2013 Subaru Outback 2.5i Limited. Indigo Blue Pearl. Amazing Condition! 3k Miles on 2040-cars

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Takata recall of 10 million replacement airbag inflators could get even larger

Takata is recalling 10 million replacement air bag inflators in the United States, the largest ever auto safety recall in history, as U.S. regulators consider whether to expand its scope to include modules that have not yet been the subject of a recall campaign.  Nearly every OEM that sells cars in the U.S. falls under the umbrella of this replacement part recall, including the Detroit Three, Honda, Toyota, Nissan, BMW, Daimler, Subaru and Volkswagen (including Audi).  The 10 million inflator recall made public in early January covers inflators that were a temporary fix. The figure includes some replacement modules that never made it into customer vehicles. Several automakers, including Subaru, have already initiated campaigns to replace the previously recalled inflators with updated parts. Separately, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is assessing whether to compel the recall of tens of millions of additional Takata air bag inflators that have a drying agent. It is also reviewing petitions from General Motors Co to avoid recalling more than 6 million vehicles with Takata inflators. GM has said it could cost $1.2 billion if it had to recall the vehicles. Prior to Wednesday, 41.6 million U.S. vehicles equipped with 56 million defective Takata air bags have been recalled because the inflators can explode when deployed. At least 25 deaths worldwide and more than 290 injuries have been linked to faulty Takata inflators. The Takata recalls cover about 100 million inflators among 19 major automakers worldwide. NHTSA says the cause of the inflator explosions that can emit deadly fragments is propellant breaking down after long-term exposure to high temperature fluctuations and humidity. The vehicle inflators recalled to date do not have a drying agent. Under a 2015 consent order, Takata had to provide data to U.S. regulators by Dec. 31 about whether tens of millions of additional so-called desiccated inflators need to be recalled. Acting NHTSA Administrator James Owens told Reuters the agency was reviewing data on the desiccated inflators and talking to automakers. "We are going to lean in on safety and if we detect a safety problem we will immediately take action," Owens said, adding that the agency could make a decision early in 2020.

2019 Subaru Forester First Drive Review | Hidden treasure

ASHEVILLE, N.C — Forester sales have been nothing short of spectacular for Subaru. The fourth-generation Forester sold more than double what the first three generations sold ... combined. It makes up about 20 percent of Subaru's current U.S. sales, and 58 percent globally. Clearly, Subaru has been the right thing with the Forester to bring people over to the brand, and to keep them there. So why mess with a good thing? Subaru hasn't, really. The all-new 2019 Forester looks remarkably familiar – slightly tweaking a few things to refine the experience without alienating buyers. They improved aero while maintaining huge windows. And even the small-outside-big-inside formula that makes it such a practical choice was improved, gaining interior volume with a minimal increase in length and width. Peel away the sheet metal, though, and there have been significant changes for the Forester, which shares few parts with the outgoing generation. The updated engine gets direct injection. The reworked frame, using more high-strength steel, means it has 1.4 times the impact absorption of the previous car. The geometry of the four-wheel independent suspension has been optimized for stability, the steering retuned, the transmission reworked for better power, efficiency, handling, comfort and safety. So, can this visually familiar Forester really feel all that different going down the road? More importantly, do we like it better? We headed into the Blue Ridge mountains around Asheville N.C. in order to find out. Our first vehicle for the day was the new Sport trim, with no added performance and some funkier design cues. Somehow, matte-ish orange accents have become the go-to hue to represent "sport." They stand out most around the air vents and gear shifter, in the contrast stitching and here and there in the instrument panel. The busy mix of materials and colors might find favor in youthful buyers, but were a bit too flashy for our taste. Loud as that interior might be visually, sonically the Forester is quite the opposite. We kept the radio off to enjoy, finally, a Forester interior in which we could hold a quiet conversation at highway speed. Depending on the surface, we heard some tire noise, but muted compared to Foresters — and tons of Subarus — of generations past. In normal, calm driving, the new Forester behaves like a more premium vehicle – calm and comfortable.

Subaru will reveal the Ascent 3-row crossover at the L.A. Auto Show

After about a year of concepts and spy photos, we finally know when we'll see the Subaru Ascent, the company's upcoming three-row crossover. Subaru announced on Twitter that the Ascent will make its debut on November 28 at this year's L.A. Auto Show. The announcement came with a teaser image, shown above, revealing the badge, rear taillight, and part of the bumper. We can tell that the Ascent will have a pretty upright hatch, and the rear bumper looks suitably "tough" with a brushed aluminum sill and black plastic cladding. View 17 Photos But really, we know quite a bit about what the crossover will look like, since we've seen two concepts, the Viziv-7 and Ascent Concept. Each was a progressively more conservative imagining of what the production model would be like. The basics involved a generally boxy shape with chiseled, exaggerated fenders, much like every other production Subaru. The Ascent Concept also previewed a possible powertrain for the vehicle, a turbocharged 2.4-liter flat-4. View 9 Photos We've also had a good look at the production version in some recent spy shots showing a nearly production-ready Ascent wrapped in just vinyl camouflage. Some of the more extreme lines have been further toned down compared with the concepts. But the theme of it being a bigger, boxier Subaru stuck around. In fact, it looks very much like a puffed up Outback, with which the Ascent will share a factory in Lafayette, Ind. Related Video: