Filed under: Crossover, Hatchback, Subaru, First Drives

A Utility Knife For The Sensible Shoes Crowd

There are stories in every culture about a young man or woman who is supposed to marry someone sensible, attractive, a good cook and good provider. But when the protagonist of the story meets the would-be fiancee’s more interesting, vivacious, funny and unconventional sibling or best friend, sparks fly and the original relationship doesn’t stand a chance.

And so it was when we drove the 2013 Subaru XV through the roads and highways of Tuscany. On Day One, we drove the version the U.S. will get in the third quarter of next year. The first thing to hit us: déjà vu. This is the 2012 Impreza hatchback, albeit with cladding above the wheel wells and a a seriously jacked up stance. It will have the same, brand-new 2.0-liter flat-four as the Impreza hatch we tested a few months ago that is just hitting dealer lots. So what’s the verdict? The XV can cook an acceptable pot of tomato sauce and cleans up nicely for Sunday mass. She’s a nice girl and good company.

We should have left it there. We should have called it a test after Day One. We should have simply driven off with the girl we came to meet. Why? Because on day two of our drive, we met the cousin with the better personality, the longer legs, the Sophia Loren cheekbones and the killer personality: the 2.0 liter turbo-diesel with the manual transmission. We drove her through the winding back roads north of Florence amidst the Chianti vineyards, villages and Fiat fix-it shops, but she refuses to come to the States. You see, she will only date Europeans.

Continue reading 2013 Subaru XV Crosstrek

2013 Subaru XV Crosstrek originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 13 Dec 2011 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Aftermarket, CES, Technology, Honda, Subaru, Infotainment

Pandora may be becoming a standard on every major OEM infotainment system, but all-you-can-eat subscription music services haven’t gained the same momentum or widespread adoption. MOG is aiming to change that with automotive partnerships with BMW and Mini, but its just-announced tie-up with Aha Radio extends MOG’s reach even further, and it has wider implications – not just for the on-demand music service, but for Aha Radio as a whole.

The partnership with Aha Radio (now owned by Harman) is just the first of several MOG will be announcing in 2012. Aftermarket companies like JVC are also implementing the music service into their head units, but what’s more important is the usage of Aha Radio as the method of delivery.

Rather than going to an automaker, getting approval to use its application programming interface and then developing an app that only works with one infotainment system, MOG is integrating its service into Aha Radio, which delivers a range of content – from restaurant information to Facebook feeds – into a single app that’s ported and controlled through your in-dash touchscreen.

So Aha Radio is the platform – a one-stop conduit for content – and MOG, NPR, CNN, Twitter, Facebook and others deliver the substance.

Both Honda and Subaru have announced partnerships with Aha Radio and plan to integrate the service into their factory head units beginning this spring. But you don’t need to buy a 2013 Subaru BRZ (pictured above) to get in on the action. Kenwood will join Pioneer to begin offering Aha Radio on its head units later this year. and even better, Aha Radio runs and integrates with both iOS and Android devices, so there should be no need to worry about connectivity issues. Hit the jump for the all the details.

Continue reading MOG comes to Aha Radio. Aha Radio comes to Honda, Subaru. Here’s why it matters.

MOG comes to Aha Radio. Aha Radio comes to Honda, Subaru. Here’s why it matters. originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 09 Jan 2012 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Budget, Sedan, Subaru, New Car Reviews

Going Mainstream With The Beauty Of All-Wheel-Drive

Subaru found itself in an interesting position when the North American auto market imploded back in 2009. While most manufacturers were busily darting about trying to stop their sales from bleeding out, the quirky Japanese automaker actually posted gains in both market share and earnings during the recession.

It was a dark time for most dealers. Salesmen began eying the fairest compacts on their lot for sacrifice in an attempt to appease the sales gods that had abandoned them, and showrooms began devolving into tribal law in earnest. Meanwhile, we’re guessing many Subaru dealers watched through gold-rimmed monocles from across the street with a mixture of curiosity and amusement.

But what happens when the national financial ship rights itself and social order is restored once again? Will buyers still shun emblems of excess and continue to opt for practical, economy-minded Japanese all-wheel-drive wagons and compacts? If the 2012 Subaru Impreza is any indication, the company may be concerned its products aren’t quite mainstream enough to retain conquests acquired through the dark days of ’09. The 2012 Impreza is more comfortable, quieter and offers a more attractive interior than ever before, but those gains come with sacrifices that risk alienating the model’s longtime fans, ourselves included.

Continue reading 2012 Subaru Impreza

2012 Subaru Impreza originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 15 Dec 2011 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Crossover, Hatchback, Subaru

Subaru unveiled its steroid-enhanced Impreza – the XV concept – at the 2011 Shanghai Motor Show earlier this year, previewing what a high-riding version of the automaker’s new C-segment hatchback could look like. Here in the United States, the XV is better known as the Impreza Outback Sport – a vehicle which we’ve gotten quite accustomed to, especially for its signature two-tone look.

Interestingly, when we spoke with Subaru officials earlier this year, we were told that the XV isn’t in the cards for the U.S., but that it’s being considered. However, other markets are slated to get a production version of the crossover as early as next year, and the final design looks to be revealed with these Chinese patent office filings. It looks like exactly what you’d expect from a modern-day Outback Sport, which is to say higher-riding and modestly toughened up visually.

If the XV does arrive in the States someday, Subaru tells us that it likely won’t be called Outback Sport. Still, with these patent filings showing a left-hand-drive setup, and with China Car Times reporting that a 2.0-liter inline-four (the new boxer engine) will be underhood, we don’t think it’ll be too hard for Subaru to adjust this thing for American use.

Subaru XV (read: Impreza Outback Sport) leaked via patent renderings originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 27 Jul 2011 10:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Motorsports, Videos, Subaru

Though Subaru no longer competes in the World Rally Championship, the automaker is still quite active in other forms of rallying. In fact, Subaru Rally Team USA recently captured the 2011 Rally America championship with driver David Higgins at the helm. That marks the sixth time in seven years that a Subaru has been the ultimate Rally America machine.

Subaru created a mini documentary to highlight the 2011 run to the podium. It’s called “Gunning for Gold,” and it features both Higgins and teammate Dave Mirra discussing their cars and the season. Stay flat over the jump, and check out the clip.

Continue reading Subaru releases “Gunning for Gold” mini-doc on Rally America Championship

Subaru releases “Gunning for Gold” mini-doc on Rally America Championship originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 04 Aug 2011 19:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Motorsports, Videos, Subaru

Though Subaru no longer competes in the World Rally Championship, the automaker is still quite active in other forms of rallying. In fact, Subaru Rally Team USA recently captured the 2011 Rally America championship with driver David Higgins at the helm. That marks the sixth time in seven years that a Subaru has been the ultimate Rally America machine.

Subaru created a mini documentary to highlight the 2011 run to the podium. It’s called “Gunning for Gold,” and it features both Higgins and teammate Dave Mirra discussing their cars and the season. Stay flat over the jump, and check out the clip.

Continue reading Subaru releases “Gunning for Gold” mini-doc on Rally America Championship

Subaru releases “Gunning for Gold” mini-doc on Rally America Championship originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 04 Aug 2011 19:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Marketing/Advertising, Videos, Subaru, Off-Road

What’s more fun than running through a five-kilometer obstacle course in the woods? Running through a five-kilometer obstacle course in the woods… while being chased by zombies!

The event is called Run For Your Lives, and while it doesn’t actually involve, you know, “real” zombies (which fortunately only exist in movies – we think), it does the next best thing. Participants pick a path through the woods, littered with man-made obstacles, with a flag belt tied ’round their waists. They’ve got to run the distance, overcome the obstacles and avoid loosing their “health flags” to the legions of make-believe zombies chasing after them.

The first such event is scheduled for October 22 in Baltimore, with more locations to follow. So what does this have to do with cars, you ask? Well, it’s got zombies, so what more excuse do we need? It also happens to be sponsored by Subaru, which is building an advertising campaign around it, billing its go-anywhere-and-fast Impreza WRX as “The official escape vehicle of the Zombie Apocalypse”.

Cute, but when push comes to shove, there probably aren’t many vehicles we’d take over a WRX if we were, you know, actually being chased by the brain-hungry undead. What would you pick? Share your opinion in the Comments section below and follow the jump to watch the video.

Continue reading Subaru WRX… official escape vehicle of the zombie apocalypse?

Subaru WRX… official escape vehicle of the zombie apocalypse? originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 27 Jul 2011 12:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Etc., Safety, Technology, Subaru

Texting and driving is a dangerous practice, we can all agree on that. But would you be surprised to learn that texting might cause you trouble even when your vehicle is locked up tight? As more and more daily items tap into the Matrix, we’re exposing more products to those crafty enough to have taken the red pill that is a complete understanding of computer science.

The Black Hat organization gathers industry professionals for events that focus on technical security, and hosts meetings around the world. A recent event in Las Vegas brought out a few folks from iSec Partners, who demonstrated that they could unlock and start a Subaru Outback using their Android phone. By setting up their own GSM network, the pair from iSec grabbed authentication passwords by way of text messages. This gained them entry to the vehicle, and also allowed them to fire up the engine.

This security issue isn’t a flaw related solely to the Outback either, as the duo from iSec explained how they could gain control over any device that is accessible via similar networks. Excuse us while we go wrap everything we own in tinfoil, including our heads.

Hackers prove they can break into Subaru Outback via texting originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 05 Aug 2011 15:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Car Buying, Sedan, Hatchback, Subaru

Think you know everything there is to know about the redesigned 2012 Subaru Impreza? If you read our deep dive on the model, you’re probably right. Except for one important tidbit: its price.

Subaru has announced that it is holding the line on the Impreza, with the 2012 starting at $17,495 (*plus $750 for destination). That’s the same price as the older 2011 model. Those wishing for a five-door hatch bodystyle in place of the standard four-door sedan will need to spend an extra $500.

Those base prices include a five-speed manual transmission, which can be replaced with a completely new CVT automatic for an additional thousand dollars. Buyers can opt to upgrade their rides with the 2.0i Premium package ($18,795), Sport Premium ($20,295) or Limited ($21,595), each with additional content over the package it replaces.

Naturally, all Impreza models feature the company’s excellent all-wheel-drive technology, and they’ll be in dealerships in November of 2011. For all the details, feel free to check out the complete press release after the break.

Continue reading Redesigned 2012 Subaru Impreza retains $17,495* starting price

Redesigned 2012 Subaru Impreza retains $17,495* starting price originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 19 Aug 2011 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Frankfurt Motor Show, Crossover, Subaru

If you were smitten by the Subaru XV concept, Fuji Heavy Industries is ready to make your dreams a reality at next month’s Frankfurt Motor Show.

Influenced by the concept that debuted in Shanghai this April, the production version of Subaru’s next generation crossover is set to land in European showrooms later this year. For those of us in the States, you’ll know the XV as the Impreza Outback, although it’s unclear if the Euro-XV will form the basis of the next Outback wagon or another variant of the Impreza. We’ll know soon enough once we hit the floor in Germany. Check out the brief press blast after the jump.

Continue reading Subaru teases XV crossover ahead of Frankfurt

Subaru teases XV crossover ahead of Frankfurt originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 09 Aug 2011 23:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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