2024 Subaru Ascent Onyx Limited | Review and 0-60

[@JenniferStam]

I just bought the 2024 Subaru Ascent onyx Limited edition yesterday and I am in love with this vehicle! I had two forester sports in a row and decided the third row would be nice. What a beautiful vehicle inside and out!!

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

Very exciting! 🙂

[@Tony-ce2vb]

Can I ask how much you paid OTD?

[@JenniferStam]

@@Tony-ce2vb I believe the sticker price was 38.5 k and I found a deal in a nearby city that took 3 k off of the sticker price which my local Subaru dealership honored so I believe I ended up at around 35 ish. It also had the extra tech package which is really nice.

[@ricodeguzman5338]

Just bought my first Subaru yesterday, a 2024 Ascent Onyx. After test driving different crossover SUVs this keeps growing on me. Looking forward to putting a bunch of miles on it.

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

Very exciting! I hope it treats you well. 🙂

[@charleswerner5797]

Bought first one for wife, liked it so much bought a second Ascent for myself a week later.

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

Nice, lol!

[@Kiss__Kiss]

Definitely more updated in every way, than our Tribeca almost 2 decades ago.

[@peterjames7324]

I just browsed the lot at my local Subaru dealer and had no idea they even have a vehicle like this. I've been looking at the Crosstrek Wilderness and CT Sport, but it appears the Ascent is also on our list now. Great review...thanks!

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

That’s cool! Yeah, this is the Subaru Behemoth lol. A lot of people seem to enjoy theirs. Thanks for watching!

[@thecleaningteacher638]

I finally checked out an Ascent and was surprised by how nice it is on the interior. The selling point for any Subie is safety and the AWD. For the price, I feel like this is a better value than a Highlander.

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

Yeah! They all have their pros and cons, but overall these are pretty sweet and solid option!

[@devinwashington4160]

Can’t wait to pick this up!!! This color too! Had a 2019 forester sport and I need more space and the turbo for Colorado mountains 😅

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

I’m excited for you, they’re fun to drive! 🙂

[@subiesojourner777]

I picked up my 2024 Autumn green Forester Wilderness two days ago. Drove it home, 122 miles from the dealership and I'm getting around 28 mpg for that trip. 😁

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

Nice! The start of many adventures. 🙂

[@Doc1855]

I’m only getting 20mpg on the freeway with the cruise control set on 75mph with my LEMON 🍋

[@MrSkrifle]

​@Doc1855 that doesn't mean the car is a lemon... however, it does suggest you received a lemon for a brain. Best MPGs is had at ~50mph for almost all passenger cars. If you're increasing rpms on the highway, obviously your mileage will be worse. And the energy required to cut through the air resistance, only increases more exponentially over 55mph+. *cruising at 5k rpms* "Ugh this lemon? Miles bad, me sad. Lemon yellow?"

[@Doc1855]

@@MrSkrifle My Lemon has only 15K miles on it and they’ve already had to replace the computer. It’s on it 3rd battery. The facial recognition doesn’t work 1/2 the time. The car unlocks itself most of the time over night and on occasions when parked with the doors locked, the hatch opens up. The transmission is slipping, the memory seats work sometimes, since the computer was replaced, it now only gets 20mpg. I talk with the owner of this channel all the time and he too is aware of all of the problems my Forester Touring is having. The low oil Biden light keeps flickering, the transmission slips…, shall I go on about my POS 🍋 LEMON Forester ? And by your compassion and empathy for another human being, I’m quite sure that you’re from the Communist Leftist and voted for Communist Dictator Obiden. I would wish you a good day, but that would just make you angry !

