With new models continuing to roll out for the 2019 model year, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) is rolling out safety ratings. The latest model to receive the Institute’s Top Safety Pick Plus award is the 2019 Subaru Ascent. This is Subaru’s seventh Top Safety Pick Plus Award this year, with another Subaru model receiving the standard Top Safety Pick award.
To earn the Top Safety Pick Plus award, a vehicle must not only earn certain ratings in a gamut of crash tests but also offer a capable front crash prevention system and meet certain standards for the headlights.
The Ascent earned “Good” ratings in every crash test the IIHS administers, including the difficult driver- and passenger-side small overlap front crash test. The Ascent’s standard front crash prevention system earned a “Superior” rating (the highest possible), with the system avoiding 12- and 25-mph collisions in testing. The system also has a forward collision warning system, which meets the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s criteria.
The last component a vehicle needs to earn the Top Safety Pick Plus rating is "Good" headlights, which several automakers struggle with. The Ascent Limited and Touring trims come with LED headlights, which received a “Good” rating and made the Ascent eligible for the top designation. The base car's halogen units earned a “Poor” rating.