Fitting a bike in the back of an SUV can teach you a lesson about what “SUV” means these days. For those who don’t know, a sport-utility comes in all shapes and sizes. Fortunately, the 2026 Subaru Ascent is big, wide, and spacious enough for a massive cargo bike, something I did not know until I tried to put one in the back.
In my day job as a product reviewer, I wrote about bike camping in Duluth and travelled some 40 miles along the North Shore. To get started, I first had to haul the cargo bike itself.
With a helping hand, the Lectric XPedition2 fit perfectly fine with space left over.
That’s no small feat. The XPedition2 is a beast of an electric bike, with a long frame and hefty tires. It’s meant for hauling groceries, camping gear, and even passengers. It’s not exactly the sort of bike you toss in the back of a vehicle without giving it much thought. I was fully expecting to remove a wheel or make some other adjustment, but the Ascent swallowed it up without much drama.
I’ve tested plenty of SUVs over the years, and the cargo space can be deceiving. Some look enormous from the outside but have a sloping roofline or an awkward rear opening that makes loading anything bulky a chore. You might have plenty of room for suitcases and groceries, but a bike is another matter entirely.
The Ascent is different. It’s a three-row SUV that doesn’t try to look like a sports car, which is a compliment in my book. With the rear seats folded, there’s a long, usable cargo area and a tall opening. I didn’t have to spend twenty minutes figuring out how to angle the handlebars or wondering whether I was going to scratch the interior.
Of course, hauling the bike was only the beginning. The drive to Duluth gave me a chance to see how the Ascent handles a longer trip, which is really where a vehicle like this needs to prove itself. There’s something appealing about loading up all your gear, heading north, and knowing you won’t have to leave anything behind because it doesn’t fit.
The Ascent also has standard all-wheel drive, which seems especially appropriate for a vehicle wearing a Subaru badge. For a bike camping trip along Lake Superior, that capability wasn’t the main attraction. I was more interested in the simple things, like having enough room for equipment and being able to get everything loaded without a complicated system of straps and roof racks.
I’ve never been a huge fan of carrying bikes on the outside of a vehicle. A hitch rack works fine, but there’s always the concern about road grime, bad weather, and leaving an expensive electric bike exposed when you stop somewhere. Putting the bike inside the SUV solves most of those problems. You can lock the doors and head into a restaurant without worrying quite as much about what’s hanging off the back.
One thing I noticed during this trip is how much I appreciated the Ascent’s traditional SUV design. It’s not flashy, and there aren’t any strange styling decisions meant to make it look futuristic. The vehicle is simply big enough to do what I needed it to do. That might sound like faint praise, but it isn’t.
I tend to judge vehicles based on how they fit into my actual life. A fast sports car is fun for a week, and a luxury SUV with massage seats is certainly enjoyable. Yet when I’m planning a bike camping trip, neither of those things matters much. I want to load my bike, throw in my gear, and hit the road.
The 2026 Subaru Ascent checked those boxes. I wouldn’t say I’m ready to run out and buy one tomorrow, but this is one of those rare test vehicles I was genuinely reluctant to give back. I could easily see myself using it for more trips along the North Shore, especially with a cargo bike in the back.
And now I’m wondering what else I could fit in there.