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Subaru Ascent Problems by Year

Which Subaru Ascent years have the most owner complaints, what goes wrong, and how many recalls each year has.

Subaru Ascent, 2019 to 2024 model years
Photo: SsmIntrigue, CC BY-SA 4.0

Owners have filed 1,025 complaints with NHTSA about the Subaru Ascent from 2019 to 2024. Across every year, the most reported problem areas are the electrical system, the lights, wipers and visibility and the transmission and drivetrain. The years with the most complaints are 2019, 2020 and 2021.

Years to avoid

No year stands out as much worse than the rest.

Safer bets

2021

Clearly fewer complaints than a typical Ascent year. Years from 2022 on are too new to rate.

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Complaints by year

Tap a year to see its most reported problems, its recalls and what to check before you buy. Newer years have had less time on the road, so they always look better here. Red marks the worst years, orange years worse than most, and green the better ones.

201944320203242021105202256202346202451

Every year at a glance

YearVs. other yearsComplaintsRecallsMost reported
2019 AscentWorse than most years4439Electrical system
2020 AscentAbout average3245Electrical system
2021 AscentOne of the better years1052Transmission and drivetrain
2022 AscentToo new to judge562Transmission and drivetrain
2023 AscentToo new to judge464Brakes and stability control
2024 AscentToo new to judge511Lights, wipers and visibility

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Other Subaru models

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Subaru Ascent questions

What are the best Subaru Ascent years?

The Ascent years with clearly fewer complaints than a typical year are 2021. Years from 2022 on are too new to rate fairly, since complaints keep coming in as cars age.

What are the most common Subaru Ascent problems?

Across 2019 to 2024, owners report problems with the electrical system, the lights, wipers and visibility and the transmission and drivetrain most often. Each model year has its own pattern, so check the year you are looking at.

How many recalls does the Subaru Ascent have?

NHTSA lists 23 recalls across the 2019 to 2024 Ascent, counted per model year. A recall can cover several years.

Check the exact car

These problems are for the model year as a whole. Here is how to find out about the one you are looking at.

Decode its VINConfirm the year, trim and engine, and see recalls and safety ratings.Walk around and test drive itA step-by-step checklist you can use on your phone at the car.Read the history reportThe red flags in a Carfax or AutoCheck report, in plain English.

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Where these numbers come from. Complaints are reports that owners filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), counted from NHTSA’s complaint database as of November 5, 2026. Owners do not have to prove a problem to file one, so a complaint is a report, not a confirmed defect. Models that sell in big numbers get more complaints, and newer model years have had less time on the road, so compare years of the same model rather than different models. Recalls come from NHTSA’s recall database and cover every vehicle of that model year, not one particular car. Quotes are trimmed, and anything that looks like a VIN is hidden.