[@sura-quayarbon6055]

Third row is also adjustable, you can recline seat backs - not a huge amount but definitely helps make it more comfortable. It seems most people don't realize this is an option since most 3rd row SUVs don't have the option. We had a 2020, now have a 2022 Ascent - love it but have my eye on this one! We put them through its paces, we live in NW CO and have snow 5-6 months a year and live on a dirt road. We use it to tow regularly and have two kids and two 100lb dogs that ride in it all the time. Our 2020 had the 2nd row bench seat and after a cross country trip with two kids we realized the captains chairs where a better option, more versatile and the kids can change where they prefer to sit easier and not be in each others bubble LOL

[@nicholaswilkerson501]

lol the back row heated seats button are there lol look up one inch just below the back row air con controls lol

[@FordEnthusiast413]

Awesome review. I like the Ascent. I have debated whether or not I should get one or is an Outback large enough for my needs. I have test driven both and found both a pleasure to drive!

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

Thank you! I filmed this in October, so I honestly couldn’t remember much about it until watching it just now lol. Yeah, they’re both great, but the Ascent definitely is more roomy and those captain chairs on the 7 seater models are nice! 😁

[@user-xj7kk7rb9p]

The moo and hippo comparison made me subscribe. Also please compare interior leg room for if it is okay for sasquatches or not, and if the leg room can be reached by oompa loompa's please

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

Haha I’m glad yours liked that! I just made some more recent videos comparing the Ascent to a Pilot and also a Palisade (which I haven’t made public yet). The third row in all of the unibody 16.5’ long 3 row vehicles (Mazda CX-90/9, Explorer, Etc) and all just about equally tight and uncomfortable for full size adults. 🥵

[@Doc1855]

My Lemon 🍋 is back in the repair shop AGAIN. This time my loaner car is a 24 Outback Limited XT. It’s Black with Ivory interior. It seems to be getting better mileage than the previous loaner which was a 24 Wilderness.

[@minnybiker4505]

Which year did you get? I've heard the first couple years had some issues... Sorry to hear. I feel your pain. My 23 Outback has been in the shop for a week and a half trying to fix some noises in the roof. Nothing major, and I appreciate them fixing it, but I hate being without my car...

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

I’m sorry to hear you guys are having problems. 😕 Doc, what issues is your Forester having now?

[@Doc1855]

