I drove a $50,000 Subaru Ascent SUV. These were my 14 favorite features.

1. Subaru's 2.4-liter, turbocharged engine.

Power for the Ascent comes from Subaru's F24F 2.4-liter, turbocharged, horizontally opposed four-cylinder engine. The motor, which debuted back in 2019 with the Ascent, produces a stout 260 horsepower and 277 pound-feet of torque. The engine felt strong and robust, with a solid punch off the line.

2. The 3-camera driver assist system

Subaru's EyeSight suite of driver assistance features includes adaptive cruise control with lane centering, lane departure warning, pre-collision braking, automatic emergency steering, and pre-collision throttle management, which reduces engine power when it detects potential danger ahead.

Subaru updated the system in 2023 to include a new wide-angle camera mounted above the rearview mirror for improved pedestrian and cyclist detection.

I found the updated system excellent, building upon the strong performance of previous iterations.

3. Subaru's signature Symmetrical All-Wheel-Drive.

Most of Subaru's rivals offer all-wheel drive as a pricey optional extra. However, the Ascent comes standard with the brand's Symmetrical All-Wheel-Drive system.

What also sets the Subaru apart is that its AWD system constantly sends power to all four wheels. In most of Ascent's competitors, their AWD systems only send power to the rear wheels when they detect traction loss.

4. The Starlink infotainment system and 11.6-inch touchscreen.

The 2019-2022 Ascents' Starlink infotainment system lived in a standard 6.5-inch or optional 8.0-inch touchscreen. Starting in 2023, all Ascents come with an 11.6-inch vertical touchscreen. The updated setup also comes with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

The updated Starlink Infotainment looks great and is intuitively organized. However, I did experience some occasional lag in response time, especially with the wireless Apple CarPlay.

5. The 360-degree camera system.

The optional 360-degree camera system can stitch together images from its front, rear, and side cameras to create a birds-eye view of the Ascent.

6. The rearview mirror camera

The Ascent is available with an optional rear-vision camera display embedded into the mirror. The rear camera itself is located on the tailgate at the top of the rear window. This feature really comes in handy when the Ascent is loaded up with cargo and you can't see out of the back window.

7. Quality interior.

The Ascent's overall interior fit and finish are outstanding. Everything feels solidly put together with quality materials. The Ascent Touring's perforated Nappa leather seats and wood grain trim inject a dose of luxury into a cabin that puts a premium on utility.

8. The Harmon-Kardon surround sound stereo

The Ascent can be optioned with a Harman-Kardon QuantumLogic surround sound system. We enjoyed the rich and powerful sound put out by the system's 14-speakers and 792-watt amplifier.

9. A Panoramic power moonroof

The Ascent can be had with a large, powered panoramic moonroof that fills the cabin with light. I found it to be a worthwhile option even though it robbed the first and second-row occupants of about an inch of headroom.

10. The MySubaru App

Ascent owners can remotely start, lock, and unlock their vehicles using their smartphones through the MySubaru App. You can also pre-set climate setting, get status reports on the all of the vehicles various systems and schedule service appoints using the app.

11. All kinds of power plugs

The Ascent not only offers a large number of charging options throughout its cabin, but it also offers charging in a variety of options. Up front, there are both USB-A and USB-C plugs, along with a traditional cigarette lighter-style outlet in the dash. Second- and third-row passengers have dedicated USB-A and USB-C plugs. There is also a 120V AC power socket located in front of the second row.

12. The panoramic rear-view mirror

Near the rearview mirror is a sunglass holder with an integrated panoramic mirror handy for keeping tabs on the rest of the cabin. The panoramic mirror complements the cabin connect feature on higher-trim models that amplifies the driver's voice to passengers in the back.

13. Lots of cargo room

Open up the powered tailgate and you'll find 17.6 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row. With the third row folded, capacity increases to 42.1 cubic feet.

And with all rear seats down, the maximum cargo capacity behind the driver's seat is 72.8 cubic feet.

14. Built in sunshades

The Ascent can be optioned with sunshades built into its back doors. These come in handy when you run into an afternoon or morning glare.