2019 Subaru Ascent Mid-sized SUV - True 3-row vehicle

[SubOperator]

A coworker of mine had to replace windshield on his new Forester. Car has EyeSight. He's in Mass which covers windshield replacement as part of mandatory auto insurance coverage. He had to wait 2 months to get the windshield in the first place. Then - surprise, since the car has Eyesight, system needs to be recalibrated for new windshield. Dealer only service, at $500. NOT covered by insurance.

 

 

He's dealing with that now. All those electronic nannies are nice but not free....

[laz]

It should all be covered and done in one shot.

 

https://www.safelite.com/windshield-camera-recalibration

[FLlegacy]

I would take a windshield right to the dealer, they have free loaners, lol.

[laz]

I've had good experience with Safelite, but never had a camera calibration done. Florida is also a state that has windshield covered by default. I am scared of the dealership by me. They have scrattched, dented and messed up my previous cars. I now travel 20 miles away to a different dealership.

[SubieDriver]

Aha! That explains that too, I remember seeing the 7% signs myself, but also found it while googling around for 64 max grades. That makes sense though, also explains why they would divide the highway in those sections too.

 

Those 7% are nice, I would engine brake all the way down in 5/6th gear, getting 9999 MPG. One time I was on empty, on my old 1999 Sentra SE with 13gallon tank, and no gas stations in sight. Those long downhills is the only thing that got me to a gas station without running out of gas, I think I got close to 40mpg that one time haha.

 

Reading through this, as I read past "One time I was on empty..." I was half expecting to read, "and at the bottom my tank was full again."

[covertrussian]

Reading through this, as I read past "One time I was on empty..." I was half expecting to read, "and at the bottom my tank was full again."

 

I Runglish goooood

[SubieDriver]

I Runglish goooood

 

Nah, it wasn't your Runglish/English, I've just spent too much time on the internet.

[covertrussian]

Diagonal AWD test in the snow, overall Ascent did excellent!

 

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZ4aeC2Uvm8]Subaru Ascent: AWD diagonal test in DEEP SNOW! I'ts X-MODE time! - YouTube[/ame]

 

And details of the test:

Yep, we already did a full review of the new Subaru Ascent! And a lot of you requested the diagonal test! But here in Québec winter was so fast that it's full of snow everywhere already! So a few pointers before you judge:

1- That Subaru Ascent is equipped with non-studded Toyo OBSERVE GSI-5 winter tires. We could equip it in time with Nokian's Studded tires but that's gonna be for another time!

2- This is NOT a 50/50 AWD system, it's Active Torque Split AWD! This system employs a multi-plate transfer clutch that maintains a 60/40 front/rear torque split and uses a range of sensors to automatically adjust this split on-the-fly as conditions warrant, creating more predictable handling. The Active Torque Split AWD places the focus on ease of operation, fuel efficiency, and reliability.

3-- It never gave up, a lot of AWD system will give up after 30 secs to 5 min of testing. This one hold on like the Millenium Falcon over time!

4- X-mode définition: X-MODE controls the engine output, transmission, AWD torque split and braking system to help tackle the trickiest of conditions and bring even more rugged capability into sharp focus

5- Snow condition: You can't see it, but it was slippery as hell! Black ice under 3-10 cm of fluffy light snow and ultracold temperature! Our cameraman froze its fingers in a few minutes outside.

6- That hill: More than 6' hight at the top, big banking that can send a car rolling! So getting sideways in it is not a good idea!

7- Break-Over angle, with so much ice, physics send the Ascent sideways and we don't want to have the top of the hill in that middle point where we would get stuck! We don't like to call for help with a Subaru!

8- In 2019, we will do a regular diagonal test on a tarmac to be fair, expect similar performance to the Subaru Outback! So check out our about the Subaru Ascent AWD diagonal test in deep snow with X-mode!

Edited January 30, 2019 by covertrussian

[xt2005bonbon]

Gonna check this out. I like 'Car Question' tests.

[SBT]

Impressive.

 

 

CR - that looks like it might even make it up your driveway in similar conditions.

[xt2005bonbon]

I really like the fact that you almost can never get stuck with this technology (except in extreme cases where clearance is an obvious issue or something like that). However, I am noticing that almost each time the car gets unstuck in this video, the vehicle has acquired so much momentum that the driver has to quickly apply the brakes. So, you can't really crawl out and do a careful maneuver if you know what I mean. Now, I know this is not a Jeep. But still.

[covertrussian]

Impressive.

 

 

CR - that looks like it might even make it up your driveway in similar conditions.

 

I'm more impressed that CVT didn't overheat and completely cut power, which seems to be an issue with the Outback's while doing heavy off roading (TFL's Gold Mine Hill tests).

 

Still though, if the Ascent was 6-9 speed auto, I would be much more thrilled about it. Doing even oil changes is stupid expensive and hard on CVT's.

 

On the other side, it's not enough power for me. Zero to 60 in 7 seconds is barely faster then the 6mt outback, thus I would want to mod it a bit , but CVT would probably grenade from the extra power

[xt2005bonbon]

I am actually still eyeing at a Tribeca right now . A little lift and a little tune to smooth out response would do wonders..

How do you think the tribeca would have fared in that test?

[SBT]

I'm more impressed that CVT didn't overheat and completely cut power, which seems to be an issue with the Outback's while doing heavy off roading (TFL's Gold Mine Hill tests).

 

Still though, if the Ascent was 6-9 speed auto, I would be much more thrilled about it. Doing even oil changes is stupid expensive and hard on CVT's.

 

On the other side, it's not enough power for me. Zero to 60 in 7 seconds is barely faster then the 6mt outback, thus I would want to mod it a bit , but CVT would probably grenade from the extra power

 

 

 

While I have no empirical data to support it, the Ascent was designed in Japan, by Subaru engineers, and they over-engineer everything...

