As of October 1st, Subaru has announced their involvement in Car Care month. This program stresses the importance of proper, regular vehicle maintenance in preparation for colder weather. Several Subaru dealerships, including Rimrock Subaru, are opening their doors to customers for free inspections. Click here for Rimrock Subaru’s service specials.
PR News Wire has more on Fall Car Care Month:
— Free Vehicle Diagnostic Inspections Offered to Subaru Drivers in October —
CHERRY HILL, N.J., Oct. 1 /PRNewswire/ — Subaru of America, Inc. announced today that the company is endorsing the Car Care Council’s Fall Car Care Month, a nationwide October program highlighting the importance of regular vehicle maintenance. To help Subaru owners heed the council’s advice to “Be Car Care Aware,” most Subaru dealers are offering free vehicle diagnostic inspections in preparation for the demands of winter driving.The Car Care Council notes that regularly maintaining your vehicle – including checking the oil, filters and fluids; belts and hoses; brakes and tires; and the air conditioning system – can preserve your automotive investment by helping your vehicle last longer.
“No matter where you live or what you drive, Fall is always a good time to prepare your vehicle for winter’s cooler weather – and regular maintenance will also help improve your mileage, lower emissions, and improve the future resale value of your vehicle,” notes Gary Palanjian, vice president of parts and service, Subaru of America, Inc. “We want every Subaru driver to enjoy the highest possible safety, performance and fuel economy, which is why we support Fall Car Care Month and offer the free service inspections.”
During Fall Car Care Month, Subaru dealers will be performing a thorough no-obligation multi-point diagnostic checkup of all major operating systems, and owners will receive a written report of the vehicle’s condition. Consumers can visit http://www.subaru.com to find a participating dealer.
About Subaru of America, Inc.Subaru of America, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. of Japan. Headquartered in Cherry Hill, N.J., the company markets and distributes Subaru Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive vehicles, parts and accessories through a network of more than 600 dealers across the United States. All Subaru products are manufactured in zero-landfill production plants and Subaru of Indiana Automotive Inc. is the only U.S. automobile production plant to be designated a backyard wildlife habitat by the National Wildlife Federation. For additional information visit http://www.subaru.com.
About the Car Care CouncilThe Car Care Council is a national non-profit organization providing information for the “Be Car Care Aware” consumer education campaign that promotes the benefits of regular vehicle care, maintenance and repair. For more information, visit http://www.carcare.org.
Read the original article here, or print your Free inspection coupon here!
Subaru Rally team rock stars, Travis Pastrana and Dave Mirra took 2nd and 3rd place (respectively) this past weekend at Round 1 of the New Jersey Rallycross. The event, organized by RallyCar (once Rally America) took place at the Lightning Bolt course at the New Jersey Motorsports Park. The track featured three dirt sections on a 1.3 mile course. This represents a major debut for the sport of Rallycross in America. RallyBuzz has more information on the event!
(Aug 31, 2010) European-style wheel-to-wheel rallycross made its U.S. debut in thrilling style this past weekend in New Jersey with the help of a determined performance by Subaru driver Travis Pastrana in his 2011 Subaru Impreza WRX STI. Starting from the back of a six car grid after a restart, Pastrana worked his way through the field to finish 2nd overall in the final. Pastrana’s Subaru teammate, Dave Mirra, finished close behind in 3rd overall. The Rallycross, organized by RallyCar (formerly Rally America), was held at the Lightning Bolt course of New Jersey Motorsports Park, a 1.3 mile track which was modified to include three dirt sections. Pastrana’s performance wowed the thousands of fans in attendance and helped create a memorable debut for the sport in America.
Rallycross features wheel-to-wheel racing among production based cars on short tracks that feature a mix of tarmac and dirt. In addition to the dirt sections, rallycross tracks feature a “Joker” lap section that each car must take a once at some point during the race. A Joker lap is a small detour that typically takes the driver a few seconds longer to complete than the standard course lap. It adds a level of unpredictability to the race outcome and drivers must strategize on the optimal time to take the joker lap. Many of the cars competing in New Jersey were rally cars that also compete in the Rally America National Championship with the exception of a few purpose-built rallycross cars brought over from Europe. The sport is extremely popular in Europe, where the FIA’s European Rallycross Championship represents the highest and most competitive level of the sport.
This was an absolute blast, a lot of fun,” said Pastrana. “This series has a chance to be the most epic and the most fun thing that anyone’s ever raced and driven.”
Pastrana and Mirra were 2nd and 3rd quickest in qualifying, which determines lane choice and running group within three subsequent heats. Impressive performances in the heats solidified Pastrana and Mirra in 1st and 4th respectively for the A-Main, the final event.
