{"id":"2021_subaru_ascent","make":"Subaru","make_slug":"subaru","model":"Ascent","model_slug":"ascent","year":2021,"url":"/subaru/ascent/2021/","pts":["gas"],"configs":[{"id":42567,"model":"Ascent","pt":"gas","drive":"All-Wheel Drive","trany":"Automatic (AV-S8)","cyl":4,"displ":2.4,"eng":"SIDI","turbo":true,"super":false,"start_stop":false,"city":21,"hwy":27,"comb":23,"cityA":0,"hwyA":0,"combA":0,"kwh100":null,"range":null,"range_city":null,"range_hwy":null,"erange":null,"phev_comb":null,"charge240":null,"charge240b":null,"charger":"","charger_b":"","motor":"","fuel":"Regular","vclass":"Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD","co2":386,"fe_score":5,"ghg_score":5,"fuel_cost":2700,"save_spend":-2250,"guzzler":false,"mfr_code":"FJX","modified":"Mon Oct 19 00:00:00 EDT 2020"},{"id":42568,"model":"Ascent Limited/Touring","pt":"gas","drive":"All-Wheel Drive","trany":"Automatic (AV-S8)","cyl":4,"displ":2.4,"eng":"SIDI","turbo":true,"super":false,"start_stop":false,"city":20,"hwy":26,"comb":22,"cityA":0,"hwyA":0,"combA":0,"kwh100":null,"range":null,"range_city":null,"range_hwy":null,"erange":null,"phev_comb":null,"charge240":null,"charge240b":null,"charger":"","charger_b":"","motor":"","fuel":"Regular","vclass":"Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD","co2":401,"fe_score":4,"ghg_score":4,"fuel_cost":2850,"save_spend":-3000,"guzzler":false,"mfr_code":"FJX","modified":"Mon Oct 19 00:00:00 EDT 2020"}],"vclass":"Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD","segment":"Midsize / large SUV","recalls":[{"campaign":"26V436000","component":"EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS","mfr":"Subaru of America, Inc.","reported":"2026-07-07","owner_notified":"","units":541237,"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.\"","consequence":"An incorrect GAWR label may lead to an overloaded vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.","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 24, 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.","notes":"","park_outside":false,"do_not_drive":false,"mfr_campaign":"WRH-26","initiated_by":"MFR","variants":[],"severity":"minor"},{"campaign":"22V907000","component":"ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH","mfr":"Subaru of America, Inc.","reported":"2022-12-08","owner_notified":"2023-01-25","units":271694,"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.","consequence":"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.","notes":"Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.","park_outside":true,"do_not_drive":false,"mfr_campaign":"WRL-22","initiated_by":"MFR","variants":[],"severity":"critical"}],"recall_count":2,"critical_count":1,"park_outside":true,"do_not_drive":false,"score":82,"grade":"B","complaints":{"count":102,"crash":3,"fire":1,"injured":3,"deaths":0,"comps":[["Power Train",19],["Electrical System",18],["Lane Departure",17],["Unspecified",16],["Visibility/Wiper",14],["Engine",12]],"by_year":{"2021":26,"2022":22,"2023":14,"2024":15,"2025":12,"2026":13},"excerpts":[["2022-05-26","Power Train","The Transmission on the vehicle was exhibiting excessive noise when shifting from park to drive and was progressively becoming undrivable with odd shifting, hard shifting, RPM fluttering, and chugging. It made progressively louder audible sounds and squeaks during cold starts when shifting from park to drive. It was br\u2026"],["2022-05-03","Lane Departure","It is actually the lane centering system. Even a gentle hand on the wheel, which is required, will gradually pull you to one side of the lane. When ever you lift your hand or when the car thinks you have gone to far one way or the other it will throw you into the other lane, into a car, motorcycle, semi, or even off a \u2026"],["2022-03-30","Steering","The contact owns a 2021 Subaru Ascent. The contact stated that while the daughter was driving approximately 20 mph and making a slight right turn, the steering wheel did not respond and the vehicle drifted to the left and crashed into the guard rail. Prior to the incident the driver indicated the steering wheel felt wo\u2026"]]},"investigations":[],"ncap":[{"desc":"SUV AWD","overall":5,"frontal":5,"side":5,"rollover":4,"rollover_risk":0.17,"seats":null,"fcw":"Standard","ldw":"Standard","aeb":"Standard","esc":"","backup_cam":"","variant":null}],"popularity":999,"headline":{"range":null,"mpg":23,"ncap":5,"complaints":102},"presskit_trims":[],"generated_at":"2026-09-11 05:01 UTC","sources":["EPA fueleconomy.gov","NHTSA recalls","NHTSA complaints","NHTSA NCAP","NHTSA investigations"]}