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2018 Subaru Outback Buying Guide | The original crossover, explained

From outside, the 2018 Outback has a clean look that's similar to the rest of the Subaru range. The front and rear have been reshaped and fitted with new headlights and taillamps. A wide range of new wheel designs are also available, along all trim levels. Overall, it's a slightly more upscale design, which is exactly what you'll find when stepping inside. The dashboard and infotainment system have received a substantial refresh and have a more modern look and feel. Higher-quality materials help give the Outback cabin an overdue upgrade, since the previous model was starting to significantly trail its rivals when it came to interior style and amenities. Mechanically, the 2018 Outback carries on as before, with the same four and six-cylinder engine options, both of which are coupled to standard all-wheel drive and a Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) across all trim levels. Here you'll find all the information needed to make an educated buying decision if you're considering a 2018 Subaru Outback, including safety and reliability ratings, engine specs, horsepower, fuel economy ratings and pricing. We'll also summarize what Autoblog's professional auto reviewers think of the Outback. Is the 2018 Subaru Outback Safe? The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration gives the 2018 Subaru Outback an overall crash-test rating of five stars. The Outback scored perfect five-star ratings in front and side impact tests, along with a four-star rating for rollover resistance. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, which provides ratings for new vehicles based on its own comprehensive crash tests, gave the Outback its "Top Safety Pick+" — the highest possible rating. The Outback scored "good" ratings in every crash test. It also earned a good rating for the effectiveness of its headlights, along the ease of use of onboard LATCH anchors for child seats. Ratings may differ for Outbacks from other model years, so be sure to visit the NHTSA and IIHS websites to review ratings on the specific vehicle you're researching. At the time of this writing, the 2018 Outback is not subject to any ongoing recalls, according to the NHTSA database. Is the Outback reliable? J.D. Power most recently reviewed initial quality in the 2016 Outback, before the current model year's significant makeover. At the time, it gave the Outback three out of five possible stars for Overall Quality — an "average" score.

NHTSA investigating 33k Subaru Imprezas for airbag sensor flaw

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is beginning an investigation into an estimated 33,500 units of the 2012 Subaru Impreza because of a potential flaw with the sensor for the airbag system. The government agency has 26 complaints about possible faults with the Occupant Detection System for the front passenger seat, and this is the sensor that decides whether a person is an adult, petite, child seat or some other object and adjusts the deployment of the airbag accordingly. However, these reports allege that it was incorrectly turned off when someone was in the vehicle, which caused the airbag not to activate. Subaru put out a Technical Service Bulletin in May 2012 that attempted to address a similar problem. For now, this investigation is classified as a preliminary evaluation and is gathering more data about the potential problem to "assess the scope, frequency, and consequence," according to NHTSA. Related Video: INVESTIGATION Subject : Passenger Front Air Bag Suppression Date Investigation Opened: APR 10, 2015 Date Investigation Closed: Open NHTSA Action Number: PE15012 Component(s): AIR BAGS All Products Associated with this Investigation Vehicle Make Model Model Year(s) SUBARU IMPREZA 2012 Details Manufacturer: Subaru of America, Inc. SUMMARY: The Office of Defects Investigation has received 26 Vehicle Owner Questionnaire reports involving the passenger frontal air bag in MY 2012 Subaru Impreza vehicles. These vehicles use a capacitive type Occupant Detection System, which is intended to classify the occupant of the passenger seat as either full sized, small stature, a child seat or other object. The reports allege that the Occupant Detection System, failed to operate properly and incorrectly suppressed (turned off) the front passenger air bag when the seat was occupied. In a frontal crash sufficient to warranty deployment, a suppressed air bag may increase the risk of injury to the occupant of the seat. Additionally, ODI notes that Subaru published a Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) No. 17-16-12 on May 29, 2012 to address conditions with the Occupant Detection System that can lead to suppression of the passenger air bag when the passenger seat is occupied. ODI is opening this this investigation to assess the scope, frequency, and consequence of incorrect air bag suppression and any connection that may exists to the TSB.

Man posts dashcam video of epic crash over cliff

YouTube user TurboFoz uploaded dashboard camera footage Monday of a terrifying crash that occurred last year as he was driving the popular Angeles Crest Highway in California. Last January, TurboFoz was zipping through the San Gabriel Mountains in his 2004 Subaru Forester XT. The engine sound was so alluring, TurboFoz opened up his Forester in the tunnels that dot the scenic highway for the full effect. "As an auto enthusiast, when you have a nice relatively fast car with a loud exhaust you tend to like tunnels," he wrote. "They make your exhaust sound that much better, sort of like singing in the shower." What he didn't know was that the road curved sharply just outside of one of these tunnels. A bystander tried to wave him down, but TurboFoz wasn't sure why the man was signaling to him. It was only when he saw the angle of the road up ahead that he realized the man was trying to tell him to slow down. He applied the brakes, but it was too late. The Subaru slid across the road and tumbled off the cliff. He rolled several times before coming to rest on a large drainage pipe jutting from the steep mountainside. If it wasn't for that small ledge on the sheer cliff the accident could have been much worse. "It was the only horizontally level piece on an extremely steep sloped hill," he wrote. "Had I spun off a few feet before or after, I'd be dead. TurboFoz says driving too fast on an unfamiliar road cost him his beloved Subaru and almost his life. Luckily TurboFoz was unhurt, but unluckily his beloved Forester was a total loss. TurboFoz hopes he can save other enthusiasts from the same, or worse, fate. "This is a reminder to be safe, pay attention and KNOW THE ROAD before you try to have "fun" on it," he said. "I failed on all 3 of those accounts and it nearly cost me my life. I've more than learned my lesson and would hope some others do by my example." News Source: YouTube Subaru Driving Ownership Safety Autoblog Minute Videos