 

So I do have confidence that they have mated the CVT with more than adequate cooling - especially given it's 5K towing capability - to keep it from boiling itself internally and forcing out of the routine fluid changes.

 

For the same reason, I believe they've also engineered this CVT to take the demands of high-torque loading, given the 6,000 vehicle and occupancy weight, and 5000 lb towed-vehicle weight (11,000 lbs total).

 

My expectation is that there's some headroom for modest engine tweaking - if the ECU will even allow it - probably at or under the 300-350 curve.

Edited January 30, 2019 by SBT

[SBT]

I am actually still eyeing at a Tribeca right now . A little lift and a little tune to smooth out response would do wonders..

How do you think the tribeca would have fared in that test?

 

 

Having watched a Tribeca in similar circumstances, without TC, it did really well. Key is winter tires. ASes, and it's a fool's errand. The 3.6 delivery is linear and has more available, off-throttle, IMHO, than the 2.4T, but it's a very competent snow mobile.

 

I'm still looking for a 3.0R/3.6R Outback (2008-09 to 2014) for my wife, which has essentially the same drivetrain as the Tribeca.

[covertrussian]

While I have no empirical data to support it, the Ascent was designed in Japan, by Subaru engineers, and they over-engineer everything...

 

So I do have confidence that they have mated the CVT with more than adequate cooling - especially given it's 5K towing capability - to keep it from boiling itself internally and forcing out of the routine fluid changes.

 

For the same reason, I believe they've also engineered this CVT to take the demands of high-torque loading, given the 6,000 vehicle and occupancy weight, and 5000 lb towed-vehicle weight (11,000 lbs total).

 

My expectation is that there's some headroom for modest engine tweaking - if the ECU will even allow it - probably at or under the 300-350 curve.

 

 

Right, while I'd like to think it's well over-engineered, it's really hard and expensive to find out that it's not. There are some 2015+ CVT WRX's that are not doing so hot with extra power.

[SBT]

IIRC, this is the upgraded version of the HD-CVT. I that it's been mentioned somewhere that the Ascent's CVT has a newer product number than the CVT WRX version, and even the 2015+ Leg/OB 3.6R versions. Will try to find this.

[FLlegacy]

Even the HT-CVT used in the 3.6 outback/Legacy and WRX/FXT hasn't been much of an issue, but the towing duty may be another story.

[SubieN8]

Heavy Duty CVT or not, it still doesn't have a "low gear" to allow for low speed crawling over rough terrain. Try stopping in the middle of a really steep incline and then try to go forward - in most cases you can't. Out here in CO, there's plenty of CVT equipped Foresters, Outbacks and Crosstreks that can't manage situations like a traditional auto trans.

[FLlegacy]

Heavy Duty CVT or not, it still doesn't have a "low gear" to allow for low speed crawling over rough terrain. Try stopping in the middle of a really steep incline and then try to go forward - in most cases you can't. Out here in CO, there's plenty of CVT equipped Foresters, Outbacks and Crosstreks that can't manage situations like a traditional auto trans.

 

Your comparison makes no sense, traditional automatics don't have low range either without a transfer case. But you can use the paddle shifters in manual mode to lock the CVT into a low ratio.

[SubieN8]

Your comparison makes no sense, traditional automatics don't have low range either without a transfer case. But you can use the paddle shifters in manual mode to lock the CVT into a low ratio.

 

I hadn't had my coffee, before typing... you're correct about the first part. I guess my point is the Subaru guys that have the non CVT trans don't have issues with climbing up and/or over obstacles, like the CVT'rs. The CVTS just can't hang with them and it's a fact - I know this first hand.

[Brady]

I hadn't had my coffee, before typing... you're correct about the first part. I guess my point is the Subaru guys that have the non CVT trans don't have issues with climbing up and/or over obstacles, like the CVT'rs. The CVTS just can't hang with them and it's a fact - I know this first hand.

 

I still don't really understand what you're saying. I haven't really heard complaints from the 14ers.com crowd about the CVT's being able to get to trailheads like Matterhorn Creek, Nellie Creek, Willow Creek, South Colony Lakes, etc. And those are typically about the limit of those vehicles anyway.

 

If you're trying to get them on more severe 4wd roads, you're bringing the wrong tool for the job.

[ehsnils]

I put that down to the case that older cars had the VTD transmission (planetary gear differential and usually some kind of LSD) while newer with CVT has the ATS transmission (clutch pack in the center and no LSDs)

 

 

The newer cars instead relies on electronically controlled braking of spinning wheels, but that's a half-baked solution as I see it.

[SubieN8]

I still don't really understand what you're saying. I haven't really heard complaints from the 14ers.com crowd about the CVT's being able to get to trailheads like Matterhorn Creek, Nellie Creek, Willow Creek, South Colony Lakes, etc. And those are typically about the limit of those vehicles anyway.

 

If you're trying to get them on more severe 4wd roads, you're bringing the wrong tool for the job.

 

Hearing complaints and being in the off-roading group, here in CO are two very different things. I had a 2016 FXT (HD CVT) that was lifted with BFG KO2s, etc and it wasn't as capable as the older non CVT rigs, (stock or modded) more heavily than mine. A 2015 Forester (non HD CVT) had the same issues with the same obstacles I did.

[FLlegacy]

There is a limit to what the CVT is capable of but its not the gearing, as I understand it is the transfer limit of the chain and pulley system. Where a traditional auto can transfer a greater amount of torque to the gearset the CVT may be electronically limiting that torque to keep the transmission intact.

 

If it is a case of either climbing a hill/obstacle for fun or making it home later that day or to work for the next week, I will choose the latter. I am sure someone could tune that safety net out of the CVT but at what cost.