Subaru Ascent vs Volkswagen CC: which is more reliable?
The Volkswagen CC is ahead of the Subaru Ascent on the federal record, 76/100 against 70/100 — a real but narrow gap that a bad model year on either side closes.
The record, side by side
Subaru Ascent
- 7 model years scored
- 1,029 owner complaints on record
- about 29 complaints per year on the road
- 24 recall campaigns, 8 safety-critical
- best year 2025 (87/100) · worst 2019 (32/100)
Volkswagen CC
- 7 model years scored
- 604 owner complaints on record
- about 5 complaints per year on the road
- 33 recall campaigns, 23 safety-critical
- best year 2017 (89/100) · worst 2012 (36/100)
Mean score is the average across model years from 2013 on, where both records are comparable. How the score works.
Year by year: Ascent against CC
The comparison that decides the purchase. A nameplate is not one car — a redesign can move the record sixty points inside two years, and the two nameplates rarely move together.
What owners actually complain about
Subaru Ascent
- Electrical System — 289 complaints
- Power Train — 179 complaints
- Visibility/Wiper — 152 complaints
Volkswagen CC
- Air Bags — 279 complaints
- Fuel/Propulsion System — 119 complaints
- Engine — 119 complaints
They do not fail the same way: the Ascent's complaints concentrate in Electrical System, the CC's in Air Bags. That difference matters more to a buyer than the score gap, because it says which repair bill you are taking on.
Years to avoid on each
Subaru Ascent — avoid: 2019, 2020.
Volkswagen CC — avoid: 2012.
A year scores below 45 on complaints per year of exposure and recall campaigns. Every car’s years to avoid.
What each costs today
A recent used Subaru Ascent prices at about $44,100 and a Volkswagen CC at about $21,800 — the Volkswagen CC is roughly $22,300 less, and they return 22.0 against 25.0 MPG combined.
Class-level estimates re-priced to your country, not a valuation of one car. Method.
FAQ
Is the Subaru Ascent or the Volkswagen CC more reliable?
On the NHTSA record the Volkswagen CC scores 76/100 against the Subaru Ascent's 70/100, averaged across every model year we hold. The gap is small enough that the model year matters more than the badge.
Which Subaru Ascent and Volkswagen CC years should I avoid?
Subaru Ascent: 2019, 2020. Volkswagen CC: 2012. Each of those scores under 45 out of 100 on complaints per year of exposure and recall campaigns.
What goes wrong on the Subaru Ascent and the Volkswagen CC?
The largest complaint group on the Subaru Ascent is Electrical System (289 complaints); on the Volkswagen CC it is Air Bags (279).
Is the Subaru Ascent or the Volkswagen CC cheaper to own?
A recent used Subaru Ascent prices at about $44,100 and a Volkswagen CC at about $21,800, before insurance and the maintenance band. Both pages carry the five-year running-cost figure.