2014 Subaru Xv Crosstrek Hybrid 2.0i on 2040-cars

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WA woman wins $90M Powerball, plans to buy Subaru Forester

This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Lisa Quam recently hit the Powerball jackpot to win $90 million. Like many folks lucky enough to win, Quam says one of her first stops will be a car dealer for a new set of wheels. Her first thought isn't to choose high luxury with a Bentley Mulsanne or Mercedes-Benz S-Class, though. Nope, she plans to buy herself a Subaru Forester, which is an eminently practical (if predictable) choice for someone residing in Washington state. Hopefully, Quam will decide to spend a few extra bucks for the turbocharged XT trim; she can definitely afford it. For our money, Quam's Subaru isn't nearly as cool of a choice as the guy who decided to buy himself an used Acura NSX from Craigslist with his $448 million Powerball jackpot last year. They're both keeping things modest with their newfound fortunes, though, and that strikes us as a smart move.

2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek Hybrid finally adds gas-electric option to the brand [w/video]

For a company that does a pretty great job of tying its vehicles to the environment - or, better said, to people who like to actually get out into the environment - Subaru hasn't exactly been a leader in green vehicle production. In fact, it's 2013 and the company is finally releasing its first-ever production hybrid, the XV Crosstrek Hybrid. Tom Doll, Subaru's executive vice president, admitted as much at the unveiling today at the New York Auto Show: "We at Subaru were not the first to market with a hybrid, but we sure made sure we did it right."
That may be, but for now the automaker doesn't want to tell us all the details of how right it is. We do know that the powertrain takes Subaru's 2.0-liter boxer engine and adds in a 13.4-horsepower electric motor and continuously variable transmission. All-wheel drive will be, of course, standard, and Subaru promises the XV Crosstrek Hybrid will offer the "same utility and versatility as the gasoline model," including 8.7 inches of ground clearance. The hybrid does weigh 300 pounds more, though, which required a re-engineered chassis.
The motor can move the lifted Impreza in all-electric mode up to 25 miles an hour (distance not specified). Subaru isn't talking precise fuel economy numbers, either, just that it will be the "most fuel-efficient all-wheel-drive crossover in America" and will unsurprisingly have start-stop functionality. We do hear, though, that the hybrid will get around 10-percent better fuel economy than the standard gas-only XV Crosstrek. The most efficient version of that car, the one with the CVT, gets 25 miles per gallon in the city, 33 highway and 28 combined. Whatever this hybrid XV Crosstrek gets, we expect Subaru'll sell a million in Portlandia. For more, scroll down to watch an official video and read the press release.

Subaru Levorg 'prototype' revealed, looking pretty production-ready

The next-generation Subaru Levorg, better known as the WRX wagon the company has so far refused to give the U.S., has been revealed at the Tokyo Motor Show. It's technically called a "prototype," but it's clear that this is basically the production model. In fact, Subaru says production for it begins in the second half of next year. Many enthusiasts pine for the Levorg because it is a high-performance wagon that we don't get, but even if you don't care, there is reason to pay attention to this car. As the current version is basically a WRX, this is giving us our first look at the next generation of that car. Styling-wise, the new Levorg is heavily inspired by the Viziv Performance and Viziv Tourer concepts. It has a wide hexagonal grille with boomerang-shaped headlights surrounding it. The wheel arches have a strong trapezoidal shape, and there are sharp creases throughout. The overall profile of the car is still very similar to the current Levorg and WRX. Subaru has been light on the details for the rest of the car. The base engine will no longer be a turbocharged 1.6-liter, but rather a turbocharged 1.8-liter. While not announced, we wouldn't be surprised if it gets an upgraded turbocharged 2.0-liter engine, which will probably be shared with the WRX. All Levorgs will likely continue to only have a CVT. Subaru also mentions that it will have an updated version of EyeSight with stereo cameras, four radar sensors and high-resolution mapping that will reduce cruise control speeds for curves, and allow for hands-free gridlock driving. We wouldn't expect the Levorg to come to America, but the updated EyeSight is probably a shoo-in for future models.