On the first lap of the A-Main, whilst trailing close to Tanner Foust, Pastrana pushed wide on a tarmac-to-dirt transition and impacted a tire wall. Pastrana was able to continue and his Subaru was undamaged, but the A-Main was red flagged due to the damaged and now mis-aligned tire wall. Pastrana was penalized to the back of the six car grid and the race was restarted, with a new standing start. With just five laps on the 1.3 mile course Pastrana quickly went to work pressuring and passing each driver in front of him with a show of skill and aggression that thrilled the thousands of fans in attendance. Pastrana eventually reached 2nd place and trailed Foust, the race leader by just seconds, but Pastrana had yet to complete his Joker lap and in doing so ran out of laps to continue his fight toward Foust. Pastrana exited the Joker lap just ahead of teammate Dave Mirra who was pressuring from behind, and the Subaru duo crossed the finish line in 2nd and 3rd Overall, with Tanner Foust taking victory.
Subaru was named the most ‘Adoption-friendly’ company recently by the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption’s “Best Adoption-Friendly Workplaces in America” list. With Subaru of America Inc’s reputation for building family-friendly vehicles, it’s little wonder; this signals the 4th consecutive year that SOA has taken home this award. AutoTalk has more on this story:
Subaru of America, Inc., known for its reputation of building family-friendly vehicles, is continuing to build a reputation for generous adoption assistance benefits for its employees. Subaru, for the second year in a row, was ranked #1 in the automotive industry category on the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption’s “Best Adoption-Friendly Workplaces in America” list.
This special achievement marks the fourth consecutive year that Subaru has been honored by the foundation. The list, categorized by industry and size of business, names Subaru of America, Inc.:
#1 in the auto industry category
#2 in the medium-sized company category
#7 out of all companies in the United States
“Subaru remains extremely proud to support its employees and our adoption assistance program allows them to make a special difference in the lives of children,” said Thomas J. Doll, executive vice president and COO, Subaru of America, Inc. “As a family-focused organization, we are thrilled to provide employees with the financial assistance necessary to welcome children into their homes.”
The primary ranking criterion for the Dave Thomas Foundation is the maximum amount of financial reimbursement per adoption, including any additional support for special needs adoption. The secondary criterion is the maximum amount of fully or partially paid leave for adoption. Companies with a combination of both criteria rank higher than those with just one. Honorees include the top 100 companies, the top ten by size and the top five in each industry. The foundation compiled the results from survey data collected from more than 900 U.S. employers, several survey partners and through subscriber and member participation.
Read the original story, HERE!
Earlier this month, Subaru announced that it would be releasing their latest incarnation of the the famous ‘Boxer’ 4-cylinder motor,
named as such because as the cylinders rotate, it resembles a boxer punching. This represents the first dramatic change to the Boxer motor in 21 years! The motor will still be a 2.5 liter, however, the cylinder bore will be smaller, and the crankshaft stroke will be longer. This allows the new motor to have the same displacement as the older motor, but reportedly improves gas mileage, and increases low/midrange torque. It’ll first be available in the United States, in the 2011 model Forester. Paultan.org has more on the story:
Following the announcement of Subaru’s third generation boxer engine, the company has shed initial details of the 2011 Forester, which will debut with the new engine. The engine is in a form of a 2.5 liter, with different bore and stroke configurations that give a larger displacement, 2,498 cc to be precise.
The engine it replaces has a 2,457 cc displacement. The new engine also benefits from a chain-driven cam, instead of belt.
Power remains the same at 170hp while torque increases to 236Nm from 230Nm. This peak torque is achieved at 4,100 RPM, lower by 300 RPM. Fuel efficiency has been
slightly improved. Both manual and automatic models offer 21 MPG for city and 27 MPG for highway respectively. This compares to 20/27 MPG for the manual and 20/26 MPG for the automatic in the 2009 model.
Pricing in the US starts from $20,495 for the base 2.5X with a manual transmission and tops out with the 2.5XT Touring with a $29,995 price tag. The 2.5XT models retain the 224hp turbocharged engine. Features that will be offered include Vehicle Dynamics Control (VDC), remote keyless entry, HD radio with 4.3-inch LCD screen and 6 speakers (standard for 2.5X Limited), rear-view camera (optional) and the list goes on.
In their latest stroke of “Get More G’s” genius, the people of at Subaru have developed their latest APP for the iPhone. If you’ve always wanted to see what your face would look like if you were in the cockpit of a high-horsepower rally car, all in the comfort of your own home, their latest app is right up your alley.
According to their website, this APP does the following:
Features:
• A G-meter that rates the level of g-forces applied.
• Share pictures with your friends via email or Facebook and Twitter.
• A post-to-Flickr function that allows you to add the photos to your photostream.Before:
After:
Check it out on Apple’s website, here!
