Once you owned a Subaru, immediately you will understand the beauty of Subaru. I never ride on a Subaru until one day I test drove Impreza back in 2010. I am a fan of BMW. I owned 1990 BMW 318i, 1995 318 ise, 2011 228i, 2012 328i, 2015 335i, 2017 340i. After first Impreza test drive, I bought a 5 door 2012 Impreza for my son, and recommend it to my friend and she was amazed how much confidence Subaru gave her in all kinds of weather conditions. Like most parents, would love to see their children in one of Subaru’s vehicle because safety is always the first priority. Later on, I owned 2015 Outback Limited and 2018 Outback Touring. Today, both Outback are still on my driveway. It was the best choice of my life. I am planning to get an Ascent next year.
I’ve always been a big toyota fan but I decided to step out and buy a different vehicle on a gesture of faith. Ended up getting a Crosstrek and I think it’s pretty safe to say I’ll be sticking with Subaru from now on. The safety features, the awd, and decent fuel mileage are all great features.
Owned a 2017 Subaru Forester XT and boy it is fast! My son and I super liked the Sports# mode! Took it offroading at New Mexico and it performed very well! I had to trade it in for a Subaru Ascent last 2019. Family's getting big plus we needed more room when doing long road trips. 28,000 miles later and still loving the experience with my Ascent. Not as fast at the Forester XT but it gets the job done with its turbo charged engine.
My first car was an 09 Outback in Highschool. Growing up in New Jersey it was great in the snow belt! I loved the capacity and when my friends and I went upstate to ski it had plenty of space for all our equipment. Just a great car all around. When I went to college I bought a newer 2012 Outback, and I loved it even more. My next car out of college, will probably be a 2015 Outback. I guess I have that Subaru addiction thing going on
Most will not be able to live with this lack of quality in such an expensive vehicle. www.ascentforums.com/forums/subaru-ascent-complaints-issues-and-problems.137/
I know im asking randomly but does any of you know a method to log back into an Instagram account..? I somehow forgot my login password. I love any tips you can offer me!
After watching your Honda Pilot and Subaru Ascent videos several times (who's counting?), we ended up picking up a 2020 Subaru Ascent Limited this past weekend. Thanks for all the great reviews and challenges videos that really showcase the capabilities of each vehicle!
Some weeks ago my wife and I emailed you about an "HARD" offroad video of the Subaru Ascent and HERE IT IS! THANK YOU! Because of this video, our next family 3 row is the Ascent!
Mike Cierski 4Runner and the Ascent aren’t comparable. It’s a solid choice. Only one I like is the Pilot. If you don’t need a 3rd road, the Passport is solid too. 4Runner rides like a truck, so unless you want it for off-roading not a good choice. And the Highlander has always been a boring choice.
Tyres/Tires make a huge difference. A few years ago in the UK, my small VW FWD car needed new tyres in winter. We already had snow, so I bought 4 snow tyres. They performed fantastically in 4-8” snow. I often drove past full time 4x4 with all 4 wheels spinning on low profile sports tyres!
I've got an old 2000 Legacy I drive around. It doesn't have most of this fancy stuff, but as you say, when I put snow tires on it, it is unstoppable. I remember driving from Park City to Provo, UT one time and passing other cars like they were parked. They were sliding all over the place, and mine was rock solid.
Nice and though test! General Arcticmax are also a solid choice for more budget friendly winter tread. Been running a set for 4 years on my WRX and they have never let me down, even on winter roadtrips to Canada.
Nice test and using snow tires is the right way to test for winter driving. I live in Montreal and here snow tires are mandatory for the winter months. I've seen a big change in traffic flow during storms since the law was passed a few years ago. I've tried Michlin X-ice, Pirelli, Yokohama, Toyo and Goodyear winter tires in the past and none come close to the perfromance of Nokian Hakkapallita over the life of the tire. I've used Nokians now for 20 years and they last a long time with good grip even when worn to their limits. I've even used them with their eco studs and on icy roads it was amazing. I highly recommend Nokian.
Thanks for the video. We bought the Ascent last year. After a lot of research I came to the conclusion that this is the best SUV to have for our family and where we live (WA state). Best AWD system and top notch safety. Plenty of luxury and tech to top it off. Just hoping that the cvt holds up. This video solidifies what I believed. Subarules!
Erm...it has a Subaru [leaky] head gasket engine and is in its first model year. It’s also a CVT. It is perhaps one of the worst choices on your list. I hope you bought an extended warranty - if so then don’t worry about it. My mother in law traded the Ascent in after eight months of ownership for a Passport.
@@Artecus from one problem child to another... Not impressed with the(Passport)A/C in this Honda. Even right at the vent, the air coming out is cool on the hand, not cold. By the time it gets to a strapped-in passenger’s body, it’s not doing a whole lot of work. More than once I’ve checked to see if I’d inadvertently turned the A/C off. Nope, always on. Just not particularly effective." - Josh Sadlier, Director, Content Strategy-Edmunds
@@Artecus I haven't had any problems with my Ascent. From what I've read Subaru has been very good about taking care of the issues if you have them. That was part of my research. It's new, people like it and so they want to hold up their end. The Ascent has been selling well. So well they they didn't anticipate the production issues. You can try to rain on the parade but you can't dispute the safety ratings, the sells, the AWD and my own experience.
Here in nearly 2022, I still love my 2019 Subie Ascent. Best thing I ever did was install CONTINENTAL TOURING TIRES. They cost a boat load, about $900 but oh what a ride and so very quiet. Plus a 60 or 70k average mileage.
I climbed an icy hill with mine in X-mode driving with all seasons...its very effective...wife has a forester...😁 Subaru is the best option for us...its definitely a beast in winter...
99.6K subs... almost there. Congrats. Nice to see winter driving on a decent winter tire. Much less wheel spin this time. Not to mention, better stopping distances and better lateral grip. Nice work.
I could not believe how far snow tire technology has come in the past few decades. I own an older Honda Civic, and always used good quality all season radials, but the car is lightweight, and was totally squirrely on snow and ice. Last year I purchased a set of dedicated snow tires (Bridgestone Blizzak) and was amazed at the difference they made in winter conditions. It was like the car was on rails compared to the way it was before. I watched a video that compared the performance of a front wheel drive SUV with snow tires to the same SUV in AWD configuration shod with standard all season tires, and the FWD version blew the AWD version away in all metrics, (acceleration, cornering, braking, etc) by wide margins.
Ryan your the best! Great video, I appreciate your candor. I’m glad videos like this exist to show people that some new technology is good. These days I see tons of complaints from “arm chair/ RUclips experts” that watch videos about cars without actually testing them. It seems there is a divide between Subaru owners that have old vehicles with mechanical AWD and people with newer Subaru’s that feature e-diffs and CVTs. I’ve owned 7 Subaru’s now and I believe the new ones are vastly improved over older ones on and off road.
