2021 Subaru Ascent: Relying on price war against Highlander and Mazda?

2021/02/0823:12:03 car 1142

The demand for seven-seater cars has not been dissipated because of the declining minivan market. On the contrary, as housing prices continue to rise and become unaffordable, trips of three generations have become commonplace. Seeing that seven-seater off-road vehicles are gradually replacing minivans, the Japanese Fuji Depot Subaru has finally added a new Ascent off-road vehicle that can ride seven or eight people to its off-road vehicle lineup. It seems to be a rising star, but in fact, as early as 2007, just before the seven-seater four-wheel drive off-road vehicle became the climate, Fuji has already launched the B9 Tribeca that can ride seven people. Unfortunately, it is designed for the North American market and is also in the US plant. The Tribeca produced did not get the favor of North American users at all, and it will eventually be forced to end dismal in 2014.

After a lapse of many years, Fuji has made a comeback and learned lessons from it, recreating a seven-seater off-road vehicle that is many times more superb than Tribeca in terms of body size, space design, or supporting and positioning. Rather than saying that Ascent is the successor of Tribeca, it might be more appropriate to regard it as the seven-player version of Fuji Outback. After all, for Fuji fans, if they can sit comfortably for five people and have ample space, there is nothing else they want. If so, Outback is already more than competent.

Consumers are very pleased with the demand for seven-seater off-road vehicles, and such products are also flooding the market. Popular among the people are Honda Pilot, Master CX-9 and Toyota Highlander, etc. The addition of Ascent is undoubtedly late However, although there are many choices on the market, if you want a seven-seater off-road vehicle with excellent all-weather performance and easy to afford, the Fuji Ascent is worthy of the popular choice in the market.

In terms of pricing strategy alone, Fuji has paved the way for Ascent to be the most cost-effective and irresistible attraction for Ascent. Whether you choose the most basic entry-level version or the all-inclusive top-level version, Ascent's price is the lowest in the city. Ascent has the upper hand over the competing Toyota Highlander LE AWD, Master CX-9 GS AWD and Honda Pilot LX, etc. The battle for top models is also the case.

2021 Ascent offers up to four different models,They are Convenience, Touring, Limited and Premier. The abundant standard equipment can be said to be the biggest selling point of Ascent. In addition to the four-wheel drive system, the standard configuration of the basic model Convenience also comes with the EyeSight safety protection system worth 2,000 yuan, eight seats, electric driver's seat, and electric seat. Chair, three-room thermostat system, SiriusXM satellite radio compatible with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay functions, 6.5-inch touch screen and so on. In fact, the assembly of the upper-level Touring model is sufficient to meet the needs of most users, especially in terms of more comprehensive security protection, such as line tangent assistance, blind spot warning and Rear Cross Traffic Alert reversing blind spot warning system, and electric Tailgate, panoramic sunroof, 8-inch touch screen, leather steering wheel and wave stick head and automatic anti-glare rear mirror are also standard equipment.

As for Limited and the flagship version of Premier, the former is equipped with leather chair surface, 20-inch alloy bell, electric heating disc, electric rear seat (middle row), electric front passenger seat, posture memory system, and built-in sunshade on the rear door. The 14-speaker 792-watt amplifier Harmon Kardon premium audio combination, an eight-inch satellite navigation multimedia system and a 6.3-inch multi-function display, and this display also includes an inclinometer. It is worth mentioning that both Touring and Limited models can be changed from a 2+3+3 eight-seat arrangement to a 2+2+3 seven-seat type with two Captain independent chairpersons in the middle row at a cost of only 600 yuan. That's it. The flagship version of the Premier model for this trial only offers a seven-seat mid-row executive chair design, plus a front camera monitor, a smart look at the rear mirror, a more exquisite electric heating and cool brown leather seat surface and soft interior lighting.

Because of his burly figure, as the newest member of Fuji, Ascent will occasionally attract attention. How big is Ascent? Honda Pilot, Master CX-9 and Toyota Highlander are the main rivals of Ascent, so let's compare their size. First of all, in the most important link-the wheelbase size, with the exception of CX-9, Ascent completely covers the above opponents, which are 70 and 100 mm longer than Pilot and Highlander respectively.Although slightly shorter than CX-9 and Pilot in overall length, it is still 143 mm longer than Highlander.

