2013 Subaru Impreza Premium on 2040-cars

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Edmunds ranks the best used cars for 2013

When people ask us what car we would recommend for them, it's usually not easy to answer. To make a useful recommendation we must consider which of the numerous vehicle segments fits their needs best, and then choose one of the many vehicles offered in each segment. For some people, new cars don't meet their expectations of value, because they lose so much of it the moment they are purchased and driven off the dealer lot. For them, there's always the used-car market, where great deals can be found, but cars' histories of reliability and maintenance records - and perhaps that Certified Pre-Owned warranty - become ever-important factors playing into purchase choice.
To help out, Edmunds has done us the favor of assembling a list of the best used vehicles money can buy, covering model years 2006-2011, according to what it considers the most important criteria when shopping for used autos: reliability, safety, value and availability. That means unreliable, unsafe, super-expensive or limited-edition models don't appear on the list, but instead cars from each segment that are more likely to satisfy the general population.
There are some real goodies on the list, including but not limited to vehicles such as the capable Honda Fit, the cultish Honda Accord coupe (which can be had with a 240-horsepower V6 and a six-speed manual transmission some years), and the powerful Chevrolet Corvette. While Edmunds' choice of the Volvo C70 for best used convertible baffled us at first (not that it's a bad car), it redeemed itself by stating that the Mazda MX-5 still is an unofficial top choice if you don't require more than two seats.

Impreza 5-door concept headlines Subaru's Tokyo lineup

Subaru is planning a whole raft of new debuts for the upcoming Tokyo Motor Show. One of them we've already seen in the updated Forester crossover. But that's just the tip of the proverbial iceberg when it comes to Fuji Heavy Industries' plans for the Japanese expo. Leading the lineup will be two brand-new concepts. Subaru will be showcasing a conceptual preview of the next-generation Impreza. The five-door hatchback is so far only being shown in sleek and shapely design renderings, so we'll have to wait as the show approaches to see more. But from what little we can see so far, the hatchback looks promising. Along with the Impreza is the hybrid Viziv Future concept, which builds on previous Viziv design studies in a crossover form that just might preview the upcoming replacement for the Tribeca. The sporty crossover concept is rendered in a muscular-looking take on typical Subaru style, in white with metallic and orange accents inside and out. A full glass sunroof lets the light into the thoroughly modern cockpit, with a large dashboard monitor and four individual bucket seats accessed by conventional front doors and what look like van-like, pillar-less sliding rear door like you might see on a Ford B-Max. The concept is fitted with a bike rack, automated driving is provided by the next-generation EyeSight system, and motivation comes from a turbocharged hybrid setup. This being a Subaru, it naturally features all-wheel traction, but it's provided through the road thanks to the electric motor on the rear axle. Other features of the Subaru pavilion in Tokyo include a luxed-up version of the WRX S4 dubbed SporVita, with an Italian leather interior. Other interior trim, 18-inch wheels, and a raft of otherwise optional equipment comes part of the package which will also bee seen on the Legacy. There'll be a few more new debuts – including new versions of the XV, Levorg, and WRX STI S207 – to be revealed later this month, along with the BRZ GT300 that Subaru fields in the Super GT series. Related Video: Subaru Exhibition Outline of the 44th Tokyo Motor Show 2015 October 7, 2015 Tokyo, October 7, 2015 – Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. (FHI), the manufacturer of Subaru automobiles, will unveil two new concept cars at the 44th Tokyo Motor Show 2015 (Press Days: October 28 and 29; General Public: October 30 to November 8).

Here's the story with the Chicken Tax

Quiz America's auto enthusiasts about the vehicles they most want to see in the US market, and for every one that doesn't respond with a French hot hatchback or some diesel-powered offering, there'd be at least three that ask for some small, imported pickup truck. That won't happen, though, and we have the Chicken Tax to thank. This damnable bit of legislation affixes a 25-percent tariff to any light truck not built in the United States. That's why Honda, Toyota and Nissan build all their trucks in the United States, and it's also why pickups like the foreign-built Volkswagen Amarok, shown above, or the long-rumored Mahindra pickup aren't offered here. Wired has the story on the roots of the Chicken Tax, including how one Japanese manufacturer got around it and even delivered a vehicle to one of our country's presidents. Head over and check it out.