2019 Subaru Ascent Mid-sized SUV - True 3-row vehicle

Good question FLlegacy.

Maybe the SoA lurkers that are on here (and don't post) can answer.

Or perhaps JustyWRC, SoADealer or some of the other kool-aid sipping NASIOC fans will.

If all else fails, cars101 should do the trick.

copy paste from cars101:

GVWR gross vehicle weight rating. Maximum weight including the entire vehicle - body, mechanicals, fuel, accessories, occupants, and cargo. Does not include trailers.

6000 (all models)

Weight Base pkg 01 4,430

Premium 8pass pkg 11 4451, pkg 12 4463, pkg 14 4555

Premium 7pass pkg 12 4477, pkg 14 4539

Limited 8pass pkg 21 4515, pkg 23 4608

Limited 7pass pkg 21 4499, pkg 23 4592

Touring pkg 31 4,603

Test drove this Limited and I am not impressed.

It's quiet enough but disengaging, feels weaker than a stock FXT or WRX CVT (figures given the power-to-weight and assumed throttle related mappings)...

So she does not really 'pull'? And yeah, it's kinna like a stage 1 lgt or obxt with an additional 1k lbs on top of it I guess.

Damn, such a nice car, but it’s a damn shame with comes with slow hp... a car this size and weight should have at least 300+ hp.

It’s a powerful engine enough that should be able to do 300hp. Stage 1.

Damn, such a nice car, but it’s a damn shame with comes with slow hp... a car this size and weight should have at least 300+ hp.

It’s a powerful engine enough that should be able to do 300hp. Stage 1.

It should be pretty easy to get more then 300hp out of this thing with a tune, but I worry about the transmission. Though in reality it's also not the transmission being an issue, it's Cobb being stupid.

The Subaru CVT's actually all have the capability of handeling the power you see on stage 2 CVT WRX's. I was doing some reading today and the FXT, which tends to blow the CVT more, is mechanically identical to the WRX unit. In operation it runs a lower max secondary/line pressure though. This is the pressure used to squeeze the two pulleys together on the belt, and proportional to torque handling. This neatly corresponds with the calculated torque values in those ECU's. That is a loopup table the ECU uses to estimate it's power output which it tells the TCU via canbus.

So, just like we found on 5EAT cars, you need to bump the calculated torque up with your mods so the tranny dosent eat itself. Unfortunately Cobb wont get their stick out of their ass and add it to there definitions files. Thus tune this thing at your own risk.

CoBB is lukewarm at best anyway, they don't even keep up with the latest micro-code and sub-routine changes SoA rolled out for the 2015-2017 USD WRXs (MT and CVT),

let alone providing enough table definitions to give tuners the tools they'd need to tackle Stage 2 CVT tunes safely on the WRX CVT or FXT.

SubaruEdit for FAxxDIT, worse-case even Ecutek do.

However, I highly doubt that even Epifan or Ecutek will add support for the Ascent ECU/TCU combo given the vehicle's target demographic and certain lack of aftermarket interest from both end-users and vendors.

I think the front looks great, but the back is fugly, really reminding me of Tribeca :/

As for modding it, I would mod the crap out of it, maybe RomRaider guys will be able to crack it eventually.

Not every Subaru must have WRX level of acceleration. The only concern I have with Ascent is the potential issue with carbon on intake valves due to DI.

Tribeca is plenty fast, just does not like being floored.

Every Subaru I've owned (and there's been a lot of them) likes to be rolled into initially. WOT almost always comes with pause (ICO NA) or lag (ICO FI). Roll into it and let it get it's feet under it and it's ready to rock. That can be tuned-out, but there will always be some throttle-point where it's present.

The TS-T setup helps significantly, but, on a stock map, it's going to be there. Find that and roll through it IME, then uncork it.

Neither one is that big of a deal actually.

Valve heads and stems as well as intake valve channels getting caked up is inevitable (Subaru tries to limit this with stratefied start strategy) and neither AOS, catch-cans, limiting blow-by helps too much.

Chem cleaners do little to nothing to eradicate the carbon buildup.

Walnut or similar blasting every 30, 60, 100K is ideal and restores as-new functionality.

However, the problem is not as bad as on old Mitsubishi and BMW DI motors. And even more importantly, even with badly caked valves and guide channels, the performance hit is small <10-12%. Could be noticable but not enough to pose any concern by most users.

