How safe is the Subaru Ascent?
Drivers of the 2020–2023 Subaru Ascent died at a rate of 15 per million registered vehicle years, 58% lower than the average of 37 for all vehicles. That makes it safer than most vehicles for its driver: it ranks 35th of 129 vehicles, safer than 73% of them, whether they're small cars, SUVs, pickups or minivans.
Where the Subaru Ascent sits among all 129 vehicles
Subaru Ascent (bar is the 95% range)Every other ranked vehicleDashed line: average of 37
The rate is based on plenty of data, so this ranking is reliable.
Vehicles ranked near the Subaru Ascent
These are the vehicles just above and below it on the all-class ranking. Notice they aren't all the same type: the ranking compares every vehicle against every other one. Ranks use each rate after adjusting for how much data is behind it, so a rate of 0 from a few vehicles can rank below a slightly higher rate from many. Why.
| Rank | Vehicle | Deaths* | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 32 | Toyota RAV4 hybrid 4WDSUV · Small | 15 | 76 |
| 33 | Ford ExpeditionSUV · Large | 14 | 75 |
| 34 | Kia TellurideSUV · Midsize | 15 | 73 |
| 35 | Subaru AscentSUV · Midsize | 15 | 73 |
| 36 | Honda Ridgeline crew cab 4WDPickup · Small | 15 | 73 |
| 37 | Kia SorentoSUV · Midsize | 15 | 72 |
| 38 | Cadillac XT5Luxury SUV · Midsize | 15 | 71 |
How it compares with other SUVs
Among the 46 SUVs ranked, the Subaru Ascent is 16th. The safest SUVs are below. See all SUVs.
| SUVs rank | Vehicle | Deaths* | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chevrolet Tahoe 4WDSUV · Large | 0 | 100 |
| 2 | Toyota RAV4 Prime Plug-in hybrid 4WDSUV · Small | 5 | 96 |
| 3 | Volkswagen AtlasSUV · Midsize | 6 | 95 |
| 4 | Chevrolet Suburban 1500 4WDSUV · Very large | 6 | 94 |
| 5 | Ford Escape hybridSUV · Small | 7 | 91 |
| 16 | Subaru AscentSUV · Midsize | 15 | 73 |
Earlier models
In the earlier IIHS study of 2019–2020 models, the Subaru Ascent had a driver death rate of 6 (range 0–16) and ranked 14th of 127. The newer rate is higher.
Common questions
Is the Subaru Ascent a safe vehicle?
By real-world driver deaths, the Subaru Ascent is safer than most vehicles for its driver. Its driver death rate of 15 per million registered vehicle years is 58% lower than the average, and it ranks 35th of 129 vehicles across all classes.
How does the Subaru Ascent compare with other SUVs?
It ranks 16th of 46 SUVs. The safest is the Chevrolet Tahoe 4WD, with a rate of 0.
Why is this different from the Subaru Ascent's crash-test rating?
Crash-test stars only compare vehicles of similar size and weight, so a 5-star small car and a 5-star SUV aren't equally safe. This ranking uses real-world driver death rates, which can be compared across every class.
* Driver deaths per million registered vehicle years. A registered vehicle year is one vehicle registered for one year.