2020 Subaru Ascent: A Bear’s Dream

Nineteen cupholders.  Six USB ports. Standard All-Wheel Drive. 

“Exceptional” ground clearance, just in case you didn’t see that roadkill that was still alive.  

What’s not to like about all that and more in the 2020 Ascent?

This is a midsized SUV that thinks it’s a big boy but also plays like it’s still a pup.  

One of the first things I noticed (and loved) was all the room inside.  I did not have much to haul around the weekend that I had it, but should I needed to settle a divorce or fall in love forever that weekend, the 2020 Subaru Ascent could have easily handled it all.

And it could have handled it with a very comfortable, full cabin that is almost like a small efficiency condo.  Plenty of room for friends and lovers and all the souvenirs and baggage that come with that combo meal.  When you put all the seats down, you can get almost 90-square-feet of interior room for all those Precious Memories (many of you will know that hymn from your days of having to Praise Jesus for allowing you to not be thrown to the lions and the liars). 

There is nothing particularly fancy-schmancy about the interior of the 2020 Ascent, and to me, that’s a good thing.  This is, really, a ‘guy’ car.  A Man’s Car.  It’s rugged and can, well, Take it Like a Man (to quote Cher).  But don’t get me wrong, there is just enough style and flair and elegance inside to make you feel like you are not a total Neanderthal – until you actually get to the Flintstones dress-up party.

I have a lot of talents (good and bad, my friends will confirm) but one thing I can never claim to be is a Big Bang genius of any type or stretch.  (I initially thought a Commodore 64 was a knock-off group of Lionel Ritchie’s The Commodores.) When I hop in the driver’s seat and see the instrument panel in front of me, I just want to wave my hand or my magic wand and I want everything to just happen.  So just short of that, I need tech that is easy to use and easy to connect with my phone.

Subaru has tech that is designed for Bears like me: Smarter than the average bear but smart enough to know that when my systems have crashed or I need a reboot, I need a pro, not the DIY Channel. 

For starters, there are actual buttons on the dashboard.  Call it retro, but when I am driving and not paying attention to the road (just kidding – honestly), I don’t have time to stare at a screen and figure out what’s going on.  I need to spin a dial or punch a button to make Olivia Newton John come to life – or Sports Radio to disappear. Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are standard, and if 6.5-inches aren’t enough, you can upgrade to 8-inches – for your touchscreen.

The 2020 Ascent starts at $31,995.  Mileage is 21 city / 27 highway. There is a third row of seats in the mix but I would use those with caution, especially in our community.  

After all, we do take up a lot of room….