Subaru Ascent Overview: Specs and Generations of the Three-Row SUV
Subaru Ascent generations explained: a 5-door SUV built since 2018, with the 2.4-liter 260 hp engine, CVT and standard 4x4 across all versions.
The Subaru Ascent is a 5-door SUV produced from 2018 to the present, offered with a single 260 hp engine across its entire run. Anyone comparing subaru ascent specs will find a simple lineup: one 2.4-liter unit, a CVT gearbox and 4x4 drive on every version, which suits buyers who want a family SUV without wading through engine charts.
Subaru Ascent generations
1 generation (2018–2022)
The first-generation Subaru Ascent was built from 2018 to 2022 as a 5-door SUV. The lineup contained a single modification: the 2.4 AWD CVT with a 2387 cc engine producing 260 hp, paired with a CVT and 4x4 drive.
1 generation, restyling 1 (2022–present)
The restyled Subaru Ascent has been in production since 2022, keeping the 5-door SUV body. It carries over the same sole modification — the 2.4 AWD CVT with 2387 cc, 260 hp, CVT and 4x4 — so mechanically the range is unchanged from the pre-facelift car.
Which Subaru Ascent to buy
- 2.4 AWD CVT (1 generation, restyling 1): the current version, in production since 2022, with the 2387 cc engine rated at 260 hp — the freshest examples on the market.
- 2.4 AWD CVT (1 generation): the 2018–2022 run offers the same 260 hp and 4x4 drive as the restyled car, so an earlier build gives up nothing in output.
On the used market the Subaru Ascent is straightforward to shop for: with one modification per generation and identical 260 hp powertrains before and after the 2022 restyling, the main variable between listings is the model year rather than the mechanical configuration.
Summary
The Subaru Ascent range from 2018 to the present consists of two generations of the same 5-door SUV: the 2018–2022 original and the restyled version built since 2022. Both use one powertrain — the 2.4 AWD CVT with a 2387 cc engine, 260 hp, CVT transmission and 4x4 drive. Because the power range is flat at 260–260 hp across all years, the choice between generations comes down to production date, and searches for subaru ascent generations reduce to a single question: pre-restyling (2018–2022) or restyling (2022–present).