2006 Subaru Outback 3.0 H6 Ll Bean Edition on 2040-cars

Auto blog

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.

Subaru Viziv is a diesel hybrid crossover we could learn to love

With the 2013 XV Crosstrek, Subaru reaffirmed its interest in niche crossovers, and early signs are that it's selling well, so will parent Fuji Heavy Industries green-light another one? That's the question begged by the new Viziv concept just unveiled here at the Geneva Motor Show.
Of course, this is a pure showcar, and the four-seat crossover coupe's drivetrain is suitably next-generation as well. The plug-in hybrid drivetrain system features a 2.0-liter diesel boxer engine mated to a CVT, and a pair of electric motors drive the rear wheels for a through-the-road all-wheel-drive system. By going with motor-driven rear axles, Subaru says it has been able to provide larger rear-seat footwell and lower load floor. More excitingly, Subaru says its control systems allow for side-to-side torque vectoring for improved handling, and the system actually apportions more power to the rear wheels when the Viziv takes a corner.
In typical concept car fashion, the Viziv features flashy butterfly doors that provide access to both the front and rear seats, along with oversized 20-inch wheels and cutting-edge lighting. We like the Viziv's overall design direction - it looks more organic and all-of-a-piece than we're used to seeing from the Japanese automaker.

Subaru debuts Euro-spec XV and Forester e-Boxer hybrids

The biggest story out of the Subaru camp in Geneva is the new Viziv Adrenaline concept, but two more pedestrian reveals have much higher impacts on immediate production. Subaru debuted the new e-Boxer hybrid powertrain in both the Forester and the XV, the first electrified Subarus for Europe. The unveilings come after Subaru showed off the Forester STI e-Boxer concept at the Tokyo Auto Salon, which somewhat predicted what we'd see here. Unlike America's XV Crosstrek hybrid that uses a plug-in setup, these models are cordless. In fact, from the outside, the only real indication these are hybrid models are a couple tiny badges on the front quarter and the rear, as well as some trim-specific styling. Both the XV and the Forester use the same e-Boxer powertrain. It combines a horizontally opposed 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that's rated at 148 horsepower and 143 lb-ft of torque and a 16-horsepower electric motor that's integrated into the transmission. Energy is stored in an 118-volt lithium-ion battery pack that has a maximum output of 13.5 kW. This powertrain is paired with Subaru's Lineartronic transmission and symmetrical AWD in both models. Subaru is quick to point out the advantages of the placement of the hybrid powertrain. Because the battery is located on the rear axle, e-Boxer cars have not only a lower center of gravity than the traditional ICE models, they also have better weight distribution. Both characteristics should improve the handling and ride quality of both vehicles. Subaru did not give further details on fuel efficiency numbers or pricing, but it expects to have the Forester and XV e-Boxers on the road in Europe by fall 2019. There is no word yet as to whether the e-Boxer powertrain could come to America, but it's unlikely considering the XV PHEV already exists here. News Source: Subaru Green Geneva Motor Show Subaru Crossover Hybrid subaru xv crosstrek