These are dire times for the auto industry, but Subaru has been successful thanks to its small lineup of all-wheel-drive vehicles and faithful owners who keep coming back whenever a model is redesigned. Last year, the Forester SUV was completely retooled, and it has sold briskly. For 2010, the long-running Outback gets its overhaul, and it’s a doozy.
The Outback has gone from a car-like station wagon to an SUV-like crossover, just like that. It’s bigger in nearly every exterior and interior dimension, which resolves the issues past owners had with interior space and gives it a much more comfortable ride. It may not be as fun to drive as before, but it’s a better family vehicle that still exudes ruggedness and foul-weather capability.
Exterior
At first glance, the 2010 Outback — with its beefy dimensions, large grille and sharp-edged design — looks nothing like the previous model. Look closer, though, and you’ll see the two front ends are nearly identical: The new one is just…bigger. The new design is not as classically handsome as the previous generation; it’s geared at getting attention and exuding substance, which it does.
Sixteen-inch wheels are standard on the base 2.5i, with 17-inch alloys becoming standard on all other trim levels.
Interior
A lot has changed inside, as well. As an owner of the previous-generation Outback, I immediately missed the grab handles on the doors. They might have been convenient when getting in, but at least the padding on the door armrests is much better. The center armrest is also much bigger, offering substantial support while the previous version was too small to use.
The layout of the dash has changed quite a bit, with the clock and trip computer raised to the top of the dash. They’re still easy to read in direct sunlight. Below them rests a new stereo unit or optional navigation system. There are also convenient cubbies for cell phones, CDs or other items.
Overall, the materials are a step up from the previous model and stand up to most of the competition, but they still lag behind the relatively upscale Toyota Venza.
The most extreme alteration for the 2010 models is the interior’s overall spaciousness. Anyone who sat in the old model knows it can be cramped, especially in the backseat. Subaru stretched the wheelbase of the 2010, adding nearly 4 inches of rear legroom. Now I can place both of my children’s safety seats in the back without having to move the front passenger seat forward. The rear seats also recline using a lever at hip level.
While the front seats add hip and shoulder room, legroom is actually slightly less. What’s the deal? There has been a drastic change in the seating position. Instead of sitting in a slung-back, car-like seat, you now sit upright, with more of a bend in your knee. That’s why it doesn’t feel cramped. In fact, your knees have much more room, both left and right, than they did before.
There is ample headroom — 40.8 inches to be exact — and you can raise the seat quite high without bumping your head. The upright seating style is an SUV trait for sure, and it’s the No. 1 attribute of the new Outback that makes it feel less like a car. My wife really enjoyed the ride height compared to her daily driver, an ’08 Outback. I found it a good compromise: It felt like you were driving a much higher vehicle, but you still had an easy step-in height, which makes loading kids and cargo easier than a traditional SUV.
The leather seats in my Limited model could have been a bit more padded. Our 2008’s cloth seats aren’t the most comfortable, either. At least with the new model I didn’t feel any back discomfort until a full hour into my commute.
Performance
There are only two power plants offered for the Outback in 2010. The 170-horsepower, 2.5-liter four-cylinder is carried over from the last model; it’s now teamed to a continuously variable automatic transmission, which returns 22/29 mpg city/highway, or a six-speed manual rated at 19/27 mpg. The CVT is a big benefit in the mileage department, boosting ratings by 2 mpg compared with the 2009 Outback 2.5i, which had a four-speed automatic.
In my few hundred miles of commuting and weekend errand running, I got exactly 2 mpg higher than my wife’s Outback, which covered similar routes. Of course, my combined mileage was just below 22 mpg, which is pretty dismal with our mild summer weather and the air conditioning only lightly used. Again, this is better than the mileage we’ve gotten for two years in the previous generation, but the all-wheel drive takes its toll on efficiency.
Power is adequate in the four-cylinder. The addition of standard shift paddles on the CVT models allows for energetic launches from a stop because you can control gear shifts — created by a computer, not the transmission since it is essentially gearless — for crisper acceleration. Otherwise, the CVT releases power in a linear way with no discernable shifts. It’s an odd sensation to most drivers, and it isn’t as smooth as other CVTs I’ve tested in some Nissans. However, after a week of driving I was completely comfortable with it.
The other engine is a 256-hp, 3.6-liter horizontally opposed six-cylinder teamed to a standard five-speed automatic rated at 18/25 mpg.
Of course, the reason many people would even consider a Subaru is its symmetrical all-wheel drive, which is standard across the company’s lineup. Unfortunately, I was blessed with sunny, 70-degree days during my test and couldn’t simulate the disastrous winters our own Subaru has handled, but I assume it’ll offer similar confidence. However, the 2010 is more than 2 inches taller overall with 8.7 inches of ground clearance versus 8.4 in the old model. Those numbers may sound small, but the new model feels a lot taller and exhibits a very slight tipsy feeling on tight, high-speed corners like highway cloverleafs that I’ve never experienced in our 2008 model. It’s not a dangerous feeling, but just enough that you realize you’re really driving a crossover rather than a car.