How does the Manual Transmission with read LSD of a 2003 Subaru Baja compare to the new e-diffs and CVTs? I took my Baja in blow sand like dust sand dunes and easily got unstuck after I slowed down in the worst possible location. New e-diff may be good, but is it really better in results in every condition?
@@wg4476 I suspect a hardware LSD still has advantages over electronic traction control, although best of both worlds is to have both. I've seen a Subaru with open diffs and TC that relied heavily on TC in snow, and another with both LSDs and TC that almost never used the TC. That tells me the LSDs are able to forestall a lot of the wheelspin that TC tries to correct after the fact, and that's better for getting moving in the slippery stuff. Of course, hardware is expensive and software is cheap, so I'm sure we'll see more and more of the electronic solution in everything that isn't a dedicated off-roader or hardcore performance car.
@@nightVzn Wow, thanks for the comment. That just gives me more confidence about my 2003 Subaru Baja as it is the only year Baja made with rear LSD (must be a MT). It is quite a rare utility gem with excellent mpg for its capabilites.
Ryan - Another pragmatic, well-informed review. I just stepped up to a gen6 2020 Outback Limited XT Turbo from my gen5 2016 Outback Limited 2.5; so, I'm a Subie gearhead :-) I'm growing into the XT Turbo in a flash -- tons of new safety tech, upgraded interior and effortless power from the 260HP Turbo. Thanks for this great example of the benefits from a genuine set of snow tires - - looking forward to many more videos on your growing channel.
I wasn't that impressed with the Blizzak WS 80 on my last car, 2005 Legacy GT. Too soft and noisy. Bought the Viking Contact 7 for my 2019 Forester, they are worlds better. Quiet and handle about the same as a standard all season (when it's not above 60F).
Three Row SUV segment is so hot right now. Subaru Ascent, Honda Pilot, Toyota Highlander, and Kia Telluride are my favorites for AWD. Nissan Pathfinder and Hyundai Palisade are distant second choices.
I got a 2021 Subaru Ascent last week. It's great to see what condition I can drive into before taking the risk by myself. Even this video is from one year ago, but I still want to say thank you!
Thank you for the off road review. That was excellent. If I was already sold on a Subaru, that would do it. Deciding on a 3rd row suv, currently own a forester turbo(which I love). We will be doing some snow driving in the northeast so this review was great. Well done! Video editing did an excellent job of showing a regular consumer what the xmode can do in the snow and ice. My Forester has that but I never knew the full capabilities. I have just completed a test drive on regular roads and love the handling of it. I feel like I have so much more control than either of the other SUV's I tested. I am a 5'3" female that can drive large vehicles but obviously would like to feel more comfortable in one.. I feel I have so much more control in this one. So thanks again for the review.
Thanks for the review. Knowledgeable reviewers like you are to find. No crap and that is great. Keep up the great work for people who drive in the real world.
Great video! Thanks again for all your in depth reviews. I’m in Washington too and love seeing you testing on so many familiar places in our great state.
Congrats on 100K! After months of looking at cars, we finally opted to buy a used 2017 manual Forester in great shape and put Nokian winters on it (I think they actually invented the winter tire if my memory serves me correctly). Really been enjoying your videos about the different traction control modes - your Crosstrek video (and your enjoyment of the 6MT) is what ultimately swayed us to stay with a manual transmission! 👍
Driving sport, Thanks for hitting the “rocky trail” -it’s what I look forward to most with these cross-over reviews! It’s MUCH better than those canned “Subaru test course” challenges -where the person sits next to the driver and tells them what to do -Those do nothing for me.
1. Respect for Subaru for letting you do this. They know for sure what their cars will go through. That shows some confidence. This is well-designed vehicle. 2. Ascent should be brought to other markets as well. Big cars are popular in Japan right now. New Toyota Harrier will be 4.8m long. Mazda CX-8 is already popular on the roads. "The only" issue is width - people outside of NA are just... well... they eat less... and have narrower roads :) 3. There should be a 2 seat row version for those who need cargo. This allows the owner to have a full-size spare tire and lots of luggage space. It would also make the price cheaper. And please don't tell me that there is already Outback for that: the cargo is not high enough for certain gear that I carry with me. Great content. Please take new Highlander with snow tires there one day ;)
I know this 2 year old comment, but your mentioning of big cars for smaller people reminded me of something I dislike about almost every car review in the US. Everyone is over 6' and like pushing 175lbs or more. This irks me, becuse they often say the 3rd row is too small for adult passengers...and they themselves are far taller than the average adult. I'm 5'8" (128lbs) and my Wife is 5'6" and just as skinny as me. Nobody reviews cars for people with our body type, at least not in the US. I've read the Ascent seats are narrower which is a good thing for us.
@@valdius85 I finally did a test drive of a 2022 Subaru Ascent and got to sit in all seats. As I expected, there's a TON of room in all 3 rows for people of our size. :) With the driver's seat set for my height I had a massive amount of space in the 2nd row even with the 2nd row all the way forward (still had easily 5" of leg room at minimum). With 2nd row set all the way back then sitting in 3rd row, the 3rd row still gave me at least 4 or 5 inches of leg room. Moving the 2nd row forward slightly (still tons of room in 2nd row) gave me way more than enough comfortable space in the 3rd row. I have longer legs than my Wife (she has taller torso), so I'm the tallest in our family in terms of needed leg room. I feel pretty confident that the Subaru Ascent will be way more than enough room in terms of leg/passenger space. We are eagerly awaiting the 2023 orders to open up, hoping to have one in our driveway by end of this year. On a side note, we currently have a minivan with 7 seats (2 - 2 - 3 seating setup). We will be a family of 6 starting in September (2 child seats, 2 boosters, 2 adults). WIth our current minivan we will be forced to put the whole 3rd row up and will be restricted to just the cargo behind the 3rd row. But with the 8 seater Ascent we can leave the 60% side of the 3rd row down. I did the math (compared cargo measurements) between our minivan and the Ascent and we actually gain about 20% cargo room with the Ascent over the minivan, due to having part of that 3rd row down in the Ascent. Not only do we get great passenger space, we can also carry an extra passenger when needed (8 seats vs 7), and for 90% of our driving (6 passengers) we'll end up with more cargo. Seems like a win/win. :)
We are up to the ninth Subaru amongst my family since 1988. And my firt one was in 2000. I owned both Legacy and Outback models. I tried many brands of winter tires. Now on my 2019 Outback I fitted Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 and let me tell you they are the best I have ever owned. I tried Nokian, Hakkapelita, Seilun, Pirelli, Yokohama. I hear a lot of good about Michelin X-Ice but never tried them. If you ever get a chance to run a comparison test you must give Blizzak WS90 a try. They may very well be among the best in my opinion.
