After a light teaser last week, Subaru has revealed the 2022 Ascent Onyx Edition in all its glory. The new trim level for Subaru’s three-row crossover lands smack dab in the middle of the grade hierarchy – above Base and Premium, but below Limited and Touring – and comes with a slew of compelling options as standard.
Visually the Ascent Onyx features, as the name implies, several blacked out exterior bits in keeping with its name. There’s black-finished versions of its 20-inch Y-spoke wheels, black badging, a black surround for its front grille, and the chrome blades in the fog lamp bezels are now – can you guess? – black.
Content-wise, it builds upon the Premium grade adding items such as automatic reverse braking and a heated steering wheel. As such, it’s also available solely in the seven-passenger layout.
As we inferred from the Outback Onyx Edition, the new Ascent Onyx comes with keyless access and water-resistant StarTex upholstery. Like its smaller brother, it will come with a hands-free power tailgate. However, unlike the Outback, that makes the Ascent Onyx the only trim level to get the hands-free, kick-activated tailgate.
The package includes no powertrain upgrades. All Ascent trims already utilize Subaru’s turbo 2.4-liter boxer, making 260 horsepower and 277 pound-feet of torque, married to a CVT. Also, all Ascents come with all-wheel drive and Subaru’s X-Mode off-road driving mode with hill descent control.
The Ascent Onyx Edition starts at $37,995 but also offers an option package that includes panoramic moonroof, navigation and retractable cargo cover for $2,200. Taking all that into account, it offers a better value than the $39,595 Limited, unless you absolutely must have the Limited’s deluxe features like leather and power seat adjustment.
The rest of the Ascent lineup goes into the 2022 model year unchanged in pricing. Oh, and one more thing. Subaru hasn’t said so, but if the Outback Onyx is anything to go by, you will still be able to get it in a variety of colors, not just black.
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