- Safety
- 5
- of 5 stars
- Recalls
- 2
- on record
- MPG
- 23
- combined
Open recalls on record
2 safety recalls. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer — check the VIN before you buy.
Vehicle Summary
2021 Subaru Ascent
Before You Buy
Safety record at a glance
- Recall campaigns
- 2
- Owner complaints
- 98
- Complaints citing a crash
- 3
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 We do not publish a composite safety or reliability score.
2 Recalls on Record
1 of these is high-severity. Contact a dealer to verify these have been completed.
Safety recalls
2 NHTSA campaigns affecting this model year.
- 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.
Full campaign recordRemedy
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.
- 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.
Full campaign recordRemedy
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.
NHTSA crash-test ratings
NCAP star ratings and the underlying test breakdown for the 2021 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 2021 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.
Fuel economy & emissions
EPA figures for the 2021 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 2021 Subaru Ascent ranks 1st of 6 standard SUVs (4WD) EPA rated for 2021 — 2.5 MPG better than the 20.5 MPG median for that group.
That places it in the upper third of its class. Fuel cost is unlikely to be the deciding factor against its direct rivals.
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
98 owner reports filed with NHTSA.
- 98
- Total
- 3
- Crashes
- 1
- Fires
- 3
- Injuries
Most reported components
- ENGINE24
- VISIBILITY17
- ELECTRICAL15
- BRAKES9
- ADAS8
Notable Issues
98 consumer complaints filed with NHTSA. 3 reports involve injuries. 3 reports involve a crash.
Most reported problems
Safety timeline
Every dated recall and NHTSA investigation for the 2021 Subaru Ascent, newest first.
- Recall
An incorrect GAWR label may lead to an overloaded vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Recall
A melting ground terminal increases the risk of a fire.
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
Systems recalled
Safety timeline
Full timeline- Recall
An incorrect GAWR label may lead to an overloaded vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Recall
A melting ground terminal increases the risk of a fire.