Subaru Ascent Reliability by Year
Based on 2M+ real complaints filed with the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
1,260 NHTSA complaints (2019–2026).Complaint rate: 27.5 per 10,000 vehicles sold in the US.
Should I buy a Subaru Ascent?
Quick answer from 1,260 NHTSA complaints · 2019–2026
Subaru Ascent reliability depends heavily on the model year. Several years show complaint spikes well above the model's own average, while others are meaningfully cleaner. The most commonly reported issue across all years is electrical faults. Pick the right year and this Ascent can be a reasonable used buy; pick the wrong one and you're inheriting known problems.
- 2023 Subaru Ascent· 8.9/10K sold
- 2022 Subaru Ascent· 11.3/10K sold
- 2021 Subaru Ascent· 17.8/10K sold
- 2019 Subaru Ascent· 66.5/10K sold
- 2020 Subaru Ascent· 57.5/10K sold
Keep scrolling for year-by-year complaint trends, recall campaigns, and component breakdowns — or click any year above for a full report.
Why these years are worse
The most common issues driving the complaint spikes:
- electrical faults — 280 complaints (0.4% involved a crash)
- transmission / drivetrain — 159 complaints (0.6% involved a crash)
- wipers & visibility — 150 complaints (0.0% involved a crash)
- engine problems — 94 complaints (4.3% involved a crash)
- brakes — 76 complaints (6.6% involved a crash)
Which Years to Buy & Avoid
Years auto-clustered by complaint volume relative to this model's median.
Rankings based on complaints per 10,000 vehicles sold — normalized for production volume so low-sales years aren't falsely rated "good".
Bottom line: Avoid the 2019–2020 Subaru Ascent. The 2023 models had significantly fewer reported issues. Most common issue across all years: Electrical System.
Avoid These Years
Average
Better Years
Too New
Need 3+ years on the road for reliable complaint data.
A model's reputation is just the start.
Even within the “good” years, individual cars can have hidden accidents, title issues, or odometer rollbacks. Check the actual VIN before you buy — full history report for $4.99 (vs. Carfax $44.99).
Complaint Rate per 10,000 Vehicles Sold
Normalized by US annual sales volume — higher = more complaints relative to sales
Show raw complaint counts
Common Subaru Ascent Problems
Most reported component complaints to NHTSA. Bar length = volume; color = crash-involvement rate.
Show full table
| Component | Complaints | Crash % |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical Faults | 280 | 0.4% |
| Transmission / Drivetrain | 159 | 0.6% |
| Wipers & Visibility | 150 | 0.0% |
| Engine Problems | 94 | 4.3% |
| Brakes | 76 | 6.6% |
| Fuel System | 36 | 8.3% |
| Visibility:Windshield | 25 | 0.0% |
| Body Structure | 24 | 4.2% |
| Visibility:Rearview Mirrors/Devices:Exterior | 24 | 0.0% |
| Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking | 21 | 42.9% |
When Each Problem Spiked
Year × component heatmap. Darker cells = more complaints that year. Reveals which model years a specific defect concentrated in — useful for spotting redesign-cycle quality dips.
Year-by-Year Breakdown
NHTSA complaint count per model year — click any year for full problems & recalls breakdown.
Year-by-Year Breakdown
Tap any year for full problems & recalls breakdown.
Data Sources & Methodology
Complaints: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation consumer complaint database (1,260 records for this model). Public domain data, updated monthly.
Sales data: US annual vehicle sales from goodcarbadcar. Coverage: 100% of model years have sales data. Total US sales: 458,339.
Rate calculation: Complaints per 10,000 vehicles sold = (complaint count / US annual sales) x 10,000. This normalizes for sales volume so high-volume models like Civic or Camry aren't unfairly penalized.
Year classifications: AVOID = 1.5x+ the model's median complaint rate. GOOD = 0.6x or below. Years less than 3 years old are marked TOO NEW (insufficient data).
See also: Subaru Ascentaccident & safety statistics from our vehicle history database.
Buying a Subaru Ascent?
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