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2020 Subaru Ascent

Verified August 31, 2026Sources: NHTSA · EPA · vPIC

Compare
Safety
5
of 5 stars
Recalls
5
on record
MPG
23
combined

Open recalls on record

5 safety recalls. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer — check the VIN before you buy.

Vehicle Summary

2020 Subaru Ascent

5 recalls
317 complaints
23 MPG combined
5/5 safety rating

Before You Buy

Confirm all 5 recalls were repaired — a dealer checks by VIN, free
Read the 6 complaints reporting a crash
Review the 317 owner complaints on record
Get a pre-purchase inspection
Check vehicle history report
Verify title is clean

Safety record at a glance

Recall campaigns
5
Owner complaints
317
Complaints citing a crash
6

These are raw counts from NHTSA records. They are not normalized by how many of these vehicles are on the road, so a model that sold in large numbers will tend to show more of everything. We do not publish a composite safety or reliability score.

5 Recalls on Record

1 of these is high-severity. Contact a dealer to verify these have been completed.

Enter your VIN to check if specific recalls apply to your vehicle.

Safety recalls

5 NHTSA campaigns affecting this model year.

  • 21V955000high

    Drivetrain issue

    POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM)

    Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Ascent, 2020 Legacy and Outback vehicles. A programming error in the Transmission Control Unit (TCU) may allow the clutch to engage before the drive chain is completely clamped.

    Consequence

    An improperly secured drive chain may slip and break, causing a loss of drive power and increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy

    Dealers will reprogram the TCU, inspect TCU data for chain slip, and visually inspect the chain guide. If evidence of chain slippage or damage is found, the transmission will be replaced. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 19, 2022. This recall includes all vehicles previously recalled under 19V-855. Vehicles previously recalled under 19V-855 will need to have the new remedy performed for this recall once available. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRK-21.

    Full campaign record
  • 21V954000high

    Steering issue

    STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY

    Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2020 Ascent vehicles. Due to an incorrect tapered hole in the housing, the front tie rod ends may not fit properly. The improper fit can result in the tie rods and housings being deformed during assembly and service replacement if excessive torque is applied.

    Consequence

    The tie rods may separate from the housing, causing a loss of steering control and increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy

    Dealers will replace the left and right front tie rod ends and housings, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 7, 2022. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRL-21.

    Full campaign record
  • 21V587000high

    Fuel pump may fail

    FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP

    Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Ascent, 2018 Forester, 2018-2020 Impreza, Legacy, Outback, 2018-2019 BRZ, WRX, and Toyota 86 vehicles. The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.

    Consequence

    Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy

    Dealers will replace the low-pressure fuel pump, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 24, 2021. Subaru and Toyota owners may call customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRG-21.

    Full campaign record
  • 22V907000high

    Electrical issue

    ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH

    Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019-2022 Ascent vehicles. The ground bolt that secures the ground terminal of the Positive Temperature Coefficient (PTC) heater may have been improperly fastened, which could result in melting of the ground terminal and surrounding components.

    Consequence

    A melting ground terminal increases the risk of a fire.

    Remedy

    Owners are advised to park their vehicle away from structures and to avoid leaving the vehicle unattended while the engine is running. An owner who notices or smells smoke coming from the dash or driver's footwell area should immediately stop operating the vehicle and turn the ignition switch to the "Off" position. Dealers will replace the PTC heater ground bolts and if necessary, replace the ground wire and the connector holder, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed February 6, 2023. Owners may contact Subaru's customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRL-22.

    Full campaign record
  • 26V436000high

    Incorrect or missing label

    EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS

    Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2026 Crosstrek Hybrid, 2025-2026 Forester Hybrid, Forester, and 2019-2026 Ascent vehicles. These vehicles were manufactured with an incorrect Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) on the certification label. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 110, "Tire selection and rims."

    Consequence

    An incorrect GAWR label may lead to an overloaded vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy

    Subaru will mail a new certification label to owners, free of charge. Owners may also choose to have a dealer install the new label, free of charge. Letters informing owners of the safety risk are expected to be mailed August 25, 2026. Additional letters will be mailed once the remedy is available. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRH-26.

    Full campaign record

NHTSA crash-test ratings

NCAP star ratings and the underlying test breakdown for the 2020 Subaru Ascent.

