Photo: SB-Medien
Since the Tribeca went out of production in 2014, Subaru has been missing out on the lucrative 3-row crossover market. But an all-new model called the Ascent has been developed from the Impreza platform to fix that.
A prototype wearing only light body-hugging wrap indicates the Viziv-7 concept we saw last year in Los Angeles might make its debut at the same auto show, come Fall.
The Bushido code is strong with this one, as the design just oozes ruggedness and reliability, everything a Subaru owner expects. 21-inch wheels, a roof rack, and dual exhaust are just some of the stand-out features of the concept. Our spies were also able to catch a quick glimpse of the interior that suggests both the steering wheel and the dual screen console will be stolen from the Impreza.
Subaru themselves say that the Ascent will be their biggest car ever built. At 204 inches from bumper to bumper, this will be even larger than a Chevy Tahoe. However, the MQB-based VW Atlas rival has already taught us modern platforms can stretch to great lengths.
“We know customers in this segment want a full-sized vehicle and the next 3-row from Subaru will be the biggest Subaru vehicle ever,” said Takeshi Tachimori, corporate executive vice president of Subaru parent company Fuji Heavy Industries.
The engine options have yet to be revealed, but they are pretty simple to figure out since the 3.6-liter flat-six is the only mill Subaru has that can quickly shift a large car. At 256 horsepower, it's a match for the turbo-four in the Mazda CX-9.
However, we wouldn't be surprised if, down the line, Subaru also offers the WRX 2.-0-liter turbo or potentially even a hybrid system developed with Toyota.
As far as we know, the Ascent will be an American market exclusive offering and produced exclusively in left-hand-drive configuration. So that rules out ever seeing it on the tight streets of the UK or Japan. The Ascent will be built in Indiana, which also produces US-spec Outback and fifth-generation Impreza models.
The Bushido code is strong with this one, as the design just oozes ruggedness and reliability, everything a Subaru owner expects. 21-inch wheels, a roof rack, and dual exhaust are just some of the stand-out features of the concept. Our spies were also able to catch a quick glimpse of the interior that suggests both the steering wheel and the dual screen console will be stolen from the Impreza.
Subaru themselves say that the Ascent will be their biggest car ever built. At 204 inches from bumper to bumper, this will be even larger than a Chevy Tahoe. However, the MQB-based VW Atlas rival has already taught us modern platforms can stretch to great lengths.
“We know customers in this segment want a full-sized vehicle and the next 3-row from Subaru will be the biggest Subaru vehicle ever,” said Takeshi Tachimori, corporate executive vice president of Subaru parent company Fuji Heavy Industries.
The engine options have yet to be revealed, but they are pretty simple to figure out since the 3.6-liter flat-six is the only mill Subaru has that can quickly shift a large car. At 256 horsepower, it's a match for the turbo-four in the Mazda CX-9.
However, we wouldn't be surprised if, down the line, Subaru also offers the WRX 2.-0-liter turbo or potentially even a hybrid system developed with Toyota.
As far as we know, the Ascent will be an American market exclusive offering and produced exclusively in left-hand-drive configuration. So that rules out ever seeing it on the tight streets of the UK or Japan. The Ascent will be built in Indiana, which also produces US-spec Outback and fifth-generation Impreza models.
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