In fact if you're familiar with Snoqualmie national forest up passed Verlot in Granite Falls, up at Mount Pilchuck, i had a gentleman following me up with deep snow in a Ford Expedition and when we got to the top he said "you'all be careful up here, wouldn't want you getting stuck."... i chuckled a little bit at him. The entire time he was the one struggling up the hill behind me.
I have 5 cars all running with Blizzak WS70;s, 80's and now 90's. Couldn't even make it up the driveway with the Odyssey's OEM All Seasonals. No problems with the Blizzak's. The CVT on my 2010 Outback makes it sound like an airplane taking off however this is much improved on my 2019 Forester. Not problems with either. I really miss the differential lock that was on my 1987 subaru RX. XMODE doesn't work at highway speeds. With the old diff lock engaged, it felt like I was riding on rails through the slush and snow.
tubemember21 My apologies it’s for my 2019 Forester that came with 18”s originally but yeah smallest I can go is 17” because calipers will hit the barrel of rim. I’m guessing the Ascent and Outback have larger diameter discs.
Great review. I have been watching all the comparisons with the Pilot and Hylander. Made the decision for the 2021 Ascent Touring. We pick it up in two days.
When we moved to Japan i’m 2015, my wife and I bought an Impreza Sport 2-liter with AWD and Eyesight. We will never buy anything but another Subaru. I’ve owned dozens of cars and have never before driven any car that communicated the stability, predictability and control that this one does. Subaru is the fastest-growing marque in Japan and is #1 in customer loyalty for good reason.
Except it is not a quality vehicle today. "...70 percent of new Subaru vehicles are now the object of recalls or service campaigns within two years of being purchased, noting that the “permissible limit” should be around 10 percent." www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2019/06/report-outlines-how-subaru-is-coping-with-quality-control-issues/
Sorry, I don't know your name, but I agree about HDC. It does seem a tad too fast at times, however, it is a really interesting component of Xmode. Do you think this could be mitigated and tested by Subaru/Fuji HI via software? I'm excited to have tried out XMODE finally this winter; just need to get some good winter tires and a low and behold you are using the ones I was thinking of getting for my 19+ Fozzy. I greatly appreciate the content of your videos. Thank you.
They could since it’s a software thing (unless there some limiting factor related to the CVT) - but Subaru hasn’t historically done that, so I doubt we’ll see it.
I think the main benefit is that it is uncompromising. Subarus perform well out in the sticks, or in a suburb. It's a great daily in that regard. It'll get you up the trailhead but it's comfortable enough to where you can take it on your daily commute or long drives. Offroad cars like Jeeps always feel loud and pretty chintzy, but Subarus feel solid. I like that about them. Plus, they aren't a dumb SUV
Bought these same tires and wheels off of Craigslist for our 2017 Forester in the Seattle area and looking forward to some ice this next week. Very highly rated tires. I only put them on before a storm and take them off in the garage with quick jacks when the storm is done. Just too warm here at times to want to leave them on all winter.
Boy how much I love my Suby Ascent. Try this with the other Korean SUV’s! I still miss my WRX but, hope will get the new one in 2021. Then the best of the two worlds
@@bobbyaustralia8509 the Subaru only does up to a 60/40 torque split.. tell me how that is better then the Koreans 50/50? or the Explorers RWD biased system?
@@tylerhumpfer2493 Gotta hand it to Hyundai/Kia, they know how to market their cheap crap almost as well as Volkswagen/Audi.. In all modern AWD Subarus, a planetary gearset engages the propeller shaft FULLTIME. 60:40 is Subaru's nominal torque split that GUARANTEES front AND rear drive without noticeable binding of the center differential. However, as torque biasing differentials typically work, more binding will occur in wetter conditions and are allowed up to 100:0 torque displacement (that means locked/4x4, not FWD) 50:50, as you described, is actually quite lame. 50:50 is as open as a differential can be, only one side will deliver load during normal driving conditions (99% fwd) Beyond those conditions, the manufacturer's own flavor of abs and tc (a lot of the times its Bosch solenoids) are employed to brake the slipping wheel and attempt accelerate the opposing wheel with traction.
You should try to reverse on difficult conditions with X-mode on. I have some doubts. I live in snowy region in Finland and we have 2015 Outback with X mode. It's very efficient, but sometimes I have had difficulties reversing uphill on snow while turning at the same time.
wife drives a 2018 crosstrek it snowed hard last year I had her car son phoned cayse busses were way behind I took the crosstrek to pick him up let me tell u that thing went through the snow and ice unbelievably well there was a hill when coming back home i decided too give it a try well one guy Acura mdx another Mercedes SUV all slipping and sliding I put x mode on and it was sa la ve everyone suburu all wheel drive is by far the best system out there !
Really appreciate your videos and the time you take to showcase vehicles beyond the typical "press" (and RUclips auto reviewer) ones that typically regurgitate the specs to you. Assuming you can read, their content really doesn't provide any value. Keep up the great work!
Great video. In this class of vehicle (3 row crossover) the Ascent and Grand Cherokee are pretty much the ones with any real off-road chops. obviously nothing like a traditional BOF pickup, Wrangler, 4Runner etc but still wayyy beyond what the competition can do.
I also ride Continental Viking contact 7 on my brand new Subaru Outback Limited XT with the 2.4L turbochrge and it's amazing as I'm living in Montrèal Québec and ther is a lot of snow and ice here. I juste love my setup with the traction of Subaru and thoses snow tire. 😁 👍
@@jtrujillo86 yeah but , parroting Scotty Kilmer here, turbo cars work much harder than naturally aspirated cars, so they don’t last as long. Most other SUVs and Mini vans use a v6 or a v8, like the Toyota ones.
We need to start making a list of manufacturers that *aren't* putting 18" dubs on all their off-road capable crossovers. The late-90s rapper thing was fun for a while, but it's 2020 now and the grown ups need a little sidewall.
So with a crawl ration of about 14.3, and maximum engine output torque of 277 ft lbs. this is Subaru's most torque sent to the drive tires vehicle they have to offer. Rightfully so as it is probably their heaviest. Capable of about 40% more torque to the drive tires than the 2.5i 2020 Outback you last showcased.
My mother-in-law traded her Ascent after only eight months of ownership for a Passport. But I love the snow tire video anyway! Would like to see one using a Nokian tread.
Traction control works good in some situations, but there are times it stops your momentum. If there is snow on my driveway, I have to turn it off to get up the hill, otherwise, the car will come to a complete stop half way up. Been the case with any car I've had that has had TC.
