The 2026 Subaru Ascent Dodged A Tariff Bullet

Despite the looming threat of tariffs (and possibly thanks to its made-in-USA roots in Indiana), the 2026 Subaru Ascent will see a very modest price increase that accompanies some minor trim changes and added standard features. Now starting at $40,795, the latest Ascent is $800 more expensive than the 2025 model, and despite the slightly higher price, the Subie should still be one of the cheapest all-wheel-drive, three-row crossovers on the market, undercutting even the 2025 Kia Telluride S AWD and the Toyota Grand Highlander – whose 2026 pricing has yet to be announced.

Easier-To-Understand Trim Structure

For 2026, the Subaru Ascent Onyx Edition is no more, which should make things a little easier for shoppers. The confusingly named trim lived above the cheapest Premium and below the mid-level Limited in the lineup, adding StarTex synthetic leather upholstery and black accents to the base model. For those mourning the loss of those features, Subaru will now offer them standard on the Premium, which formerly came with cloth upholstery and bright exterior trim. The base model’s 18-inch wheels now have a black finish as well. The water-resistant StarTex upholstery will be a big boon for Premium shoppers, giving them typical Subaru ruggedness without a high base price.

2025 Subaru Ascent

The other minor change for the 2026 Ascent pertains to the Touring, which now gets matte-finished woodgrain interior trim for a more luxurious appearance. Otherwise, the three-row SUV soldiers into 2026 mostly unchanged, offering standard Subaru EyeSight driver-assistance and safety technology standard. During its 2023 refresh, the Ascent’s EyeSight system augmented its existing stereo cameras with a new wide-angle mono-camera, improving its performance in a variety of driving situations and detecting cyclists, motorcyclists, and pedestrians better than the previous iteration. The Ascent also gets standard heated front seats and a standard rear liftgate, features that cost extra on the likes of the Telluride.

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Mechanically, the Subaru crossover is all but identical to its immediate predecessors, featuring a turbocharged 2.4-liter boxer four-cylinder that makes 260 horsepower and 277 pound-feet. All-wheel drive is standard, natch, as is a high-torque version of the company’s CVT. Given the nonexistent changes to the oily bits, we expect the 2026 Ascent to match the 2025’s 20 miles per gallon city, 26 highway, and 22 combined with the Premium model’s 18-inch wheels, falling to 19 city/25 highway/21 combined on all other trims thanks to their larger 20-inch rollers. All Ascents are rated to tow 5,000 pounds, 1,500 more than next-best Subaru, the turbocharged Outback XT.

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Still Built In Lafayette, Indiana

Given the Ascent isn’t sold in Japan, it shouldn’t be too surprising that Subaru builds its three-row crossover at its manufacturing facility in Lafayette, Indiana. Although many of the vehicles built there are intended for North American consumption, the company also exports Ascents to South America and the Phillippines, making the midsize CUV one of the U.S.’s many foreign-badged exports. Whether that’ll be enough for Subaru to avoid tariff charges amid the Trump administration’s ongoing economic battle remains to be seen.

Source: Subaru