Re the TR690 HT-CVT. So long as its fed fresh synthetic fluid (flushes every 30-60K) and kept cool (say as long as possible in the goldylock zone of 120-180F) using aux coolers, thermostatic bypass, active cooling etc - this slushbox can easily handle 360-400 lbft-f.

The weakest link on this transmission is the mini TC, then the valve body and only then the chain and cog mechanisms.

They'll be switching to EVs soon enough. Hopefully some nice per-hub or at least per-axle design that marries some form of Subaru AWD tech with the motors and still results in a relatively affordable end product ($40-60K to start, eventually brought down to $25-35K territory).

No more DI anxiety, no IAM, FKC, FLKC, AF Error, Boost error to ever worry about.

The latest XV soft-hybrid rehash using Toyo-tech approach isn't going to last them much beyond 2020 and they know it.

They'll be switching to EVs soon enough. Hopefully some nice per-hub or at least per-axle design that marries some form of Subaru AWD tech with the motors and still results in a relatively affordable end product ($40-60K to start, eventually brought down to $25-35K territory).

 

No more DI anxiety, no IAM, FKC, FLKC, AF Error, Boost error to ever worry about.

 

The latest XV soft-hybrid rehash using Toyo-tech approach isn't going to last them much beyond 2020 and they know it.

I'm interested to see how the plugin XV works. They said they are using Prius Prime tech, which is a step up from the previous way they did it. It'll probably be more robust then there current CVT's as well.

From the rumors I've heard they are going volvoish on the next major platform refresh at least for bigger/performance platforms. Rear electric axle with ether dual motors or electronic LSD. Then a single motor/generator on the front drive train set up FWD. Possibly the 2.0L or 1.6L turbo motors up front. Prius derived front drive train modified to be longitutal, then Highlander derived rear. They could use the driveshaft tunnel for more batteries.

Though maybe they are actually doing that on the XV, the Toyota Highlander did the electric AWD thing for a LONG time so there is plenty of stuff for them to borrow from the mothership.

Re the TR690 HT-CVT. So long as its fed fresh synthetic fluid (flushes every 30-60K) and kept cool (say as long as possible in the goldylock zone of 120-180F) using aux coolers, thermostatic bypass, active cooling etc - this slushbox can easily handle 360-400 lbft-f.

 

The weakest link on this transmission is the mini TC, then the valve body and only then the chain and cog mechanisms.

I agree the TC was the issue, at least it was on my 2011 that had the "flawed" design that had to get replaced. And yes, the VB/Solenoids and then lastly the chain/pulleys had issues.

Why are you suggesting such an aggressive change interval at 30k?

Personally I am planning for a 60k interval with my new 3.6 - even though I'm USA - that's what Subaru Canada requires. My CVTF Deterioration Rate at 87k miles is under 3% according to ActiveOBD app.

The Deterioration Rate SSM param is fairly useless, has been since the 4EAT days, at best its inaccurate, at worse, misleading (even worse that the instantaneous or avg fuel consumption and range guesstimators based on AF Learn/Correct, RPM, Calc'ed Gear and Load). If you are serious about monitoring or logging your new 3.6R, look to BtSsm - ActiveOBD and its Torque pro plugin dont even come close to its feature set and speed.

Doing a drain and fill every 30K is not very aggressive at all (every other engine oil change or say every year would be). With a drain and fill, you only replace about 40% of the total fill, but you do end up refreshing the fluid (some always get oxidized, and without an aux or bypass cooler, the fill spends a fair bit of its life above 190F).

The key is to keep the ATF/CVTF properties as close to fresh for as long as possible. What helps the most is getting the lifetime avg temp of the fluid to stay <190/200F, ideally in the 120-180F range, and periodic drain and fills.

Sounds good - you can use BtSsm with OBDLink LX as well.

http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/btssm-bluetooth-adapter-app-v-2-267811.html?t=267811&highlight=btssm

The more and more I look at the Ascent the more and more I want to go test drive one.

The pricing of the Ascent Premium comes in a few thousand lower than the Outback 3.6R Limited, and I don't have to deal with some features I don't want or don't care about: keyless PB start, auto rear gate, etc. I would miss the HK Audio though.