2009 Subaru Forester on 2040-cars

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Subaru funds Center For Pet Safety crash testing for dogs [w/video]

Crash-testing new vehicles to evaluate their ability to keep humans safe in accidents is nothing new, but thus far there has been little in the way of crash testing for dogs. Subaru, a company that portrays itself as pet friendly, hopes to raise awareness on the issue of pet safety by funding initial crash testing by the nonprofit Center for Pet Safety, Automotive News reports.
Real dogs were not used in the crash tests; three dummy dogs representing a 25-pound terrier, a 45-pound border collie and a 75-pound golden retriever were used. There are a variety of devices for sale that are supposed to restrain dogs from entering the front-seat area and distracting the driver - tethers, cages, nets and crates - but their effectiveness in a crash is unknown.
In Subaru's crash test, performed at a Virginia laboratory that tests child seats on a device that speeds down a track and stops abruptly, the results show that devices such as dog tethers are prone to break in a crash, sending the dog rocketing into whatever is in front of it. Rather alarmingly, the organization reports a 100-percent failure rate. In other words, "None of the harnesses were deemed safe enough to protect both the dog and the humans in the event of an accident." Yikes.

Listen to the new 2022 Subaru BRZ's flat-four going flat-out

Subaru's second-generation BRZ is clearing its throat before its official debut. While its design remains hidden, the Japanese firm released a video that lets us hear the new coupe's flat-four engine sing for the first time. Most of the video was shot from the driver's point of view, which is a clever way of keeping the sheetmetal largely out of sight. It allocates more screen time to America's picturesque wilderness than to the car, but the sound of an engine racing from turn to turn and footage of smoking tires breaks the National Geographic vibe. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Industry chatter suggests the exhaust note comes from a version of the 2.4-liter flat-four that powers the Ascent, among other models. In the BRZ, it will likely send about 220 horsepower to the rear wheels via either a standard six-speed manual transmission or an optional automatic. Nothing suggests there will be a turbo under the hood, at least not at launch. Subaru could release a more powerful variant a little bit later in the production run. Earlier preview images show the second-generation BRZ will wear bigger headlights than the current model, though the C-shaped LEDs inspired by the engine's flat layout remain. It also looks like the grille will again be positioned low on the front fascia. Spy shots confirm its proportions haven't drastically changed, it still wears the archetypical proportions of a nimble rear-wheel drive coupe, but the rear lights are much sharper than before. While it's difficult to tell for sure, we think fewer curves and more creases will be the coupe's main design theme. Subaru will unveil the second-generation BRZ online this Wednesday, November 18. Sales will start shortly after, and deliveries will begin during the first half of 2021 — in the United States, at least. Subaru confirmed the BRZ will not be sold in Europe, partly because making it compliant with strict emissions regulations would be far too expensive. Toyota has kept its lips sealed about its variant of the car, but we expect to hear more about it after the BRZ's debut. As of writing, we don't know if the next 86 will again be twinned with the BRZ, or if it will land with a brand-specific design, mechanical modifications, or both. It will also arrive in showrooms during the first half of 2021. Related: Subaru Coupe Performance

2015 Subaru WRX: Accident, wheels and tires

I'm sure this thing is going to be a total hoot in the snow. I am not a morning person. At all. Thankfully, the Autoblog team knows this – I rarely get bothered before 8:30 AM unless it's seriously important. So when associate multimedia producer Chris McGraw started blowing up my phone at 6:45 AM on a Thursday, I knew it wasn't going to be good. "I got rear-ended in the WRX," McGraw informed me, a shaken-up tone emanating from the other end of the line. Poor guy was on his way to the gym, for his pre-office morning workout, and an older gentleman in a Chevrolet S-10 struck the back of the Subie while trudging through a traffic jam on I-696 just northeast of Detroit. Everyone was fine, and McGraw says that the dude's pickup was in significantly worse shape than our dear Subaru. But the WRX was still pretty banged up, and later that day, it was delivered to the body shop for what turned out to be a lengthy repair process. What you're looking at is $4,620.83 worth of damage. What you're looking at is $4,620.83 worth of damage, but thanks to Autoblog parent company AOL's fleet insurance policy, we were only on the hook for our $1,000 deductible. Nearly all of the rear body panels had to be replaced, as did the bumper and taillight assembly, and after several weeks of being put under the knife at Suburban Collision in Troy, MI, our Subaru has mercifully emerged good as new. The day after the 'Rex came home, I dropped it off at our trusty Subaru dealer – Hodges, in Ferndale, MI – for some routine maintenance, including finally getting its broken fuel door repaired. The whole pull-the-door-open-with-your-fingernails thing had become increasingly annoying, and I'm happy to report that everything now works as it should. And since it was part of a technical service bulletin, no money changed hands for this service. If there are any 2015 WRX owners in the greater Autoblog commentariat, I'd love to know if your cars have experienced the same issue. While at the dealer, I also signed the WRX up for one very special, very important update: the fitment of winter tires and – yes! – gold wheels. I have a strong personal belief that WR-Blue Subarus should come standard with gold wheels from the factory (like the Launch Edition STI), but since the Japanese automaker doesn't even offer these rollers on anything but the aforementioned, limited-edition STI, I took matters into my own hands.