Hi, I've watched both the Subaru Outback video you did last week with all season tires, and now this video. I admit that I've only test driven a Subaru 2018 Impreza and a 2016 Outback as possible cars I considered buying, but those deals fell through for several reasons. With that little bit of experience, I admit that I still don't quite understand all the bells and whistles these cars have. I feel like I need a special "Subaru driving course" to become an expert in those bells and whistles. But the one question I have about these 2 cars is "How much does the weight of each of these vehicles you drove affect the stability and traction in the snow and rain?" In my limited experience on dry roads, I found the Impreza and Outback to be glued to the road, especially around tight cloverleaf turns. But I didn't experience them in the rain and snow. I drove a 1998 Corolla for 21 years and though it was an extremely light vehicle, I could drive the car in the snow with some ease as I grew up driving on Long Island, New York, and learned to drive in the snow. On the ice or in the rain, I have to buy the best tires I could otherwise I felt like I was floating at times. Now I drive a 2013 Corolla that I recently purchased and admit that even though it's heavier than my 1998 Corolla, I still feel a bit skittish about driving it on a slushy or even a rainy road. Thanks for answering my question about how the weight of your vehicle affects the traction. Maybe one day I'll be able to afford a good Subaru.
What is your opinion on A/T tires in comparison to snow tires in these kind of conditions? I would love to see a video with this same car, but on BFGoodrich KO2's, Yokohama Geolander G015 or a similar all-terrain tire. Where I'm from, we are getting a minuscule amount of snow, so snow tires are kind of pointless, but I travel a couple of times each winter to ski resorts and naturally hope for snow there. I have equipped my Outback with A/T tires so I can feel confident everywhere, but I still wonder if they are sufficient for climbing up a mountain in snow/ice.
Trying to decide between Subaru Ascent and Honda Pilot Trailsport, with the main use case being driving on unplowed highways with 4-6 inches of slushy snow, and occasional drive up to the ski resort on compacted, partly icy snow on hilly terrain. With snow tires, which model will drive better and offer more security on snow?
I am curious as to how this would perform with an all terrain tire compared to the winter tire. With overlanding becoming more popular it would be nice to know if you can just stick with 1 tire year round.
I drive a forester with AT's that are snow rated and they do great year round. I live at 8500 feet in the mountains of Colorado and we get a good amount of snow but not much ice. They do great year round
Must be a manufacturing issue. Its just about the same TR690 trans that was first used in the 2010 Legacy and Outback. Of course I'm sure some revisions may have been done over the years.
Driving Sport, would you personally buy those Continental winter tires again or would you go with another brand that you felt had better grip in the snow?
I have a set of Dunlop Wintermaxx on one of my cars and I prefer them to the Continentals. But I haven't really done a direct comparison so take that with a grain of salt. - RD
Do you have a video where you compare the performance of all the three rows on this road. I have watched the videos separately, but it's still hard to get an idea of how they differ. Comparing the Ascent, Highlander, Pilot, Telluride etc. Wondering if the subie is way ahead of the others in capabilities or not. Looks like they all made the climb.
Once you owned a Subaru, immediately you will understand the beauty of Subaru. I never ride on a Subaru until one day I test drove Impreza back in 2010. I am a fan of BMW. I owned 1990 BMW 318i, 1995 318 ise, 2011 228i, 2012 328i, 2015 335i, 2017 340i. After first Impreza test drive, I bought a 5 door 2012 Impreza for my son, and recommend it to my friend and she was amazed how much confidence Subaru gave her in all kinds of weather conditions. Like most parents, would love to see their children in one of Subaru’s vehicle because safety is always the first priority. Later on, I owned 2015 Outback Limited and 2018 Outback Touring. Today, both Outback are still on my driveway. It was the best choice of my life. I am planning to get an Ascent next year.
Richard great choice. You will not be disappointed with the ascent
And me(forester), towing out Mercs from probably 12-inch snow in Winter. 😂
I’ve always been a big toyota fan but I decided to step out and buy a different vehicle on a gesture of faith. Ended up getting a Crosstrek and I think it’s pretty safe to say I’ll be sticking with Subaru from now on. The safety features, the awd, and decent fuel mileage are all great features.
Owned a 2017 Subaru Forester XT and boy it is fast! My son and I super liked the Sports# mode! Took it offroading at New Mexico and it performed very well!
I had to trade it in for a Subaru Ascent last 2019. Family's getting big plus we needed more room when doing long road trips.
28,000 miles later and still loving the experience with my Ascent. Not as fast at the Forester XT but it gets the job done with its turbo charged engine.
My first car was an 09 Outback in Highschool. Growing up in New Jersey it was great in the snow belt! I loved the capacity and when my friends and I went upstate to ski it had plenty of space for all our equipment. Just a great car all around.
When I went to college I bought a newer 2012 Outback, and I loved it even more. My next car out of college, will probably be a 2015 Outback. I guess I have that Subaru addiction thing going on
Great challenge that reinforces the effectiveness of a proper set of tires for conditions - Subaru AWD plus winter tires equals winter beast!
Most will not be able to live with this lack of quality in such an expensive vehicle.
www.ascentforums.com/forums/subaru-ascent-complaints-issues-and-problems.137/
I just bought a 2016 forester xt with winter tire ! What a beast in snow !!!
I know im asking randomly but does any of you know a method to log back into an Instagram account..?
I somehow forgot my login password. I love any tips you can offer me!
@Jericho Kayson instablaster =)
After watching your Honda Pilot and Subaru Ascent videos several times (who's counting?), we ended up picking up a 2020 Subaru Ascent Limited this past weekend. Thanks for all the great reviews and challenges videos that really showcase the capabilities of each vehicle!
How is IT
I'm doing the same thing now and I'm leaning towards the Subaru Ascent watching these videos.
@@TheGymBros1998did you end up getting one
Some weeks ago my wife and I emailed you about an "HARD" offroad video of the Subaru Ascent and HERE IT IS! THANK YOU! Because of this video, our next family 3 row is the Ascent!
That will be the biggest mistake of your life
You better off buying a new Toyota Highlander much better suv
Good luck with the CVT get a Toyota Highlander
Please explain? Also the Highlander sucks I will get a 4Runner
Mike Cierski 4Runner and the Ascent aren’t comparable. It’s a solid choice. Only one I like is the Pilot. If you don’t need a 3rd road, the Passport is solid too. 4Runner rides like a truck, so unless you want it for off-roading not a good choice. And the Highlander has always been a boring choice.
This channel has quickly become one of my favorite automotive review channels. I really like it. - Don't change a thing! :)
Just to clarify, snow tires are generally designated to retain snow in the groves. It's the snow on snow contact the helps traction.
Yep, I talked to a Nokian rep and that’s what I was told.
snow on snow contact compacted under pressure and some heat, to be precise
Tyres/Tires make a huge difference. A few years ago in the UK, my small VW FWD car needed new tyres in winter. We already had snow, so I bought 4 snow tyres. They performed fantastically in 4-8” snow. I often drove past full time 4x4 with all 4 wheels spinning on low profile sports tyres!
