My 2001 model Bosch DW has a sticker on the inside rim stating Bosch recommends Electrasol (previous name of Finish) and Jet-Dry rinse agent. I recall looking at newer Bosch models about a decade ago, just to see what the current models were like, and I spotted a label inside stating that Bosch recommended Cascade (and I don't remember if they switched from Jet-Dry). So it looks as if they swing back and forth, possibly due to paid "sponsorships".
As far as the common issue that "Bosch holds fewer dishes than my old DW", I think two factors are at play:
1. Bosch has thicker insulation--which accounts for its quiet operation--and consequently a smaller tub. The outside dimensions are all the same, so the thicker insulation has to take a toll somewhere.
2. The tines, at least on my machine, seem to be placed farther apart than on, say, a KA. If the plates are farther apart, it stands to reason that cleaning performance will improve, but at the expense of capacity.
Since I live alone and run only 1-2 loads a week, capacity isn't an issue, but it might be for people with a large family in terms of not being able to get through the day without having to run an extra load.
The smaller inside tub dimensions and wider spacing were pointed out to me by friends who bought a Bosch, on my recommendation, to replace their builder-special GE. Kitchen is open to family room, so they needed a quiet machine to regain their family time after dinner. Normally, they ran the machine after dinner, and conversation/tv viewing was nearly impossible with the GE. While the Boach achieved their noise objective, they sometimes have to run a second daily load to keep up with their family.
My DW is a 2001 300-series with the controls in the door rim. Ascenta was not yet being produced. The Ascenta line seems to provide good value and feature set at reasonable price. My only concern has been the bottom of the tub, where the steel and plastic meet, should the seal ever fail. Anyone heard of an Ascenta tub failing? (hope not)
FYI the owner of our local appliance store told me that most if not all contemporary DWs do NOT have heated first rinse---rinse occurs at your ambient incoming hot water line temperature. The integral heater does heat the wash and final rinse water, but not the first rinse water. Therefore, in the era of no-phosphate detergents, he recommends priming the hot water line at the sink, to its maximum temperature, prior to starting the DW, to ensure the hottest possible first rinse.