Chicago or New York, short wheelbase plus all-wheel drive checks a lot of boxes.
- 260-horsepower turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder
- CVT transmission
- Up to 5,000 pounds of towing
- 19 mpg city, 25 to 26 mpg highway
I do find the CVT four-cylinder a little underpowered, and it’s had some issues. The Ascent did have way more reliability issues early on in 2019, but I feel like the newer ones have done a really good job, so I do think you’re getting a reliable car. You’re getting a safe car. There are just also other cars that do that.
The Ascent Onyx Edition Has a Blacked-Out Look
In terms of the exterior, it’s not my favorite, and it’s starting to look old. I know Subaru has a unique look, but I think the Forester is a much better looking vehicle. I do like the Onyx trim I tested, though. The blacked-out accents look really nice against this deep, dark teal color. Around back, you get roof rails and wraparound taillights with an interesting design.
The Ascent Is Ready for an Overhaul
Subaru hasn’t done a major update to the Ascent since it debuted. It got a refresh for 2023 that was mostly exterior updates, and that’s about it. I’m ready to be wowed by Subaru. I want them to simplify the exterior and improve the interior.
First Row
Up front, you get about 42 inches of legroom, which is right in line with the Toyota Highlander. The interior design just has a lot going on, and it doesn’t feel very well integrated. It feels clunky to me. There are things I like, though. The green stitching on the Onyx trim is actually kind of cool.
Comfortable Ascent Front Seats with a Knee Extender
The seats are nice and comfortable, and I like the optional leg extender for more knee support on the driver’s side. The passenger seat doesn’t have it, which I wish it did. I also like the floor mats. They’re a two-toned carpet with the Ascent name on them.
19 Cup Holders, but None That Fit My Water Bottle
The Ascent has 19 cup holders, but unfortunately not one of them is great. I would rather have one that fits my water bottle than three that fit nothing. The front cubby spaces aren’t quite it for me either, because things are just going to fall out, and the cup holders block the charging spot.
- An old-fashioned gear selector, which a lot of people do like
- A pretty deep center console for the size of the vehicle
- One USB-A and one USB-C port up front
An 11.6-Inch Touchscreen with Standard Wireless CarPlay
The screen is not my favorite. Almost everything runs through the 11.6-inch touchscreen, so thank goodness wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard. A six-speaker sound system is standard, and a 14-speaker Harman Kardon system is available.
Second Row
The second row is where the Ascent starts to pick up the pace. The amenities back here are really good. But second-row legroom is really tight, and it’s the first thing that limits which car seats will work. You have about 38.6 inches of second-row legroom, which is about the same as the Toyota Highlander, but the Hyundai Santa Fe gives you 42.3 inches.
Ascent Captain’s Chairs or a Three-Across Bench
The Ascent comes with either captain’s chairs or a bench seat. I tested the captain’s chairs. I wouldn’t call the bench a three-across machine, but three slim seats can work, like two Graco SlimFit3 LXs and an infant seat.
Lower Anchors and Top Tethers in Both Captain’s Chairs
With the captain’s chairs, both seats have their own lower anchors and a top tether anchor. The lower anchors are tucked behind covers, and you can expose them by just pulling the covers down. If you can get them to stay down (which I’m sure they would over time), installs would be even easier. You can also put them back into place.
A Compact Rear-Facing Seat Fits Behind a Tall Driver
I know this looks like good clearance, and it is, but I’m giving more credit to the car seat than the car. This is the Graco Extend2Fit 3-in-1, and we have it at its most upright rear-facing recline position. If you’re a taller driver looking at a smaller car like this one, I think it’s a really good rear-facing option. I had plenty of room, and I could have reclined my seat more or been a little taller and still been fine.
This just might not be the car for you if you really want a big rotating car seat. I think you’re going to have trouble fitting one back here, even if you’re not a taller driver. (See Car Seat Setup for the seats that work best.)
