2020 Subaru Ascent reliability

Is it reliable?

The 2020 Subaru Ascent has 322 complaints with NHTSA after 7 years, or 80 per year. That is more complaints per year than most Ascent years here — over the median of the other years, which is 17. NHTSA has 5 recalls on file, including Labels, Interior under-dash wiring, and Transmission control module.

2019 Subaru Ascent — Photo by Kevauto, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 4.0

Complaints

322

Per year

Recalls

Years on the road

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Electrical system (101 of 322), then Powertrain (58) and Visibility and wipers (49). Those filings include 6 that report a crash, 1 that reports a fire, and 4 that report an injury.

Next to 2019 and 2021

The 2019 Ascent has 441 complaints, 94 per year, and the 2021 has 102 complaints, 21 per year. The 2020 has fewer complaints per year than the 2019. The 2020 has more complaints per year than the 2021.

The complaint rate is complaints filed in this year’s first 3 years on the road, divided by however many of those years have passed. Recalls are a separate count. The numbers are for the US-market 2020 Subaru Ascent. How we count. Data as of 2026-10-16.

Recalls (5)

Recall Labels 2026-07-07 · NHTSA campaign 26V436000

Summary Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2026 Crosstrek Hybrid, 2025-2026 Forester Hybrid, Forester, and 2019-2026 Ascent vehicles. These vehicles were manufactured with an incorrect Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) on the certification label. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 110, "Tire selection and rims."

Remedy Subaru will mail a new certification label to owners, free of charge. Owners may also choose to have a dealer install the new label, free of charge. Letters informing owners of the safety risk were mailed August 27, 2026. Additional letters will be mailed once the remedy is available. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRH-26.

Recall electrical system, wiring, interior under-dash wiring 2022-12-08 · NHTSA campaign 22V907000

Summary Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019-2022 Ascent vehicles. The ground bolt that secures the ground terminal of the Positive Temperature Coefficient (PTC) heater may have been improperly fastened, which could result in melting of the ground terminal and surrounding components.

Remedy Owners are advised to park their vehicle away from structures and to avoid leaving the vehicle unattended while the engine is running. An owner who notices or smells smoke coming from the dash or driver's footwell area should immediately stop operating the vehicle and turn the ignition switch to the "Off" position. Dealers will replace the PTC heater ground bolts and if necessary, replace the ground wire and the connector holder, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed February 6, 2023. Owners may contact Subaru's customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRL-22.

Recall powertrain, automatic transmission, transmission control module 2021-12-09 · NHTSA campaign 21V955000

Summary Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Ascent, 2020 Legacy and Outback vehicles. A programming error in the Transmission Control Unit (TCU) may allow the clutch to engage before the drive chain is completely clamped.

Remedy Dealers will reprogram the TCU, inspect TCU data for chain slip, and visually inspect the chain guide. If evidence of chain slippage or damage is found, the transmission will be replaced. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 19, 2022. This recall includes all vehicles previously recalled under 19V-855. Vehicles previously recalled under 19V-855 will need to have the new remedy performed for this recall once available. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRK-21.

Recall steering, linkages, tie rod 2021-12-09 · NHTSA campaign 21V954000

Summary Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2020 Ascent vehicles. Due to an incorrect tapered hole in the housing, the front tie rod ends may not fit properly. The improper fit can result in the tie rods and housings being deformed during assembly and service replacement if excessive torque is applied.

Remedy Dealers will replace the left and right front tie rod ends and housings, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 7, 2022. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRL-21.

Recall Fuel pump 2021-07-29 · NHTSA campaign 21V587000

Summary Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Ascent, 2018 Forester, 2018-2020 Impreza, Legacy, Outback, 2018-2019 BRZ, WRX, and Toyota 86 vehicles. The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.

Remedy Dealers will replace the low-pressure fuel pump, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 24, 2021. Subaru and Toyota owners may call customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRG-21.

