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Reveling in the reveals: BRZ, Civic, Wrangler, QX55

It’s almost like there should have been an auto show this week. If youÂ’re an enthusiast, you know the week before Thanksgiving is when the Los Angeles Auto Show kicks off. This year, thereÂ’s no L.A. show, at least until next May. But Subaru, Honda, Jeep and Infiniti rolled out significant new products this week, making us almost nostalgic for auto shows. Serendipity, or more likely previously allocated marketing budgets, gave us a familiar feel of new products, even though we couldnÂ’t feel or touch them under the bright lights of the Los Angeles Convention Center. LetÂ’s break them down: 2022 Subaru BRZ 2022 Subaru BRZ View 62 Photos Subaru stuck to basic formula here: The 2022 BRZ remains a rear-wheel drive sports coupe thatÂ’s supremely lightweight, adequately powered and attractive. Subaru debuts its new boxer four-cylinder in the BRZ. ItÂ’s rated at 223 hp and you need to rev all the way to 7,000 rpm to achieve that output. I'd prefer a bit more than the 184 lb-ft of torque the powerplant offers (reasonably low in the band at 3,700 rpm), for some more off-the-line grunt. Say 200 lb-ft, though itÂ’s almost a cliche to argue the BRZ is underpowered.  The outgoing BRZ is one of the purest cars IÂ’ve driven, so rather than harp on the power, which will ultimately be fine, give Subaru props for focusing on chassis improvements to improve rigidity by 60 percent and aid turn-in. Admirably, the curb weight is less than 2,900 pounds, and the manual in Premium trim checks in at the lowest, just 2,815 pounds.  Aesthetically, I like it. ItÂ’s busier than before, and thereÂ’s a lot more going on with the front fascia, wheel arches and fenders. ThereÂ’s a bit of a Porsche vibe up front, which is good, and a bit of a Honda Civic vibe in back (think 2010) thatÂ’s not.  ItÂ’s impressive that Subaru resisted the urge to gratuitously power up the BRZ and remained focused on the essence of its goodness and appeal to enthusiasts. 2021 Jeep Wrangler 392 2021 Jeep? Wrangler Rubicon 392 View 75 Photos What effect will the 2021 Ford Bronco have on the Jeep Wrangler? One school of thought is that it will actually make the Jeep better, and the 2021 Wrangler 392 is proof positive that will be the case. With the Bronco attracting spectacular levels of attention, Jeep could not sit idly by and remain focused on incremental changes. It needed to make a splash.

Subaru Infotainment Review | Testing tech in our long-term Forester

Subaru isn’t top of mind when we start talking about the best infotainment systems, and after using the Starlink system in our long-term 2019 Subaru Forester for months, we still think Subaru is mid-pack. The best aspect of the 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system in our Forester is its simplicity. You couldnÂ’t ask for a more basic layout and software experience on this screen, and while thatÂ’s not the case for the upper second screen, most of your core vehicle functions are handled on the lower one. WeÂ’ll note that both the Subaru Outback and Legacy have newer, larger screens available that we'll also go over later in this review. The Impreza, Crosstrek and Ascent offer up a similar experience as this Forester does. All your essential app tiles like Radio, Map and Settings can be found in the customizable home screen. The lack of apps and extra gizmos means there isnÂ’t much to customize, though. Subaru uses a bright variation of colors for its various app tiles. It doesnÂ’t come off as especially professional or classy, but it gets the job done and makes picking them apart from each other easy. Features like navigation, in-car WiFi, basic voice commands, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are all accounted for. Subaru is still using wired CarPlay and Android Auto, as most non-luxury brands do, so youÂ’ll need to bring a plug along to connect.  2019 Subaru Forester infotainment View 14 Photos Our biggest gripe about the screen is its general sluggishness. YouÂ’ll get to where you want to go, but it takes a beat longer than most. Swiping across screens and scrolling through menus is always accompanied by a touch of lag. Even the smartphone connection experience is affected by the screenÂ’s lack of response. On some occasions, a light touch or swipe will do. On others, you really need to put some pressure behind your touch. ItÂ’s nowhere near smartphone standards, but then again, many infotainment systems havenÂ’t caught up to those speeds yet.  The best part of the screen is its ability to take presses and swipes made with winter gloves. You can keep your hands warm and switch the radio station at the same time, which is always a nice convenience.  Now, back to the second screen we mentioned earlier. Subaru puts this second screen in a number of models (Impreza, WRX, Crosstrek, Forester and Ascent), but it depends on the trim you select.

