2022 Ascent Interior
The interior of the Ascent is typical of the midsize three-row fraternity, with ample space and impressive levels of versatility. But it isn't the most attractive in the segment, and the best features are reserved for the upper half of the trim roster. Also negatively impacting its ratings is the lack of space for third-row occupants and a sense of narrowness for those in the second row, particularly when compared to rivals like the Kia Telluride. The build quality is acceptable but is not on par with some rivals. There are redeeming factors like an intuitive infotainment suite and clever storage solutions, but on the whole, the Ascent feels like a middle-of-the-road entrant in the three-row segment: capable, but not exceptional.
2022 Ascent Interior Photos
Seating and Interior Space
The three-row Ascent is built to be spacious but still isn't the best in the midsize segment. However, it caters for up to eight passengers, with those in the two front rows receiving the lion's share of the available space. Those in the front benefit from 41.3 inches of headroom and 42.2 inches of legroom, while second-row inhabitants receive 40 and 38.6 inches, respectively. But shoulder room in the middle begins to feel tight for those with larger frames. The 3rd row is technically geared to seat three, but with just 57.2 inches of shoulder room and 31.7 inches of legroom, realistically, only young teenagers and kids will be comfortable back there.
Access to the Subaru Ascent's 3rd row is decent, however, especially with the available second-row captain's chairs equipped, although this brings down the total seating capacity to seven. The seven-seat configuration is unavailable on the base car (it's an eight-seater by default), optional on the Premium and Limited, and standard on the Onyx Edition and Touring.
2022 Subaru Ascent Interior Dimensions:
| Subaru Ascent Trims | Base | Premium | Onyx Edition | Limited | Touring |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seating | 8 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 |
| Headroom Front Seat | 41.3 in. | 41.3 in. | 41.3 in. | 41.3 in. | 40.1 in. |
| Headroom Back Seat | 40 in. | 40 in. | 40 in. | 40 in. | 38.7 in. |
| Legroom Front Seat | 42.2 in. | 42.2 in. | 42.2 in. | 42.2 in. | 42.2 in. |
| Legroom Back Seat | 38.6 in. | 38.6 in. | 38.6 in. | 38.6 in. | 38.6 in. |
| Shoulder Room Front | 61.1 in. | 61.1 in. | 61.1 in. | 61.1 in. | 61.1 in. |
| Shoulder Room Rear | 60.3 in. | 60.3 in. | 60.3 in. | 60.3 in. | 60.3 in. |
| Hip Room, Front | 57.7 in. | 57.7 in. | 57.7 in. | 57.7 in. | 57.7 in. |
| Hip Room, Rear | 57.5 in. | 57.5 in. | 57.5 in. | 57.5 in. | 57.5 in. |
Interior Colors and Materials
Inside the Subaru Ascent, you'll find a range of quality materials, with the topmost trims benefitting from the most premium of surfaces. The base model is only offered with cloth upholstery in Slate Black, but it feels robust and up to the task of handling messy family situations. The Premium car gets even better stain-resistant upholstery in one additional color, namely Warm Ivory, but it can only be specced together with certain exterior colors.
The new Onyx Edition trims get water-repellent StarTex upholstery in gray. Finally, the Limited and Touring get leather seats, with the Touring boasting Nappa leather. While the former utilizes the same color combinations, the top-of-the-range Touring swaps out the Ivory option for Java Brown. The base and Premium cars feature Ivory carbon fiber-patterned interior accent trim doors, while the top two cars get an Ivory leather interior. The Touring features a wood grain-patterned accent trim.
2022 Ascent Trunk and Cargo Space
Class-competitive storage is par for the course here, but with loads of space being key for buyers in the USA, the Subaru Ascent doesn't rank right up there with the best. 17.8 cubic feet of cargo space can be found behind the third row while folding the rearmost seats - a feat made possible by a 60/40-split rear bench - unlocks up to 47.5 cubic feet on models without the available moonroof. Drop both the second and third rows of seating, and a maximum of 86.5 cubes can be revealed. With all rows in place, the storage is decent, but behind the best in the segment. Subaru counters this with clever storage solutions like velcro straps that allow for numerous storage configurations.
Internal storage for the eight inhabitants isn't as great as some rivals either: you get some cubby space and a center console storage bin, as well 19 bottle and cupholders for all three rows.
2022 Subaru Ascent Trunk and Cargo Space Photos
2022 Subaru Ascent Trunk Size:
| Subaru Ascent Trims | Base | Premium | Onyx Edition | Limited | Touring |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trunk Width (Wheelhousings) | 45.9 in. | 45.9 in. | 45.9 in. | 45.9 in. | 45.9 in. |
| Trunk Height (Area) | 33.9 in. | 33.9 in. | 33.9 in. | 33.9 in. | 33.6 in. |
2022 Ascent Infotainment and Features
Features
The standard features list makes this a good value-for-money buy. The base model comes equipped with a six-way manually adjustable driver's seat, tri-zone climate control, a power tailgate, a rearview camera, and steering-responsive headlights. As with the rest of the range, the base model features Subaru's EyeSight Driver Assistance package, which includes pre-collision braking, lane departure, and sway assistance, and adaptive cruise control with lane centering. This suite is bolstered by the addition of blind-spot monitoring from the Premium and reverse automatic braking from the Onyx Edition. The Premium adds second-row climate controls, eight-way driver's seat adjustment, and heated front seats, but the best features are reserved for the top trims. The Onyx Edition and up gain keyless access with push-button start, a heated steering wheel, and an auto-dimming rearview mirror, and the Limited and up get a power front passenger seat and heated second-row seats. The Onyx Edition Limited gets a 14-speaker Harman Kardon sound system, a surround-view camera system, and integrated navigation. The Touring adds a 180-degree front camera, a 120-volt AC power outlet, and ventilated front seats.
Infotainment
Up from a rather small infotainment display, the latest Subaru Ascent now features a portrait-oriented color multimedia display that is 11.6 inches in size. This is standard on all trims, and includes wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration, Starlink cloud-based applications, SiriusXM, AM/FM/CD compatibility, Bluetooth streaming, and an auxiliary jack.
Premium, Onyx Edition, and Limited models come standard with an eight-inch display, which includes voice controls and HD Radio, while this same system sees the introduction of navigation for the Touring derivative. All but the top model gets six speakers as standard, with the Touring and Onyx Edition Limited upgrading to a Harman Kardon 14-speaker system that's optional on the Limited. Premium models and higher also receive standard Wi-Fi hotspot capability.