2002 Subaru Impreza Wrx on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Automotive April Fools' joke roundup [w/videos]

Happy April, everyone. And we all know what this first day of the month means: April Fools' Day. Today is a national holiday for pranksters with the Internet acting as a serious enabler, and it's always fun to see what kind of vivid imaginations exist out there in the automotive world. The abundance of fake news gets a little old as the day rolls on, but we did manage to get in a few chuckles thanks to a handful of major automakers and automotive news outlets that got into the pranking spirit this year
Some of our favorites this year includes Subaru showing what happens when you combine a bunch of rumors, a Corvette some may have already thought was a joke or Honda providing some in-car innovation circa the late 1980s. Honestly, we're still waiting for official confirmation from Mitsubishi that the recently introduced 2014 Mirage is an elaborate April Fools' joke using a failed design intended for the 1995 Geo Metro. We dug up as much "official" OEM foolishness we could find, as well as some of our other favorites, and posted them all below.

2019 Subaru Ascent crossover revealed | Big and not so bold

Just over a year after Subaru first indicated its intention to build a three-row crossover with the Viziv-7, we now get to see the end product, the 2019 Ascent. Compared with the Viziv-7 and the Ascent concept, the basic shape remains, but all of the rugged, square-shouldered detailing has been toned way down. The body is now full of soft, inoffensive lines that result in it looking more like a blown-up Outback than its own thing. It's not a bad-looking vehicle, but it isn't quite as bold as we hoped. Under the skin is a brand-new engine in the Subaru lineup. It uses a turbocharged and intercooled 2.4-liter flat-four, and the turbo is a twin-scroll unit. It produces 260 horsepower and 277 pound-feet of torque, and will help the Ascent tug on up to 5,000 pounds of whatever you want to tow. The engine is mated to a CVT that can be shifted manually through eight preset ratios via steering-wheel paddles. Power goes to all four wheels, as is the Subaru way. All Ascents also come with the X-Mode off-road setting and hill descent control, as well as 8.7 inches of ground clearance. In the cabin, Ascents can be had with seating for up to eight people. All models come standard with a second-row bench seat, while Premium trim and higher can be had with second-row captain's chairs at no extra cost. Passengers can take advantage of three-zone automatic climate control, with redundant controls for the second row. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard equipment along with a 6.5-inch touchscreen infotainment system that can be optioned up to an 8-inch. As for cargo space, there's 19.6 cubic feet behind the third row, over 40 cubic feet behind the second row, and about 72 cubic feet with both rows folded. Drivers will also be able to take advantage of standard EyeSight with automatic emergency braking, lane-keep assist and adaptive cruise control. The 2019 Ascent goes on sale next summer. Subaru has not yet announced pricing. View 16 Photos Related Video:

Subaru Forester Luggage Test | Packing up our long-term family crossover

Our 2019 Subaru Forester long-term test car has been a pack rat for many of us on staff at Autoblog. We’ve stuffed in camping gear, tires, landscaping supplies and much more over a number of months. However, we havenÂ’t given it a proper luggage test until now. West Coast Editor James Riswick has tested a number of compact crossovers that the Forester competes against with his own set of luggage: Ford Escape, Mazda CX-5, Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4. But since our long-term Forester lives in Michigan, weÂ’ll be using the same set of luggage that weÂ’ve used for all other midwest luggage tests. HereÂ’s what weÂ’re working with: Two carry-on suitcases sized (24 inches long, 15.5 wide, 10 deep); one carry-on suitcase (21.7L x 13.7W x 9 D); one medium-size suitcase you have to check (24.5L x 16.8W x 11.5D) and two larger, full-size suitcases (33.8L x 21.5W x 13D) and (28.1L x 18W x 10.5D). This generation of Forester and its more traditional crossover shape means it has a great deal of luggage capacity for its overall footprint. Sunroof-equipped models (like our Touring) come in at 33.0 cubic-feet of space behind the back seat. If you skip the sunroof, you gain 2.4 cubes, but the space at the top of the ceiling is generally pointless unless youÂ’re chill with zero rearward visibility. Our Touring model comes with a nice powered hatch that can be opened via the fob, interior button, exterior lid button or a kick motion under the bumper. The kicking is generally reliable, but has frustrated on occasion with a refusal to accept our kicks. The cargo cover that comes standard is a little tricky to operate and feels a little flimsy. Strangely, there are two pieces of fabric that must be pulled taut. The more standard, larger piece that covers most of the cargo area can be yanked forward and slot into a neat groove, but the piece on the other side of the roller must be delicately placed in a couple slots right near the rear seats. If youÂ’re too short, you might be forced to climb into the cargo hold to get it right. For the record, this piece exists because of the back seat's reclining functionality and ensure there isn't a gap between the upright seat and the cover. Now, letÂ’s chuck some suitcases in it. All three carry-on suitcases and the medium suitcase fit neatly tucked under the cargo cover. ThereÂ’s oodles of room in front of them, which ended up being plenty for the fancy bag (22L x 8.8W x 12D).