Sportier Subaru Forester gets 175-hp turbo four, suspension tweaks in Japan

Subaru has finally put a turbocharged flat-four under the hood of the fifth-generation Forester. Called Sport, the model is exclusively available in its home country of Japan — for the time being, at least. Power for the Sport model comes from a 1.8-liter flat-four that's turbocharged and direct-injected to deliver 175 horsepower from 5,200 to 5,600 rpm and 221 pound-feet of torque between 1,600 and 3,600 rpm. Also found in the Levorg station wagon, it's no match for the last-generation XT engine, whose horsepower and torque outputs checked in at 250 and 258, respectively. Compared to the naturally-aspirated 2.5-liter the Forester is currently offered with, however, it offers about the same amount of horsepower and 44 additional pound-feet of torque. It should make Subaru's hot-selling crossover markedly peppier in a variety of driving conditions. It sounds like the days of the stick-shifted Forester are gone for good, because even the Sport-badged member of the range is only available with a continuously variable transmission (CVT). It does benefit from a handful of suspension tweaks that come together to deliver sportier handling, according to Subaru. Symmetrical all-wheel drive comes standard. Gold wheels, a hood scoop, and an oversized spoiler? Not here. Sport models stand out from the other variants with a black grille and darker wheels, among other subtle styling revisions. Inside, Subaru added a blend of suede and leather upholstery, plus a camera-based driver monitoring system that recognizes the person sitting behind the wheel and adjusts a variety of parameters (like the position of the seat and the mirrors) accordingly. On sale now in Japan, the Subaru Forester Sport carries a base price of 2,990,000 yen, a sum which converts to approximately $28,500. It might also be available in other global markets, like Australia, but it's too early to tell if we'll see it in American showrooms. Subaru told us it can't discuss future products, which isn't a confirmation or a denial. It's worth pointing out that, even if the Forester Sport ends up not being sold here, the 1.8-liter turbo four that powers it could find its way to our shores under the hood of another model. Use your imagination in the comments below. And stay tuned.  

Subaru Forester Luggage Test | Packing up our long-term family crossover

Our 2019 Subaru Forester long-term test car has been a pack rat for many of us on staff at Autoblog. We’ve stuffed in camping gear, tires, landscaping supplies and much more over a number of months. However, we havenÂ’t given it a proper luggage test until now. West Coast Editor James Riswick has tested a number of compact crossovers that the Forester competes against with his own set of luggage: Ford Escape, Mazda CX-5, Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4. But since our long-term Forester lives in Michigan, weÂ’ll be using the same set of luggage that weÂ’ve used for all other midwest luggage tests. HereÂ’s what weÂ’re working with: Two carry-on suitcases sized (24 inches long, 15.5 wide, 10 deep); one carry-on suitcase (21.7L x 13.7W x 9 D); one medium-size suitcase you have to check (24.5L x 16.8W x 11.5D) and two larger, full-size suitcases (33.8L x 21.5W x 13D) and (28.1L x 18W x 10.5D). This generation of Forester and its more traditional crossover shape means it has a great deal of luggage capacity for its overall footprint. Sunroof-equipped models (like our Touring) come in at 33.0 cubic-feet of space behind the back seat. If you skip the sunroof, you gain 2.4 cubes, but the space at the top of the ceiling is generally pointless unless youÂ’re chill with zero rearward visibility. Our Touring model comes with a nice powered hatch that can be opened via the fob, interior button, exterior lid button or a kick motion under the bumper. The kicking is generally reliable, but has frustrated on occasion with a refusal to accept our kicks. The cargo cover that comes standard is a little tricky to operate and feels a little flimsy. Strangely, there are two pieces of fabric that must be pulled taut. The more standard, larger piece that covers most of the cargo area can be yanked forward and slot into a neat groove, but the piece on the other side of the roller must be delicately placed in a couple slots right near the rear seats. If youÂ’re too short, you might be forced to climb into the cargo hold to get it right. For the record, this piece exists because of the back seat's reclining functionality and ensure there isn't a gap between the upright seat and the cover. Now, letÂ’s chuck some suitcases in it. All three carry-on suitcases and the medium suitcase fit neatly tucked under the cargo cover. ThereÂ’s oodles of room in front of them, which ended up being plenty for the fancy bag (22L x 8.8W x 12D).