@@minnybiker4505 My Forester Touring is a 2019. I bought it in December of 22, but the factory warranty expired in May of 23. It had only 4,700 miles on it. It was a lease return. The day after I bought it I noticed that the low oil Biden light was flickering, so I immediately set up an appointment for the dealership to take a look at it. The dashboard lights keep burning out, the facial recognition forgets who I am 1/2 the time. Often times in the morning it’s unlocked when I locked it the night before. Sometimes when it’s locked the rear hatch opens itself. Every time I start it since I had to shell out $1,600 for a new DCM to be replaced, the dashboard tells me that the tires need to be repaired, ( the tires were replaced by the original owner at 1,300 miles), the lane centering seldom works. Since the DCM was replaced my horrible fuel economy dropped from 24mpg down to 20mpg. The oil Biden light still flickers. Whenever I make a Left hand turn, the car alerts me to keep my eyes on the road. Sometimes the radio forgets the station’s that I’ve programmed in. The oil Biden light flickers when it’s cold and I hit a pothole or speed bump. The StarLink light stays on constantly. It’s so bad that StarLink has emailed me to turn the light off, but it won’t shut off. Sometimes I’ll be driving and through the speakers, StarLink will ask if either my car is broken down and I need a tow. Other times they ask if I’ve been in an accident and need an ambulance. The remote start doesn’t work, even though I’ve paid for the service. StarLink tells me to call My Subaru. Subaru tells me to call StarLink. Last May I had to replace the 3rd battery. The last time it was in the shop, the DCM was on back order so my car was in the shop for 3 weeks. The closest Subaru dealership is 3 hours away, so that’s a 6 hour trip. It’s a Certified Subaru but I was told that since it’s a Certified Subaru that everything is covered bumper to bumper, yet the only thing that’s covered is the engine and transmission. The transmission is slipping, yet Subaru refuses to replace it, even though it’s covered by the Certified Subaru. I’m disabled and saved my money for several years so that I could buy either a new or a Forester Touring with low mileage and pay cash. At my age I figured that this Subaru would be the last vehicle that I’d ever need to buy. The ONLY reason why I bought the Touring trim level was because I’m sick and tired of Gloomy Gray or Boring Black interior color that every automaker has been shoving down everyone’s throats since 1990. I wanted an interior color that looks classy and is different from every other vehicle on the road. I had looked for over 9 months for a Touring with Saddle Brown leather interior, but I couldn’t find any, so that’s why I decided to buy my LEMON 🍋. I think since Subaru knew about all of my problems with the car BEFORE the factory warranty expired, then they should have paid for the bill. I’ve been begging Subaru to buy my LEMON back from me. Please don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love my Forester, but since it has only 15K miles on it, I’m afraid that it’ll crap out and then I’ll have to replace an engine or transmission, because Subaru ISNT honoring their Certified warranty. Then I learned that the Certified Subaru warranty on the power train isn’t for 7 years or 70K miles from the day that I bought it, rather it’s only good for the date it was bought new or 70K miles. So in May it will be 5 years old, so the Certified warranty will expire in May of 2026, Not December of 2029. Subaru is Very Misleading, which is basically a Big Fat Black LIE. The reason why I bought my Forester to begin with was because I can’t afford Communist Dictator Biden’s fuel costs. My previous RAV4 Limited 4WD with the 268hp 3.5 V6 and a 5spd automatic transmission got 21mpg City and 28mpg highway with the cruise control set on 75mph. So now my GUTLESS 182hp 2.5L 4cyl Forester gets 20mpg City and 24mpg Highway. When I had to drive it to Spokane, Washington to Subaru this time, it got only 23mpg. Heck, my 11 Ford Ranger XLT 4WD super cab with the 4.0L V6 gets 23mpg on the highway with the cruise set on 75mph. Sometimes I’ve gotten as much as 26mpg in my Ranger. Before adding a K&N intake and a 3” FlowMaster exhaust system in my Ranger, I was getting 19mpg on the highway, but now I consistently get 23mpg in my Ford. My wife’s 19 Outback with the 175hp 2.5L engine gets 29mpg on the Highway. My wife had been wanting an Outback for many years so a few years ago I had gotten a settlement from an auto accident, so for my wife’s 50th birthday I bought her the Outback. She has only 31K miles on her Outback and hasn’t had ANY problems with her Subaru. My Forester is my First Ever Subaru and it will definitely be my Last. As far as I’m concerned, Subaru can go 🖕🏽🖕🏽🖕🏽 Themselves ! It is by far the WORST vehicle I’ve ever owned in my lifetime. In 25 the RAV4 will be redesigned, so I’ll wait until 26 and sell my LEMON and buy a new RAV4 Limited AWD Hybrid. Hopefully that will be the Last vehicle that I’ll ever have to buy. I normally drive about 6K miles a year, so in 20 years that’ll only be 120K miles. At my age and my health, if I make it another 20 years I’ll be surprised.

[@Doc1855]

