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Subaru Viziv Tourer Concept brings back the WRX wagon in Geneva

Last month, we ran a dimly-lit teaser image depicting the taillight of the new Subaru Viziv Tourer concept, slated for a Geneva Motor Show reveal. Now the wraps have come off the handsomely bronze concept, and it all looks good for a future WRX wagon design. The second-generation wagon was replaced by a hatchback variant, so there hasn't been a WRX wagon for 10 years now. The Viziv Tourer is a welcome Subaru return to longer roofs in this segment, albeit with slight crossover flavors. A production version is still expected for a 2020 launch. The taillights cut into wide wheel arches, but the sides are slightly less bulging than with the Viziv Performance STI Concept shown at the Tokyo Auto Salon earlier this year: If you get your ruler out, the Tourer is 20mm narrower. It all looks very production ready, just lacking door handles and side mirrors — and perhaps it could use some slightly bigger headlights. The concept's glasshouse is tinted heavily enough not to reveal anything from the interior. Subaru says the Global Platform underpinning the Viziv and its Tourer sibling includes the combination of Subaru's Symmetrical AWD and a boxer engine, so the core Subaru values are still present. There should be EyeSight advanced driver assists introduced in the production car, but the performance variants are likely to focus on "active enjoyment of driving," as Subaru politely puts it. Related Video: Featured Gallery Subaru Viziv Tourer Concept: Geneva 2018 View 11 Photos Related Gallery Subaru VIZIV Tourer concept View 9 Photos Image Credit: Live photos copyright 2018 Drew Phillips / Autoblog.com Geneva Motor Show Subaru Wagon Concept Cars Future Vehicles Performance 2018 Geneva Motor Show subaru viziv

2019 Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid First Drive Review | Finally, a Subie with a plug - updated

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — Subarus are pretty good to drive — capable, comfortable, generally affordable, interesting — and with one exception, they all offer all-wheel drive. And they're a relatively green company. The active, outdoorsy and often socially conscious drivers appreciate things like Subaru's commitment to diverting waste from landfills. But there's a fact that's been nagging many of us who love to hug dogs, trees and the occasional Subaru: there's no electric option. Subaru, an automaker small enough to get by with an efficient fleet of conventional gas vehicles, has been able to do without building a compliance car. Still, an increasing number of Americans want to be able to plug in their vehicles. For loyal Subaru fans, brand love and eco-consciousness have increasingly difficult to reconcile. That changes now, and not because of any specific regulation, but because Subaru sees the demand. By the end of this year, Subaru will be selling its first plug-in vehicle, the 2019 Crosstrek Hybrid. While Subaru has sold a Crosstrek that was a conventional hybrid before, the new 2019 Crosstrek Hybrid is Subaru's first plug-in hybrid. Sales of the previous hybrid weren't great, though, since it was expensive. Customers didn't choose to pay a premium for a few mere extra miles per gallon. Subaru hopes the extra fuel efficiency of the plug-in will increase the appeal. Even so, like Chrysler did with the Pacifica Hybrid, Subaru opted not to put "plug-in" in the name for 2019. Despite an arguable opportunity missed to set the record straight with a new and more descriptive name, there's no mistaking this thing is a PHEV. There are "Plug-In Hybrid" badges on both front fenders and the tailgate, and the door covering the SAE charging receptacle – at the rear of the driver's side, on the opposite side of the gas fuel door – is stamped with the words "PLUG-IN" writ large. While this thing looks every bit a Subaru, even if you pop the hood to take a look at the 2.0-liter boxer engine up front, the 2019 Crosstrek Hybrid borrows its PHEV technology from Toyota – more fruit of the partnership that bore the Scion FR-S and the BRZ. It has the same 8.8-kWh lithium-ion battery pack as the Prius Prime, but in the bigger, heavier Subaru it's only good for a modest 17 miles of all-electric range. If that figure is a little disappointing to you, you're not alone. We had hoped to see at least 20 miles of EV range in this thing.

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.