There’s been a big improvement in terms of ride comfort and road noise. The new Outback is a much more serene driving machine than before, with a ride that dampens bumps better and isolates road noise to a level close to Toyota, which is a master at it. Toyota decided that for looks it would put large 19-inch wheels as standard on its Venza crossover, which makes the ride less comfortable than you’d expect from a road-tuned crossover. The new Outback, which is quite capable off-road, is smoother on the road than the Venza, too.
There’s still plenty of connection to the street and the steering is sharp, but it’s not nearly as exhilarating as the previous model.
Cargo
Cargo space in the back has grown slightly to 34.3 cubic feet, which is just a hair behind the Venza’s 34.4 cubic feet. At first it didn’t look much larger than my car’s hatch area. Then I tried to lean in to attach the top tether anchor of my son’s child-safety seat, and I was surprised that I could barely reach the back of the seat. The load floor protrudes really far, so my thighs bumped against it more than I’d like as I leaned in and out. You can also tell it’s a bit taller inside. During my test I bought a medium-sized armchair and it fit in the back perfectly — without its legs attached.
Although I can reach the back of the rear seats, the latches to lower them are no longer within anyone’s reach. The same hip-level handles that recline the rear seats also lower them flat, and you’ll have to walk around to the back doors to access them. More than a few SUVs these days have levers near the hatch that lower the seats, and it’s unfortunate Subaru didn’t use those.
A small amount of underfloor storage remains. As in the past generation, Subaru offers a out-of-the-way spot to store the retractable cargo cover so you don’t take it out and leave it in your garage.
The 2010 Outback features an innovative standard roof rack. The crossbars fold into the rails when not in use, making the car slightly more aerodynamic. Putting them in place is a simple two-step process that doesn’t require tools. In addition, the bottoms are soft, so that they won’t scratch your roof when you swing them across the roof of the car.
Features & Pricing
Thankfully, Subaru keeps things pretty simple with its trim levels. There are six — three for each engine. The 2.5i and 3.6R are the base models, then there’s a Premium level and a top trim called Limited. The 2.5i starts at $22,995 before a $695 destination charge. That’s relatively affordable; not many other all-wheel-drive crossovers cost that little and offer as much room. Toyota’s Venza with a four-cylinder engine and all-wheel drive starts at $27,425, but it’s equipped with a standard automatic transmission. The CVT costs an additional $1,000. The Venza is also better equipped, and it’s closer to the 2.5i Premium, which starts at $24,295 with manual transmission. So, you’d pay a few thousand less for the 2.5i Premium than for the Venza in the equivalent trim level.
If you want to go the basic 2.5i route, you’ll forego body-colored mirrors, fog lights, one-touch driver’s window and the retractable cargo cover, which is standard on all the other models. Move up to the Premium trim level ($24,295), and it adds a power driver’s seat, steering-wheel-mounted audio and cruise controls, and 17-inch alloy wheels. Limited models ($27,995) get windshield wiper de-icer and heated side mirrors, a power passenger seat, heated leather seats, wood trim, standard CVT, dual-zone climate control and a Harman Kardon six-CD sound system with Bluetooth.
Most of the 3.6R trim levels are equipped identically to their 2.5i counterparts. My test car was a 2.5i Limited with the optional navigation system and moonroof package ($2,995). Its final price was $31,685 after a destination fee. A similarly equipped Venza comes in at more than $35,000.
The navigation system only comes with the moonroof included. The moonroof separately is $995. As nav units go, the Subaru’s touch-screen model is in the middle of the pack. It’s important to note, though, that it’s the only way the Outback comes equipped with a USB/iPod adapter to listen to your portable music in digital quality. However, the computer will not allow you to change albums, artists or playlists while moving. Come to a stoplight and the software then allows you to pick a new selection. Sure, you can jump tracks within whatever playlist or album you have selected, but that’s it. Imagine being limited to just one band or album during a road trip. Subaru says this is for safety reasons so you won’t be distracted while driving, but it still doesn’t work when you have a passenger sitting up front. A dealer installed iPod connectivity system is also available.
The nav system also comes with Bluetooth streaming audio, which works with many smart phones like the iPhone. So you can distractedly play with your iPhone while driving, just not your plugged in iPod via an easy-to-reach nav screen.
Outback in the Market
There aren’t many traditional, midsize or full-size station wagons on sale in the U.S. The Outback was iconic as a wagon, while the new one might be trying to play it safe by straddling a few different segments and not besting any of them. However, because of its low starting price, standard all-wheel drive and spacious interior, buyers may not care whether they’re looking at a wagon or an SUV.
For the original review, visit CARS.com here!
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