Vehicles come loaded with so much technology these days that it can be difficult to take it all in during a short test drive. Because I test more than 50 cars a year, certain tech features stand out as either positive or negative and on how they compare with other vehicles in the same class.
Subaru’s last attempt at a three-row SUV, the Tribeca, didn’t turn out so well. Due to its polarizing appearance and ill-fated launch in 2006 at the dawn of the recession and downsizing, the Tribeca was discontinued in 2014 after years of slow sales.
The 2019 Ascent, however, enters a red-hot SUV market with the appearance of a pumped-up version of the popular Outback, room for up to eight passengers and plenty of useful tech, some new and some familiar. The Limited trim that I tested had a sticker price of $38,995, the $2,950 7-Passenger Technology Package option and a $975 destination and delivery charge, for a final sticker price of $42,920.
Eye Sight on Safety
Subaru was one of the first automakers to offer a full complement of driver assists in mainstream vehicles via its Eye Sight system, and on the Ascent Limited I tested Eye Sight is standard. Features include forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning and assist, adaptive cruise control, sway warning control and a unique Lead Vehicle Start Alert that sounds a warning when you’re lost in a daydream at a traffic light or distracted by your phone as vehicles ahead start to move. New to the Ascent is an EyeSight Assist Monitor, better known as a head-up display. One feature I found especially helpful and reassuring is the way the display on top of the dashboard keeps drivers informed on Eye Sight’s status and when it detects vehicles ahead.
Driver Chooses What to Display
The dashtop display is a Subaru staple and a holdover from other models. It not only displays useful Eye Sight info but a wealth of other information – everything from weather conditions to the accelerator opening ratio. And a favorites screen allows the driver to choose up to three different items to display.
Connectivity Aplenty
In case you need to go online while on the road, the Ascent adds onboard 4G Wi-Fi, but that’s just the tip of the connectivity iceberg. The $2,950 7-Passenger Technology Package option added the Starlink infotainment system with an 8-inch screen, navigation by TomTom, SiriusXM Traffic and Travel Link, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility and a wide variety of Starlink cloud applications including streaming audio, news, parking info and connected search. The option package also comes with a sweet-sounding 14 -speaker Harman Kardon Premium Audio system, a cargo area cover and panoramic power moonroof.
Tech for the Birds
One of the most interesting and unusual apps that’s part of Starlink is eBird. The crowdsourced bird-watching app tells you not only where to look for birds in a given area, but also species that may be present. And with its high clearance and AWD off-road capability, the Ascent can carry you and up to seven of your avian-loving friend almost anywhere fowl can be spotted.