8:15 I cant believe that grip. Very close to cars with all diff-locks.
I've got an old 2000 Legacy I drive around. It doesn't have most of this fancy stuff, but as you say, when I put snow tires on it, it is unstoppable. I remember driving from Park City to Provo, UT one time and passing other cars like they were parked. They were sliding all over the place, and mine was rock solid.
This was the best “review and explain” video I’ve ever seen. Thanks for your work.
I feel this channel is somewhat Subaru biased..... And I love it!!!!
I just bought a 2021 and waiting for tomorrow to pick it up .
It's freaking amazing !
i absolutely love that subaru decided to finally up the power in all their 2020 models by a significant amount
Nice and though test!
General Arcticmax are also a solid choice for more budget friendly winter tread.
Been running a set for 4 years on my WRX and they have never let me down, even on winter roadtrips to Canada.
Awesome test with tires suited for the conditions - proving what every Subaru owner out there already knew :) Beast in the snow!
Nice test and using snow tires is the right way to test for winter driving. I live in Montreal and here snow tires are mandatory for the winter months. I've seen a big change in traffic flow during storms since the law was passed a few years ago. I've tried Michlin X-ice, Pirelli, Yokohama, Toyo and Goodyear winter tires in the past and none come close to the perfromance of Nokian Hakkapallita over the life of the tire. I've used Nokians now for 20 years and they last a long time with good grip even when worn to their limits. I've even used them with their eco studs and on icy roads it was amazing. I highly recommend Nokian.
All passenger car tires are radial tires.
Have been for like 50 years.
You do excellent work.
I have no idea why you only have 256k subs.
Thanks for the video. We bought the Ascent last year. After a lot of research I came to the conclusion that this is the best SUV to have for our family and where we live (WA state). Best AWD system and top notch safety. Plenty of luxury and tech to top it off. Just hoping that the cvt holds up.
This video solidifies what I believed. Subarules!
Uh, but the problems.
www.ascentforums.com/forums/subaru-ascent-complaints-issues-and-problems.137/
Erm...it has a Subaru [leaky] head gasket engine and is in its first model year. It’s also a CVT. It is perhaps one of the worst choices on your list. I hope you bought an extended warranty - if so then don’t worry about it. My mother in law traded the Ascent in after eight months of ownership for a Passport.
@@Artecus from one problem child to another...
Not impressed with the(Passport)A/C in this Honda. Even right at the vent, the air coming out is cool on the hand, not cold. By the time it gets to a strapped-in passenger’s body, it’s not doing a whole lot of work. More than once I’ve checked to see if I’d inadvertently turned the A/C off. Nope, always on. Just not particularly effective." - Josh Sadlier, Director, Content Strategy-Edmunds
@@Artecus I haven't had any problems with my Ascent. From what I've read Subaru has been very good about taking care of the issues if you have them. That was part of my research. It's new, people like it and so they want to hold up their end. The Ascent has been selling well. So well they they didn't anticipate the production issues.
You can try to rain on the parade but you can't dispute the safety ratings, the sells, the AWD and my own experience.
@@lioneltakhow is it holding up now? Very interested:)
Glad you listened to your viewers and decided to review Subaru AWD and X-mode in snow with SNOW tires! 👍
So cool to see you drive on I-90 towards Snoqualmie. My home away from home!
Here in nearly 2022, I still love my 2019 Subie Ascent. Best thing I ever did was install CONTINENTAL TOURING TIRES. They cost a boat load, about $900 but oh what a ride and so very quiet. Plus a 60 or 70k average mileage.
Great reviews. I really enjoy all your Subaru videos.
I climbed an icy hill with mine in X-mode driving with all seasons...its very effective...wife has a forester...😁 Subaru is the best option for us...its definitely a beast in winter...
99.6K subs... almost there. Congrats.
Nice to see winter driving on a decent winter tire. Much less wheel spin this time. Not to mention, better stopping distances and better lateral grip. Nice work.
I could not believe how far snow tire technology has come in the past few decades. I own an older Honda Civic, and always used good quality all season radials, but the car is lightweight, and was totally squirrely on snow and ice. Last year I purchased a set of dedicated snow tires (Bridgestone Blizzak) and was amazed at the difference they made in winter conditions. It was like the car was on rails compared to the way it was before. I watched a video that compared the performance of a front wheel drive SUV with snow tires to the same SUV in AWD configuration shod with standard all season tires, and the FWD version blew the AWD version away in all metrics, (acceleration, cornering, braking, etc) by wide margins.
Ryan your the best! Great video, I appreciate your candor. I’m glad videos like this exist to show people that some new technology is good. These days I see tons of complaints from “arm chair/ RUclips experts” that watch videos about cars without actually testing them. It seems there is a divide between Subaru owners that have old vehicles with mechanical AWD and people with newer Subaru’s that feature e-diffs and CVTs. I’ve owned 7 Subaru’s now and I believe the new ones are vastly improved over older ones on and off road.
How does the Manual Transmission with read LSD of a 2003 Subaru Baja compare to the new e-diffs and CVTs? I took my Baja in blow sand like dust sand dunes and easily got unstuck after I slowed down in the worst possible location. New e-diff may be good, but is it really better in results in every condition?
@@wg4476 I suspect a hardware LSD still has advantages over electronic traction control, although best of both worlds is to have both. I've seen a Subaru with open diffs and TC that relied heavily on TC in snow, and another with both LSDs and TC that almost never used the TC. That tells me the LSDs are able to forestall a lot of the wheelspin that TC tries to correct after the fact, and that's better for getting moving in the slippery stuff. Of course, hardware is expensive and software is cheap, so I'm sure we'll see more and more of the electronic solution in everything that isn't a dedicated off-roader or hardcore performance car.
@@nightVzn Wow, thanks for the comment. That just gives me more confidence about my 2003 Subaru Baja as it is the only year Baja made with rear LSD (must be a MT). It is quite a rare utility gem with excellent mpg for its capabilites.
As a Subaru Sales Professional, you did a wonderful job.
Thanks for the complement, but I have no idea what you mean by calling me a sales professional. That’s incorrect. -RD
Ryan - Another pragmatic, well-informed review. I just stepped up to a gen6 2020 Outback Limited XT Turbo from my gen5 2016 Outback Limited 2.5; so, I'm a Subie gearhead :-) I'm growing into the XT Turbo in a flash -- tons of new safety tech, upgraded interior and effortless power from the 260HP Turbo. Thanks for this great example of the benefits from a genuine set of snow tires - - looking forward to many more videos on your growing channel.
Blizzaks are amazing snow tires, if you get a chance use them on any Subaru or car.
They’re better than Michelin x ice 3s, just don’t last as long cuz of the softer rubber and more aggressive wipes
Nokian or nothing.
@@borisscepanovic1684 БЛ-85 наше всё!
