Subaru Ascent Cost to Own

By CarWhere Research · Updated

A 2026 Subaru Ascent costs about $51,926 over 5 years and 75,000 miles in depreciation, fuel and insurance. Depreciation is the biggest share at $31,021 (58.9% of the median new price); fuel $14,495 and national-average insurance $6,410 make up the rest. Scheduled maintenance, repairs and registration fees come on top.

5-year total

$51,926

depreciation + fuel + insurance

Depreciation

$31,021

58.9% of new price

Fuel

$14,495

$2,899/yr

Insurance

$6,410

national average

5-year cost-to-own breakdown

Assumptions: 5 years, 15,000 miles a year (75,000 total), bought new. Every line shows its formula and source.

Subaru Ascent: 5-year cost lines
Line5 yearsPer yearHow it’s calculatedSource
Depreciation$31,021$6,204$52,667 median new price (2026) × 58.9% below new for 5-year-old (2021) listingsCarWhere depreciation study
Fuel$14,495$2,89975,000 mi ÷ 21.5 MPG × $4.153/gal regular (median of 2 EPA versions)EPA × EIA November 2, 2026
Insurance$6,410$1,282U.S. average expenditure per insured car (2023) × 5 years. Not specific to the Ascent.NAIC, by state
Scheduled maintenanceNot priced—Intervals and items from the Subaru schedule below. No manufacturer-published service prices.Subaru schedule
Registration and feesVaries by state—State registration, title and taxes.State title guides
Total$51,926$10,385Depreciation + fuel + national-average insurance. Maintenance, repairs and fees not included.

Depreciation

New Ascents list for a median $52,667 (2,091 listings). In CarWhere’s used-market study, 2021 models (5 years old) list 58.9% below that, so a Ascent loses about $31,021 in its first five years.

Model years used
Model yearAgeMedian listingBelow newListings
20215$21,66358.9%667

Fuel

The EPA rates the 2026 Ascent at 21.5 MPG combined; 21–22 MPG across 2 EPA-listed versions. At $4.153/gal regular (EIA, week of November 2, 2026), 75,000 miles cost about $14,495, or $2,899 a year.

EPA versions included: Ascent, Ascent Limited/Touring/Onyx AWD.

Insurance

Insurance varies by driver, location and coverage. Across all insured cars, U.S. drivers spent an average of $1,282 a year in 2023 (NAIC); see car insurance cost by state for your state’s average.

Is the Ascent expensive to maintain?

Subaru's published oil-change interval: 6,000 miles or 6 months. We list the schedule rather than a dollar figure because Subaru doesn't publish service prices.

For repair patterns owners report, see Ascent known issues.

Oil changes

Normal: 6,000 miles or 6 months

Severe or special conditions: 3,000 miles or 3 months (repeated short trips, extremely cold weather, repeated towing)

One schedule covers all 2025 Subaru models. It repeats after 120,000 miles/120 months.

Source: 2025 Subaru Warranty & Maintenance Booklet — 2025 MY All Vehicles, Federal/California (techinfo.subaru.com)