Complaints by component (322 total)

Electrical system

101

Powertrain

Visibility and wipers

Engine

Service brakes

Fuel and propulsion system

Forward collision avoidance

Visibility

Structure

Suspension

Exterior lighting

Air bags

Lane departure

Speed control

Steering

Wheels

Back-over prevention

Engine and engine cooling

Other or not sure

Seat belts

Seats

Tether and lower anchor

Tires

Show 15 more Show less

Crash-flagged

Fire-flagged

Injury reports

Death reports

Complaints filed per year

Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings

"After replacing tires I started hearing noises from rear wheel. I searched online and it appears there is an issue with wheel bearings on several Subaru models (see YOUTUBE video by FIXBOOK dated July 12, 2026). The…"
Wheels · filed 2026-09-11
"Subaru has a known problem/design with their LED daytime running lamps on the Ascent model. Dealerships are seeing a high failure rate of these LED lights, and it is always with the left side headlamp assembly. The LED…"
Exterior lighting · filed 2026-09-04
"The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Ascent. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle was skipping. The failure was recurrent. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number:…"
Powertrain · filed 2026-08-27
"1. The vehicle is experiencing a transmission malfunction/failure. The dealership was able to replicate the issue and confirm the malfunction, which caused the check engine light to illuminate. The vehicle is currently…"
Powertrain · filed 2026-08-20
"The Transmission is slipping on my 2020 Ascent. I had the recall wrk-21 performed in July of 2025. Over the last 6 months the car has been hesitant to go at low speeds and shakes at high speeds. Over the last month the…"
Powertrain · filed 2026-07-29

NHTSA crash ratings

Version	Overall	Front	Side	Rollover
2020 Subaru Ascent SUV AWD	5 stars	5 stars	5 stars	4 stars

Stars are how this vehicle did in NHTSA crash tests. They are a safety result, separate from the complaint record. Not rated means that test was not run for this version.

Fuel economy

Trim	Engine	Transmission	Drive	City	Hwy	Combined	Annual fuel cost
Ascent	2.4L, 4-cyl	Automatic (AV-S8)	All-wheel drive	21	27	23 MPG	$2800
Ascent Limited/Touring	2.4L, 4-cyl	Automatic (AV-S8)	All-wheel drive	20	26	22 MPG	$2950

Specs and fitment

1st generation (BT), 2019–present

Body styles SUV

Oil 0W-20 synthetic (2.4L turbo; 5W-30 if 0W-20 unavailable) , 5.4 qt capacity

Tire size 245/50R20, 245/60R18 (trim dependent)

Towing capacity 5,000 lbs

Known issues for this generation

NHTSA safety recall 22V907000 covers affected vehicles after the agency found that subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019-2022 Ascent vehicles. The ground bolt that secures the ground terminal of the Positive Temperature Coefficient (PTC) heater may have been improperly fastened, which could result in melting of the ground terminal and surrounding components. A melting ground terminal increases the risk of a fire. Remedy: Owners are advised to park their vehicle away from structures and to avoid leaving the vehicle unattended while the engine is running. An owner who notices or smells smoke coming from the dash or driver's footwell area should immediately stop operating the vehicle and turn the ignition switch to the "Off" position. Dealers will replace the PTC heater ground bolts and if necessary, replace the ground wire and the connector holder, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed February 6, 2023. Owners may contact Subaru's customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRL-22. When NHTSA lists multiple Subaru nameplates in one campaign, the published unit count is shared across them.

Compare

Previous year 2019 Subaru Ascent Next year 2021 Subaru Ascent See every Subaru Ascent model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2020 Subaru Ascent reliable?

What are common problems with a 2020 Subaru Ascent?

Is the 2020 Subaru Ascent more reliable than the years next to it?

Has the 2020 Subaru Ascent been recalled?

The 2020 Subaru Ascent has 5 recalls on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2020 Subaru Ascent?

Owners have filed 322 complaints about the 2020 Subaru Ascent with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2020 Subaru Ascent get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2020 Subaru Ascent is 22.5 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

What engine oil does a Subaru Ascent use?

The Ascent 2.4L turbo US manual specifies 0W-20 synthetic, with 5W-30 only when 0W-20 is unavailable.

When did the Subaru Ascent launch in the US?

The first US Ascent model year is 2019 (1st generation / BT).

What tire sizes does a Subaru Ascent use?

Common US sizes include 245/60R18 and 245/50R20 depending on trim.