@@AutomotiveAnonymous208 Replacing the DCM didn’t fix any of the problems and now every time I start the car it says that something is wrong with my tires. The StarLink light will not go off. Subaru has sent me emails telling me to turn the light off, but it can’t be turned off. Sometimes when I’m driving it, StarLink will call me and ask if either I need a tow or if I’ve been in an accident and they ask if I need an ambulance or fire department. The facial recognition doesn’t work 1/2 the time. My wife and I were backing out of our driveway and the rear hatch opened itself up, all on its own. It still unlocks itself overnight from time to time. Since they put in the DCM, my fuel economy Dropped from 24mpg down to 20mpg. Subaru cannot get the remote start to work. I’ve paid the $50 for the year, but it won’t work. I called StatLink and they told me that I had to call MySubaru , so I called them and they told me that it’s a StarLink problem and I need to call them. The dealership is getting the same run around that I’m getting, so here I am , I’ve paid for the service that I cannot use. The transmission started slipping again but the dealership told me that it never does it when they drive it. I told them that it only happens when I’ve been on the road for an hour or so and at speeds around 75-80mph. I have found out that Subaru will pay for a new transmission IF the dealership can replicate it, BUT Subaru will NOT pay for the labor and I won’t pay for it because it’s under the Certified Subaru Warranty. It’s such a shame that I scrapped and saved my money for several years so that I could pay cash for a vehicle that I thought would be the Last vehicle that I would ever need to buy. Since the RAV. is going to be redesigned in 25, I’ll wait until the 26 year model (to get the bugs worked out), sell my LEMON 🍋 and buy a new RAV4 Limited AWD Hybrid. Hopefully that will be the Last Vehicle I’ll ever need to buy. I was also thinking about buying the new Toyota Stout AWD Hybrid Extra cab. We’ve got our old Ranger XLT super cab 4WD for work around our property. It has only 36K miles so we’ll keep it for what we bought it for. Sharelle’s Outback is her commuter car and our road car for long trips. So I could probably get enough out of my Lemon to pay cash for a Stout Limited AWD Hybrid. I don’t need a 4dr pickup, so the extra cab just might do the trick. I wish Toyota would bring back the small body on frame Hilux extra cab with a 6’ bed hybrid 4WD. If they did that I’d sell both , our Ranger and my Lemon and with the left over money, we’d purchase more silver or gold.

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

That all sounds incredibly frustrating, Doc. I’m really sorry to hear that and am sorry you’ve had such a downturn in your Subaru experience. I don’t blame you for planning to go back to Toyota. The other day I drove a hybrid Camry (I’ll post that at some point) and it was a seriously solid car, felt very well sorted out, and it had 75k miles. I’m sure the next gen RAV4 will be another incredible vehicle in efficiency and reliability.

[@lawrenceklein645]

Great review! Question. How much safer is the Ascent than the Outback? Ascent is bigger, but both have top safety scores. Pretty close, or does size matter?

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

Thanks! That’s a good question. I would assume the Ascent could protect its front and middle row passengers slightly better due to its size. But that’s probably a better question for the IIHS. 🤷‍♂️😬 Thanks for watching!

[@codyremmel5199]

Credit for bringing up the car payload limit! It's criminal how much focus is given the towing capacity without acknowledging the limitations in the vehicle itself after tongue weight is added. Even worse with the Outback models. You can pull 3500lbs somewhere and take no one with you 😅

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

That’s a great point! Payload matters, and I want to see actual stickers because when you Google a vehicles payload it’s never the actual vehicles rating. Usually Google says it’s a few hundred pounds higher than the actual models sticker that I use, so I don’t even Google it anymore lol.

[@daveg6530]

Great looking SUV, but if I were in the market for a vehicle this size, I’d probably go with the new Honda Pilot Trailsport. The NA V6, 10 speed auto, and actual HVAC knobs and dials would be enough to sway me towards the Pilot. But that’s just my preference. I know some people prefer a turbo 4 and the giant tablet screen.

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

These are definitely a fun ride! Watching this video I filmed in October really is making me miss the warmer weather, lol. The new Pilot is a great suggestion! It sounds like their AWD system is also almost as good as Subarus now from what I think I’ve heard. If I ever needed a vehicle this size and wanted to feel like it would be reliable for 20 years I likely would also go with the Honda. My parents have a 19 year old 3.5 Honda V6 with over 200k miles and 0 issues!

[@winstondeocampo699]

You are right about the Ascent being not too big but large enough to occasionally haul a lot of gear or people in the third row. I for one don’t really want a big 3 row SUV in the city.

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

For sure! Full size 3 row SUVs are huge, lol.

