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The Subaru Ascent Just Passed The Outback In One Critical Area

Did you know the Subaru Ascent is now better than the Outback in one key area? See how the Ascent 3-Row SUV has passed the Outback midsize SUV and what it means for customers.
2024 Subaru Outback

Sometimes bigger is better. In the case of the 2024 Subaru Ascent, the largest Subaru model gets the best IIHS safety scores, passing the Outback midsize SUV. It's been a strange year for Subaru, and it's getting stranger. As recently as last year, Subaru had nine Top Safety Pick+ winners; now, it only has one. 

As I reported earlier, the Ascent is Subaru's only Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) Top Safety Pick+ winner this year, significantly dropping from last year's nine vehicles with the highest awards.

Subaru's Top-Performing Safety Models

Subaru's Top Safety Pick+ winner

  • 2024 Subaru Ascent

Subaru's Top Safety Pick winners

  • 2024 Subaru Outback
  • 2024 Subaru Impreza
  • 2024 Subaru Solterra

What Happened To The Subaru Outback?

The 2024 Subaru is now a second-tier Top Safety Pick winner. Last year, Outback earned the highest award. 

The Outback doesn't get the highest award thanks to the IIHS's new stricter requirements for better protection for back seat passengers and improved pedestrian crash avoidance systems. 

Why Is The Subaru Ascent The Only Top Safety Pick+ winner?

The Ascent is Subaru's largest vehicle and gets the top "Good" scores in all areas except for the moderate overlap front updated test, which scored an "Acceptable" grade.

Here Are The Outback's New IIHS Scores

Subaru's second-largest vehicle, the Outback, gets the top "Good" scores in all areas except for the moderate overlap front updated test, which scored a "Marginal" grade.

The IIHS says," In an even more significant change, the updated moderate front overlap test has replaced the original evaluation in the 2024 Top Safety Pick+ requirements. Vehicles now need an acceptable or good rating in the revised assessment, which adds a second dummy seated behind the driver and emphasizes back seat safety." 

An "Acceptable" rating is needed for the Top Safety Pick+ award. The Outback fell out of getting the top award because it received a "Marginal" score. 

Should customers be concerned with the 2024 Outback's new safety score?

The Subaru Outback is still one of the safest midsize SUVs you can buy. However, Subaru will have to update its safety technology to comply with the new criteria set forth by the IIHS. Will the next-generation 2026 model year, Subaru Outback, meet the more challenging requirements? Stay tuned. 

I am Denis Flierl, a top Torque News and Subaru reporter since 2012. I’ve invested over 30 years in the automotive industry in a consulting role, working with every major car brand. I am an experienced Rocky Mountain Automotive Press member. You'll find my expert Subaru analysis here. Follow me on my The Dirty Subaru website, Dirty Subaru blog, X SubaruReport, All Subaru, WRXSTI, @DenisFlierl, Facebook, and Instagram.

Photo credit: Subaru

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