2020 Subaru Outback Roof Rack Driveway Test | Double cross

There is only one vehicle on the market with a roof rack system like the 2020 Subaru Outback. Literally everything else has either flush-mounted or raised rails where some form of crossbars are connected with "towers" (OK, so there's whatever you'd call this on the 4Runner TRD Pro). While car manufacturers will sometimes include crossbars, quite often it's left to the accessory catalog or third-party companies such as Yakima and Thule. In any event, keeping crossbars on your car regardless of how they are affixed increases wind noise and can harm fuel economy. They can also sully the view out your sunroof, but that's obviously a lesser concern. The Outback doesn't have to worry about any of that, including buying aftermarket pieces. Its roof rails are the crossbars. Making this transformation could not be easier. Simply lift up on a little tab, pull the rail out of its round socket and swing it over to the other side. Repeat with the other bar. Plug the rail into a socket on the opposite side. Done. You have crossbars.  Compare that to the process of mounting the Yakima Timberline towers and bars on my 2013 Audi Allroad.  Find bars and towers in garage. Move Christmas tree. Find special Yakima screwdriver thingy. Line up bars to roughly the 32-inch gap Yakima products are designed to fit to. Wrap rubber "band" connectors around the raised side rails and tighten two screws with Yakima screwdriver thingy. Repeat three more times. Of course, none of that is especially hard. In fact, it's incredibly easy and intuitive once you've set the bars/towers up to fit your car. It is, however, far more time consuming than what you can accomplish in the Outback. You're less likely to take them off, which again, isn't ideal. Here is another advantage of the Outback's racks. Although other Subarus have these, they are nevertheless unique to the brand. There are sturdy tie down points on each corner of the rail for those times when your rack itself isn't enough. I should note, however, that the new Ford Bronco is available with such tie-down points mounted to the hood. Nifty.  Back to the crossbars. Another potential advantage is that they sit lower to the roof than most crossbars (although something like the Thule AeroBlade Edge comes close). Don't quote me here, but less of a gap between the roof and whatever is above seems likely to be an aerodynamic advantage.

Travis Pastrana's new Gymkhana Subaru billed as 'wildest WRX STI ever'

This black Subaru WRX STI is going to be the next fireball of a racecar to be featured in Hoonigan’s Gymkhana video series. ItÂ’s billed as the “wildest WRX STI ever” by Subaru, and weÂ’re not going to argue with that claim. Just look at it. The raw carbon body looks like an actual cheese grater. You could throw a whole chicken at the front fender as it drives by and end up with shredded BBQ. Its hood-exit flame-spitting exhaust will even give the bird a nice char as it passes over the front of the car. And no, we canÂ’t see any flames in the photos here, but Subaru promises that it does produce fire. The wacky aero was apparently developed in a wind tunnel. And if you havenÂ’t guessed by now, this car was designed with zero restrictions for anything. ItÂ’s not competing in any competition, so everything was optimized for the best possible performance. ItÂ’s packing a custom-made boxer engine, but Subaru isnÂ’t providing any numbers for us yet. We can guarantee that itÂ’s making bonkers power, through, as the extra smoky photos would suggest. The car also has a long travel suspension and “race-ready interior.” Travis Pastrana will be behind the wheel in this 2020 Gymkhana series that is promised to be even bigger and better than the Gymkhana videos before it. PastranaÂ’s history of rally and rallycross driving should help him provide the same level of entertainment that Ken Block provided in Subarus of the past.   This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Travis PastranaÂ’s NEW Subaru STI Gymkhana Car: First Ever Tire Test (In All Raw Carbon!) “This STI is unbelievable!” Travis Pastrana, said. “WeÂ’ve never had the opportunity to do this before, to build a car with no restrictions. Engine, suspension, aero — everything is unlimited, clean sheet. ItÂ’s crazy fast, easy to control and get sideways and it was perfect out of the box in testing. Gymkhana is a new challenge for me but I want to raise the bar, and this is the car to do it.” The car itself is a collaboration between Subaru and partner Vermont SportsCar. It did start as a production STI, but it looks nothing like it now. WeÂ’re hoping to learn more about the car soon — new Gymkhana videos canÂ’t come soon enough. Related Video:

Goodbye, Shelby GT350; hello, new Honda Ridgeline and Subaru BRZ | Autoblog Podcast #648

In this week's Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Road Test Editor Zac Palmer. This week's news includes Subaru teasing the next-generation Subaru BRZ, the Jaguar XE departing and the XF getting an update, Honda unveiling the new Ridgeline pickup and the Acura NSX suffering from slow sales. This week they talk about driving two vehicles on opposite ends of the spectrum: the Ford Mustang Shelby GT350 and the Volkswagen Atlas. Autoblog Podcast #648 Get The Podcast iTunes – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Rundown Subaru previews next-generation BRZ, announces fall 2020 unveiling date Jaguar XE axed from U.S. market: And then there was one sedan 2021 Jaguar XF gets new interior, down to four-cylinder engines and sedan body style 2021 Honda Ridgeline debuts, and it finally looks like a truck Acura NSX sales lagging Cars we're driving: 2020 Ford Mustang Shelby GT350 Heritage Edition 2020 Volkswagen Atlas Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on iTunes Related Video:

