Who is excited for a Subaru to tow your Escape?

[deange]

Every time we tell people about our awesome 17b, the first thing they say is, "Oh, you must be able to tow that with your Subaru."
The answer is sadly not. Our 2011 Forester has a non-turbo charged 2.5 4 cylinder and can barely pull our golf cart up a river hill. I was very excited to see that later this year Subaru will be selling a 260 HP with a 5,000 lbs. towing capacity.
Look, I don't work for these guys, but before we had our Escape, our little Forester got packed to the ceiling with our tent and other camping gear each summer weekend. I thought some others might share in my enthusiasm in this hopeful contender for towing our beloved Escape trailers

[Bobbie54]

I am but I hope to hear of your experience before I buy one!

My Forester (2012) tows my 15A fine but I feel every bump. (I'm going to talk to my mechanic about shocks, though, seems like that shouldn't be true anyway.) And more room and more weight capacity would sure be nice, plus if it gives more speed over mountains.

But waiting to hear of some real-life towing to see how it is.

[gbaglo]

Also waiting to hear what the maximum tongue weight is since other Subaru products have notoriously low tongue capacity.

[deange]

I spoke with our Calgary dealership and I should have some more specifics in July. Will post what I find out since the specs on the website are lacking to say the least

[Patandlinda]

Originally Posted by deange

Every time we tell people about our awesome 17b, the first thing they say is, "Oh, you must be able to tow that with your Subaru."
The answer is sadly not. Our 2011 Forester has a non-turbo charged 2.5 4 cylinder and can barely pull our golf cart up a river hill. I was very excited to see that later this year Subaru will be selling a 260 HP with a 5,000 lbs. towing capacity.
Look, I don't work for these guys, but before we had our Escape, our little Forester got packed to the ceiling with our tent and other camping gear each summer weekend. I thought some others might share in my enthusiasm in this hopeful contender for towing our beloved Escape trailers

Even though we have a 2012 Forester , for towing we like a truck . Love our Subie though . Pat

[Patandlinda]

Originally Posted by Bobbie54

I am but I hope to hear of your experience before I buy one!

My Forester (2012) tows my 15A fine but I feel every bump. (I'm going to talk to my mechanic about shocks, though, seems like that shouldn't be true anyway.) And more room and more weight capacity would sure be nice, plus if it gives more speed over mountains.

But waiting to hear of some real-life towing to see how it is.

We also have the 2012 Forester and love it . Pat

[Hilola]

Originally Posted by deange

Every time we tell people about our awesome 17b, the first thing they say is, "Oh, you must be able to tow that with your Subaru."
The answer is sadly not. Our 2011 Forester has a non-turbo charged 2.5 4 cylinder and can barely pull our golf cart up a river hill. I was very excited to see that later this year Subaru will be selling a 260 HP with a 5,000 lbs. towing capacity.
Look, I don't work for these guys, but before we had our Escape, our little Forester got packed to the ceiling with our tent and other camping gear each summer weekend. I thought some others might share in my enthusiasm in this hopeful contender for towing our beloved Escape trailers

I think you are referring to the 2019 Ascent. This is a dealer website that has everything you ever wanted to know about Subaru specs, etc.:


Subaru Research Site- specs, prices, options, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013.... Outback, Legacy, Forester, XV Crosstrek, WRX, STI, Impreza, BRZ, Tribeca


BTW, we own a 2017 Outback and love it!

[Bobbie54]

Not very updated- no pictures? There have been pictures of the new Ascent for months. I did hear a 500 lb tongue weight somewhere but don't know if it was official or not.

[cotto]

2019 Subaru Ascent 7 passenger research webpage

Found this on the site regarding tongue weight:

5000 lbs trailer capacity
External transmission oil cooler on Premium, Limited, Touring
optional Subaru Class III 2" trailer hitch
500 lb. tongue weight,

[Hilola]

Originally Posted by Bobbie54

Not very updated- no pictures? There have been pictures of the new Ascent for months. I did hear a 500 lb tongue weight somewhere but don't know if it was official or not.

Joe usually keeps his site pretty well updated. I'm assuming SOA has not made much available yet. You may need to contact Subaru directly to find out the hitch weight.

[deange]

Originally Posted by cotto

2019 Subaru Ascent 7 passenger research webpage

Found this on the site regarding tongue weight:

5000 lbs trailer capacity
External transmission oil cooler on Premium, Limited, Touring
optional Subaru Class III 2" trailer hitch
500 lb. tongue weight,

That's fantastic, thats the same as my 205 HP 1998 F150 which has no trouble towing our trailer. Exciting news if it is true!

[Hilola]

Originally Posted by cotto

2019 Subaru Ascent 7 passenger research webpage

Found this on the site regarding tongue weight:

5000 lbs trailer capacity
External transmission oil cooler on Premium, Limited, Touring
optional Subaru Class III 2" trailer hitch
500 lb. tongue weight,

Well there ya go!