Subaru scheduled maintenance (manufacturer schedule; items paraphrased)
IntervalItemsSource
Every 6,000 miles or 6 months
  • Replace engine oil and filter
  • Rotate and inspect tires
2025 Subaru Warranty & Maintenance Booklet — 2025 MY All Vehicles, Federal/California (techinfo.subaru.com)
Every 12,000 miles or 12 months
  • Replace HVAC (cabin) A/C filter
  • Inspect brake lines and parking/service brakes
  • Inspect disc pads/discs and axle boots/joints
  • Inspect steering and suspension
  • Inspect clutch operation (MT)
2025 Subaru Warranty & Maintenance Booklet — 2025 MY All Vehicles, Federal/California (techinfo.subaru.com)
Every 30,000 miles or 30 months
  • Replace engine air cleaner element
  • Replace brake fluid (and clutch fluid, MT)
  • Inspect drive belts, fuel lines, cooling system hoses
  • Inspect transmission gear oil and front/rear differential oil
2025 Subaru Warranty & Maintenance Booklet — 2025 MY All Vehicles, Federal/California (techinfo.subaru.com)
36,000 miles, then every 30,000 (66k, 96k, 126k)
  • Inspect CVT fluid (non-BRZ)
2025 Subaru Warranty & Maintenance Booklet — 2025 MY All Vehicles, Federal/California (techinfo.subaru.com)
Every 60,000 miles or 60 months
  • Replace spark plugs
  • Inspect wheel bearings
2025 Subaru Warranty & Maintenance Booklet — 2025 MY All Vehicles, Federal/California (techinfo.subaru.com)
72,000 miles or 72 months
  • Replace fuel filter
2025 Subaru Warranty & Maintenance Booklet — 2025 MY All Vehicles, Federal/California (techinfo.subaru.com)
137,500 miles or 11 years (first)
  • Replace engine coolant, then every 75,000 miles or 6 years
2025 Subaru Warranty & Maintenance Booklet — 2025 MY All Vehicles, Federal/California (techinfo.subaru.com)
Severe-condition notes
  • CVT fluid: replace every 24,855 miles under frequent severe use
  • Brake fluid: every 15,000 miles/15 months in high-humidity or mountainous areas
  • Some inspections every 6,000 miles/6 months under severe use
2025 Subaru Warranty & Maintenance Booklet — 2025 MY All Vehicles, Federal/California (techinfo.subaru.com)

Ascent-specific notes

  • Covered by the 2025 all-vehicle schedule (CVT)

Source: 2025 Subaru Warranty & Maintenance Booklet — 2025 MY All Vehicles, Federal/California (techinfo.subaru.com)

More Ascent research

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to own a Subaru Ascent?

A 2026 Subaru Ascent costs about $51,926 over 5 years and 75,000 miles in depreciation, fuel and insurance. Depreciation is the biggest share at $31,021 (58.9% of the median new price); fuel $14,495 and national-average insurance $6,410 make up the rest. Scheduled maintenance, repairs and registration fees come on top.

Is the Ascent expensive to maintain?

Subaru's published oil-change interval: 6,000 miles or 6 months. We list the schedule rather than a dollar figure because Subaru doesn't publish service prices.

Is the Ascent expensive to insure?

Insurance varies by driver, location and coverage, and CarWhere doesn't publish model-specific premiums. Across all insured cars, U.S. drivers spent an average of $1,282 a year (NAIC, 2023), or $6,410 over 5 years; our state-by-state study shows the average where you live.

How much does a Ascent depreciate in 5 years?

In CarWhere's used-market study, 5-year-old Ascents (model year 2021) list for 58.9% below the median new price of $52,667, about $31,021 of lost value.

How much does a Ascent cost to fuel per year?

About $2,899 a year at 15,000 miles, based on the EPA rating of 21.5 MPG combined; 21–22 MPG across 2 EPA-listed versions and $4.153/gal regular (EIA, week of November 2, 2026).

Sources and method

Formula: 5-year total = depreciation (median new price × % below new at age 5) + fuel (75,000 mi ÷ EPA combined MPG × EIA national price, or kWh/100 mi × EIA residential rate for EVs) + insurance (NAIC national average expenditure × 5). Lines without a citable source are left blank.

  1. CarWhere car depreciation by model study — CarWhere Research (data as of 2026-10-25)
  2. Fuel economy data (vehicles.csv) — U.S. EPA / DOE, fueleconomy.gov
  3. Weekly U.S. retail gasoline and diesel prices — U.S. Energy Information Administration (week of November 2, 2026)
  4. Auto Insurance Database Report (average expenditure) — NAIC, via CarWhere state study (2023 data)
  5. 2025 Subaru Warranty & Maintenance Booklet — 2025 MY All Vehicles, Federal/California (techinfo.subaru.com) — Subaru (opened 2026-11-06)