I wasn't that impressed with the Blizzak WS 80 on my last car, 2005 Legacy GT. Too soft and noisy. Bought the Viking Contact 7 for my 2019 Forester, they are worlds better. Quiet and handle about the same as a standard all season (when it's not above 60F).
Nokian hands down best winter tires
Three Row SUV segment is so hot right now. Subaru Ascent, Honda Pilot, Toyota Highlander, and Kia Telluride are my favorites for AWD. Nissan Pathfinder and Hyundai Palisade are distant second choices.
I got a 2021 Subaru Ascent last week. It's great to see what condition I can drive into before taking the risk by myself. Even this video is from one year ago, but I still want to say thank you!
Thank you my friend,this is my favorite youtube Channel(cars reviews) congratulation!
Proper winter tires and Subaru = EZ mode ON.
Thank you for the off road review. That was excellent. If I was already sold on a Subaru, that would do it. Deciding on a 3rd row suv, currently own a forester turbo(which I love). We will be doing some snow driving in the northeast so this review was great. Well done! Video editing did an excellent job of showing a regular consumer what the xmode can do in the snow and ice. My Forester has that but I never knew the full capabilities. I have just completed a test drive on regular roads and love the handling of it. I feel like I have so much more control than either of the other SUV's I tested. I am a 5'3" female that can drive large vehicles but obviously would like to feel more comfortable in one.. I feel I have so much more control in this one. So thanks again for the review.
Thanks for the review. Knowledgeable reviewers like you are to find. No crap and that is great. Keep up the great work for people who drive in the real world.
Good Job!!!! That is what I am talking about. I went through bumper deep snow in my outback with snow tires, awesome!
Great video! Thanks again for all your in depth reviews. I’m in Washington too and love seeing you testing on so many familiar places in our great state.
Congrats on 100K! After months of looking at cars, we finally opted to buy a used 2017 manual Forester in great shape and put Nokian winters on it (I think they actually invented the winter tire if my memory serves me correctly). Really been enjoying your videos about the different traction control modes - your Crosstrek video (and your enjoyment of the 6MT) is what ultimately swayed us to stay with a manual transmission! 👍
Subaru is the best
multipurpose vehicle
Best station wagon maybe
@@James-il3tq not a station wagon as all they all are Impreza and Legacy. The rest are SUVs
Great all around family SUV Great video review
Congratulations on your 100k subs mark
Ryan! Your reviews are very well-made and informative! Thank you! I have become a great fan!
Driving sport, Thanks for hitting the “rocky trail” -it’s what I look forward to most with these cross-over reviews! It’s MUCH better than those canned “Subaru test course” challenges -where the person sits next to the driver and tells them what to do -Those do nothing for me.
Awesome review! Thank you again!
I can't wait to trade in my wife's Elantra for a Ascent so I can rest easy in the PA winters as she takes our daughter to daycare.
1. Respect for Subaru for letting you do this. They know for sure what their cars will go through. That shows some confidence. This is well-designed vehicle.
2. Ascent should be brought to other markets as well. Big cars are popular in Japan right now. New Toyota Harrier will be 4.8m long. Mazda CX-8 is already popular on the roads. "The only" issue is width - people outside of NA are just... well... they eat less... and have narrower roads :)
3. There should be a 2 seat row version for those who need cargo. This allows the owner to have a full-size spare tire and lots of luggage space. It would also make the price cheaper. And please don't tell me that there is already Outback for that: the cargo is not high enough for certain gear that I carry with me.
Great content. Please take new Highlander with snow tires there one day ;)
We already requested snow tires on our upcoming Highlander loaner. Video should be out in March.
I know this 2 year old comment, but your mentioning of big cars for smaller people reminded me of something I dislike about almost every car review in the US. Everyone is over 6' and like pushing 175lbs or more. This irks me, becuse they often say the 3rd row is too small for adult passengers...and they themselves are far taller than the average adult. I'm 5'8" (128lbs) and my Wife is 5'6" and just as skinny as me. Nobody reviews cars for people with our body type, at least not in the US. I've read the Ascent seats are narrower which is a good thing for us.
@@slandshark
My mother on law is 5' and I'm 5'5". So she has a launge experience behind me and she fits in third seat of the CX-8 as well. :)
@@valdius85 I finally did a test drive of a 2022 Subaru Ascent and got to sit in all seats. As I expected, there's a TON of room in all 3 rows for people of our size. :)
With the driver's seat set for my height I had a massive amount of space in the 2nd row even with the 2nd row all the way forward (still had easily 5" of leg room at minimum). With 2nd row set all the way back then sitting in 3rd row, the 3rd row still gave me at least 4 or 5 inches of leg room. Moving the 2nd row forward slightly (still tons of room in 2nd row) gave me way more than enough comfortable space in the 3rd row.
I have longer legs than my Wife (she has taller torso), so I'm the tallest in our family in terms of needed leg room. I feel pretty confident that the Subaru Ascent will be way more than enough room in terms of leg/passenger space. We are eagerly awaiting the 2023 orders to open up, hoping to have one in our driveway by end of this year.
On a side note, we currently have a minivan with 7 seats (2 - 2 - 3 seating setup). We will be a family of 6 starting in September (2 child seats, 2 boosters, 2 adults). WIth our current minivan we will be forced to put the whole 3rd row up and will be restricted to just the cargo behind the 3rd row. But with the 8 seater Ascent we can leave the 60% side of the 3rd row down. I did the math (compared cargo measurements) between our minivan and the Ascent and we actually gain about 20% cargo room with the Ascent over the minivan, due to having part of that 3rd row down in the Ascent. Not only do we get great passenger space, we can also carry an extra passenger when needed (8 seats vs 7), and for 90% of our driving (6 passengers) we'll end up with more cargo. Seems like a win/win. :)
We are up to the ninth Subaru amongst my family since 1988. And my firt one was in 2000. I owned both Legacy and Outback models. I tried many brands of winter tires. Now on my 2019 Outback I fitted Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 and let me tell you they are the best I have ever owned. I tried Nokian, Hakkapelita, Seilun, Pirelli, Yokohama. I hear a lot of good about Michelin X-Ice but never tried them. If you ever get a chance to run a comparison test you must give Blizzak WS90 a try. They may very well be among the best in my opinion.
In fact if you're familiar with Snoqualmie national forest up passed Verlot in Granite Falls, up at Mount Pilchuck, i had a gentleman following me up with deep snow in a Ford Expedition and when we got to the top he said "you'all be careful up here, wouldn't want you getting stuck."... i chuckled a little bit at him. The entire time he was the one struggling up the hill behind me.