[Bobbie54]

Originally Posted by Hilola

Joe usually keeps his site pretty well updated. I'm assuming SOA has not made much available yet. You may need to contact Subaru directly to find out the hitch weight.

That's my point. There ARE plenty of pictures so it is NOT updated right now.

[Bobbie54]

Originally Posted by deange

That's fantastic, thats the same as my 205 HP 1998 F150 which has no trouble towing our trailer. Exciting news if it is true!

That would be great if it works well. I've heard good and bad about the CVT. But so far I like what I've seen of the Ascent.

[Up2speed4]

Originally Posted by deange

Every time we tell people about our awesome 17b, the first thing they say is, "Oh, you must be able to tow that with your Subaru."
The answer is sadly not. Our 2011 Forester has a non-turbo charged 2.5 4 cylinder and can barely pull our golf cart up a river hill. I was very excited to see that later this year Subaru will be selling a 260 HP with a 5,000 lbs. towing capacity.
Look, I don't work for these guys, but before we had our Escape, our little Forester got packed to the ceiling with our tent and other camping gear each summer weekend. I thought some others might share in my enthusiasm in this hopeful contender for towing our beloved Escape trailers

My sister pulls a little 2017 T@B trailer with her 2017 Subaru Outback (standard equipment) and loves it. Although her trailer is much lighter than the Escape. With her canoe, bike, and gigantic dog I'm sure she's maxed out the 3500 lbs tow limit.

[John in Santa Cruz]

Originally Posted by cotto

2019 Subaru Ascent 7 passenger research webpage

Found this on the site regarding tongue weight:

5000 lbs trailer capacity
External transmission oil cooler on Premium, Limited, Touring
optional Subaru Class III 2" trailer hitch
500 lb. tongue weight,

only the premium, limited, and touring models have this, the base model is 2000 lbs tow, 200 lb hitch. from that spec page, the only significant thing missing on base is a transmission cooler.

and a 6000 lb GVWR, with a 4400-4600 lb curb weight, depending on version, leaves 1400-1600 lb payload. subtract the 500 lbs that even a 4000 lb trailer will likely have on its tongue (they are almost never 10% unless you have weighed and perfectly balanced them), and you've got a 900-1100 lb net payload. thats actually pretty good, but these are 7-8 passenger vehicles, so... 7-8 adults could easily put you over that. 2 adults and 2-4 kids, easier.


EEEEK. The only transmission is a CVT. I would never use a CVT for a regular tow vehicle... maybe OK for a light tow once in a while, but cross country road trips? eeeeeek.

[Bobbie54]

Originally Posted by John in Santa Cruz

only the premium, limited, and touring models have this, the base model is 2000 lbs tow, 200 lb hitch. from that spec page, the only significant thing missing on base is a transmission cooler.

and a 6000 lb GVWR, with a 4400-4600 lb curb weight, depending on version, leaves 1400-1600 lb payload. subtract the 500 lbs that even a 4000 lb trailer will likely have on its tongue (they are almost never 10% unless you have weighed and perfectly balanced them), and you've got a 900-1100 lb net payload. thats actually pretty good, but these are 7-8 passenger vehicles, so... 7-8 adults could easily put you over that. 2 adults and 2-4 kids, easier.


EEEEK. The only transmission is a CVT. I would never use a CVT for a regular tow vehicle... maybe OK for a light tow once in a while, but cross country road trips? eeeeeek.

You aren't likely to carry 7 or 8 people when hauling a small trailer (maybe a boat) but Subaru usually allows for a driver and passenger before the weight rating, at least that's what mine says. That doesn't worry me. The CVT does but people say it is much better now than it used to be.

[salmo7000]

Originally Posted by Bobbie54

You aren't likely to carry 7 or 8 people when hauling a small trailer (maybe a boat) but Subaru usually allows for a driver and passenger before the weight rating, at least that's what mine says. That doesn't worry me. The CVT does but people say it is much better now than it used to be.

I have a 2014 Forester, which is the first model year Subaru put a CVT in a Forester. I too was slightly concerned about the CVT when I bought it, as I knew I would be using it to tow. I have towed a light trailer with a raft many, many miles, multiple rafts on several shorter trips, and a heavier trailer with a 4wheeler up and down some pretty steep grades. In the case of the raft, it has had to pull up some pretty steep boat ramps. So far no troubles. It has 110,000 miles on it, and all I've done so far is replaced tires, brakes, and routine maintenance.

[War Eagle]

Demo Subaru Ascents are already on some dealer lots (lots of pre-orders to fill). We sat in one and gave it a thorough going-over in Colorado Springs a couple weeks back (very nice). A friend test drove one in Montgomery, Alabama, this past weekend and loved it. Dealer said 500 lb tongue capacity, but I haven't seen it in print yet. They also brag on the drive train and braking system handling trailers so well that one doesn't even need a brake controller. Guess they're not concerned with related DOT laws in various states.

[John in Santa Cruz]

hahahaha, 5000 lb trailer push-braking a 4400 lb crossover, that would make some entertaining video.