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2021 Subaru Ascent
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- Car Seat Hardware That Works. You’ll find lower anchors on the second-row outboard seats, plus tether anchors in every seating position, including the entire third row.
- Rear View Camera Mirror. The camera-based rear view mirror is a standout feature, especially for families using tall car seats or regularly filling the third row. Instead of relying on a blocked rear window, you get a clear camera view with the flip of a switch.
- Built-In Child Monitoring Mirror. The overhead mirror provides a clear view of rear passengers without needing to turn around.
- Second-Row Comfort for Kids and Adults. The second row delivers with rear climate controls, heated seats, built-in sunshades, USB ports, and even an outlet. This makes it a great spot for kids in car seats, older kids, or adults riding back there regularly.
- Advanced Safety Tech That Actually Helps Parents. Subaru’s EyeSight driver assist features shine in everyday driving. Lane keep assist, blind spot monitoring, rear automatic braking, and alerts when the car ahead moves at a stoplight all add an extra layer of support.
The Exterior
Exterior-wise, this isn’t my favorite-looking midsize SUV on the market. It’s definitely less stylish than some competitors and, if I’m being honest, it looks a lot like every other Subaru. Between this and a Forester, the biggest difference visually is that this one is bigger.
Up front, the grille is very simple with a large chrome surround and an oversized Subaru logo. It’s fine, but it’s not doing much for me. The headlights are also pretty standard and straightforward.
From the side, I actually like it a bit more. The two-tone wheels are a nice touch, and I really like the matte silver mirror caps paired with the chrome window trim. The roof rails give it that rugged Subaru look, and the subtle black detailing helps break things up.
The back is my favorite angle. The wraparound taillights extend nicely and give the rear end a cleaner, more finished look. Overall, it’s not a showstopper, but people don’t usually buy Subarus for flashy design. They’re buying for practicality, safety, and family-friendly features—and that’s where this vehicle really starts to shine.
First Row
Design & Comfort
The Touring trim feels really nice up front. I love the wood trim, contrast stitching, and perforated leather. It feels premium without being over the top, and it’s a comfortable place to spend a lot of time.
Tech & Controls
The dash isn’t fully digital, and information is split between two screens. It works, but I wish everything lived in one place, especially with how much space this dash has. The steering wheel has a lot of buttons, but they’re large and easy to use, with adaptive cruise control, a heated steering wheel, Bluetooth, and voice controls.
Screen, Climate & Storage
The center screen is smaller than some competitors, but it’s responsive, built-in, and easy to use. I appreciate the physical climate controls, plus heated and ventilated front seats. The center console is a decent size, and the small organizer inside is great for coins or little items. USB ports up front make charging easy.
Second Row
Space & Seating
The second row offers solid space, even with the front seat set for a taller driver. The captain’s chairs are comfortable, but the center aisle to the third row is narrower than expected, especially for adults. It works better for kids moving through than grown-ups.
Features & Amenities
Second-row passengers get their own climate controls, heated seats, built-in sunshades, USB ports, and an outlet. These are all features I really like seeing in a family vehicle and make a big difference for everyday use.
Car Seat Setup & Access
Lower anchors are available on the second-row outboard seats, and all seating positions have tether anchors. Car seat installation itself is straightforward, but rear-facing seats can limit front-seat legroom, especially for taller drivers. The sliding seat tracks help adjust space, but this is something families will want to plan for.
One thing I do appreciate is that when a car seat is installed using lower anchors, the second-row seat can still slide forward to create access to the third row. It’s not perfect, but it does provide a workable path for kids to climb back.
All headrests are removable, which helps with proper car seat and booster positioning. Trims below Touring also offer a second-row bench seat, which may actually work better for some families than captain’s chairs, depending on car seat layouts and long-term needs.
Third Row
Space & Comfort
The third row is tight. Headroom is limited, the floor is high, and legroom disappears quickly, especially for adults. This row works much better for kids than for full-size passengers, and even then, it’s not a place you’ll want to use every day for long drives.
Features & Amenities
There are ceiling vents in the third row, which is great to see, but USB ports are limited to one side. Cup holders are present, though they’re on the smaller side. Overall, the basics are covered, but it’s a fairly simple setup back here.
Car Seat Setup
All three third-row seating positions have tether anchors, which is a big win for forward-facing car seats and high-back boosters. There is one set of lower anchors in the third row, but they’re offset and positioned over the seat belt, which can make installations trickier depending on the car seat.
Headrests are removable, which helps with proper booster fit. That said, rear-facing car seats are not realistic back here, and even forward-facing seats will feel tight. This row is best used for older kids in boosters or occasional forward-facing setups rather than daily car seat use.
Trunk
With the third row up, cargo space is limited but usable for everyday items. Folding the third row down makes a big difference and opens up a much more practical cargo area.
There’s a fully lined underfloor storage compartment that’s great for muddy shoes or wet items, and I love that the seat backs are protected to prevent wear. The third-row seats are easy to fold and lay flat, making it simple to switch between passenger space and cargo space.
Safety
The 2021 Subaru Ascent is an IIHS Safety Pick Plus.
Safety is one area where the Ascent really stands out. It comes with Subaru’s EyeSight driver assist technology, including lane keep assist, blind spot monitoring, rear automatic braking, and frontal collision warnings.
While driving, the lane keep assist was noticeable in a good way. If I drifted without using my blinker, visual alerts popped up to show exactly which side I was moving toward, which I actually found really helpful. Another feature I liked was the alert that notifies you when the car in front of you moves at a stoplight. It’s a small thing, but it’s genuinely useful in real life.
The following seatbelts have a seatbelt pretensioner.
. Driver’s seatbelt
. Front passenger’s seatbelt
. Second-row seatbelts (window-side
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