A Baseless Infant Seat Makes Ascent Third-Row Access Easier
On the other side, I brought the Joie Mint, a baseless infant seat. There’s no base, so you install it with the lower anchors every time. It takes up very little room front to back, which makes it a good option for a vehicle that’s tight on second-row legroom.
The aisle between the captain’s chairs is very small. A kid can get through, but a kid with a big school backpack is going to be tighter, and I’d have a lot of trouble fitting through there. So you might end up using the tilt-and-slide for third-row access. With a baseless infant seat, I could take the baby out, tilt the seat, get my child into the third row, and then just click the baby back into place.
Ceiling Vents, Sunshades, and Heated Second-Row Seats
I was comfortable back here. I can recline these seats, and I can slide them forward, which you’re probably going to have to do to give the third row a little more legroom.
- Ceiling vents
- Built-in sunshades
- Door cup holders (still not as wide as I would like, but a decent size), plus two more cup holders and extra cubbies
- Two leather seatback pockets
- Charging ports
- Heated seats on this trim level
Third Row
Three Shallow Seats Make the Ascent Third Row Tight
On paper, the Ascent has 31.7 inches of third-row legroom. In person, this third row is really interesting, because it’s very tight on legroom, the seats themselves are pretty shallow, and they shoved three seats back here. That’s a recipe for disaster. We tried a couple car seat combinations, and very few worked. I’m also very tight on headroom back here, and I’m not even sure a rear-facing car seat would fit.
The Middle Seat Is Your Best Bet for a Third-Row Car Seat
The seat we got a good install with was the Graco Tranzitions. It’s one of my go-to third-row seats because of how low profile it is. It doesn’t sit very high off the ground, so you maximize your legroom, which is very important in this vehicle. The buckles are so close together that several car seats were too wide to fit in some positions, and I would have a very, very hard time putting two car seats back here. I can’t think of a car seat narrow enough to go in that other seat.
I wish Subaru hadn’t put three seats back there. The Hyundai Santa Fe has two really good third-row seats, and I could fit any car seat in them. By adding a third seat, the Ascent ends up with hardly any car seat compatibility back here.
Boosters Are Even Harder in the Ascent Third Row
If you’re thinking, “That’s okay, I’ll have booster-age kids back there,” remember that boosters are even harder, because boosters are wider and your child needs everyday access to the buckle. With the Tranzitions installed, the buckle actually sits kind of behind the car seat. You’re going to need a narrow booster, like the Peg Perego Viaggio Flex 120, which is an expensive seat. When a vehicle has this many specifics about what works, you end up spending a lot of money on car seats just to make it work.
Ceiling Vents and Two Cup Holders on Each Side
I’m impressed with the amount of cup holders back here. You get two on each side, and you still have the ceiling vents. You only have charging on one side, though. All the head restraints in the Ascent are removable, which helps with compatibility. It’s really just the size of the third row that causes problems.
Trunk
How Much Cargo Space Is in the 2027 Ascent?
The Ascent has 18 cubic feet of trunk space behind the third row, which is competitive with the Toyota Highlander and Hyundai Santa Fe. I’m not expecting a huge trunk back here, because it’s not a big vehicle. I’d honestly prefer even less trunk and more third-row legroom.
Cargo space compared
Subaru Ascent
2027
Toyota Highlander
Rival
Hyundai Santa Fe
Rival
| Behind the 3rd row | |||
| All seats up | 18.0 cu ft | 16.0 cu ft | 14.6 cu ft |
| Behind the 2nd row | |||
| 3rd row folded | 43.5 cu ft | 48.4 cu ft | 40.5 cu ft |
| Behind the 1st row | |||
| 2nd & 3rd rows folded | 75.6 cu ft | 84.3 cu ft | 79.6 cu ft |
Blue marks the most space in each row. Manufacturer figures; a moonroof can trim a little off.
A Travel Stroller Fits with the Ascent Third Row Up
The Mockingbird travel stroller fits back here. A full-size stroller would be a lot harder. It’s not impossible, but it would take up your entire trunk. Underneath the floor, there’s more storage and a spot for the hidden cargo cover.
