Subaru

Motor Trend: 2014 Subaru Forester SUV of the Year

Motor Trend is a well-heeled automotive publication. Its reviewers are experts. They take their jobs seriously and they recently selected the 2014 Subaru Forester as the 2014 sport utility vehicle of the year. Really? Anyone who lives in mountainous areas knows Subaru’s strengths. Its all-wheel drive system is the best in the auto industry. And if you’re a dog person or dog family, Subaru always gets top honors for its design consideration to animal comfort and safety. Still, the Subaru got top honors over Acura, BMW and Land Rover, among others. The editors begin their decision process with a statement: “What makes an SUV? Ask 10 people and you’ll get 11 answers, as no doubt some will change their minds

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Subaru versatility results in best sales month in history

Subaru owners in mountain states have long known about the unheralded carmaker’s merits. The original all-wheel drive system was the precursor to many other manufacturers’ all-wheel drive systems. And Subaru has also been at the forefront of the auto industry for car owners who travel with pets. Subaru’s designs and accessories for animals are unmatched. Subaru’s enduring versatility has finally paid off. The automaker reported its July 2013 sales of 35,994 vehicles was the best month in the manufacturer’s history. The record month included best ever July sales for Forester, Outback and Impreza models. The record month of sales was a 43 percent increase over July 2012. The company’s 240,591 sales for 2013 is 27 percent higher than the same

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PRODUCT REVIEW: ProClip offers simple, safe iPhone car use

When I received my ProClip in the mail I was skeptical. Why would I want to car mount my iPhone where I could easily see it? I didn’t want an iPhone distracting me from my driving. I have always synced my phone to my car and thrown the phone in a inconvenient storage area — never to be seen again while driving. Not any more. iOmounts has paired its patented, infinitely rotatable, magnetic mount with the uber-slick, auto dashboard mounts from ProClip USA. With ProClip, my mobile phone usage habits have totally changed. The phone is held in my ProClip where I can easily see it with a quick glance.  When the phone rings, I still answer it through the

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2014 Subaru Forester: New design, quicker, spacious

The redesigned 2014 Subaru Forester crossover has an impressive new design with better styling, performance, economy, comfort, space and safety features. As the song goes, who could ask for anything more? Early 1970s Subarus felt like tin cans, despite a ruggedness that made them popular in New England states. Subaru hung in there and gradually improved things, while wisely adding and promoting standard all-wheel drive. Car buyers began looking at Subaru in a new light, and it was on its way. After all, Subaru is a wholly owned subsidiary of Japan’s giant Fuji Heavy Industries, which wasn’t about to give up the big U.S. market. The fourth-generation Forester crossover’s all-new body not only looks better, with sharply defined new details,

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LA Auto Show: Honda, Subaru, Toyota among 12 carmakers in new green technology showcase

The Los Angeles Auto Show for several years has been at the forefront of the automotive industry’s green car technology. The selection of the Green Car of the Year is a highlight of the year’s first major car show. But this year, under a new category, approximately 25 vehicles from a dozen manufacturers will participate in the Green and Advanced Technology Ride & Drive. The program will offer a preview and media test drive sessions of the latest in-car innovations and fuel-efficient vehicles. The participating vehicles will represent the latest evolutions of electric, hybrid, clean diesel and fuel cell. The latest driver assist platforms featured will include front crash mitigation, adaptive cruise control, radar-based object detection systems, blind spot monitoring

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Acura to Subaru, BMW to Toyota among dozens of LA Auto Show world debuts

World debuts from Acura to Toyota and BMW to Subaru are among the nearly 50 vehicle unveilings at the Los Angeles Auto Show, the nearly two-week display of the automotive world’s best — electric vehicles to performance and luxury designs. Media days Nov. 28-29 will be followed by the public show, Nov. 30-Dec. 9, at the Los Angeles Convention Center. The debut lineup also includes world firsts from U.S. manufacturers Chevrolet and Ford, as well as European automakers BMW, Fiat, Jaguar, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche and Volkswagen. Asian carmaker debuts will also Honda, Hyundai, Kia and Nissan models. These debuts will highlight the latest in-car technologies, as well as continued fuel-efficiency with several hybrid, electric and alternative-fuel vehicles. Overall, there will be

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2014 Subaru Forester: Bigger, roomier, better mpg for enduring crossover

The 2014 Subaru Forester, the fourth generation of the all-wheel driver crossover that debuted in 1997, will be slightly longer, taller and wider than its predecessor and will make its North American debut at the LA Auto Show in late November. While featuring slightly bigger dimensions, the 2014 Subaru Forester will be closely related to its older siblings and will offer, according to the manufacturer: “An exceptionally roomy interior, featuring increased rear seat legroom, and an enlarged cargo area.” New features will also include for the North American market: an infotainment system with smartphone integration, navigation, rear view camera, and harman/kardon premium audio amplifier and speakers. In Japan, the new Forester’s powertrain options include a 146 horsepower, 2.0-liter flat four

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Subaru Legacy, 2013: Overlooked sedan offers good value, great safety

Many mid-size sedan buyers act like lemmings, continually buying the same make of vehicle year after year. Otherwise, a lot more Subaru Legacy mid-size sedans would be bought. Rivals to the Legacy — essentially an overlooked gem — include the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord. Most receive far more advertising and have a considerably larger owner body. Not that Subaru hasn’t been around for decades. It began to get its feet as a small, cramped front-wheel drive model that nevertheless was rugged. It became a favorite for rough New England winters, and for years was known as a “New England” or “Northeast” car. Few Americans knew it scored well in tough European rallies. Subaru began switching from inexpensive  economy cars