I have 5 cars all running with Blizzak WS70;s, 80's and now 90's. Couldn't even make it up the driveway with the Odyssey's OEM All Seasonals. No problems with the Blizzak's. The CVT on my 2010 Outback makes it sound like an airplane taking off however this is much improved on my 2019 Forester. Not problems with either. I really miss the differential lock that was on my 1987 subaru RX. XMODE doesn't work at highway speeds. With the old diff lock engaged, it felt like I was riding on rails through the slush and snow.
Currently running Nokian Hakkapeliitta R2 SUV on my 06 OBXT. They definitely enhance Subaru's Winter Beast Mode. :)
Great video! But I was hoping for the challenge further up the hill on the steep hilly part that the Passport and Gladiator tackled.
I know, unfortunately that road is inaccessible during winter months. Forest department blocks it for cross country skiing.
@@drivingsports Bummer! Great review nonetheless! Love the channel! Can you review the new GLB 4Matic?
I have the Lattitude X-Ice Xi2's on my 2019 Ascent. My only complaint is the cost of 18" snow tires!
I just bought some snow's for my 2020 STI.... on 19"s... i feel your pain.
I agree, I went down to a 17” rim size to have a lower cost tire setup and more meatier cushion for light off-roading.
@@nhanquach4388 For the Ascent? I tried a 17" wheel off my Outback but it wouldn't clear the brakes in the front :(
tubemember21 My apologies it’s for my 2019 Forester that came with 18”s originally but yeah smallest I can go is 17” because calipers will hit the barrel of rim. I’m guessing the Ascent and Outback have larger diameter discs.
Great review. I have been watching all the comparisons with the Pilot and Hylander. Made the decision for the 2021 Ascent Touring. We pick it up in two days.
When we moved to Japan i’m 2015, my wife and I bought an Impreza Sport 2-liter with AWD and Eyesight. We will never buy anything but another Subaru. I’ve owned dozens of cars and have never before driven any car that communicated the stability, predictability and control that this one does. Subaru is the fastest-growing marque in Japan and is #1 in customer loyalty for good reason.
Except it is not a quality vehicle today.
"...70 percent of new Subaru vehicles are now the object of recalls or service campaigns within two years of being purchased, noting that the “permissible limit” should be around 10 percent."
www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2019/06/report-outlines-how-subaru-is-coping-with-quality-control-issues/
Nice video again Mr. Douhit. I am a fan.
Can you do a similar review with Acura RDX
I would love to see you test x mode in soft sand.
Sorry, I don't know your name, but I agree about HDC. It does seem a tad too fast at times, however, it is a really interesting component of Xmode. Do you think this could be mitigated and tested by Subaru/Fuji HI via software? I'm excited to have tried out XMODE finally this winter; just need to get some good winter tires and a low and behold you are using the ones I was thinking of getting for my 19+ Fozzy. I greatly appreciate the content of your videos. Thank you.
They could since it’s a software thing (unless there some limiting factor related to the CVT) - but Subaru hasn’t historically done that, so I doubt we’ll see it.
@@drivingsports My thoughts exactly. Oh by the way; that 90 legacy is in tip top. Miss mine a ton.
Great video! I want to get a new Ascent/Outback, but I've got 3 subarus that have been babied and want to keep them forever :-)
I think the main benefit is that it is uncompromising. Subarus perform well out in the sticks, or in a suburb. It's a great daily in that regard. It'll get you up the trailhead but it's comfortable enough to where you can take it on your daily commute or long drives. Offroad cars like Jeeps always feel loud and pretty chintzy, but Subarus feel solid. I like that about them. Plus, they aren't a dumb SUV
Bought these same tires and wheels off of Craigslist for our 2017 Forester in the Seattle area and looking forward to some ice this next week. Very highly rated tires. I only put them on before a storm and take them off in the garage with quick jacks when the storm is done. Just too warm here at times to want to leave them on all winter.
Boy how much I love my Suby Ascent. Try this with the other Korean SUV’s! I still miss my WRX but, hope will get the new one in 2021. Then the best of the two worlds
I’m picking up this car soon. I’m hoping this summer. Good demo!
I love your reviews, new subscriber ;)
now do the same with the Telluride/Palisade, Atlas and Explorer.
Different drivetrains. Subaru’s real awd vs the fake awd wheelbarrows you listed 🥱
@@bobbyaustralia8509 the Subaru only does up to a 60/40 torque split.. tell me how that is better then the Koreans 50/50? or the Explorers RWD biased system?
@@tylerhumpfer2493 Gotta hand it to Hyundai/Kia, they know how to market their cheap crap almost as well as Volkswagen/Audi.. In all modern AWD Subarus, a planetary gearset engages the propeller shaft FULLTIME. 60:40 is Subaru's nominal torque split that GUARANTEES front AND rear drive without noticeable binding of the center differential. However, as torque biasing differentials typically work, more binding will occur in wetter conditions and are allowed up to 100:0 torque displacement (that means locked/4x4, not FWD) 50:50, as you described, is actually quite lame. 50:50 is as open as a differential can be, only one side will deliver load during normal driving conditions (99% fwd) Beyond those conditions, the manufacturer's own flavor of abs and tc (a lot of the times its Bosch solenoids) are employed to brake the slipping wheel and attempt accelerate the opposing wheel with traction.
You should try to reverse on difficult conditions with X-mode on. I have some doubts. I live in snowy region in Finland and we have 2015 Outback with X mode. It's very efficient, but sometimes I have had difficulties reversing uphill on snow while turning at the same time.
wife drives a 2018 crosstrek it snowed hard last year I had her car son phoned cayse busses were way behind I took the crosstrek to pick him up let me tell u that thing went through the snow and ice unbelievably well there was a hill when coming back home i decided too give it a try well one guy Acura mdx another Mercedes SUV all slipping and sliding I put x mode on and it was sa la ve everyone suburu all wheel drive is by far the best system out there !
your subaru is running too fast on ice that you forgot to put punctuation in your comment.
@@onlinereg4306 sry forgot this was you tube and not a grammar lesson silly me .
@@onlinereg4306 reading that written MESS gave me eye cancer.
Really appreciate your videos and the time you take to showcase vehicles beyond the typical "press" (and RUclips auto reviewer) ones that typically regurgitate the specs to you. Assuming you can read, their content really doesn't provide any value. Keep up the great work!
Niiiiiice! Ascent- 👍 X-Mode- 👍 Snow Tires- 👍 Ryan Test Video- 👍👍 Next Car?- Subaru Outback or Ascent 👍!
General altimax arctic. My favorite snow tires for my forester xt
As a Subaru owner my favorite tire is the Falken Wildpeak.
Great video demonstrating Subaru's AWD with snow tires! Any chance you can "borrow" a Honda Pilot or Passport with snows? :)
Great video. In this class of vehicle (3 row crossover) the Ascent and Grand Cherokee are pretty much the ones with any real off-road chops. obviously nothing like a traditional BOF pickup, Wrangler, 4Runner etc but still wayyy beyond what the competition can do.