Subaru sets Guinness world record with Subiefest car parade

Over 1,700 motorists were stuck in traffic in Southern California on October 4, 2020, but it wasn't due to one of the region's horrendous traffic jams. They got together to form the largest parade of Subaru cars ever recorded. Certified by Guinness as a new world record, the two-mile-long parade included 1,751 cars made by Subaru. Photos from the event show a diverse selection of models ranging from a late-model WRX STI to a 1980s GL. It doesn't look like the parade included a 360, the first car Subaru sold in America, but we spot a bright yellow Baja. Surprisingly, it wasn't the first time a Subaru-only parade earned a spot in the Guinness book: 549 vehicles got together on the outskirts of Moscow, Russia, in 2015 to set the previous record. Now, 1,751 is an impressive number, it beats Mini's 1,450-car record, but a handful of carmakers have managed to organize even bigger parades: 2,325 Porsche owners participated in a parade in Germany in 2008, and the Volkswagen Aficionado Club of Brazil put 2,728 examples of the original air-cooled Beetle on the same stretch of road in 1995. Subaru's record wasn't set just for bragging rights and marketing fodder. The parade was part of an annual gathering named Subiefest that brings together enthusiasts from all over North America. Instead of selling tickets to the 2020 edition, it asked participants to make a donation to Feeding America, a charity created to end hunger. Subaru pointed out attendees paid for 241,800 meals, and its American division will donate the equivalent of 258,200 meals to bring the total number to 500,000. They'll be split among two food banks in California. Subiefest is also where Subaru previewed the next-generation BRZ for the first time. It's expected to make its debut before the end of 2020, and it will arrive in showrooms in 2021 as a 2022 model.

Subaru previews next-generation BRZ, announces fall 2020 unveiling date

Most of the international auto shows scheduled in 2020 have been canceled, so carmakers are finding creative and unexpected ways to preview new and upcoming models. Subaru's hotly-anticipated next-generation BRZ eschewed the bright lights and made its debut as a fully camouflaged prototype during a charity event. Enthusiasts who attended the 2020 Subiefest World Record Attempt and Charity Drive in Costa Mesa, California, were treated to an early preview of the coupe, which is reportedly new from the ground up. While official images have yet to be released, photos of the car are beginning to appear on various social media platforms. Instagram user SubaruDwayne posted an image of a thinly-veiled test mule that confirms the BRZ's basic proportions haven't significantly changed. It still wears a long, low hood and a fast-sloping roof line. It looks like the rear side windows are bigger than the outgoing model's, and we can tell the rear lights are much sharper than before. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. For its part, Subaru published a close-up of a similarly-camouflaged car that shows a five-lug, 10-spoke wheel, a brake rotor (which is a superb thing to put in a sports car), and a vent chiseled into the front fender. The bottom part of it is filled in, but the top portion of it looks functional; it likely reduces turbulence in the wheel wells. No one got a peek under the hood, so precisely what the next BRZ will be powered by remains up in the air. Unverified reports claim power will come from a naturally-aspirated version of the turbocharged, 2.4-liter flat-four that's offered in the Ascent crossover. It will send approximately 220 horsepower to the rear wheels in its most basic state of tune. Rear-wheel drive will come standard, and nothing suggests all-wheel drive will be available. Subaru pledged to introduce the 2022 BRZ in the fall of 2020, meaning the coupe could make its debut any time between today and December 21, when winter begins. Deliveries will presumably start in the first half of 2020. What about Toyota? Toyota has remained surprisingly silent about its version of the car. We know it will again be closely related to the BRZ, so it will arrive as a relatively nimble rear-wheel drive coupe powered by a flat-four engine, but stylists might put more effort into differentiating the two models. We assume it's also scheduled to break cover before the end of 2020.

2021 Subaru Crosstrek driven, and EV performance kings | Autoblog Podcast #647

In this week's Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Consumer Editor Jeremy Korzeniewski. They kick things off by talking about Jeremy's recent drive in the new 2021 Subaru Crosstrek. They compare the BMW X1, BMW X2 and Mini Countryman before providing another take on the Cadillac CT5. Recent Lucid Air and Tesla Model S news has them wondering if electric cars are the new performance kings and end with a quick discussion on California's intent to zero emissions by 2035. Autoblog Podcast #647 Get The Podcast iTunes – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Rundown Cars we're driving: 2021 Subaru Crosstrek BMW X1 vs, BMW X2 vs. Mini Countryman Another take on the Cadillac CT5 Lucid Air prototype runs quarter mile in 9.245 seconds Tesla Model S Plaid prototype laps Laguna Seca in 1:30.3 More thoughts on California's 2035 gas-powered car ban Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on iTunes Related Video: