Model year 2025 · Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD

2025 Subaru Ascent: recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings

EPA rates the 2025 Subaru Ascent at 21–22 mpg combined across 2 versions. NHTSA lists 1 safety recall and 15 owner complaints for this model year. Its best NHTSA overall crash-test rating is 5 out of 5 stars.

Safety recalls

1

EPA combined mpg

21–22

NHTSA overall rating

5/5

Recall file dated Oct 28, 2026 · EPA file dated Sep 29, 2026 · updated Oct 28, 2026, 7:36 AM EDT

Check your own car: enter your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls for that exact vehicle, and contact a Subaru dealer to schedule the repair — safety recall repairs are free. The list below covers the whole model year, so not every recall applies to every car.

2025 Subaru Ascent recalls

NHTSA's recall file lists 1 safety recall for the 2025 Subaru Ascent, newest first.

Equipment: Other: Labels

NHTSA 26V436000 Reported Jul 7, 2026
Filed by
Subaru of America, Inc. (manufacturer recall no. WRH-26)
Units affected
541,237 (estimate)
Problem
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."
Risk
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 were mailed August 27, 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 recall record on nhtsa.gov

Recall summaries are written by NHTSA from manufacturers' defect reports. Dates are when NHTSA received the report.

2025 Subaru Ascent fuel economy by version

EPA city/highway/combined estimates for each engine, transmission and drive combination. Annual fuel cost is EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year (55% city, 45% highway) at EPA's current fuel-price assumptions; your cost will vary.

2025 Subaru Ascent EPA fuel economy
VersionEngineTransmissionDriveFuelCity/Hwy/CombFuel cost/yrCO2 g/mi
Ascent2.4L 4-cyl turboCVT (8 modes)All-Wheel DriveRegular20/26/22 mpg$3,050398
Ascent Limited/Touring/Onyx AWD2.4L 4-cyl turboCVT (8 modes)All-Wheel DriveRegular19/25/21 mpg$3,200419

Source: FuelEconomy.gov (U.S. DOE and EPA), file dated Sep 29, 2026. Each version links to its FuelEconomy.gov record.

EPA estimates come from standardized lab tests so cars can be compared fairly; real-world mileage depends on speed, weather, load, tires and driving style.

2025 Subaru Ascent crash-test ratings

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings for the tested versions. More stars mean a lower chance of serious injury in that type of crash. Rollover risk is NHTSA's estimated chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

2025 Subaru Ascent NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings
Tested vehicleOverallFrontalSideRolloverRollover riskForward collision warning
2025 Subaru Ascent SUV AWD5 stars5 stars5 stars4 stars17%Standard

Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (New Car Assessment Program), checked Oct 26, 2026.

Star ratings compare vehicles of similar size and weight; a frontal rating for a large pickup is not directly comparable with one for a small car.

2025 Subaru Ascent owner complaints

Owners have filed 15 complaints with NHTSA about the 2025 Subaru Ascent, most recently on Sep 21, 2026. 2 mention a crash, 1 a fire, 1 injured people and 0 deaths. These are unverified reports; a complaint is not proof of a defect.

Most-cited components in 2025 Subaru Ascent complaints
Component named in complaintsMentions
Electrical system2
Engine2
Steering2
Structure: Body2
Unknown or other2
Visibility: Rearview mirrors/devices: Exterior2
Visibility/wiper2
Air bags1
Forward collision avoidance: Automatic emergency braking1
Lane departure: Blind spot detection1

Source: NHTSA consumer complaint files (complaints received since January 1, 2015). One complaint can name several components.

Had a safety problem with your vehicle? You can report it to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem.

Other Subaru Ascent model years

Subaru Ascent by model year
YearCombinedRecallsComplaintsOverall rating
2027 Ascent21–22 mpg——5/5
2026 Ascent21–22 mpg135/5
2024 Ascent21–22 mpg1515/5
2023 Ascent21–22 mpg4455/5
2022 Ascent22–23 mpg2565/5
2021 Ascent22–23 mpg21045/5
2020 Ascent22–23 mpg53245/5
2019 Ascent22–23 mpg94435/5

All Subaru Ascent years compared · Decode a VIN

Other 2025 Subaru models

2025 Subaru BRZ2025 Subaru Crosstrek2025 Subaru Forester2025 Subaru Impreza2025 Subaru Legacy2025 Subaru Outback2025 Subaru Solterra2025 Subaru WRX

Sources

  • Recalls: NHTSA recall flat file (FLAT_RCL_POST_2010), dated Oct 28, 2026, plus a live check of api.nhtsa.gov in your browser.
  • Complaints: NHTSA consumer complaint flat files (COMPLAINTS_RECEIVED), counts only — we do not republish complaint text.
  • Crash tests: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings API.
  • Fuel economy: FuelEconomy.gov vehicles file (U.S. DOE and EPA), dated Sep 29, 2026.
  • NHTSA, EPA and DOE do not endorse OpenVIN. Vehicle names identify vehicles only; OpenVIN is not affiliated with Subaru.