The Subaru Ascent concept has been unveiled at the 2017 New York
motor show. The Ascent concept is 5050 mm long, 1989 mm wide, 1839 mm tall, and
rides on a 2972 mm wheelbase.
If the final version of the car sticks to those
dimensions, it will be larger than many of its competitors, including Toyota
Kluger, Honda Pilot, Nissan Pathfinder, and Ford Explorer. The production
Ascent will seat up to seven people across three rows of seating, although the
concept car features captain’s chairs in the first two rows.
The Ascent will be powered by an
all-new turbocharged direct-injection boxer engine. The concept vehicle rides on 21-inch alloy
wheels with 275/50 tyres. As with all regular Subaru vehicles, the Ascent will
feature all-wheel drive as standard.
Based on the new Subaru Global Platform, the
production version of the Ascent will start heading down the line at Subaru’s
factory in Lafayette, Indiana in 2018. The Ascent “will be
sold exclusively in the North American market”, although Masahiko Inoue, Subaru
project general manager product and portfolio division, told CarAdvice earlier
this week that a right-hand drive version isn’t completely off the table.
When it goes on sale, the Ascent will effectively
replace the long departed Tribeca, which shuffled off this mortal coil in 2014
after an eight year run.