Must have snow tires! Good video!
I also ride Continental Viking contact 7 on my brand new Subaru Outback Limited XT with the 2.4L turbochrge and it's amazing as I'm living in Montrèal Québec and ther is a lot of snow and ice here. I juste love my setup with the traction of Subaru and thoses snow tire. 😁 👍
Combien ca coute un limited comme le tiens jaime bien le model xt outdoor ou onyx en version us
@@dannyboy1984 au Quebec, la version Outback Limited XT se detail au alentour de 43 800$ environs. Évidement toute négociation est ouverte a cela. 😉
Merci Martin pour vos commentaires.
Man if it wasn't for the CVT transmission I would absolutely buy one. Too bad. Great video though!
I love Subaru but they definitely should of had a 6 cylinder ascent
Yeah a turbo/supercharged 4 cylinder isn’t enough for the huge car
@@connorssmallengines6663 Have either of you driven the Ascent? It REALLY moves with the turbo. It's quicker than most of its competitors, too.
@@jtrujillo86 yeah but , parroting Scotty Kilmer here, turbo cars work much harder than naturally aspirated cars, so they don’t last as long. Most other SUVs and Mini vans use a v6 or a v8, like the Toyota ones.
A 4-cylinder gets about 21 miles per gallon. I wonder what a 6-cylinder would get?
@@ElAztecaPicudo i own the 6 cilinder tribeca and it gets 16 city and 21 highway, the ascent is bigger and it gets 21/27
We need to start making a list of manufacturers that *aren't* putting 18" dubs on all their off-road capable crossovers. The late-90s rapper thing was fun for a while, but it's 2020 now and the grown ups need a little sidewall.
Love the 4wd reviews keep it up! Does X mode still work if TC is off??
Yes it does
Ryan, always a great review. Can you do the same test with a 2020 kia sportage? Ty. Great job.
Kia is junk offroad.
So with a crawl ration of about 14.3, and maximum engine output torque of 277 ft lbs. this is Subaru's most torque sent to the drive tires vehicle they have to offer. Rightfully so as it is probably their heaviest. Capable of about 40% more torque to the drive tires than the 2.5i 2020 Outback you last showcased.
Granted no one does open throttle when they crawl. In that case the 2020 2.5i outback is your best crawling friend off road.
That's a pity this car is not available in Europe...
4x4 tests on rollers - duszaniespokojna channel yeah I agree, the car market is so different in many region...
My mother-in-law traded her Ascent after only eight months of ownership for a Passport. But I love the snow tire video anyway! Would like to see one using a Nokian tread.
Traction control works good in some situations, but there are times it stops your momentum. If there is snow on my driveway, I have to turn it off to get up the hill, otherwise, the car will come to a complete stop half way up. Been the case with any car I've had that has had TC.
Hi, I've watched both the Subaru Outback video you did last week with all season tires, and now this video. I admit that I've only test driven a Subaru 2018 Impreza and a 2016 Outback as possible cars I considered buying, but those deals fell through for several reasons. With that little bit of experience, I admit that I still don't quite understand all the bells and whistles these cars have. I feel like I need a special "Subaru driving course" to become an expert in those bells and whistles. But the one question I have about these 2 cars is "How much does the weight of each of these vehicles you drove affect the stability and traction in the snow and rain?" In my limited experience on dry roads, I found the Impreza and Outback to be glued to the road, especially around tight cloverleaf turns. But I didn't experience them in the rain and snow. I drove a 1998 Corolla for 21 years and though it was an extremely light vehicle, I could drive the car in the snow with some ease as I grew up driving on Long Island, New York, and learned to drive in the snow. On the ice or in the rain, I have to buy the best tires I could otherwise I felt like I was floating at times. Now I drive a 2013 Corolla that I recently purchased and admit that even though it's heavier than my 1998 Corolla, I still feel a bit skittish about driving it on a slushy or even a rainy road. Thanks for answering my question about how the weight of your vehicle affects the traction. Maybe one day I'll be able to afford a good Subaru.
I bought a white Ltd looking for all season radials
What is your opinion on A/T tires in comparison to snow tires in these kind of conditions?
I would love to see a video with this same car, but on BFGoodrich KO2's, Yokohama Geolander G015 or a similar all-terrain tire.
Where I'm from, we are getting a minuscule amount of snow, so snow tires are kind of pointless, but I travel a couple of times each winter to ski resorts and naturally hope for snow there.
I have equipped my Outback with A/T tires so I can feel confident everywhere, but I still wonder if they are sufficient for climbing up a mountain in snow/ice.
Subaru Ascent: Where you can fit your whole world and then some in the back.
Trying to decide between Subaru Ascent and Honda Pilot Trailsport, with the main use case being driving on unplowed highways with 4-6 inches of slushy snow, and occasional drive up to the ski resort on compacted, partly icy snow on hilly terrain. With snow tires, which model will drive better and offer more security on snow?
I have Nokian Hakka R3 tires on base model wheels for my Touring.
Is that in the black hills in Washington state?
Are you on full air or did you lower the psi? If you did what psi are you at?
I am curious as to how this would perform with an all terrain tire compared to the winter tire. With overlanding becoming more popular it would be nice to know if you can just stick with 1 tire year round.
I drive a forester with AT's that are snow rated and they do great year round. I live at 8500 feet in the mountains of Colorado and we get a good amount of snow but not much ice. They do great year round
I put proper snow's on my 17 Legacy and it mad a big difference.
Are those things still having cvt issues tho or what
Yes, the Ascent was recalled for it too.
www.ascentforums.com/forums/subaru-ascent-complaints-issues-and-problems.137/
Yes. Don’t buy it.
Must be a manufacturing issue. Its just about the same TR690 trans that was first used in the 2010 Legacy and Outback. Of course I'm sure some revisions may have been done over the years.
Really sucks, I was a die hard Subaru fan too but CVT’s kinda ruined it for me.
Yes, mine needed a new one in 6 months
Driving Sport, would you personally buy those Continental winter tires again or would you go with another brand that you felt had better grip in the snow?
I have a set of Dunlop Wintermaxx on one of my cars and I prefer them to the Continentals. But I haven't really done a direct comparison so take that with a grain of salt. - RD
Do you have a video where you compare the performance of all the three rows on this road. I have watched the videos separately, but it's still hard to get an idea of how they differ. Comparing the Ascent, Highlander, Pilot, Telluride etc. Wondering if the subie is way ahead of the others in capabilities or not. Looks like they all made the climb.
Nice video. How to know when to use traction control and Xmode together?
Once again great review,cheers.
Love this car Subaru. I am going to get one as soon as you get rid of the failure prone CVT transmission .
Better look at another brand.
I’ve heard from some people that owns Subaru ascent, that they deal with oil leaks from the engine, is this a weird spread issue or just lemon cars?