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2019 Subaru Ascent Drivers' Notes Review | Subaru redux

The 2019 Subaru Ascent is the follow-up to the odd and slow-selling Subaru Tribeca. From 2005 to 2014, Subaru sold just 76,774 Tribecas in the U.S. at a time when the company's sales as a whole were on a climb. As we put it in our first drive review, the Ascent can be considered a sort of mulligan. The new model comes out hot and heavy against strong three row competitors like the Honda Pilot, Toyota Highlander, Mazda CX-9 and American offerings like the Chevy Traverse and the Ford Explorer. Our tester is the top-shelf Touring trim. Standard features on the Ascent include Subaru's EyeSight driver assist technology, adaptive cruise control with lane keep assist, keyless entry, three-zone climate control and a turbocharged 2.4-liter flat-four mated to a CVT. Power, like nearly every Subaru, is sent to all-four wheels. For $45,670, the Ascent Touring nets you features like leather trim, power-adjustable front seating, a panoramic moonroof, LED lighting, a power opening rear gate and an upgraded audio system with an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system. Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore: I found myself liking the Subaru Ascent much more than I expected. The turbo four and light steering made it surprisingly engaging to drive. I enjoyed how this one was trimmed out, and the cabin managed to be both woodsy and elegant. It also offered an excellent view of my surroundings, which is not a given for a beefy SUV. Style-wise, I don't love it. I think it looks better in pictures than in person. It seemed a little overwrought in my driveway. If you need a people hauler, and specifically, you need three rows, this one is worth a look. If you don't need three rows, I'd go with an Outback or Forester. That being said, this is the vehicle Subaru absolutely needs in order to have a more complete presence in the U.S. market. It's highly competitive with the VW Atlas, and it should add some solid incremental sales to Subaru's volume. Consumer Editor Jeremy Korzeniewski: I've logged more time in the Subaru Ascent than any other staffer here at Autoblog, having attending the automaker's initial drive event a few months ago and then signing a different one out to schlep my family on a couple of long drives in and around Seattle, Wash. Sometimes it takes a good, long drive to really figure out a car's merits and demerits. Other times, though, initial impressions are confirmed.

Subaru previews Viziv Performance Concept and 2 tuned STIs for Tokyo

Subaru will be rolling deep at the 2017 Tokyo Motor Show next month. The Japanese automaker has announced a number of different models that it will bring to the show, including three concepts, and limited editions of two different STI models. At the top of the list, teased above, is the Subaru Viziv Performance Concept. This car sounds like it could be a sneak preview of a next-generation WRX, as Subaru describes it as a sport sedan that combines "enjoyment and peace of mind." The very nature of the model encourages active engagement, but Viziv Performance uses Subaru's EyeSight tech to provide advanced driver assistance. The teaser images don't give us much else to go on, but we'll keep our ear to the ground in case Subaru drops any more information ahead of the show on Oct. 25. View 2 Photos Also coming to Tokyo will be to Japan-only limited edition versions of two STI models. The first is the Subaru S208, based on the WRX STI. A successor to the S207, the S208 is limited to just 450 units. It's quicker and more powerful than the S207, and features a carbon fiber roof to help lower the center of gravity. Engine output isn't given, but the S207 made 323 horsepower and 318 pound-feet of torque. The S208 also has an upgraded suspension and exclusive interior and exterior styling upgrades. View 5 Photos The other special edition is the Subaru BRZ STI Sport. It doesn't get more power, but Subaru did work to improve ride and handling. The BRZ STI Sport has a stiffer body and a specially tuned suspension to improve dynamic performance. It also gets its own interior and exterior touches, and a special Cool Grey Khaki paint color. Like the S208, it will be available only through lottery, but will be even more exclusive, at just 100 units. View 4 Photos Subaru is bringing two yellow concepts to the show, the XV Fun Adventure Concept and the Impreza Future Sport Concept. The XV Fun Adventure gets off-road tires and updated body cladding. The Impreza Future Sport gets revised front and rear bumpers, a low center of gravity, and a central exhaust. Last, and probably least, Subaru will display the Outback Limited Smart Edition, with a few design touches like an exclusive grille and wheels, microfiber seats, plus navigation and a Harman/Kardon sound system. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Subaru beefs up new Exiga Crossover 7 in Japan

While we wait for Subaru to roll out a replacement for the troubled Tribeca crossover here in North America, in other markets the Japanese automaker continues to introduce other wagons of varying heights and capacities. Like the Levorg wagon offered in Japan and soon to be introduced in Europe, or the new Exiga Crossover 7 announced for the company's domestic market. We first caught a glimpse of the Exiga in concept form way back at the 2007 Tokyo Motor Show, and the seven-seat wagon entered production the following year. What sets this version apart is its higher stance, transforming it into a pseudo-crossover in similar fashion to how the Outback transformed the Legacy or the XV Crosstrek builds upon the Impreza. It's based on the same platform as well, and retains the existing Exiga's seven-seat cabin, with three rows of seating that fold down to make the interior volume adaptable to whatever needs might arise. The crossover version also rides higher on 17-inch wheels, with reinforced lower bodywork, a larger front grille and roof rails to give it a more rugged look. Power comes in the form of a 2.5-liter boxer four, mated to a continuously variable transmission and driving 171 horsepower to all four wheels in typical Subaru style. Fuji Heavy figures it will sell around 600 of these every month in Japan, but it looks unlikely to export it to other markets - least of all our own. Jacked up and ruggedized though it may be, our sources at Subaru tell us this vehicle is too small to have anything to do with the Tribeca replacement we've been waiting for and which promises to be a fair bit larger to suit American tastes. (Google-translated) Subaru new "CROSSOVER 7 (crossover Seven)" released April 16, 2015 Fuji Heavy Industries, the crossover model "CROSSOVER 7" of the new genre of "urban SUV x multiplayer car" (official name: "EXIGA CROSSOVER 7") the will be released today. CROSSOVER 7, the interior and exterior that incorporates elements of fashion and authentic SUV, all-weather AWD performance of Subaru unique, combines the 7-seater of packaging full of airy, is the new crossover model. You can also use in a variety of applications, and new proposal as "7-seater SUV" to achieve an active lifestyle.