The 2022 Subaru Ascent is Subaru’s largest SUV and appealing to those who want the reliability and safety associated with Subaru in a three-row SUV. It has a four-cylinder engine that gets 22 mpg, which makes it especially attractive with today’s high gas prices. Yet what if the Ascent isn’t quite as reliable as one would hope? Consumer Reports says that the 2022 Subaru Ascent is one of the least reliable cars you can buy right now. How could that be, and what problems do Ascent owners report in their SUVs?

The 2022 Subaru Ascent reliability is poor

Consumer Reports gives the 2022 Subaru Ascent an 18/100 for reliability. This is enough to make it one of the worst cars you can buy right now in terms of reliability. 

The 2022 Subaru Ascent has a predicted model year rating of a 1/5. It says that it expects that the 2022 Ascent will be much less reliable than the average new car. That’s not exactly a selling point for a brand long thought of as the pinnacle of reliability. So what gives?

To determine the 2022 Subaru Ascent’s reliability rating, Consumer Reports looked at data from the 2019, 2020, and also the 2021 model years. Consumer Reports combines responses from surveys they send out to thousands of Ascent owners with the Consumer Reports’ experts’ mechanical knowledge to determine the expected reliability of an SUV. 

The 2019 and 2020 Subaru Ascents also have poor reliability ratings 

Both the 2019 and 2020 Subaru Ascent model years have reliability scores of 1/5. The 219 Subaru Ascent specifically has minor transmission problems, which may include gear selector or leakage, transmission computer problems, and clutch adjustment issues, to name a few. The climate system in the 2019 Subaru Ascent is also problematic. This could be anything from the blower fan working improperly to refrigerant leakage. 

Other problem areas in the 219 Subaru Ascent include the brakes, which is obviously not a problem anyone wants to deal with, as well as power equipment and in-car electronics. 

The 2020 Subaru Ascent fares better, but not by much. The 2020 Subaru Ascent also scored a ⅕ for overall reliability, yet its subcategory scores are better than that in the 2019 Subaru Ascent. The biggest complaints in the 2020 Subaru Ascent include the paint and trim, body integrity, and power equipment. 

The 2021 Subaru Ascent scores a 3/5 for reliability 

The 2020 Subaru Ascent has a ⅗ for reliability. Clearly this is a better score than the 2018 and 2019 Subaru Ascebt, but it isn’t good enough to boost the reliability rating of the 2022 Subaru Ascent. Currently the biggest problems in the 2021 Subaru Ascent include the paint and trim, body integrity, and power equipment. Each of these subcategories receive a 3/5 for their reliability rating. 

So should you buy the 2022 Subaru Ascent? Probably not, if you want to avoid paying for unexpected and potentially expensive repairs. With so many great and reliable three-row SUVs out there right now, the 2022 Subaru Ascent is one SUV that’s probably best avoided.