We drove a $46,000 Subaru Ascent SUV to see if it's ready to challenge Honda, Toyota, and Ford — here's the verdict

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October 7, 2018 2:19 PM

The 2019 Subaru Ascent is the latest three-row midsize crossover SUV to enter the market. It is powered by a 260-horsepower, turbocharged four-cylinder engine. The base 2019 Subaru Ascent starts at $31,995, but our top-spec Ascent Touring test car carried an as-test price of $45,670.

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The Ascent is
Subaru's new SUV will take on industry leaders like the
The base 2019 Subaru Ascent starts at $31,995, while our top-of-the-line Ascent Touring starts at $44,695. With fees, our car carried an as-test price of $45,670.
We were impressed by the Ascent's comfortable cabin, bountiful safety features, solid driving dynamics, and powerful turbocharged engine.
The Ascent's somewhat anonymous styling and lethargic transmission, however, were a bit disappointing.

Subaru has been on a roll in the US. The longtime purveyor of Japanese all-wheel-drive motors has reported nearly seven years' worth of consecutive month-over-month sales growth.

Its Outback, Forester, and Crosstrek crossovers have become a popular alternative to the more mainstream offerings from Toyota, Ford, Honda, and Nissan.

Success in the midsize SUV segment, however, has eluded Subaru over the years. It tried in 2005 with the B9 Tribeca. Unfortunately, the Tribeca's odd styling, diminutive size, and tepid performance prevented it from gaining traction in the market. Even a 2008 facelift and the addition of a more powerful engine couldn't save the Tribeca, which soldiered on for nearly a decade before Subaru pulled the plug on the SUV in 2014.

For 2019, Subaru is back with an all-new midsize SUV: the Ascent. The Ascent is larger than the Tribeca, with room for up to eight passengers, and is packed with a bevy of state-of-the-art tech features.

The Ascent is meant to slot in above the Outback wagon in Subaru's lineup and will be its most expensive offering.

Recently, Business Insider had the chance to spend a week with a new Magnetite Gray Metallic Subaru Ascent Touring.

The base 2019 Subaru Ascent starts at $31,995, while our top-of-the-line Ascent Touring starts at $44,695. With fees, our test car carried an as-test price of $45,670.

See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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