2018 Subaru Legacy 2.5i Premium on 2040-cars

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Subaru planning to use Evoltis name on battery-electric crossover

Two years ago, Subaru Japan applied to trademark the name "Evoltis" in the U.S. At the time, it was thought the name would accompany the brand's new plug-in hybrid or some component of the hybrid system. Instead, the PHEV we got returned the Crosstrek Hybrid name to active use, after Subaru retired the first non-plug-in Crosstrek Hybrid in 2016. Whither the Evoltis, then? According to CarBuzz, citing "reports from Japan," Subaru will apply the moniker to a coming battery-electric crossover it is developing with Toyota. The automaker previewed the concept version of the crossover in January of this year during a technical meeting in Japan, built atop a flexible platform to accommodate multiple production vehicles from both brands. Subaru's known for exciting concepts that get stripped to comparative blandness for production. Perhaps tired of the ensuing vitriol, reports say Subaru's inverting the process this time, the production model promising to be more radical than the concept. That won't be difficult, seeing the concept looked like an appliance from a low-budget sci-fi movie, and if not for the Pleiades badge on the front fascia most enthusiasts probably would have thought the concept was a Toyota. Underneath the eventual sheetmetal, rumors figure electric motors turning both axles will combine to produce about 280 horsepower, supplied by a battery stout enough for a range of more than 300 miles — note, that could be a Japanese-cycle figure for range. The concept sat next to a cutaway of a boxer engine, so it's possible there'll be a number of powertrains on offer. Additional tech could include the next generation of Subaru's EyeSight driver assistants, and cameras providing a 360-degree view around the crossover. The debut's been mentioned for October 2021, which would be the same month as the next Tokyo Motor Show. Market launch won't happen until nearly 2025. From left field comes news of another Evoltis, however. TopGear magazine and other outlets from the Philippines write that our Ascent is headed to the island nation in the third quarter of this year. Instead of taking that name to Southeast Asia, it will get the name Evoltis — that's what Glenn Tan, the deputy chairman and managing director of Subaru's Philippines distributor Tan Chong International, told journalists at this year's Singapore Motor Show.

Toyota, Mazda drop Takata as Mitsubishi, Subaru weigh options

It's not a very good time to be Takata right now. Fresh on the heels of longtime partner Honda ditching them, Toyota and Mazda have both come out and said they will not use the company's airbag inflators if they continue to rely on ammonium nitrate. Bloomberg reports that Subaru and Mitsubishi are also contemplating a divorce. "The inflator using ammonium nitrate produced by Takata will not be adopted by Toyota," President Akio Toyoda said during a briefing today. "What's most important above anything else is the safety and peace of mind of customers." Mazda echoed that position, simply saying it "will not use Takata airbag inflators which contain ammonium nitrate in our new cars." When you lose three huge OEM accounts in as many days, it's certainly going to have a deleterious effect on your fortunes. In Takata's case, that's meant a staggering 39-percent drop in their share price over the last three days. Yesterday alone, the company saw a 6.2-percent fall, Bloomberg reports. As the business publication reports, though, Takata isn't going down without a fight. The company is "considering some plans to survive," including a fundraising plan that will see it potentially offer up additional shares for sale. Still, at least one analyst doesn't see whatever company survives staying involved in the airbag inflator business. "I really don't see how they're going to be able to survive as an inflator manufacturer," Valient Market Research founder Scott Upham told Bloomberg. "When your major clients publicly come out and say that they're not going to use your products anymore, it makes this very difficult to sustain your business." News Source: Automotive News - sub. req.Image Credit: Carlos Osorio / AP Honda Mazda Mitsubishi Subaru Toyota Safety supplier

2017 Subaru Impreza makes a stand in the compact segment

If the 2016 Honda Civic was a revelation for the brand as a rebuke of the past couple of generations of their brand-and-butter compact, the 2017 Subaru Impreza appears to be on a parallel trajectory for the lauded all-weather performance brand. Unveiled Tuesday at the 2016 New York Auto Show, the 2017 Impreza brings in an all-new platform that is stiffer, sportier, and a much-needed improvement to stay competitive as the segment tightens up. The car features styling cues that are potentially the most attractive we've seen on a non-WRX model since the turn of the century. The car looks downright European in either sedan or hatchback form, stealing much of the thunder that the Mazda 3 and Civic had brought just a short time ago. Its lines are clean all around, the front and rear are largely without aerodynamic clutter, and much of that style is carried over to the interior that gets a much needed refresh. Gone are the overly utilitarian surfaces and buttons; a clear shift has been made to make the car seem on-par with class leaders like the Civic and Mazda 3, albeit with its own distinctive Subaru style. The dashboard seems just as straightforward as before, but packs the necessary technology to remain competitive in the segment. It seems that Subaru has listened to critiques of the outgoing Impreza, and sought out a way to continue the tradition of making AWD alternatives to the mainstream compacts, but this time without compromises on content. Up and down the four-trim model chain (2.0i, Premium, Sport, Limited), standard equipment is greatly improved. Even the standard 2.0i model will come with the necessary power features that anyone would expect, along with a much-needed 6.5" touchscreen interface that dual-boots with Android Auto and Apple Car Play - something that even the base trim Honda Civic LX does not have, and perhaps, that should put Honda on notice. In the very competitive compact segment, content is king. With standard equipment being on par with or exceeding the headlining Civic and Corolla, the added convenience of AWD is the cherry on top in places with cooler climates. Without major changes to the powertrain (slight power gains for the standard 2.0 H4 and an updated CVT), fuel economy perhaps remains to be the only caveat to the Impreza being a class-leading choice. With the current model rated at 28/37 compared to the Civic's 31/42, a slight improvement wouldn't be much in the grand scheme of things.