  • Frontal crash

    Driver
    5 / 5
    Passenger
    5 / 5
  • Side crash

    Driver
    5 / 5
    Passenger
    5 / 5
    Side pole
    5 / 5
  • Rollover

    Rollover risk
    17%
    Dynamic tip
    No Tip

Driver-assistance technologies

Electronic stability control
Standard
Forward collision warning
Standard
Lane departure warning
Standard

What the ratings mean

NHTSA gives the 2020 Subaru Ascent 5 out of 5 stars overall. NHTSA does not publish enough comparable results for this class and year to rank it against peers.

NHTSA published results for every NCAP test in this program, so the overall star rating rests on a complete set of crash and rollover results.

NHTSA's dynamic test put this vehicle's rollover probability at 17% in a single-vehicle crash — the figure behind the rollover star rating, published here because the star alone hides how wide each band is.

NHTSA crash tests

2020 Subaru Ascent Frontal crash crash test
Frontal crash Video
2020 Subaru Ascent Side crash crash test
Side crash Video
2020 Subaru Ascent Side pole crash test
Side pole Video

Fuel economy & emissions

EPA figures for the 2020 Subaru Ascent, with tailpipe CO₂ and class context.

21

City

27

Hwy

23

Comb

Annual fuel cost
$2,650
Tailpipe CO₂
386 g/mi

How this compares

At 23 MPG combined, the 2020 Subaru Ascent ranks 3rd of 5 standard SUVs (4WD) EPA rated for 2020 — exactly the 23 MPG median for that group.

That places it a little below the middle of its class. If annual mileage is high, the running-cost gap against a class-average rival compounds quickly.

EPA puts annual fuel spend at about $2,650, $1,150 less than the $3,800 typical for the class. Over five years at 15,000 miles a year that is roughly $13,250, a $5,750 difference against a class-median vehicle.

Tailpipe CO₂ is 386 grams per mile — about 5.8 metric tons over 15,000 miles of driving.

Consumer complaints

317 owner reports filed with NHTSA.

317
Total
6
Crashes
1
Fires
5
Injuries

Most reported components

  • ELECTRICAL90
  • ENGINE73
  • VISIBILITY57
  • OTHER37
  • BRAKES25

Notable Issues

317 consumer complaints filed with NHTSA. 5 reports involve injuries. 6 reports involve a crash.

Most reported problems

electrical issues (battery, wiring, infotainment)90
engine problems (stalling, power loss, warning lights)73
visibility issues (wipers, defrost, mirrors)57

Safety timeline

Every dated recall and NHTSA investigation for the 2020 Subaru Ascent, newest first.

  1. Recall

    Recall 26V436000

    An incorrect GAWR label may lead to an overloaded vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

  2. Recall

    Recall 22V907000

    A melting ground terminal increases the risk of a fire.

  3. Recall

    Recall 21V955000

    An improperly secured drive chain may slip and break, causing a loss of drive power and increasing the risk of a crash.

  4. Recall

    Recall 21V954000

    The tie rods may separate from the housing, causing a loss of steering control and increasing the risk of a crash.

  5. Recall

    Recall 21V587000

    Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.

Dates are the NHTSA report-received date for recalls and the ODI open/close date for investigations. Crash-test ratings are not shown here because the source does not provide a reliable publication date for them.

Specifications & ratings

Specifications

Body class
SUV
Drive type
FWD
Engine
2.5L 4-cyl
Fuel type
Regular Gasoline
Transmission
Automatic
Seats
5

Fuel economy

21

City

27

Hwy

23

Comb

Annual cost
$2,650
Fuel
Regular Gasoline

NHTSA crash ratings

Overall
Frontal
Side
Rollover

Explore related

Safety timeline

Full timeline
  1. Recall

    Recall 26V436000

    An incorrect GAWR label may lead to an overloaded vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

  2. Recall

    Recall 22V907000

    A melting ground terminal increases the risk of a fire.

  3. Recall

    Recall 21V955000

    An improperly secured drive chain may slip and break, causing a loss of drive power and increasing the risk of a crash.

  4. Recall

    Recall 21V954000

    The tie rods may separate from the housing, causing a loss of steering control and increasing the risk of a crash.

  5. Recall

    Recall 21V587000

    Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.