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Subaru BRZ, 2013: Toyota, Subaru team to offer gifted sports coupe

The 2013 Subaru BRZ is the real deal. After two days of driving the 200 horsepower rear-wheel drive sport coupe on the street and at the race track, there is no doubt Subaru's new sport coupe is gifted with exceptional balance and poise. The BRZ is a rear-wheel drive sports coupe that came about as a collaboration between Toyota and Subaru. The manufactuers' design focus was to engineer a sports coupe with a low center of gravity, light weight and precision handling. The results are two affordable sports coupes that attain their design goals and exceed expectations. The BRZ (like the Scion FR-S) is propelled by a 200-horsepower, 2.0-liter direct-injected horizontally opposed ('flat') four-cylinder engine, with rear-wheel drive and a

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Subaru Impreza, 2012: sleeker styling, new engine, improved interior

Subaru once made small boxy, rather tinny front-wheel-drive cars with no visual appeal. Now look what it has done. The compact Impreza is the smallest model in Subaru’s auto lineup and is one of its most popular ones, with standard all-wheel drive. Faced with greater competition, it makes sense the fourth-generation Impeza has arrived as a much-improved 2012 model. Subarus long have been gotten high marks tackling tough New England winters, but the automaker has been striving for some time to make its vehicles more popular throughout the country. Major features include much-needed sleeker styling, with such things as a sharply raked windshield and crisp character lines. However, the low front end can be damaged by curbs and other such

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Subaru Impreza, 2012: spacious, all-wheel drive, good value

The 2012 Subaru Impreza is getting a lot attention especilly among shoppers seeking value and all-wheel drive. The newly designed model, in fact, is the lowest priced all-wheel drive car in the United States. The new Subaru has a spacious interior, and an MSRP price range from $17,495 – $22,595. Here are a few examples of what's being said about the 2012 Subaru Impreza: "The base Impreza 2.0i with a five-speed goes for $18,245, making it one of the nicest all-wheel-drive cars for under 20 grand, as well as one of the only all-wheel-drive cars for under 20 grand." —- Automobile Magazine. "The Impreza delivers a well-rounded package that's roomy, pleasant to drive, and very practical. For shoppers adventuresome enough

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Subaru tops best 2012 all-wheel drive cars

Inclement weather isn't often good for cars or vehicle occupants. Which is one main reason all-wheel drive cars – Hyundai to Subaru, Ford to Mazda — are increasingly popular. As the winter season approaches, Kiplinger.com has compiled a list of 10-top recommended all-wheel drive cars that offer "a shoveful of value" as well as vehicles that rank well in resale value, fuel economy and safety. Subaru, the only manufacturer whose entire lineup has all-wheel drive, has two cars on the all-wheel drive list including the top choice, the 2012 Subaru Impreza 2.0i Premium hatchback. Here's what Kiplinger's wrote in part about the Imprezza: "The Impreza is one of the least expensive all-wheel-drive vehicles on the market. Redesigned for 2012 to

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Subaru recalls 400,000 cars, rust issues

Subaru is recalling more than 400,000 vehicles, including Impreza, Forester, Legacy and Outback models sold or registered in 20 states to replace potentially rusty brackets on the underside of the vehicles. The recall covers the 2002-2007 Impreza and 2003-2008 Forester because of front lower control arms broken at hanger brackets due to corrosion caused by road salt. The second recall covers 195,000 2010-2011 Legacy and Outback to replace the windshield wiper bottom cover, which could catch fire or stop working. Subaru said it received a complaint of smoke from a wiper motor in January and began an investigation. Owners will be notified by November. Dealers will inspect the front lower control arms and will rust-proof them or replace them with

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Subaru Forester, 2011 car review

In its 17-year tenure, the Subaru Forester has transitioned to having one of the coolest names in the automotive industry from having one of the worst names. The name Forester implies “Of the forest.” But when the vehicle debuted in 1995 at the Tokyo Motor Show as a concept, it was called the “Sutoriga” or Stalker. The reason for its first name is subject to interpretation, but a decade-and-a-half and several editions later, the Forester is fully ingrained in Subaru‘s practical, if unspectacular, lineup of sedan and utilitarian sports vehicles all featuring symmetrical all-wheel drive. The Weekly Driver Test Drive Introduced to the United States market in 1998, the 2011 Forester is now available in six trims, including the 2.5X

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Subaru Forester 2011 car review

I recently was in the left front seat of an older Subaru Forester at highways speeds, but with no steering wheel in front of me. Not to worry. I was in Australia, where the steering wheel is on the right side and vehicles are driven in the left lane. My daughter was at the wheel. I recently tested a 2011 Forester four-door small SUV (or “crossover,” if you will) after returning to America. This third-generation Forester, which was new for 2009, is appreciably larger in every dimension than the last generation model, with a roomier back seat. It’s styling is clean, but won’t turn heads. There are only minor trim changes for 2011. The new Forester is no more powerful

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Honda, Subaru, Toyota shine in Consumer Reports' study

Honda, a perennial top pick, Subaru, the all-wheel driver pioneer, and embattled Toyota claimed the top-three spots in the annual survey by Consumer Reports to determine the manufacturers with the overall best cars. Honda, whose Fit earned high marks with the Hyundai Elantra and Chevrolet Avalanche, led the Japanese company’s consistent ratings throughout its line en route to the industry’s highest total in the magazine’s detail assessment. Ford posted the largest quality gains among the major automakers with improved road tests and reliability scores. Honda Motor Co., including its Acura division, had the highest overall score, 74, and the best reliability record of any manufacturer, the magazine said. Subaru finished second with 73 points, while Toyota was third with 71

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