2008 Subaru Impreza 2.5i Sedan 4-door 2.5l on 2040-cars

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2020 Subaru Outback First Drive Review | The big payoff

NEWPORT, Calif. — The 2020 Subaru Outback marks the sixth generation of a vehicle, first introduced for 1994, that is in no small part the lynchpin to its companyÂ’s current success. The Outback's sales have increased in every generation, with more than 700,000 sold in the most recent generation that started with the 2015 model year. Subaru doesnÂ’t expect things to slow down as it introduces the all-new 2020 Outback, which has undergone a major overhaul despite its familiar sheetmetal. The Outback has moved to the Subaru Global Platform (SGP), joining the Impreza and Forester on lighter, stiffer, and stronger underpinnings. If the 2019 Forester is any indication of how the SGP can improve a vehicle, this would mean the new Outback will also be calmer, quieter and more refined. Staging from the Inn at Newport Ranch on Northern CaliforniaÂ’s “Lost Coast,” with a day full of driving both on- and off-road, we were about to find out for ourselves if this would live up to our expectations. Our first driving stint was in an Outback Touring equipped with the lesser of two available engines. The naturally aspirated 2.5-liter boxer-four, with 182 horsepower and 176 pound-feet of torque, feels perfectly adequate for the driving we did at or near sea level, and climbs competently on steep grades. While it didnÂ’t perform passing maneuvers with a sense of urgency, we still felt comfortable overtaking slower vehicles when we had to. For daily driving somewhere like the California coast, or the suburbs of the Detroit, the more economical 2.5 (26 mpg city, 33 highway, 29 combined) would be our choice to live with. This is mated to a CVT, one programmed to “shift” like a traditional automatic, staying out of its own way, and providing a nice linear pull — without a rubber band type of feel — when you need to climb a hill. Paddle shifters on the back of the wheel give you a sense of more control, if thatÂ’s something you need. We rarely used them. If you live at higher elevations, need to tow up to 3,500 pounds, or just really miss the days of a turbocharged Outback, thereÂ’s now a 2.4-liter turbo-four available in the resurrected XT models. You sacrifice some fuel economy — 3 mpg across the board, 23/30/26 mpg — but get a significant power boost, with hardly any turbo lag and satisfying response. WeÂ’re certain customers whoÂ’ve graduated from the likes of a WRX to something that can better accommodate kids and dogs will appreciate the boost.

2019 Subaru Forester Drivers' Notes Review | Space with a view

The Subaru Forester, launching in the 1990s, is one of the earliest crossover models, blending SUV design and capability with car-like handling and refinement. For 2019, the Forester was completely redesigned, though it might be hard to tell. The styling is conservatively updated, and the boxy, upright design people seem to like it kept as untouched as possible. One of the bigger changes is the under-the-hood offerings. The 250-horsepower turbocharged 2.0-liter flat-4 has been dropped completely. Also, the standard 2.5-liter naturally aspirated flat-4 no longer offers a manual transmission option. On the upside, power has increased from 170 horsepower to 182, and torque increases from 174 pound-feet to 176. Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore: I spent a couple of nights in the 2019 Forester and I generally liked it. The new gen feels fresher, without overt changes. The front end looks great. All of the sharp design lines, the now-standard LED headlights and the prominent grille work together to make a statement. Subaru, Ford and plenty of others, all seem to have taken a page from Audi's playbook of using piercing headlights and a simple yet sporty silhouette. It works. The back is not as good. The last Forester looked cleaner. This one looks like a Honda CR-V knock-off. It's tough to make rear styling in a crossover great, but the Forester went in the wrong direction. Overall, though, it's a good looking machine, stem to almost stern. Inside, the visibility is outstanding. The pillars are relatively thin and the seats are mounted up rather high. You can see out of this thing in all directions. The Forester has always had a good greenhouse feel, so I'm glad that continues. Inside is more of a mixed bag. The cabin pieces and shapes are a little cheap and odd. This one, done up in almost all black with some leather, is decent, but I'd prefer a simpler aesthetic. The boxer four is fine. It works hard to build speed, but it channels mid-range power and blasts by slower moving traffic. The Forester rides better than ever, thanks in part to Subaru's new global platform. Steering is a little light in a good way, the brakes have a solid grab and in general, I like driving the Forester. I'm more of an Outback guy, but Subaru has fortified the Forester in enough ways to keep it competitive. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Day 2: We made it to Patagonia | Subarus in South America

We made it. After Monday's layover in Buenos Aires on Tuesday afternoon, Chris McGraw and I landed in El Calafate, Argentina – right smack in the middle of Patagonia. The Andes mountains were to our west, open plains and lakes cut by glaciers to our east. McGraw and I settled inside a Subaru Outback, and with big smiles on our faces, high-fived as I said the words, "Dude... We're in f*cking Patagonia." Our official adventure starts today, where we're driving a number of Subaru crossovers on all sorts of terrain, visiting glaciers that are larger than most American cities, and taking in some of the most scenic landscape I've ever laid eyes on. Crosstreks, Foresters, and Outbacks will get us to our next destination, and we'll have a full recap of the day's activities for you tomorrow morning. Be sure to follow along with us on social media – Autoblog's Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram will provide more insights into our journey. Of course, both Chris and I will be posting individual impressions from the journey, so follow us, too (@stevenewing and @thequikdraw). In the meantime, get an idea of our epic surroundings in the video above.