Subaru’s new 2019 Ascent, will be the first ever three-row seating SUV offered by the automaker in Canada.

Built on a Subaru Global Platform, Ascent is designed to offer capability and versatility in a family-sized package. It also represents a new segment in the marketplace for Subaru and its retail network.

“Subaru customers asked for a vehicle like Ascent and we listened,” said Yasushi Enami, chairman, president and CEO of Subaru Canada, Inc. “We understand the needs of Canadian families on the go, and our largest ever vehicle is perfectly suited to handle whatever our customers throw at it—or in it.”

Emphasizing the functionality critical of a midsize SUV, the Ascent is available in seven- or eight-passenger configurations, with the choice of second-row captain’s chairs or bench seating, while offering enough room for a family’s worth of stuff.

Keeping whatever cargo that’s inside the Ascent safe is Subaru’s EyeSight advanced safety suite, which comes standard across the lineup and includes collision-avoidance, lane-departure warning and adaptive cruise control functionality.

“Subaru Canada takes safety seriously, and the inclusion of EyeSight across Ascent’s trim lineup reaffirms that,” Enami said. “EyeSight offers a whole new level of peace of mind that protects not only Subaru drivers and their families, but all road users.”

Powering the Ascent is the latest evolution of Subaru’s BOXER engine technology that brings with it six-cylinder performance in a more efficient package. Output from the new turbocharged 2.4-litre four-cylinder engine is estimated at 260 horsepower and 277 lb-ft of torque running on regular gasoline, while its high-torque Lineartronic CVT allows Ascent to tow up to 2,270 kg (5,000 lbs.).

The 2019 Ascent will be built at Subaru’s U.S. plant, Subaru of Indiana Automotive, Inc., and delivered to Subaru retailers in summer 2018.