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2018 Subaru Forester joins the black-out bandwagon with Black Edition

People apparently love black-painted trim. Nissan, Chevrolet, and Honda have all recently offered special-edition packages to ditch chrome and color-coded parts for the dark hue, and Subaru is the latest to join the party. Its offering comes in the form of the 2018 Forester Black Edition. The package is only available on the 170-horsepower, naturally aspirated, Forester 2.5i Premium. It also costs an extra $1,150. For that money, you get the following in the eponymous color: 18-inch wheels, fog light trim, badges, mirror caps, and the grille. Inside, the interior is also black. The steering wheel and shifter are leather-wrapped, and the upholstery is cloth with faux leather bolsters. The package isn't all aesthetics, though. It also comes with steering LED headlights and paddle shifters for the CVT, allowing the driver to pick from six preset ratios. The latter feature was previously exclusive to the turbocharged Forester 2.0XT. The package also comes on the heels of the 2018 model introduction. There aren't many notable updates to this year's Forester, however. All trim levels except Touring increase in price by $200. All Touring models jump by $1,795. The Touring's large price jump comes with now-standard reverse automatic emergency braking and high-beam assist. The 2.0XT Touring also now has torque vectoring similar to that in the WRX line. Related Video: Featured Gallery 2018 Subaru Forester Black Edition Image Credit: Subaru Subaru Crossover Economy Cars

2015 Subaru XV Crosstrek Special Edition shows its shining face to the Detroit crowd

The 2015 Subaru XV Crosstrek Special Edition is an easy model to spot thanks to its bright Sunrise Yellow paint. However, under the lights at the 2015 Detroit Auto Show, the shade actually looks a bit darker than the blazing tone from the original photos. Subaru is only making 1,000 of these shining models, and appropriately, they hit the market in the spring when the sun starts shining. Beyond the bright paint, buyers get a Crosstrek with a power moonroof, body-color folding mirrors and blackened headlight bezels. Inside, there's Subie's Starlink infotainment system with a seven-inch touchscreen and two USB ports. The all-weather package should make things easier on cold days, too, with heated seats and side mirrors, plus a windshield wiper de-icer. The whole package based around the 2.0i Premium trim rings up for $25,290, plus $850 destination and delivery.

Should Subaru stay niche or go mainstream? [w/poll]

Out of all the automakers doing business in the US, Subaru is the one that has carved out the most interesting niche for itself in the minds and lifestyles of buyers. Outdoorsy types, dog lovers and active families alike flock to Subaru's rugged nature and all-wheel-drive utility - and they're fiercely loyal, which is probably why Subaru has become a success story.
But Subaru is still a relatively small player in the US market, and with recent profits surging, parent company Fuji Heavy Industries is facing a dilemma: continue on with the successful niche market Subaru has carved out for itself, or attempt to go mainstream and give big players like Nissan and Toyota a run for their money. According to Carscoop, Japan Times and Bloomberg News are reporting that Fuji Heavy is beginning discussions this month to determine which direction Subaru will take.