2020 Subaru Ascent Limited
model. 2020 Subaru Ascent
price. $33,005 (incl $1,010 destination)
as tested. $43,305 (incl dest) Limited
top trim: $46,055 (incl dest) Touring
seating/style. 7-pass/4-door SUV
powertrain. 2.4L Turbocharged V-6, 260 hp
transmission. CVT with 8-speed manual mode
driveline. symmetrical AWD
towing: 5,000 pounds properly equipped
fuel economy. 20/26/22 city/highway/combined
available. now
also shop: Toyota Highlander, Honda Pilot, Kia Telluride, Hyundai Palisade
2020 Subaru Ascent Limited
model. 2020 Subaru Ascent
price. $33,005 (incl $1,010 destination)
as tested. $43,305 (incl dest) Limited
top trim: $46,055 (incl dest) Touring
seating/style. 7-pass/4-door SUV
powertrain. 2.4L Turbocharged V-6, 260 hp
transmission. CVT with 8-speed manual mode
driveline. symmetrical AWD
towing: 5,000 pounds properly equipped
fuel economy. 20/26/22 city/highway/combined
available. now
also shop: Toyota Highlander, Honda Pilot, Kia Telluride, Hyundai Palisade
2020 Subaru Ascent Limited
model. 2020 Subaru Ascent
price. $33,005 (incl $1,010 destination)
as tested. $43,305 (incl dest) Limited
top trim: $46,055 (incl dest) Touring
seating/style. 7-pass/4-door SUV
powertrain. 2.4L Turbocharged V-6, 260 hp
transmission. CVT with 8-speed manual mode
driveline. symmetrical AWD
towing: 5,000 pounds properly equipped
fuel economy. 20/26/22 city/highway/combined
available. now
also shop: Toyota Highlander, Honda Pilot, Kia Telluride, Hyundai Palisade
Subaru’s first foray into the seven-seat mid-size SUV world is a good one, with the 2020 Ascent offering a roomy interior and appealing materials. Handsome exterior styling and an ergonomically friendly interior layout entice a second look.
Ingress and egress are effortless, even for my petite stature, and finding a comfortable seating position is straightforward. Large windows afford broad visibility with the drive height benefiting from nearly 9” of ground clearance.
Quality materials grace the Subaru Ascent’s cabin with the chocolate exterior and vanilla interior a delicious if impractical choice for a family or wearer of dark denim. The doors thunk when closing, and switches and levers are weighty. Cargo room is plentiful even with all the seats up.
On the road, the Subaru Ascent is a durable, well-balanced vehicle, with a sure-footed feel thanks in part to standard AWD and a quiet, well-insulated cabin. Road noise is kept to a minimum, even riding on 20” tires. The CVT engine complains on aggressive uphills and can shift too much on the descent, but overall acceleration is excellent for entering the highway or popping away from a stoplight.
The Subaru Ascent deserves consideration even in this crowded class of vehicles.
Subaru’s first foray into the seven-seat mid-size SUV world is a good one, with the 2020 Ascent offering a roomy interior and appealing materials. Handsome exterior styling and an ergonomically friendly interior layout entice a second look.
Ingress and egress are effortless, even for my petite stature, and finding a comfortable seating position is straightforward. Large windows afford broad visibility with the drive height benefiting from nearly 9” of ground clearance.
Quality materials grace the Subaru Ascent’s cabin with the chocolate exterior and vanilla interior a delicious if impractical choice for a family or wearer of dark denim. The doors thunk when closing, and switches and levers are weighty. Cargo room is plentiful even with all the seats up.
On the road, the Subaru Ascent is a durable, well-balanced vehicle, with a sure-footed feel thanks in part to standard AWD and a quiet, well-insulated cabin. Road noise is kept to a minimum, even riding on 20” tires. The CVT engine complains on aggressive uphills and can shift too much on the descent, but overall acceleration is excellent for entering the highway or popping away from a stoplight.
The Subaru Ascent deserves consideration even in this crowded class of vehicles.
Subaru’s first foray into the seven-seat mid-size SUV world is a good one, with the 2020 Ascent offering a roomy interior and appealing materials. Handsome exterior styling and an ergonomically friendly interior layout entice a second look.
Ingress and egress are effortless, even for my petite stature, and finding a comfortable seating position is straightforward. Large windows afford broad visibility with the drive height benefiting from nearly 9” of ground clearance.
Quality materials grace the Subaru Ascent’s cabin with the chocolate exterior and vanilla interior a delicious if impractical choice for a family or wearer of dark denim. The doors thunk when closing, and switches and levers are weighty. Cargo room is plentiful even with all the seats up.
On the road, the Subaru Ascent is a durable, well-balanced vehicle, with a sure-footed feel thanks in part to standard AWD and a quiet, well-insulated cabin. Road noise is kept to a minimum, even riding on 20” tires. The CVT engine complains on aggressive uphills and can shift too much on the descent, but overall acceleration is excellent for entering the highway or popping away from a stoplight.
The Subaru Ascent deserves consideration even in this crowded class of vehicles.
rebeccadrives
-ON HIATUS-
Toyota Tacoma TRD
Toyota Tacoma TRD
model. 2020 Toyota Tacoma
price. $36,965
as tested. $45,288 including $1,120 dest
seating/style. 5-passenger/4-door midsize pickup
powertrain. 278-HP 3.5L V-6
transmission. 6-speed auto
driveline. 4x4
fuel economy. 18/22/20 (city/hwy/combo)
available. now
words. Rebecca Lindland
visuals. Rebecca Lindland and Toyota
also shop.
Midsize pickups like the 2020 Toyota Tacoma TRD double cab are terrific for suburban living. They’re compact enough for maneuvering around town, but large enough to haul stuff home from your favorite flea market or DIY store.
My TRD Offroad 4x4 edition – a terrific balance of capabilities and value – offers beefy styling with a blacked-out grille. A lack of running boards and a tall ride height meant for off-roading means getting in and out can be a task. Once inside, the interior is well-equipped with large buttons and knobs, 8” screen, and 3 USB ports. The materials run more utilitarian than extravagant. Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Amazon Alexa are new for 2020, saving us from the dreaded Toyota Entune system.
On board, the 3.5-liter V-6 with 278 horses offers power when needed to accelerate in traffic without sacrificing fuel economy. The $1,670 Advanced Tech package with rear cross traffic and blind spot is a worthwhile add. The 5’0 bed is right-sized for bikes and gear with a handy 120-volt outlet. A class IV tow hitch and 6,400 towing capacity are standard.
The 2020 Toyota Tacoma is a perennial leader in this class; enhancements for 2020 make it more so.