[@In-obscurity-n7j]

👍🏻👍🏻 Always a good time. I almost wish my kids were still home so i would have a reason to own a full size suv. 🤔 On second thought, I do enjoy a low sporty driving experience. Yea, no nevermind. I don't want one that bad.

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

Hahaha 😂

[@garyfukes1845]

The problem I have with my 2024 Ascent Limited is that the radio keeps shutting off and I have to press the Source button on the steering wheel.

[@stevedott715]

Will the extra weight of the Ascent wear out that engine/transmission faster than the same set up in the outback? Or is the Ascent beefed up to handle it?

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

I think they’re pretty well sorted out. I’ve heard the first 1-2 years of the Ascent were more prone to tranny problems. And I’ve not heard about any 2.4 turbo problems other than a few random ones that immediately had the silicone gasket issue (which Subaru fixes). But honestly when I bought my Wilderness the fact that the bigger heavier ascent has the same powertrain but also is rated to tow 5k vs. my 3.5k gave me extra peace of mind lol.

[@WhiteoutSnowy]

Which is higher trim this one or their touring trim ? Plus Honda pilot or this ? Tough call.

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

The touring is the highest Subaru trim levels. Between this and the Pilot is a tough call. Personally if I needed a 3 row that I’d plan to keep for a long time I’d personally choose the Honda. Naturally aspirated and proven 3.5 V6, 10 speed (I think), and Honda reliability. Subaru has an incredible AWD system and in general is a better value at least short term than some of its competitors. But either choice is a good choice, IMO! 🙂

[@sansinutube]

How does the Startex hold up in hot humid weather, particularly if you park the vehicle in direct sunlight? My friend says he finds his Startex seats hot and sticky on a hot day, if he leaves his vehicle parked in the hot sun for too long. It may be great in winter, but not so great in summer.

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

That’s a good question. In my OBW and where I live we get 90-100 F temps in the summer but it’s a dry heat, so not much worse than a cloth seat would be. I can’t speak to hot and humid conditions. In that case I’d maybe recommend remote starting the car with AC blasting a few minutes before hoping in. 🤷‍♂️🙂

[@Doc1855]

Great Review ! Hey man, have you ever been to a men’s WORD retreat? If you would like to go it’s April 14-17. I was asked to be on leadership Team for this one. It’s $200 for the whole retreat. I can send you the link to sign up if you’d like . Enjoy your weekend !

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

I appreciate the offer! Yeah, I’ve gone to a couple mountain type retreats and they’re always such an incredible experience. I’m sure that will be such a great time, but it’s likely to big of a time/travel commitment that I can make right now with my therapy work and other life events coming up in the next few months. Thanks Doc, have a good weekend!

[@w.k.7277]

We dont have the ascent in Europe.

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

Oh really. Do you guys get anything from Subaru bigger than the Outback or Forester?

[@scoobybopbop]

What color is that?

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

I don’t recall the exact color name without looking up on their website, but it’s Subarus equivalent of a Magnetic Gray type color. 🙂

[@edlara1303]

also 3rd row to click in seat belts are a joke for car seats.. carplay disconnects every 10min, cvt screams for help when towing or with 7 passengers even worst when goin up hills.. interior cheap plastic scratches so easy, 360 cameras definition is ebay bad😂, a/c airflow full blast is LOUD & no keyfob remote start 😒 only app subscription..

[@Fitatstic]

Currently have an VW Atlas and is worst vehicle I've ever owned. Going to be trading it in sooner than later and looking at getting an Ascent. Miss my Subaru I had before the Atlas.

[@mechanicman8687]

My 2020 ascent makes 180hp…

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

Oh really, is it the 2.5 naturally aspirated? And what country are you in that it’s not turbo’d? Haha

[@StarkyLife]

Just remember, you get what you pay for.

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

Absolutely!

[@StarkyLife]

Subarus are for people that can’t afford Audi’s.

[@lllogggs]

got mine, diggin it

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

Nice! 😎