2019 Subaru Forester Limited on 2040-cars

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Buyers resent low inventories, prices over MSRP, study says

Vehicle inventory low, vehicle transaction prices high, customers fretting … welcome, J.D. Power, to the era of supply and demand. In a recently published survey from one of the auto industryÂ’s top analytical firms, findings show that customers' satisfaction with vehicle purchases in the United States this year has dipped for the first time in 10 years. The 2022 U.S. Sales Satisfaction Index (SSI) Study found that overall sales satisfaction has dropped to 786 (on a 1,000-point scale) from 789 in 2021. In that year, higher than expected trade-in values softened the effect of new vehicle price increases. But in 2022, on top of trade-in prices shrinking, many dealers elected to charge more than the ManufacturerÂ’s Suggested Retail Price, a factor that did not sit well with buyers. “When dealers charge more than MSRP, particularly with long-term loyal customers, they risk a potential long-term negative effect on customer advocacy and service business," said Chris Sutton, vice president of automotive retail at J.D. Power. Satisfaction among buyers who paid more than sticker price is 757, while satisfaction among those who paid the sticker price or less is 850, the Power report said. The lack of dealership inventory was also a customer irritant, J.D. Power found, a point that automakers and their dealers may want to consider. Many have maintained, or considered maintaining, a smaller inventory in the wake of the pandemic, keeping costs down and driving more customers toward factory orders. Regarding those consumers shopping for electric vehicles, the survey said that more than a third of them “failed to get instruction on EV charging before they left the dealership, which notably affects satisfaction.” Said Sutton, “Salespeople donÂ’t need to show gas-powered vehicle buyers how to fill their tank, but they do need to show EV buyers how to charge their vehicle.” There are positives to the Power conclusions, however, especially for Alfa Romeo dealers. The Italian brand ranked highest in customer satisfaction among premium brands with a score of 833, with Porsche a very close second (831) and Lexus (819) third. Alfa is on something of a roll these days, with its compact Tonale crossover due for release in the spring, and a new sports car in the works. Meanwhile, in PowerÂ’s “mainstream brand”” segment, Buick ranked first with a score of 825, followed by Dodge (816) and Subaru (804), all performing higher than the industry average.

2020 Subaru Legacy spied with significantly revised styling

The current Subaru Legacy has been roughly the same car since it was introduced for the 2015 model year, with just a very light restyle for 2018. As such, it makes sense that Subaru is preparing a much more comprehensive redesign. One of our spy photographers caught the next Subaru Legacy midsize family sedan with that very update hidden by a thin vinyl wrap. From the looks of it, the new car will still be built off the existing platform. The entire greenhouse and glass area is practically identical to that of the current model. Aside from that, it every other panel has been massaged in some way. Up front, the grille looks a little shorter in height, but also stretched wider. The sides have more slant to them, too. The headlights have more of an upward sweep to them, as well. Overall, these changes give the Legacy more of a friendly smile as opposed to the blunt, chunky look of the current model. The lower grille and fascia have also been updated. Along the sides, the deep creases of the current model have been softened. The shoulder line that rises up over the rear wheel also gets a little bit of a dip at the leading edge near the front wheel. While the glass area is pretty much the same, the fake window trim on the C-pillar has been elongated to match a slightly more drawn out roof line. Finally at the back, the trunk lid looks more upright than that on the current model. The taillights have more molded shaping to them. Also noteworthy is the fact that this version has no exposed exhaust tips. The rear bumper is smooth all the way across. Subaru has already revealed the 2019 Legacy and Outback, both of which are basically unchanged except some new feature content. As such, the soonest this car will be out will be for the 2020 model year. That seems fairly probable, too, considering how close this car looks to being production ready and the age of the current Legacy. Related Video: Featured Gallery 2020 Subaru Legacy View 18 Photos Image Credit: SpiedBilde Spy Photos Subaru Sedan

2015 Subaru Outback priced at $24,895*

Just a few weeks after announcing the pricing for the 2015 Legacy sedan, Subaru is getting ready to roll out the all-new 2015 Outback with a base price $24,895, plus an $850 destination charge. Like its platform-mate, the styling could be described as an evolution of the previous generation, but the company claims big changes underneath to improve comfort. It's scheduled to starting hitting dealers this summer.
The Outback continues to share most of its mechanical bits with the Legacy, including its engines. The 2.5-liter boxer-four-cylinder gets a touch more potent with 175 horsepower and 174 pound-feet of torque, and better fuel economy at 25 miles per gallon city, 33 highway and 28 combined. The 3.6-liter flat-six-engine has 256 hp and 247 lb-ft and also sees a marginal economy improvement at 20/27/22. All models now come standard with a CVT, and Subaru's Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive gets some improvements with standard Hill Descent Control, Hill Start Assist, Active Torque Vectoring and X-Mode, a system to increase traction when needed.
The base 2.5i trim goes for $25,745 (all prices after destination), up $425 from last year's CVT base model. It comes standard with a 6.2-inch touchscreen infotainment system with a USB port and AUX input. The 2.5i Premium trim retails at $27,845, but the upgrade nets buyers dual climate zones, a 10-way power driver's seat, leather-wrapped steering wheel, all-weather package and a 7-inch infotainment system. The 2.5i Limited costs $30,845 and includes leather upholstery, 18-inch wheels, a 12-speaker stereo, heated rear seats, lane change assist, rear cross traffic alert and a power tailgate. The top The 3.6R Limited trim is $33,845 and in addition to the bigger engine features HID low-beam headlights and stainless steel dual exhaust tips.