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November 4, 2019

Yes, The Philippines is Getting the Subaru Ascent


The Ford Explorer and Mazda CX-9 better watch out: Motor Image Pilipinas is bringing in the three-row Subaru Ascent. Two years after its global debut at the L.A. Auto Show, and the subsequent pronouncements from the Japanese automaker that it’s “for the North American market only” that followed, the largest Subaru ever made is finally making it to the Philippines.

This nugget of information was revealed by no less than Mr. Glenn Tan, the Deputy Chairman and Managing Director of Tan Chong International Ltd., the parent company of Motor Image. He says that he and Subaru Corporation are now in the final stages of homologating the Ascent for the Philippine market.


Also underpinned by the Subaru Global Platform (SGP), the Ascent has excellent body rigidity to suppress unwanted noise and vibration. Moreover, it promises to give it good handling at low speeds, and excellent stability at high speeds. Active Torque Vectoring also allows for better turning performance and hazard avoidance capabilities. And as with any other Subaru, Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive comes as standard.

The Ascent is powered by Subaru’s new 2.4-liter turbocharged direct-injection engine making 260 horsepower and 377 Nm of torque. Mated to the engine is a High-torque Lineartronic CVT with paddle shifters. Together with a large 73-liter tank, Subaru promises a class-leading cruising range. In some trims, the maximum towing capacity is at 2,267 kilograms (5,000 pounds)—the highest of any Subaru.


Given how Motor Image Pilipinas times its market launches, the earliest time frame for the Subaru Ascent’s arrival would be at the Manila International Auto Show in April.

14 comments:

  1. This would probably sell in the hundreds only. Subaru is very costly to maintain. That reputation preceeds the brand.

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  2. Subaru has a diff market. Current owners dont mind the cost as brand reputation as to reliability and high safety standard preceeds over it.

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    1. We have a Subaru, and reliability is the last word I'd use to describe it.

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    2. We've had a Forester since 2014, and every year we regret buying it because of its reliability issues.

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  3. It's true Subaru cars are very expensive to maintain. And easily breakdown plus issue of resale value. Hard to find buyer when it's time to let it go. In Philippine market its only about Mitsubishi Toyota Honda and nissan vehicles if you want peace of mind.

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  4. I think this new Subaru Ascent is more like Honda Odyssey rather than Mazda CX-9, the engine of 2.4 is comparable to odyssey, even the seat arrangement which i've seen for Ascent USA is similar to Odyssey and not CX-9

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    1. Not really. The 2.4 is turbocharged, like the CX-9's engine.

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    2. Diwa, with a speed limit of 100 kph, who needs turbocharged?

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  5. Very expensive to maintain? I can only think of the expensive CVT fluid change occurring every 40k km. Other than that it is cheap at least when directly compared to your typical diesel PPV yearly maintenance cost.

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    1. THe maintenance cost every 3-4 months for our Forester is around P15k - P20k because a lot of parts break down (5-year-old). Our maintenance cost for our 10-year-old Fortuner is P8-10k every 3-4 months. So coming from someone who owns both, your point is moot.

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    2. I'm curious what exactly breaks down every 3-4 months effectively making the maintenance cost to 15-20k per quarter (making it ~80k a year). If I'm spending that much and it breaks down every 3 months I would have already gotten rid of that car and make it somebody else's problem. Also curious why are you still holding on to that car. Are you a masochist?

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  6. https://www.cars.com/research/subaru-ascent/recalls/

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  7. wow look at all the haters here boozing off some good ol' haterade juice

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  8. I bought my forester since 2009. reliability issue and high cost maintenance. Sorry, no more Subaru for me.

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