A Height-Adjustable Power Tailgate
The third-row seats are very easy to lay flat for more cargo space. You also get a power tailgate that’s height adjustable, so if you’re on the shorter side or you have a smaller garage, you can set it to only open partway.
Safety
The Subaru Ascent Is a 2026 IIHS Top Safety Pick+
The Subaru Ascent earned a 2026 TOP SAFETY PICK+ award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), and that award carries over to the 2027 model. It received the top rating of “Good” in the small overlap front, updated moderate overlap front, and updated side crash tests.
Ascent Seat Belt Pretensioners in the Front and Second-Row Window Seats
The Ascent has seat belt pretensioners in the driver’s seat, the front passenger seat, and both second-row window seats. A pretensioner is a mechanism inside the seat belt that tightens it within milliseconds in a crash, which is different from the seat belt locking. This technology has been in front seats for decades, and manufacturers are finally putting it in the second row.
Subaru EyeSight Is Standard on Every Ascent Trim
Every Ascent comes standard with Subaru’s EyeSight driver assistance suite, which includes:
- Adaptive Cruise Control
- Forward Collision Warning
- Automatic Emergency Braking
- Lane Departure Warning
- Lane Keep Assist
If you’re putting car seats in the Ascent, you are going to be incredibly limited, and for some of you, that could be a dealbreaker. It can work, but you have to be choosy, especially in the third row.
Lower Anchors and Top Tethers in the 2027 Ascent
- Second-row captain’s chairs: lower anchors and a top tether in both seats
- Second-row bench: the center seat uses shared lower anchors
- Third row: one set of lower anchors shared between the middle seat and an outboard seat, plus a top tether in all three seats
- Every seating position: a removable head restraint
The Ascent Second Row Needs a Compact Car Seat
Second-row legroom is really tight, so a compact car seat makes the biggest difference. Seats that work well include:
The Evenflo Revolve360 Slim will fit, but not great.
Three Across on the Ascent Bench Takes Narrow Seats
Three across is possible on the bench with narrow seats. We fit two Graco SlimFit3 LXs and a Chicco KeyFit Max infant seat.
How to Reach the Ascent Third Row with Car Seats Installed
The aisle between the captain’s chairs is narrow. The best third-row access is moving a second-row seat forward on its tracks, which works with a car seat installed with lower anchors only. A baseless infant seat like the Joie Mint behind the driver makes this easier, because you can take the infant seat out, move the second-row seat, and click it back in.
Ascent Third-Row Car Seats Need a Low Profile
The third-row bench is shallow, so choose a low-profile car seat to save legroom and watch for overhang. Put the car seat in the center seat of the third row so you don’t squish legs. The Graco Tranzitions is even lower profile than the SlimFit3 LX and works well here. Boosters are harder because they’re wider and kids need to reach the buckle, so look for a narrow booster like the Peg Perego Viaggio Flex 120.
Car Seat Setups We Tested in the Ascent
Three across (second-row bench):
- Two Graco SlimFit3 LXs and one Chicco KeyFit Max infant seat
Three car seats, not across (captain’s chairs):
- Second row, passenger side: Graco Extend2Fit 3-in-1 or Britax Poplar
- Second row, driver side: Joie Mint, for easier third-row access
- Third row, center: Graco Tranzitions
Is the 2027 Subaru Ascent Right for Your Family?
The setups above work, but just know we tried several car seats, and they were either too big or they didn’t fit back here. You also don’t have good third-row access.
If you don’t have a lot of car seats and you’re mostly going to use the second row, the Ascent gives you Subaru safety, it’s reliable, it’s all-wheel drive standard, and people just like Subaru.
But if you need the third row for car seats, I think there are a lot better car-seat-friendly vehicles. I was a lot more impressed with the versatility of the Hyundai Santa Fe, and the Kia Sorento is a very similar vehicle with a lot more workable, usable space. The Ascent is just small in the wrong places, and it doesn’t use its space very well.
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