--- title: "Surprise: The 2026 Subaru Ascent Still Has a 3.5mm Aux Jack" date: "2026-03-09" modified: "2026-03-09" authors: - name: "Adam Ismail" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/adam-ismail" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/surprise-the-2026-subaru-ascent-still-has-a-3-5mm-aux-jack" categories: - "Car Tech" - "Infotainment" - "News" - "News by Brand" - "Subaru News" tags: - "Ascent" - "Subaru" - "suv/crossover" --- # Surprise: The 2026 Subaru Ascent Still Has a 3.5mm Aux Jack ![The interior of the 2026 Subaru Ascent Touring.]() *The interior of the 2026 Subaru Ascent Touring. \Adam Ismail\* Are you someone who romanticizes the idea of "disconnecting?" Have you spurned streaming services to maintain your own music library? Does the very mention of a [monthly subscription]() make you physically ill? First off, I think we'd get along. Second, there’s an SUV out there for you. It’s called the [Subaru]() Ascent, and it still has a 3.5-millimeter auxiliary audio jack. I've had an Ascent Touring on loan for almost a week now, and frankly, I'm getting on better with it than I expected. I’m not here to spoil the review, though—the point of this post is the little port I was surprised to find beside the USB-C and USB-A. I frankly cannot remember the last time I saw one in a new car. That's mostly my fault, though; the [Subaru BRZ]() and [Toyota GR86]() hide them in their center consoles. You'll find the same jack in the Subaru Legacy, too, which is the second-oldest vehicle the brand still sells—second only to the Ascent, and just barely. ![]() *It's pretty amusing to see an analog audio jack right next to USB-C, but I'll never complain about extra ports. *Adam Ismail** It should come as no surprise that Subaru's newer models, like the [Forester]() and [Outback](), don't offer the privilege. The [WRX]() doesn’t either, though it does still [offer the option of a center console-mounted CD player](). You can get one of those in the Ascent as well; unfortunately, mine isn't so equipped. It'll cut into your storage space ever so slightly, but you can bet that if I were spending $40-to-$50K on one of these, I would tick that option box for $450. And if I knew where my iPod was, I'd waste no time grabbing a cable and hitting the road with the some 6,000 songs in my collection. Yes, I already keep them on my iPhone, but Apple Music drives me nuts. Every time I open the app, it tries to push me to listen to a radio station I've never expressed interest in, or a playlist it's generated with its indisputable algorithmic knowledge of my music leanings. I want to spin a scroll wheel and get on with my life. ![]() *The optional top-loading CD player for the Subaru Ascent. *Subaru** Wondering how many other cars offer this forgotten port? So am I; the first result when I Google "cars with aux jacks" is [a forum thread *from 2007*](). Surely it's a dwindling party, like new cars with manual transmissions. Or cars with [V12s](). A bit less prideful, perhaps, but this is an exclusive group I'd want my vehicle to be a part of all the same, even if there are practically no smartphones over $400 that have headphone jacks anymore. The one thing I know for certain is that the Subaru Ascent, which first went on sale in 2018, won't be around forever. It will surely be replaced in probably not very long. Maybe that's a good thing, maybe not. But one casualty will be the 3.5-mm audio jack, and I will mourn it. *Does your fairly new vehicle still have an aux jack? Let the author know at adam.ismail@thedrive.com* ## Author Adam is a Senior Editor at The Drive, concentrating on curating and developing the site's slate of daily journalism, from initial pitch to final copy edit. When he's not at his desk researching leads and working with writers, he's testing vehicles or reviewing racing games, new and old. He joined The Drive in 2023, following seven years of covering consumer technology and cars. A car lover and gamer since his earliest memories, Adam came to know the automotive world through video games. First it was Daytona USA, Sega Rally, and Ridge Racer; then came Need For Speed, which inspired an encyclopedic knowledge of '90s supercars, and, of course, Gran Turismo. If not for them, he'd assuredly be doing something else right now. Adam is based in the suburbs outside Philly, where there are ample roads for his hot hatch to stretch its legs. In his car, he's probably listening to indie rock, drum and bass, or Yankees baseball. ### Author social links [Bluesky]() [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]()