The sense of space created by the body size is obvious in the inner compartment. Sitting in the inner compartment, it feels like being in a mini van. 2+3+3 is the standard seat arrangement, but Buyers of Touring, Limited and Premier models can also change the six-four-segment three-person format in the middle row to left and right independent captain seats. The shoulder and knee space in the middle row are the widest among the seven-seater SUVs in the same class. Not only will it not feel far-fetched to seat two adults in the third row of seats, but there will also be no complaints about long-distance driving. Middle row passengers can pull their seats forward to make more room for rear passengers. What surprised me most is that the front and rear adjustment design of the middle row seats provides up to seven knots. Much. It is also very easy and convenient to get in and out of the third row of seats. You only need to move the second row of seats forward with one hand. When there is no need for more people to travel, this third row can be divided into six and four to make a forward equalization (it would be better if an electric switch can be added), and the cargo capacity will increase from 498 liters to 1,331 liters. Together with the second-row seat leveling forward, the ultimate cargo capacity will greatly increase to 2,435 liters.

The interior design also continues Fuji’s new thinking design concept that was re-developed by Impreza. The materials used in the dashboard and center console are impressive. Take the top model tested as an example, and the high-quality atmosphere it exudes It will make people feel like being in a luxury RV. In order to take into account the various needs of the seven passengers in entertainment or drinking, the interior is equipped with up to eight USB sockets, and there are also 120V electrical sockets at the back of the central control slot for charging multiple electronic products. The number of cup holders is even more divergent. The first six, the eighth and the last five, that is, a total of 19 places, have cupholders. At least one hot and one cold drink per person can be carried on the bus, but in terms of practicality, it is the most effective What I praise is that the car owner can set the "shortcut icon" function on the display screen. For example, you can set the frequently used phone number or address as an icon, and then click the icon on the display screen. Many complicated procedures are really easy to use and practical, and it is rare to see new ideas.

Under the prerequisite of the four-cylinder era, the age of six-cylinder engines has been thoroughly washed away by the Great Wheels of the Times.All new Ascent models are equipped with a newly developed 2.4-liter horizontally opposed four-cylinder engine. With the support of various technologies such as turbocharged Turbo and direct fuel injection, the maximum horsepower output of the engine is 260 hp at 5,600 rpm and the maximum torque of 277 pound-feet can be continuously delivered from as low as 2,000 to 4,800 rpm. The CVT stepless automatic transmission system is a standard tower, but in order to inject a more exciting driving sense, the factory deliberately added eight gear ratios (8-speed) in the gearbox, manual driving mode and wheel +/- dial Films, although virtual, can also create real-life effects.

The fuel consumption performance is certainly better than the old V6. The fuel consumption data of the urban area and highway are 11.6 and 9.0L/100 km respectively. The abundance of power and transmission characteristics are all comparable to six-cylinders, and the impressive impression of the Volvo T6 engine is not reduced. No wonder the four-cylinders are so successful. During the trial run, I didn’t get a glimpse of the entire car with a full load, but the manufacturer's information showed that the Ascent, which weighs 2,081 kg, can also pull 2,270 kg heavier than itself. The 277-pound-feet torque data can be said to be absolutely false.

The well-known four-wheel drive system is always looking for the best grip for the four wheels. Fuji’s Symmetrical AWD four-wheel drive system has always been highly praised, and this time is no exception. Ascent also has X-Mode four-wheel drive. Mode, in addition to being able to deal with ice and snow, but also not afraid of the real offroad challenge, Hill Descent Control is of course included. The biggest benefit of the new Global Platform architecture for Ascent is the maneuverability of the RV. The front and rear suspension systems are all independent designs, using MacPherson struts in the front and multi-link combination in the rear suspension. The shock absorption performance of the suspension is very competent, and it also gives a good impression on uneven roads. As far as driving comfort is concerned, Ascent performed better than expected. It turns out that there is a gentle side behind the correction of the heroic wind. On the multi-curved road, Ascent performed better than expected dynamic performance. Although the body is tall, the sideways rolling is minimal. , Coupled with good body rigidity, Ascent still creates good handling.

Fuji Ascent’s active and protective safety indicators are also unmatched in its level.Since its launch, it has been awarded the "Top Safety Pick+" by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the highest crash safety rating, and the 2021 model is no exception. It is worth mentioning that Ascent has also received all "Good" ratings in six major crash tests. This is another pioneering move that has been awarded the highest safety award by IIHS TSP+ after Forester (with Eyesight models).