Crossovers are currently the best selling cars on the US market and for a good reason. They offer the fuel efficiency of a sedan while being able to carry a lot more than their cheaper counterparts. Subaru is one of the few companies not really covering all the different types of crossovers on the market. They have been lacking a 7-seats crossover ever since the Tribeca was discontinued a few years back. However, it seems this is going to change in the near future as a brand new car will be launched soon. The upcoming 2018 Subaru Ascent has already been spied wearing its production body and so far the car looks quite impressive.

It is worth mentioning the Ascent is not going to share its chassis with the current Forester. Instead the car will be based on Subaru’s latest modular car architecture. This is quite a bit more rigid than the one before it and it will give the car a lower center of gravity. From the looks of it, the new Ascent is quite a bit longer than the Forester but it seems just as wide and as tall. The car also seems to have a much longer wheelbase which will allow it to offer all that room inside the cabin. So far not much has been revealed about its running gear, brakes or even engines. Despite that it is safe to assume the upcoming 2018 Subaru Ascent is not going to be all that different from Subaru’s other models.

2018 Subaru Ascent Price & Release date

According to information we had before, 2018 Subaru Ascent should have hit the market in mid-2017. Half the year has passed, and there is still no new Ascent. The market as it is today is more than hungry for new SUVs. This conclusion means that despite not showing it just yet, it’s only a matter of time when will new Ascent hit the dealerships. From today’s standing point, we can argue that it will either arrive in showrooms in early fall or late in the year. Autoblog claims that 2018 Ascent might take a bow at Los Angeles Auto Show. The exact timing is not known, but the sales should start in the early months of 2018.

The price is also unknown, but as it’s usually the case with entirely new models on the market, Subaru will offer an excellent bargain. The above-written means that for the entry level model you will have to part with $35,000. For an SUV of this quality, and from a manufacturer of Subaru’s renown, a mid-$30,000 starting price for a seven-seat SUV is a present.

The design – Interior & Exterior

Even though the 2018 Subaru Ascent’s look hasn’t been revealed, we do have a pretty good idea about how the car is going to look like. It seems the car will be heavily based on the VIZIV-7 concept car revealed a while back. In the front the Ascent boasts a very similar grille and set of headlights. However, the car does look to be quite a bit bulkier than the concept. The rather muscular body and really abrupt rear end make the Ascent look like a true SUV rather than a minivan-based crossover. From the spy shots it seems the car’s rear end will be unique with a roof-mounted spoiler and no real design influences from Subaru’s other models.

Most rumors suggest the new Ascent will get a brand new interior aimed at those looking to travel in comfort. If the past is anything to go by then the Ascent is more than likely going to share more than just a few parts with Subaru’s other new cars. The instrument cluster, infotainment system, climate controls as well as some of the buttons throughout the cabin are going to be shared with the new Impreza and Crosstrek. However, the car is actually expected to get a brand new dashboard design. So far it seems it may actually share some design traits with the initial concept of the Ascent. This boasted a wider than usual center console as well as a really minimalist design which would go perfectly with a car like the Ascent.

Under the hood – 2018 Subaru Ascent Specs

The predecessor of the 2018 Subaru Ascent had a naturally aspirated flat-six gas engine. While this was not the most powerful engine on the market, it delivered a really smooth experience which many of its owners loved. Unfortunately it seems its successor might not receive a flat-six powertrain. Why? Well, this type of engine is not really the most efficient out there offering the same fuel consumption as a V8. Because of that the new Ascent might actually receive smaller turbocharged engines which would provide the power and fuel consumption needed to succeed.

So far it looks like the base version of the Ascent could receive a 2.0 liter FA turbocharged flat-four good for over 250 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque. This would drive all four wheels via a CVT gearbox. The end result should be a really smooth power delivery with more than enough power for overtakes. Unfortunately this type of setup is also quite limited in terms of towing capacity but Japanese manufacturer Subaru might overcome this with the help of a stronger gearbox. A hybrid has also been rumored for a really long time. Even though they don’t really have a suitable engine for this type of application, Subaru might actually surprise us closer to the car’s release date.