2023 Subaru Ascent

SUV · 2.4L Turbo Boxer · AWD

78/100

AutoVault's overall score, weighted for what a suv is actually for — performance, technology, comfort, reliability, safety and value.

Specifications

Engine	2.4L Turbo Boxer
Horsepower	260 hp
Torque	277 lb-ft
0–60 mph	8.2 sec
Top speed	130 mph
Drivetrain	AWD
Seats	7
Combined MPG	24 mpg (21 city / 27 hwy)
Range	385 miles
MSRP	$35,100
Body style	SUV

The verdict

What's good

Standard symmetrical AWD gives genuine all-season traction confidence
IIHS Top Safety Pick+ rating covers multiple crash categories
Up to eight seats with second-row captain chairs still offering cargo behind row three
EyeSight suite activates at highway speeds earlier than many rival systems

What's not

Flat-four engine sounds strained when merging onto fast highways
Second-row USB ports are oddly placed and easy to block with luggage
Handling feels floaty on winding mountain roads compared to Mazda CX-9
Fuel consumption rises noticeably when towing near rated capacity

The engine

Boxer

2.4L Turbo Boxer I4

A turbocharged horizontally opposed flat-four with a low center of gravity and a wide, flat torque plateau, offering V6-like muscle with the off-beat character Subaru fans prize.

The FA24DIT is built on the earlier FA20DIT turbo boxer and first appeared in the 2019 Subaru Ascent; the same engine family later went into the WRX, Outback and Legacy, continuing Subaru's decades-long boxer and rally heritage.

Subaru is now essentially the only automaker still building a turbocharged flat-four engine in America.
It pairs a twin-scroll Garrett turbo with direct injection yet is designed to run on regular 87-octane fuel.
Peak torque of 277 lb-ft arrives in a broad plateau from about 2,000 to 4,800 rpm, giving strong, flexible mid-range pull.

See the rest in AutoVault

The six sub-scores behind the 78 — performance, tech, comfort, reliability, safety and value
Market value today and year-by-year value history
All 5 trims with pricing
Studio photography — exterior, rear and interior
Side-by-side comparison with up to four cars

Open in AutoVault