2023 Subaru Ascent reliability

Is it reliable?

The 2023 Subaru Ascent has 45 complaints with NHTSA after 4 years, or 12 per year. That is the fewest complaints per year among the 6 Ascent years on this site. NHTSA has 4 recalls on file, including Labels, Driveshaft, and Front lower control arm.

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

Complaints

Per year

Recalls

Years on the road

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Service brakes (10 of 45), then Forward collision avoidance (7) and Visibility and wipers (6). Those filings include 4 that report a crash, 1 that reports a fire, and 3 that report an injury.

Next to 2022 and 2024

The 2022 Ascent has 55 complaints, 13 per year, and the 2024 has 50 complaints, 17 per year. The 2023 has about the same number of complaints per year as the 2022. The 2023 has fewer complaints per year than the 2024.

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 2023 Subaru Ascent. How we count. Data as of 2026-10-16.

Recalls (4)

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 Driveshaft 2023-09-21 · NHTSA campaign 23V647000

Summary Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2023 Outback, Legacy, Ascent, and Impreza vehicles. The center support bolts for the driveshaft may loosen, resulting in the disconnection of the front end of the driveshaft.

Remedy Dealers will clean the bolt mounting surfaces of the center support brace and install new bolts, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 20, 2023. Owners may contact Subaru's customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRN-23.

Recall Front lower control arm 2023-06-01 · NHTSA campaign 23V392000

Summary Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2023 Ascent vehicles. The left or right front lower control arm may have an improperly tightened ball joint castle nut which can result in retention pin failure and separation of the ball joint from the lower control arm.

Remedy Dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the lower control arm, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed June 30, 2023. Owners may contact Subaru's customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRJ-23.

Recall Tires 2023-04-07 · NHTSA campaign 23V258000

Summary Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2023 Ascent vehicles equipped with 20-inch wheels. The internal tire bead may have been damaged during the wheel mounting process.

Remedy Dealers will replace all four tires, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed June 6, 2023. Owners may contact Subaru's customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRH-23.

Complaints by component (45 total)

Service brakes

Forward collision avoidance

Visibility and wipers

Tires

Electrical system

Air bags

Engine

Powertrain

Speed control

Lane departure

Seats

Wheels

Equipment

Exterior lighting

Fuel and propulsion system

Steering

Structure

Suspension

Show 10 more Show less

Crash-flagged

Fire-flagged

Injury reports

Death reports

Complaints filed per year

Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings

"The contact owns a 2023 Subaru Ascent equipped with Falken Tires, Tire Line: Ziex ZE001 A/S, Tire Size: 245/50/R20 102H, DOT Number: [XXX] Contact stated that while the vehicle was parked with the front wheels turned…"
Tires, Equipment · filed 2026-09-17
"2024 Subaru Ascent – Intermittent Electrical / Ignition-Control Malfunction Vehicle: 2024 Subaru Ascent Mileage: Approximately 29,000 miles Chronology of Events August 19 Vehicle had been operating normally. First…"
Electrical system, Exterior lighting · filed 2026-09-08
"The contact owns a 2023 Subaru Ascent equipped with Falken Tires, Tire Line: ZIEX, Tire Size: 245/50/R20, DOT Number: 1R8KH DM2R 0323. While the contact's wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, there was rubber…"
Tires · filed 2026-08-18
"I am reporting two issues with my vehicle that I believe require further attention and repair assistance. I am requesting that both issues be properly repaired without any charges to me. There are no warning lights,…"
Steering, Unknown or other, Service brakes · filed 2026-08-06
"The vehicle exhibited transmission slippage but did not provide any warning lights or other symptoms . About 100 miles later, the Automatic Transmission Oil light came on (flashing YELLOW), and all other systems light…"
Powertrain · filed 2026-07-31

NHTSA crash ratings

Version	Overall	Front	Side	Rollover
2023 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	20	26	22 MPG	$2950
Ascent Limited/Touring/Onyx all-wheel drive	2.4L, 4-cyl	Automatic (AV-S8)	All-wheel drive	19	25	21 MPG	$3100

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 2022 Subaru Ascent Next year 2024 Subaru Ascent See every Subaru Ascent model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2023 Subaru Ascent reliable?

What are common problems with a 2023 Subaru Ascent?

Is the 2023 Subaru Ascent more reliable than the years next to it?

Has the 2023 Subaru Ascent been recalled?

The 2023 Subaru Ascent has 4 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 2023 Subaru Ascent?

Owners have filed 45 complaints about the 2023 Subaru Ascent with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2023 Subaru Ascent get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2023 Subaru Ascent is 21.5 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.